Color Me Green

Make Ahead Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

2012-02-08T00:47:00.001-05:00

I was determined to have pumpkin cinnamon rolls on New Years morning, so I followed Pink of Perfection's overnight approach and spent a relaxed afternoon on New Years eve preparing the dough, with the addition of roasted pumpkin puree, frozen from the fall. The pan of rolls went into the fridge to wait patiently, while we dressed up and drank champagne and danced and watched fireworks. Come morning, all that remained was to take the pan out, let it warm up a bit and put it in the oven. And it worked! Which makes this an excellent brunch party dish because it can be made ahead. Of course, I forgot that I usually crave savory over sweet on the morning after a night of drinking and dancing, but luckily there was also bacon and eggs to go around and friends to enjoy the rolls.

For some reason, I missed the cinnamon filling step in the recipe and spread glaze inside the rolls instead. When I realized this, I compensated by sprinkling powdered sugar after they came out of the oven. They may not have been as cinnamon-y and gooey as possible, but it still works as good option, say if you want to be cutting down on the butter anyway. They plumped up into pillowy sweet rolls with a hint of pumpkin spice and zingy fresh ginger. Some liked the ginger, but I didn't, so I leave that up to you.

Also, I cut the original recipe in half, and experimented with slicing different sized rolls. I am confident you can still get 12 rolls out of the halved recipe since we had more than enough for three people. I can't ever imagine needing to make the full recipe unless you're having a giant brunch party.

Make Ahead Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
(Adapted from Pink of Perfection. I apologize for basically repeating her same steps here, but I wanted to have a record of my slight adjustments.)

dough
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup white sugar
2 1/14 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs

filling
2/3 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
1 knob of fresh ginger, peeled and diced

glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple syrup

Warm the milk until it just bubbles. Remove from heat, stir in butter until melted, and let cool. Once it's lukewarm, add the yeast, sugar, pumpkin and eggs. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and spices. Stir in the liquid mixture. Add more flour a little at a time if necessary until it comes together as a dough. Knead for about five minutes. Let it rise for however long it takes you to combine the filling ingredients.

Roll out dough into a 9×12ish inch rectangle (mine was more like 10x15). Spread filling (or alternately, the glaze) over the dough. Roll up dough from the long end. Cut into 12 equal size rolls and place cut side up in a pan - I used a 10ish inch round greased cast iron pan, or you could use a baking pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, remove pan from fridge and let sit for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, whisk together glaze ingredients. After rolls are done, pour glaze over top. Alternately, if you already spread the glaze inside, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. If you do not serve them all immediately, they are best toasted.

The first lesson of 2012

2012-01-04T22:21:00.003-05:00

I've learned the first lesson of 2012: it isn't always worth it. I'm always trying to make the most out of the food I have rather than let things go to waste...just this weekend with my boyfriend for example, we cooked a steak bone into beef stock, saved bacon drippings for frying eggs, turned leftover roasted vegetables into a morning hash, and tried to reclaim stale bread as breadcrumbs. But sometimes it isn't always worth it. For example, you should always tear bread into cubes and then let it go stale because once the bread is already too hard to safely cut, it isn't worth saving.

On Monday, I was slicing stale bread into cubes, which I've done before, and cut my finger, which I've done before (there's a reason I used to call my blog Wounded Chef), but never have I cut my finger with a serrated knife with the pressure involved in sawing off hard bread. The result was an afternoon spent in the ER and an awkward bandage to wear for at least a week. No piano playing or bike riding or complicated cooking or dishes for at least a week. It's not as bad as it looks and it should heal okay, but it is disturbing to know that I sliced off a small tip of my finger. Despite this, I still have high hopes for 2012. It can only get better from here!

Other lessons: a knife skills class would probably be useful, as would a full first aid kit. And what feels like constant setbacks (bed bugs, various minor illnesses, hurricanes) are just life happening while you're busy making other plans.

New Year Reflections

2011-12-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

I've already made my resolutions for my 27th year, but the new year is also a time to reflect. When I think back on the last year, I feel proud of all that I accomplished and all the experiences I managed to pack in. Despite the lack of sleep (see above resolutions, which include going to bed earlier), it was a year that saw me realize several steps toward being the person I want to be. 2011 was the year I:

* Started working for an environmental nonprofit, where I have now survived a year of the steep learning curve there.

from a restorative work retreat in Vermont

* Started bike commuting, managing 20-40 miles most weeks since March.

* Joined a band (the garage rock/punk band Sexy Neighbors).

* Played my first solo shows since 2007 and wrote several new songs.

* Met my awesome boyfriend.

* Finally visited Portland, Oregon, the land people have long told me I would love

* Visited my friend's little cottage on Cape Cod for a fun August weekend of lobster and beaches

* Was membership co-head of the Bushwick Food Coop for six months.

* Moved twice and now live with my best friend.

* Meanwhile, we have dealt with a three month scourge of bed bugs (and no it's not quite yet over), so the new year will hopefully bring us a return to home normalcy. In the meantime, life goes on and work goes on and I go on trying to be the person I want to be.

Make Your Own Deodorant

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

This looks like a photo of regular deodorant, but it's actually my homemade deodorant. I'd been meaning to try this out for a long time as part of my general trend toward eliminating personal care products and their associated risky chemicals from my life. In fact, back in 2009 I considered going deodorant free, but that never happened (probably for the best). But I recently realized that even the natural deodorant I'd been using, while free of aluminum, still had a low rating on the Good Guide due to a questionable ingredient called propylene glycol. This fall when this deodorant finally ran out, I decided to follow my successful homemade replacement for shampoo and make my own deodorant.

It was as easy as mixing coconut oil, baking soda and corn starch. I left out essential oil since coconut oil itself has antibacterial properties and I like the scent of it. I started out with Crunchy Betty's recipe of 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 5 tbsp coconut oil but found that I had to add a little more of this and a little more of that until I got a consistency that was solid enough to refill my deodorant container. Winter is a good time to try this out, since coconut oil is only solid below 76 degrees Fahrenheit. I would prefer to use a little glass jar rather than a plastic container, but since I need to carry my deodorant with me for bike commuting, it's better for the container to be lighter. I also figured I would be able to roll it on like I was used to, but the homemade stuff doesn't hold together as well, so I scoop out a little and rub it on with my finger. I don't even necessarily have to worry about washing my hands afterward since the ingredients are all safe and edible.

Do I smell? I don't think I sweat or stink anymore than I did on regular deodorant. I don't shower after biking to work, I just reapply this and I'm good to go. My boyfriend said he would warn me if I smelled too much and that hasn't happened. Now, I just smell slightly of coconut, which I find pleasant. My roommate is impressed and wants to try it out, so I need to remember to make her a sample soon.

Make Your Own Mustard

2011-12-25T20:33:00.004-05:00

When I went to my make mustard for my father's holiday gift this year, I realized that I've never posted the go-to recipe I've been using for years now. The concept behind making mustard is very simple: soak mustard seeds in a vinegar-based liquid and then blend it. That liquid can be just vinegar and water, but I like to use beer or wine for more flavor, as well as honey for some sweetness to offset the spiciness. You can also add whatever spices your heart desires for endless variations. Despite using white seeds, which actually look yellow and are supposed to be the most mild of the types of mustard seeds, this comes out hotter than the storebought stuff and takes a few weeks to mellow out. I also recently learned you can heat the liquid first, which will cut the mustard's bite, but I haven't tried that yet.

Mustard seeds can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores. Some seeds I've bought are harder to blend than others for no apparent reason and result in a coarser mustard - just a warning. This makes a very simple gift, which you probably wish I told you a few weeks ago, or is a simple way to impress barbecue guests, or is just a good thing to have in your fridge since the anti-bacterial properties of mustard mean it will last for months.

Also, happy holidays!

Homemade Spicy Honey Mustard

1/4 cup white mustard seeds
1/4 cup beer or wine
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
1 tsp salt
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in an empty jar* and put in the fridge for a week. One to seven days later, blend the mixture until seeds are mostly ground and it reaches your desired consistency, adding a little water a tablespoon at a time if necessary.

* It is suggested that you rinse and save salsa and peanut butter jars since they are perfect for homemade condiments.

Birthday

2011-12-05T01:13:00.004-05:00

Last week I turned 27. I'm finding that life keeps moving forward, and I have to just take advantages of opportunities for enjoyment wherever they can be squeezed in. The bed bug saga is still ongoing and draining, so I drew out my birthday with multiple celebrations...happy hours on my birthday, a romantic dinner, drinks and dancing with my friends, some very nice little presents, and plans for ice skating with another birthday next week. And, I highly recommend wearing a homemade paper crown to one's birthday party.

I've now crossed off most things on my 26 things to do before turning 26 list (which also turned into my before 27 list). And so, a new list for this new year of life...couldn't quite get to 28 but I'm sure I will think of more as the year goes on:

1. Live in a home that is bed bug free
2. Live in a home that feels like a real home
3. Record a solo EP
4. Book more solo shows
5. Record an album with my band
6. Play at SXSW
7. Perform with my boyfriend
8. Go to the gym on lunch breaks
9. Leave work on time regularly
10. Go to bed earlier
11. Visit New Paltz
12. Visit Caitlin's house upstate again
13. Visit Elaine and her new baby
14. Go camping
15. Visit my parent's beach house (somehow I never went camping or to the beach house in summer 2011).
16. Go to Founder's Day at my college
17. Possibly visit my sister while she studies abroad in London
18. Model in a shoot for my photographer friend
19. ~~Go ice skating~~ 12/9/2011 at the Standard Hotel
20. ~~Trim my own hair~~ 12/25/2011
21. Stop a bad habit
22. Bake pumpkin cinnamon rolls, which I have been thinking about doing for years now
23. Make homemade pasta
24. Host another pizza potluck
25.
26.
27.
28.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T20:26:00.002-05:00

It's been three years since I was last lead cook for Thanksgiving. This year, I made all the side dishes and my own turkey legs. My mom made the big turkey and gravy and pies and my relatives brought the rest of the desserts. I came home Wednesday to give me plenty of time for cooking ahead and wrote out a schedule of food prep to follow on Thanksgiving day, which helped it all go smoothly. Except that I can never get the hang out how my mom's oven is consistently hotter than every other oven I've ever used and doesn't brown when roasting but goes straight to burn.

Roasted turkey legs
Roasted for about 90 minutes at 350, turned over halfway through.

My mom continues to insist on a free Shoprite turkey, so this year I did what I should have done in other years and brought my own portion of turkey from the farmers market to eat.

Rosemary no-knead rolls
Prepare the no-knead bread recipe, double it and add a bunch of diced fresh rosemary. The next day, two hours before baking, grease two muffin tins. Lightly press down the dough, pinch off pieces and roughly form them into balls and place in muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Makes 24.

These rolls were a little tough on the outside. I think the crunchy crust that this no-knead method can create translates to toughness in rolls. Probably I need to try rolls made all in on day with milk for a fluffier texture.

Green beans with lemon, shallots and almonds
Sautee shallots and almonds. Meanwhile, steam green beans in a few inches of water for 5-10 minutes to desired tenderness. Combine in one dish with the juice of one lemon.

I don't like green beans that much but I liked this just fine.

Roasted Brussels sprouts
These sprouts were small enough that I didn't need to cut them in half first, just roasted at 400 for about 20 minutes on one side and ten minutes on the other.

A classic that pleased my grandfather who thinks boiled brussels sprouts taste terrible, despite being slightly overbrowned.

Mashed potatoes and celery root
I think celery root lends an elegant flavor to mashed potatoes. But I only used one large celery root to about 8 potatoes, so the ratio was off and it should have been more like two celery roots.

Hasselback sweet potatoes with maple syrup and sage
Slice sweet potatoes almost all the way to the bottom. Finely dice one bunch of sage and mix it in with two tbsp olive oil and two tbsp maple syrup with sage. This is messy, butuse your fingers to spread the sage, olive oil and mayple syrup mixture in between the potato slices. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes. Can be made ahead and rewarmed.

My mom usually makes just straight up baked sweet potatoes, so this is classier and prettier and creates a nice hint of sweetness and sage. However, it was time consuming to carefully slice the potatoes and spread the sage mixture.

Roasted butternut squash with chickpeas and parmesan
Cut one large butternut squash into small one-to-two inch pieces. Roast in olive oil at 400 until browned. Afterward, add one to two cups of pre-cooked chickpeas and grate in a half cup of parmesan. Can be made ahead and reheated the next day in the oven.

A favorite combination of mine.

Stuffing with celery, apple and onion
Dice two red onions, one bunch of celery and three apples. Sautee in one stick of butter (!) until softened. Tear up two day-old baguettes into small pieces. Combine vegetables and baguette in a container of vegetable stock and add sage and poultry seasoning. Let sit in the fridge over night. Use some stuffing to stuff the turkey. The remainder will fill a casserole; bake at 400 until warmed through and browned on top.

This is the stuffing recipe I have been eating my whole life, made with baguette instead of pepperidge farm bread crumbs.

Pumpkin Ice Cream

2011-11-18T01:17:00.001-05:00

I made pumpkin ice cream last year and never posted about it here, which was silly. Because ice cream with fresh roasted pumpkin puree, fall spices and crunchy walnuts feels homey like pumpkin pie. So here it is now. I like mine with walnuts, but not everyone does, so that's optional. I recommend roasting your own pumpkin rather than buying a can at the store, unless you like BPA in your food. Roasting a pumpkin is easy - you just cut it in half, stick it in the oven, take it out a while later and scoop out the puree. More on that over here. Plus you'll have extra pumpkin leftover for other baking and you can make roasted seeds for snacking.

According to my boyfriend, this ice cream was at its best the day after it was made - creamy with a subtle texture from the pumpkin flesh. But by the time I tried it a few days later, it had frozen too hard, similar to how my hand-churned ice cream comes out. Maybe the pumpkin puree affected the way the creaminess ratio held up in the freezer?

If you want to go extra fall, this ice cream makes an excellent ice cream sandwich inside my pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.

With all the ice cream I've made since I originally posted my standard recipe last year, I've updated my recipe in a few ways. First, just use the whole two cups of heavy cream that come in a pint, because that's how cream is sold and it's silly to have a little cream leftover. Second, you don't need to get the cream-milk-sugar mixture that hot to dissolve in the sugar, which also means you don't need to wait as long before adding the eggs. Third, cooking it into custard can take upward of 20 minutes and is an imprecise science. Sometimes I'm not sure if it got thick enough so I just give up after a while and the ice cream still turns out fine.

Pumpkin Ice Cream
2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
1 cup milk (I use 2%)
2/3 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
3 whole cloves
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Warm cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan and stir vigorously until sugar is nearly dissolved and just before steaming. Remove from heat and wait approximately 10 minutes to let cool. Whisk three egg yolks in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk half a cup of the milk mixture into the eggs, and then another half cup, to temper the eggs. Then, slowly whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan. Add spices. Cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and let cool. Remove cloves. Transfer to an airtight container in fridge overnight to chill completely.

Prepare according to ice cream machine directions, or hand churn by putting container in freezer and removing to whisk every 30-90 minutes over the course of a few hours until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in walnuts if you want. Scoop. Enjoy.

Apologies for the strage juxtoposition of iphone and DSLR photos.

Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

2011-11-03T22:45:00.002-04:00

While I've been away from the blog over the past few weeks, I have been dealing with a NYC rite of passage...bedbugs. My inconsiderate downstairs neighbors got them first but didn't tell anyone so we didn't take any precautions, and my landlord didn't take proper action (which is to spray all apartments in the building immediately and simultaneously), so they escaped to the rest of the building. You don't have to throw out your mattress, but you do have to put it in a cover, run all of your clothing and shoes through the dryer (and yes, as I've learned, even wool and most "dry clean only" garments and shoes and bags and purses will make it through a dryer unscathed if not washed first), and then live out of plastic bags for several weeks, and do your best to clean all other objects and furniture and the floors with alcohol and vacumming, and hope for the best. One good thing is that our exterminator used a potent spray of essential and mineral oils rather than a pesticide. We're now in between sprayings and hoping for the best. When I'm home, I feel like I should be cleaning, or I'm spending way too much time sifting through the plastic bags of clothing, or else I escape to my boyfriend's apartment where it hopefully seems the bugs have not spread.

In these past few weeks, it has also become late fall-almost winter. There is no choice but to embrace vegetables like brussels sprouts. Simply roasted sprouts is one of my favorite winter vegetable preparations, but here we sought to recreate the Vanderbilt's honey and sriracha brussels sprouts. This combination works just as well at home, taking it up a notch with a playful sweet and spicy flavor. They were paired with Wilklow's deliciously fatty pork chops and cornbread using bacon drippings, from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, which unfortunately and surprisingly was a dense let down.

Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Preheat the oven to 425.
For a pound and a half of sprouts, trim the ends and chop in half.
In a large bowl, whisk together about 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tsp sriracha and salt and pepper. These are the measurements I remember, but you may need to add more honey or sriracha to taste.
Add the sprouts to the bowl and stir until they are all coated.
Roast about 40 minutes, until browned and crispy. But I like mine totally browned and softened and overdone. If you like yours with some green vigor and crunch left in them, check around 25 minutes.

Fall Locavore Dinner

2011-10-14T13:16:00.000-04:00

My gentleman friend's father hunts deer, so his freezer is stocked with various forms of venison (like pepperoni and bologna!?) and sometimes we get to enjoy venison steak. It's a lean meat that reminds me of bison. This back strap cut was particularly tender and added to what felt like an indulgent yet wholesome fall locavore dinner.

I thought a bunch of sage I had picked from my mother's garden would be a nice flavor accompaniment to mashed sweet potatoes, and it certainly was. I wasn't sure how to best incorporate it, so I decided to chop and sautee the sage and then add to the mash. He said the pieces of sage were off-putting in the otherwise creamy mashed potatoes; I didn't mind. Next time, I wouldn't bother cooking the sage and would more finely dice it. On the side was also kale, simply sauteed with olive oil, salt and pepper, because sometimes that's all it needs.

For dessert, we made apple crisp using fruit from the annual upstate apple picking adventure and topped it with vanilla maple ice cream. The boy loves ice cream so much he eats it every day. I love making ice cream and taught him how. Now he's got himself an ice cream machine and can achieve creamy perfection (especially thanks to Milk Thistle Farm), that my handchurn technique can't quite reach.

Biking to Fort Tilden

2011-10-12T21:21:00.002-04:00

I took advantage of the surprise summer weather this weekend to bike to the Fort Tilden beach. I'd been there before, but last time we drove there and the flies chased us away. This time it was perfectly lovely. Hour + 15-30 minute bike rides flanking lazy lying on the beach. The water was too cold for me, but my companions enjoyed floating in unusually calm water.

After researching and trying both routes, we figured out that you can either take Ocean Parkway or Bedford Ave. Ocean Parkway has a pleasant separated bike lane, which is better for conversational biking, but adds two miles to the ride. If you take Ocean Parkway, turn left onto Neptune Ave before you reach the boardwalk, which turns into Emmons Ave. If you take Bedford Ave, you take a left right onto Emmons Ave. Either way, when you reach the intersection of Brigham and Emmons, you will see a path set off to the right of the ramp onto the Belt Parkway (pictured below).

You want to take this bike path (not the ramp onto the highway), which follows the wetlands along the shore and takes you right to Flatbush Ave and over the bridge to the Rockaways. We passed an area where Hurricane Irene had washed away the path, despite the bags of sand buffering the coast - no matter, just walk your bike through the sand at this spot and enjoy the view.

Once you're over the bridge, make an awkward left just before all the field and parking lot business, and then turn right just before the beach and follow the path through the woods until you reach at least post 22 (which also has a bike rack) in order to hit the lawless Fort Tilden beach, rather than Jacob Riis. It's not the most straightforward journey, which is why I thought it would be helpful to put these directions on the internet.

map via brooklyn by bike

Mary Finished the Trail!

2011-10-04T00:30:00.000-04:00

While in Portland, I also got to catch up with my friend Mary. She recently completed the Continental Divide Trail after a five month solo hike. She survived a grizzly bear encounter along the way. And lots of knee deep or higher snow in the Colorado mountaintops. In recognition of having now completed all three of the US National Scenic Trails together with the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, she received the coveted Triple Crown Award. I could never imagine doing any of that in a million years.

She's put up an amazing gallery of photos on her blog Married to the Trail, where she plans to continue blogging with her reflections and experiences from hiking. Check it out!

In search of better stuffed peppers

2011-10-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

Every time I make stuffed peppers, the stuffing doesn't cook much.

For this version, I combined cooked orzo, cooked chickpeas, grated cheddar cheese and raw leeks, stuffed this inside peppers and baked it at 430 F for about half an hour. I figured the leeks would roast inside the peppers, but they didn't really.

Tell me what I am doing wrong. Should it stay in the oven longer? Should the stuffing all be pre-cooked? Do you have a great recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers?

Back from Portland

2011-10-02T23:11:00.001-04:00

I'm back from a weeklong trip to Portland, OR with friends who want to move there, and it's easy to see why they love it. The city lives up to its stereotypes. It's like Brooklyn - with hipsters and bikes and second hand clothing stores and quality locally sourced food and craft beer everywhere - but in a smaller, more manageable size and more beautiful and spacious setting. Instead of dense apartment buildings, it's cute house after cute house with small but green lots.

When I saw Portland's quiet, bike laned streets, I understood why it's good for biking - the city is laid out in a grid, appeared not-too hilly and has plentiful side streets that look much safer than NYC's busy streets. I could see myself easily getting around primarily by bike there. But while Portland's public transportation is much lauded and some of our friends there do get by without owning a car, I found that it's more of a car city than you'd think. The light rail doesn't even go to southeast Portland and the rail and buses stop running around 12:30 nightly. Somehow, you can always find street parking, so it's often easier to just drive to your destination, especially when you're with a big group of people who include tourists who don't have bikes.

This one speaks for itself.

Food not lawns!

There are movie theaters where you can enjoy pizza and beer while watching the movie, all for only slightly more than the price of just a movie ticket in NYC.

Food trucks! Unlike in NYC, where they are mobile and elusive and require twitter to track down locations, food trucks in Portland get permanent devoted areas in parking lots called "food truck pods" so you always know where you can find your favorite late night pizza or breakfast sandwich.

The most memorable meal of the trip was at Pok Pok, a Thai street food restaurant with a a James Beard Foundation award winning chef and amazing spicy fish sauce chicken wings.

We got to enjoy two hot springs - Bonneville Hot Springs in the Columbia River Gorge just across the border in Washington, which was more of a resort and was unfortunately treated with chlorine.

Columbia River Gorge

Much better was Bagby Hot Springs, where a 1.5 mile hike into the woods leads you to an old wooden structure where you can soak in carved out logs.

When people warn you not to go to the coast because it's rainy and windy, you should listen, because what they really mean is that there will be driving rain with gale force winds that rock your car and threaten to blow you over so you won't be able to hike or see any of the beautiful views.

Also, everyone we met was super nice and willing to make time to hang out and make introductions to other people. Very refreshing compared to New York. Here are some new friends having fun climbing the columns in Cathedral Park in North Portland.

I also heard a lot of complaints about the rain and unemployment problems, so just make sure you have a job lined up and don't mind wearing a raincoat if you plan on moving there...

Heirloom Tomato Salad

2011-09-11T22:52:00.001-04:00

What do you bring to a dinner party at summer's end? We originally planned to bring a green salad, but like many New York area farms impacted by Hurricane Irene*, Evolutionary Organics farm had no greens to offer over Labor Day weekend. Instead, we selected a variety of their tomato beauties, as well as a cucumber and red onion from the market. The vegetables were thinly sliced and carefully layered - a layer of tomatoes topped with a layer of cucumber, followed by scattered onions and parsley, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Continue to add layers until you've used up the goods and then give it a few hours to marinate. It was part of a impressive spread that included oysters, sweet roasted tomato, honey and ricotta crostini, sweet potato and bacon hash, pork ribs three ways, and peach cobbler (I regretted not bringing my camera to the party). Yum!

* Check out GrowNYC's campaign to help local farmers recover from the losses wreaked by hurricane flooding.

Wear it out

2011-09-09T00:00:00.002-04:00

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

When something starts to break, people go around saying they "need" to buy this item of clothing or they "need" to buy that household object, but there is a difference between want and need. Mindful consumption is about evaluating whether you truly need it, and whether it will be worth the expense not only in terms of your bank account, but also in terms of depletion of natural resources, pollution, and unfair labor.

For example, this was my old backpack. When a hole first started appearing over a year ago, most would run out and replace it with a new backpack right away. This particular backpack company also offers a lifetime warranty where you can send backpacks to be repaired, but when I called to ask about the specifics about this, it was very unclear as to whether the rips in mine fell under their warranty policy or not, and I wasn't willing to go a month without a backpack to find out. Instead, I repaired the hole with needle and thread, and later when the mended stitch no longer held, with safety pins, and eventually just went around with a giant hole in my backpack. Was it unsightly? Yes. But was it still functional? Actually, yes, it was. As long as I had an umbrella when it was raining. Finally, I decided that it was time, and that I wanted a new backpack that would carry my groceries more securely. My old backpack saw me through high school AP textbooks, treks lugging my computer and notebooks around my college campus, and NYC bike rides weighted down with a lock and groceries, so it lived a long life, and it got a second life when I donated it to the textile recycling stand at the Greenmarket.

Likewise, I got a new computer this winter. My previous computer was an 8 1/2 year old dinosaur purchased for my college freshman year. Over the years, it was repaired with a new keyboard, motherboard, and hard drive. But for probably the last three years I had it, it was plagued with slowness, frequent freezing and poor internet connectivity. I dealt with this by using my then-boyfriend's computer (which he wasn't too happy about) or getting things done on my computer at work, or simply having patience. I resisted getting a new computer, since I recognized that I didn't absolutely need one. I originally planned on waiting until it died a nasty death. I finally decided it was time this winter, when I wanted to be able to blog easier and do demo recordings of my music. I went with a refurbished macbook, which is rated as having adequate environmental controls. Luckily my old laptop was a Dell, which you can recycle at Staples, but Staples will also accept non-Dell electronics for a $10 fee. Electronics Takeback Coalition has a useful guide to electronics recycling here.

The delayed gratification involved in mindful consumption also makes me appreciate it all the more when I finally buy something new. How do you feel about mending broken goods and making do?

Elements of a Minimalist Bedroom

2011-09-08T00:00:00.020-04:00

I am a minimalist in that I don't like buying and owning too much stuff. Just the idea of it weighs me down. The more things you have, the harder it is to clean your home and to move homes. It doesn't make sense for us to deplete the earth's resources so that we can acquire things that we don't really need and that force us to have larger homes to house all that stuff. Each time I move, I take it as an opportunity to figure out what else I can get rid of. I've also learned a few tricks over the years on how to manage with fewer things in smaller spaces. I will admit I have many kitchen things, but in general I aspire to minimize my belongings. This is how I live in a 70 square foot room. (Note: many of these photos are from my previous apartment, which had better light.)

- While keeping my mattress on the floor means I lose storage space under my bed, I also like the simplicity of it and not having a bedframe to move around when I change apartments.

- A storage container doubles as nightstand, covered by an attractive sheet.

- Rather than use a duvet, which I find cumbersome to remove for washing, I just keep my comforter between two sheets.

- I don't have a desk. In the past, I used a tray table, although my current room doesn't have room for that, so I usually bring my computer to my bed or the living room coffeetable.

- I don't own many books (since I do my reading via library loans), I don't own any DVDs (that's what the internet and netflix are for); and I recently made sure all my CDs were burned onto my computer so I could recycle them all at Best Buy.

- You can just see the black suitcase standing hidden behind the door, which serves as storage and also doubles as extra surface area in a room short on it.

- In the past, I have also used boxes for storage instead of buying more shelving furniture.

- I like to hang a plastic bag rather than having a garbage can. You're going to have a plastic bag inside the can anyway, so why bother buying another piece of plastic just to keep it in?

- I try to keep as many of my appliances as possible plugged into one power strip, that can easily be turned off whenever leaving home to avoid using phantom power.

- I periodically reevaluate all my clothes to give away anything I have determined that I no longer like to wear or consider useful.

Do you have any tricks for simplifying your home and eliminating unnecessary furniture and "stuff"?

Sneak Peek of my new apartment

2011-09-07T00:00:00.013-04:00

Yes, as I have mentioned, I moved AGAIN earlier this summer. Such is the way of life of a twenty-something New Yorker. This time I moved out of a craigslist roomshare so that I could live with my best friend Jamie. The apartment hunting process was extremely painful. You may think that working with a broker will be helpful. In fact, the search process involves refreshing craigslist searches every hour for two and a half weeks, calling every lead, visiting multiple apartments each night, working with multiple brokers and mostly seeing apartments that would be fit for a couple but not roommates because of our nonprofit salary price range. We applied for four apartments, two of which the tenants decided not to move out of, and one of which the broker was incompetent and waited a week to tell us the landlord picked another applicant.

The unfortunate thing about New York real estate is that it's more expensive to live with a friend than strangers because it usually involves signing a new lease, which landlords use as opportunities to raise the rent exorbitantly. So you can either live with craigslist roommates in a decent apartment at a more reasonable price, or have an awesome friend as your roommate but not as nice an apartment.

So, we ended up in a railroad apartment, where I pay more than one should to live in a 70 square foot room with no window. BUT, at least we have a cute apartment with lots of plants. We managed to stay in a good area in Williamsburg, even if it's not my favorite part of the neighborhood. And Jamie is my favorite.

Portland

2011-09-01T01:37:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned, I'm going to Portland, Oregon at the end of September. I know nothing about the city except that according to lots of people, I will love it. What foods should I eat, what bars should I go to, what sights should I see? We will have a car so we can do day trips. Share your Portland tips with me!

Why stop using shampoo?

2011-08-31T09:00:00.002-04:00

Why do I use baking soda instead of shampoo? Well, as most people don't realize, personal care products like shampoo, makeup, soap and lotion are not regulated. The FDA does not assess the safety of personal care products or their ingredients, and less than 20% of cosmetics chemicals have been assessed by the industry's safety panel. So companies freely use harmful chemicals in products that we slather on our bodies multiple times a day. Lipsticks commonly have lead in them, while shampoo and toothpaste contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, petrochemicals, etc linked to cancer, reproductive health, asthma and other health problems.

Unlike most women, who use an average of 12 of personal care products a day, I have limited mine to a locally made bar of soap, baking soda, Tom's of Maine toothpaste, aluminum-free deodorant and Burt's Bees lip balm. No, I almost never wear make up or lotion.

You do not actually need a multitude of products. This is a lie that corporate advertising campaigns have perpetuated. They hae convinced us we are not pretty enough and need a regimen of products like shampoo to make our hair shinier, makeup to look prettier, lotions to make our skin softer, perfumes to make us smell better, nail polish (the most toxic of them all) because bare feet are not classy enough, and so on. (Literally, I was in an elevator once with my coworkers who talked about bare toenails not being classy while I was standing right there in my sandals. But it's "okay" for me because I'm the eco-exception.)

Meanwhile, I often get comments from people telling me my skin looks great and asking how do I do it. Here's how - by not putting anything on it but water and occasionally soap. From my own perspective, I have as many pimples as the rest of them, but we tend to be more self-conscious and pay more attention to our own blemishes than other people actually do. What's more important? Your health or meeting a false standard of beauty?

On a positive note, the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 was introduced this summer in the House of Representatives. If passed this bill will give the FDA the authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful substances. You can learn more about all of this by watching The Story of Cosmetics video below, checking out the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and discovering whether the products in your own bathroom are good or bad at the Good Guide.

Going shampoo-free

2011-08-30T00:00:00.000-04:00

Among my 25 things list were goals to use homemade body products. I'm waiting until my current store-bought deodorant runs out to try my hand at that, but I have successfully been shampoo-less aka "no-poo" since March by washing my hair solely with baking soda. Maybe I have low maintenance hair (straight and fine), but unlike some people who go through a greasy transition period, my hair has always felt clean and the same after a baking soda wash as it did with shampoo.

The idea is to combine baking soda and water into a paste to apply to your hair. There are different approaches. I fill a small jar with baking soda and then add enough water until it forms a paste that I can easily scoop out with my hands and lather into my hair. You could use an old shampoo bottle or cup and a higher ratio of water for a more liquid-y solution that is easy to squeeze onto your hair. Some people also like to do a rinse with white or apple cider vinegar afterward as a conditioner, but my hair feels the same whether I use vinegar or not, so I don't.

If you miss the scents of shampoo, you could add something yummy smelling, like a drop of lavender essential oil, cinnamon sticks or vanilla extract, to either the baking soda or vinegar, but I go plain. One jar lasts about a couple weeks, and since baking soda is readily available for about $2 a box, it is much cheaper than shampoo. This also helps me reduce my use of plastic.

Why stop using shampoo? To avoid the multitude of unpronounceable and potentially hazardous chemicals listed in shampoo ingredients. Stay tuned for my next post about the personal care products industry and why you should care about what's in your bathroom.

Hurricane Dinner

2011-08-29T00:00:00.003-04:00

I decided to spend Hurricane Irene weekend upstate at my parents' house, although it turns out I didn't need to leave Brooklyn since the flooding was apparently minimal and the power didn't even go out. Flooding is going to be more of a problem in my journey through New Jersey to get back to the city tomorrow. With a lot of time on my hands, I cooked dinner for my parents on my second night here: a zucchini parmesan casserole and cantelope sorbet for dessert.

My mom has grown some massive squash in her garden this year. The snake-like one is called a cucuzza squash and is common in Italy, but I chose to use the oversized zucchini - and I actually only needed to use half of it to create two create two casserole dishes. I breaded zucchini slices and lay them in a glass baking dish, which I topped with tomato sauce, stale pieces of bread, and shredded mozzerella cheese and baked for a half hour. It was fine, but a bit mushy. I recommend either frying the breaded squash first for a crisper texture, although it's time consuming, or going more deconstructed by dicing the zucchini and combining it with the bread pieces (but no bread crumbs), sauce and cheese rather than layering.

I also made sorbet out of an overripe cantelope that was too mushy for eating. We blended cantelope pieces and then added 2/3 cups of orange juice and 2/3 cups of simple syrup. It came out with a large ice grain texture, which could be improved by cutting down the OJ and syrup and using an ice cream maker instead of my handmade stirring method.

Apricot Cherry Muffins (or Cupcakes)

2011-08-28T13:02:00.001-04:00

For a birthday party on Friday, I was requested to make an interesting hearty muffin-like cupcake, rather than a plain, light and fluffy cupcake. Hence the chopped cherries and whole wheat flour for texture. The apricot flavor was subtle and you want to make sure you find some sweet delicious cherries, since I was tricked by cherries that looked tasty but were actually lackluster. I know this picture is terrible, but my kitchen has terrible light at night, which deterred me from taking further pictures of the end product. They looked like cute little lumpy muffins until I frosted them with my bourbon cream cheese icing. But you could easily skip the frosting and serve these as muffins for breakfast.

Apricot Cherry Muffins/Cupcakes
7 tbsp butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 cup apricot puree (about three apricots)
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pound of cherries, pitted and diced

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two muffin tins. Puree three apricots in a blender or food processor. Cream butter and sugar, and beat in honey, eggs, apricot puree, milk, and vanilla. Dump flour and baking powder on top and then stir to combine. Stir cherries into batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Makes 24 muffins. Add icing to serve them as cupcakes. I recommend bourbon cream cheese icing or lemon icing.

Making Cloth Napkins

2011-08-23T22:57:00.000-04:00

I’ve talked about no sew napkins here before. I’ve made some myself, which weren’t as cute as those, but just an old pillowcloth cut into squares. They are definitely frayed and not necessarily fit for company but serve just fine as multipurpose rags/napkins. But now, my new roommate (who is also my best friend – yay) has a sewing machine, which means I can finally try sewing projects like cloth napkins.

I went to Mood Fabric, and was disappointed to see that despite being what I understand is New York’s premier fabric store, their organic section was limited to ten solid print colors of cotton twill. The clothing industry needs to catch up with the food industry and keep working toward the Sustainable Apparel Index.

It was probably the first time I’d used a sewing machine since home ec in middle school. The sewing itself wasn’t too hard, and I didn’t care that my stitches weren’t straight, because they are just napkins after all. But the time intensive part was all the pinning. First, I washed the fabric and ironed it. Then I laid out an existing cloth napkin I had as a pattern to cut pieces around. Then for each napkin, I folded over the edge, pinned it into place, sewed the seam, ironed it to hold the stitch, and then folded over the edge again and pinned, sewed and ironed again. According to The Kitchn, you could get away with just ironing over the first seam and only pinning and sewing the second seam, which I will try next time. I would also do some actual measuring because they came out as uneven rectangles.

I bought two yards and was able to make two large restaurant-size napkins and four smaller half-size napkins, which someone got for his birthday, with a jar of my pickled banana peppers. I still have almost a yard of fabric leftover so I can make some more napkins for my own apartment when I have enough time for all that pinning.

Guest post: From NYC to cowboy country

2011-08-07T23:07:00.001-04:00

A guest post from my sister Lisa. Last summer, she wrote in from Costa Rica, and now she writes from Oregon, where she is a botanist for the Bureau of Land Management and spends her days looking and identifying plants: finding "special status species," assessing recovery following wildfires, determining the sustainability of livestock grazing activities, and collecting seeds for restoration projects. I'll get to see some of this in person, since I'm planning a trip to Oregon next month!

Just a typical workday landscape!

Cattle drive on the way to Bend

After two and a half years in NYC, I got a job in the high desert ecosystems of central-south Oregon, in a town of 2,000 people. In a little over two months, I’ve had more sunny days, more adventures, more fun and more excitement then I did in those two and a half years. (Sorry NYC! Maybe I’m just the right type of person for this landscape, where there are only about 4 million people in the whole state, while Julia is the right type for the place with 8+ million people right next door.)

Drake Park in Bend

At first, driving 1.5 hours to my field site every day past endless mountains, plains and mesas of sagebrush was unsettling and uncomfortable, strange and not really very exciting. Some switch went off about a month in, and the fullness of my love for this new place ignited. Cowboys, horses, cows, eagles, badgers, antelope, bighorn sheep, hawks, sandhill cranes, burros (the list goes on) are commonplace. There is so much quiet here. So many stars. The first day I got into town, I went to the grocery store, and people I didn’t know said hello to me.

Live Blues out in the sunshine behind Deschutes Brewpub

The places I work have epic names and for epic reasons: Crack-in-the-Ground (facilitated by an earthquake), The Lost Forest (a mysterious ponderosa pine forest in the middle of the desert). I spend hours every day listening to wind through trees and birds talking to each other, examining the intricacies and diversity in this seemingly homogenous set of ecosystems.

Crater Lake (12 feet of snow in mid June!)

Along the way, I’ve also fallen in love with Oregon in its entirety. Trips to Crater Lake, Bend, Eugene, and most recently a trip (yesterday) where I ran a 10k up the Steens Mountains from an elevation of 7,800 to 9,700 feet (my favorite activity by far) have breathed so much excitement and relaxation into my life simultaneously. Whereas the awkwardness and clamour of NYC filled me with a lot of anxiety that I thought would never go away, I feel like I become progressively less anxious-prone every day here. Plus, local craft beer costs less than Corona (about $6 a six-pack). In sum: beer, friends, friendly people, dogs and horses, eagles and quails, sky and ground, love and life.

At the top of the Black Cap Butte (6500 feet) overlooking Lakeview

Steens Mts east rim at the race finish

Fire Escape Garden

2011-08-02T00:30:00.003-04:00

Another apartment, another plant setup. This time on a fire escape, where there's room enough most of the plants I started in my former back patio this spring. Parsley, mint, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, basil (which I grew from seed and is just now starting to take off), cosmos (one of my favorite wildflowers) and two tomato plants. I gave away several tomato starts and left behind the lavender.

Farmers Market Haul: Late July

2011-08-01T10:42:00.002-04:00

Tomatoes are finally here! Went a little crazy buying some things as special treats to enjoy the height of the summer. Milk and cream for making (coffee) ice cream. Peaches for smoothies. Tomatoes and basil and garlic and sourdough bread for bruschetta. Grape tomatoes for snacking. Scallops because I haven't cooked seafood in too long. Yellow watermelon for dessert. Swiss chard, onions, potatoes, and corn will make their way into dinners somehow this week, likely with rice and beans I cooked last week and stashed in the freezer. Sad to have missed the blueberries. I wanted to make blueberry cake, but it was too hot the other weekend for oven usage and now they're already gone from the market.

Listening, Lately to Loops

2011-07-29T14:00:00.002-04:00

Music is a big part of my life again, so it might as well be a presence on this blog too.

I find myself drawn lately to musicians in solo or small projects using loop pedals. I have long felt limited by my solo music, just keyboard and voice, so it's inspiring to hear the potential for what loops let you do on your own.

Originally a solo project using vocal loops to create harmonies, texture and rhythm, Yellow Ostrich now also has a drummer and trombonist/bassist. And really good songwriting. Since their newest album The Mistress is going to be re-released by Barsuk, you can no longer get it off bandcamp, but you can hear the wonderful "The Whale" below, a song of love carrying you into the great unknown. I missed the first half of their set at McCarren Park during the Northside Festival (with Sharon Van Etten! and Beirut!) because I was signing the lease on my new apartment, but I got to chat with Alex afterward and express my appreciation for his music. They're playing at Glasslands on August 19. Sadly I will be out of town.

I also am paying closer attention to music featuring organs, since I'm now playing organ in my band and wanting to learn about its features and what kinds of sounds and playing styles work best. So I'm enthralled by the new project Moonface, from Wolf Parade's frontman whose album Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I Hoped comes out next week. For now you can stream it at Spin. "It's music played with an organ, organ beats, organ beeps and bloops, and some digital drums. Music based on layers and loops, the hypnotizing sound of a Leslie speaker, and the onslaught of melody." Not to mention Philip Glass-like arpeggios.

Idiot Glee is another one man project from Kentucky that's got an organ and vocal loops and 50s doowop melodies. You can download his new single "Trouble at the Dance Hall" over here.

And speaking of excellent use of looping, let's not forget Andrew Bird who fills out a complete sound with guitar and mandolin and violin and whistling all on his own. This video of "Tenuousness" is a great example.

Camping in NYC

2011-07-29T00:02:00.003-04:00

Did you know you there is a campground within New York City's limits? I didn't until last week, when I found myself joining friends for a camping excursion to Floyd Bennett Field, a former airport, now part of Jamaica Bay/Gateway National Recreation Area. It wasn't the best time for camping during the 100 degree plus heatwave. Thankfully, by the time we got there in the evening, it felt about ten degrees cooler than in the city proper with some breezes coming off the nearby water and the shade effect of trees. We made sure to bring and drink several jugs of water and coolers of cold beer. You can get there by car, bike, or by subway and then bus. We took a car to be able to carry all that gear, but several people in our group somehow made the hour plus bike ride in the heat.

There are about five group campsites, with little to medium shade coming from small trees and bushes. Each "campsite" has a picnic table, firepit and grill centered around an open field for frisbee. It was the perfect kind of setting to gather people together to kick back in semi-nature in celebration of someone's birthday. I only wish it hadn't been so hot so we would have wanted to stay all weekend and actually kick back. Even though a fire was the last thing we needed, we built fires anyway for cooking veggie burgers and to ward off the bugs.

We took long late night walks on the expansive paved runways, which felt in the darkness like eerie scenes out of Lost, and made new friends with other campers we ran into on our explorations. The unsettling sound of planes taking off and landing overhead at JFK just across Jamaica Bay comingled with a variety of birdsongs.

It was so hot that we were forced out of our tents in the morning before 8am, surprised to realize that our tent was in shade as we hoped when we set it up, even though it certainly didn't feel like it from inside.

Since the campground is just across the bridge from the Rockaways, we made a five minute drive over to the much buzzed about Fort Tilden Beach, where there are no lifeguards, where girls go topless, where you can freely drink cans of beer. I was surprised to see it looked like an actual ocean beach, like the Jersey shorelines I'm familiar with, rather than Coney Island's crowded, tame and murky water. The whole lot of us headed straight into the water to cool off, some diving under waves, some floating and bobbing, some standing knee deep in cold water to enjoy the occasional crashing spray. However, in what I understand was an anomaly, when we'd step away from the water, the flies swarmed relentlessly, dozens at a time surrounding and biting our calves. It was too much after a sweaty and itchy night already. So back into the air conditioned car we went, back into the weighty 110 degree heat of the city. Someday I'll make the long bike ride to experience Fort Tilden beach properly and hope for no flies.

PS. Did this heat wave make anyone else concerned about a future of global warming where there are more excessively hot days each summer and less available air conditioning as we run out of fuel?

How to Bike Commute in the Summer and Keep Your Cool

2011-06-14T22:27:00.002-04:00

Last week temperatures in New York reached the 90s. Undeterred, I bike commuted as usual anyway and got to work no sweatier than in other weather. Thus proving that I can make it in the peak summer hot weather, and that I don't need to waste money on a gym membership simply to shower before I go into the office. Here are my strategies for keeping cool:

* Go at a leisurely pace, even if it means your trip will be five-ish minutes longer. This is key.

* Carry your bag in a bike basket or panier rather than on your back.

* Wear as little clothing as possible, and make sure it is loose-fitting so you feel some breeze. Wear sandals instead of closed-toe shoes.

* Girls, wear your hair back. I pin my bangs back and keep my hair in a braided bun so it's not on my neck or back at all.

* I wear a bandana to absorb forehead sweat under the helmet. It works really well - sweat doesn't drip into my eyes while I'm riding and I feel noticeably less sweaty once I get to work. You could not wear a helmet, but that's not safe folks. This is what happens if you don't.

* Bring a change of clothes, hairbrush, deodorant, and washcloth

* When I get to work, I splash my face with some water and try to wipe down with a wet washcloth before changing into my office attire.

* Then wait. You may still feel gross, but that goes away in about a half hour.

* An added benefit of biking to work: While everyone else complains about subway fare hikes (to $104 monthly), I spent just $30 on subway rides during a summer month.

Do you have any other tips? Add them to the comments!

My Standard Whole Grain Bread

2011-05-30T23:55:00.001-04:00

This is the bread recipe that has become my standard. I was into the no-knead method last year, but now I'm back to taking a whole weekend afternoon to make bread and other things. Mostly just because I'm having a hard time planning to be able to start no-knead dough a day in advance.

While this may not rise very much and is on the dense and crumbly side fresh out of the oven, it makes for excellent crunchy toast, which is how I usually eat bread anyway. Since I can't finish a loaf on my own before it goes stale, I slice and bag it for the freezer, most often having a piece of toast with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast on morning workdays. The variety of grains gives it a complex and nutty taste that goes well with a little butter or peanut butter on top.

I only wish I hadn't accidentally broken my other beautiful loaf pan. I need to get a second one ASAP because now that it's summer, it makes sense to bake two loaves at a time and use the oven less often.

Wholegrain Bread
1 tsp yeast
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup whole wheat bread flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup rye
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
About 1 1/2 - 2 cups water total

In a large bowl, stir the yeast and 1/2 cup warm water until the yeast is mostly dissolved in the water. Let sit for about five minutes until you can smell the yeasty aroma that indicates it's working. Dump the grains, salt, olive oil, and honey on top, along with another 1/2 cup of water. Stir to combine and add more water as needed in 1/4 cup increments. With experience, you will learn the consistency you are looking for - wet and pliable but still able to knead and handle without it being too sticky.

I knead right in the bowl, rather than on a cutting board to save on cleanup efforts, for about five minutes. I dust my hands and the dough with flour a few times during kneading as needed.

Form the dough into a ball, place seam side down in the bowl, and cover the bowl with a wet dishtowel. Let rise for about 90 minutes, until the dough has approximately doubled in size.

Gently press down to press out the air. Use a spoon or spatula to carefully gather the dough away from the sides of the bowl and reform it into a ball. Let rise another 60 minutes with the wet towel on top.

Grease a loaf pan. Once the dough has about doubled in size again, press air out gently and remove from bowl. In my hands, I form the dough into a ball again and then gently elongate it into more of a rectangle that is the size of the loaf pan. Place in the pan, seams down. After 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 375.

After another half hour, once the dough has risen above the top of the pan, place the pan in the oven. Bake for one hour. Let cool for another hour before slicing.

From Seed

2011-05-14T15:58:00.000-04:00

Another year, another garden. My current roommate is in charge of filling the patio with flowers and I'll do my usual herbs and tomatoes. Last weekend I finally potted herbs, transplanted some seedlings, and got organized.

Kentucky Mint
Parsley
Golden sage
Rosemary
Lemon thyme
Cilantro
Oregano
Lavender

From seed:
Dinosaur (Lacinato) Kale
Jalapeno Peppers, that have not sprouted one bit
Yellow Pear Cherry Tomatoes
Flat Italian Parsley
Italian Large Leaf Basil
Cosmos

This year, I am experimenting a bit more with growing from seed, since I had a pet-free indoor window space for the first time ever. I picked up heirloom seeds at the Bushwick Food Coop and a local organic gardening store, and at less than $2.50 for a packet of seeds, why not try?

I started the tomato and pepper seeds in an egg carton indoors next to my window, but sadly the peppers have not sprouted one bit.

The rest are starting to come up. Except for the cosmos seeds, which I also just planted last weekend. Cosmos have long been one of my favorite wildflowers and I hope they bloom, unlike the bee balm I tried last year!

Dystopia

2011-05-11T00:01:00.004-04:00

When I saw YACHT play many years ago, it was one guy dancing around the living room of my college housing coop to music he created and played off his laptop. It felt a little silly and not quite memorable. YACHT has since gained a second person and some notoriety since then, so I thought I would give them another chance and check out their newer music. I was surprised to realize this song "Dystopia (The Earth is On Fire)" is not only a catchy danceable tune but also offers an apt and timely commentary on the state of our society's relationship with the environment. It's rare for musical artists today to address this kind of issue, so I thought it was worth sharing their message with you here. Enjoy!

Every day the sky gets lower,
And every day the tide is blacker,
And every day the flames get higher

We live like lions, we live our lives
With no more husbands, No more wives,
We let our children multiply ’cause we’re afraid of dying.

The Earth, the Earth is on fire!
We don’t have no daughter,
Let the motherfucker burn!
If we cut off the water
Then the jackals would return.
- YACHT

Download "Dystopia" here

Married to the Trail

2011-04-22T00:10:00.002-04:00

Last weekend, I caught up with my high school friend Mary, who I hadn't seen in who knows how many years. These days, she's living an outdoorsy life to the fullest out on the West Coast. After hiking the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail in past years, she's now getting ready to thru-hike the Continental Divide Trail this summer, from May through October*, alone.

The CDT is no joke. It is 3,100 miles of primitive and challenging backcountry trail from Canada to Mexico along the backbone of America. Only 70% of the trail is complete, and it presents the most remote and challenging terrain, fewest signposts, and fewest hikers of the three sister trails. This is truly an epic feat I could never imagine doing (I'm too scared of bears and wild animals), but to Mary, waking and walking in the woods every day is her life's passion. This girl is hardcore. She leads white water rafting trips in the summer and lived in a yurt for six months.

She's started a blog to record her travels, called Married to the Trail. Since she will be out of communication on the trail, she will keep a written journal, and when she gets to town now and then, she'll mail journal pages back to her boyfriend, who will transcribe her words to update the blog. Old technology meets new technology at its finest.

Mary will also have a GPS device to broadcast her location each day on a map on the blog so we can follow her journey. And the GPS has a 911 button, just in case. I know I feel a lot better knowing about that!

* In October, another of my good high school friends will mark a major milestone...a new baby! First baby in my crew.

Pizza Potluck!

2011-04-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

I've decided to start hosting semi-regular potlucks. The inaugural one was a pizza potluck last weekend. The premise was that I provided dough, sauce, parmesan, and dried herbs and spices, and everyone else was encouraged to bring toppings and beverages. Check out the incredible spread, which included: goat cheese, shredded mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, my homemade ricotta, parmesan, garlic, onion, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, arugula, sausage, pepperoni, and sprouts. As well as lots of wine (see sleeping away weekend afternoons.)

I prepared the dough a couple days earlier, Heidi's pizza dough from 101 Cookbooks. This is my favorite pizza recipe for parties because it's easy to make in advance with a food processor and then slip the dough into individual oiled plastic bags in the fridge until you need them. I made three batches - 18 dough balls! For the most part, any topping preparation (chopping vegetables, grating cheese, cooking sausage) was done ahead of time to simplify the actual pizza creation process.

Each guest took a turn assembling a pizza with their desired toppings, and then everyone got to share little bites of their pizzas if they wanted. In total, the oven was on at a blistering heat for hours and we made 15 pizzas for 12 people, most of them pictured below. There were veggie pizzas, meat lover pizzas, goat cheese pizzas for the lactose intolerant, a carbonara pizza with egg on top, and a simple Neapolitan style pizza with just raw tomato sauce and mozzarella slices baked in a cast iron pan under the broiler and then on the stovetop for a nice char. Vote on your favorite in the comments!

I highly recommend a pizza party as a potluck theme. Everyone was really excited to get to make their own pizza and had a fun time. On the logistical side, it took some planning, but I was able to maximize my minimal kitchen surface area to make it possible to have a few pies going at a time. I also don't have a dining table - so for anyone who thinks their home is too small to host parties, I say that is just an excuse, and there is always a way around it. Given my love of pizza though, perhaps I should think about getting a pizza cutter... Also much love to my friends who helped me do dishes and clean up at the end of the night.

Making Cheese

2011-04-04T23:45:00.005-04:00

Following butter, next in the homemade dairy adventures was cheese! As I've mentioned, I get raw milk from the Bushwick Food Coop. I find that the raw milk goes sour tasting faster than I can drink it. I was ready to throw it out, until a fellow coop member filled me in on the fact that soured raw milk is still edible and can be saved for other uses. Apparently, raw milk has beneficial bacteria and enzymes that make it more easily digestible and kill pathogens, so it continues to be safe and nutritious after it starts to taste sour. In contrast, pasteurized milk extends the initial shelf life and eliminates disease risk, but becomes putrified and unsafe after it goes sour. I don't fully understand it, but you can find more information on this here and here and here.

I looked up uses for sour milk - I don't like yogurt so that was out. I wanted to make cheese, but nothing complicated involving rennet. Then I remembered Rachel's simple paneer from Heart of Light. Sold. Then poking through some old magazines I stumbled across directions for making ricotta in an old Diner Journal (offbeat food publication made by the folks behind Diner restaurant in Brooklyn). The directions for both are quite similar, one calling for lime juice and the other for vinegar. After making it, the texture reminded me of the goat cheese my mom made when I was young, and sure enough, she said she used the same process but calls it "farmers cheese." So whatever you want to call it, it was a snap to make.

Heat whole milk until nearly boiling, add an acid such as vinegar (which is what I used) or lime juice, and then let the curds (solids) separate and rise to the top from the whey (liquid). My instructions told me the whey would turn clear, which it never did. I also found curds hanging at the bottom of my pan in addition to the top, so maybe I didn't cook it long or hot enough for them to separate sufficiently. Not sure. Regardless, I spooned out the curds with a mini colander (or slotted spoon would work) and then laid them in a rag (any thin dishcloth or cut up sheet or cloth napkin etc would work here if you don't have actual cheesecloth) over a larger colander and let drain for a half hour. Then twisted the rag around the curds to strain out more liquid and let it drain another half hour before putting in the refrigerator to firm. I added the olive oil and rosemary later, mashing it up into small pieces which is the texture you see below. My cheese was still good in the fridge a week after making it.

Coming from soured milk, it had a little sour tang, and then I thought it still needed a litle something extra, so I mixed in rosemary and marinated it in olive oil. It tasted great on pizza and melted well. I think I will make cheese again next time I have sour milk, although I will play around with a different final preparation.

Farmers Market Haul: 3/19/11

2011-04-04T23:18:00.000-04:00

Speaking of farmers markets, they have been showing signs of life. From the McCarren Park Greenmarket a couple weekends ago: spinach (among the first greens of the season), shallots, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, butter to have on hand when mine runs out, eggs, Consider Bardwell Farm's "fancy cheese" as a friend of mine calls it - I think their Rupert is my favorite, a baby leek for the biscuits, and tulips! And this was also the first time I've seen an Edible publication for Queens. I'm not sure if Saturday farmers markets are going to be a regular thing for me as in the past. I often find myself sleeping off my Friday night well into my Saturday afternoon unfortunately...

Rosemary Leek Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-04-04T22:37:00.000-04:00

What did I end up making with the butter and buttermilk? Again I copied Kelly of Eat Make Read and made biscuits! With dried rosemary and a chopped up baby leek from the farmers market.

This was the first time I've tried making biscuits and they didn't rise very much. I'm not sure if the consistency of the batter was too wet. Or it could have been that I used white whole wheat flour. Or that I cut the dough into rounds too small. Despite not being fluffy, they still had a great buttery flaky taste.

I brought the biscuits, as well as extra butter for topping, to a friend's potluck and meant to take pictures but was having so much fun that I forgot! I will also add that the homemade butter has lasted a few weeks now and has not gone bad as I had read it might.

Making Butter

2011-03-15T00:48:00.000-04:00

I recently joined the Bushwick Food Coop, which gives me access to raw, organic, grass fed dairy from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania. I was strangely craving ice cream last week despite the cold weather, so I ordered heavy cream in addition to my usual milk. However, feeling lazier this week and having run out of butter, I decided to give a whirl at turning my cream into butter instead. You can theoretically do so by shaking a mason jar of cream over a half hour, but I don't have an empty jar to spare right now (all are housing bulk goods), and butter can be made in just a few minutes in a food processor or stand mixer.

I followed Kelly's lead over at eat make read. Sure enough, the transformation went through all the proper phases as I paused the food processor every minute or so to check on progress: cream turned into thick white whipped cream and then into yellower crumbly soft butter. Next, liquid began to spray the sides of the food processor as the buttermilk separated from a mass of solid butter.

I strained the buttermilk to save for baking. The final step was to rinse the butter in extremely cold water while kneading it a bit until the water ran clear and then to dry it in a paper towel or cheesecloth. A pint of cream will give you about one cup of butter, good in the fridge for roughly one week.

I'm going to a potluck this weekend. What should I make to highlight this tasty butter? Bread to serve with herbed butter? Buttermilk scones or biscuits? Empanadas? Any other ideas? Help me decide!

Bike Commuting Take 2

2011-03-09T01:34:00.002-05:00

I've tried to bike commute in the past, but quickly fell off the wagon. I was all gung-ho in May 2009, but life had other plans that summer. It rained almost every day in June, my life went crazy in a bad way, and when I moved to Park Slope, my potential bike commute went from 5.5 miles to 9 miles, a task far too daunting for someone like me who is decidedly not a morning person.

Now I am happily back in Williamsburg, and my new bike commute is a much more manageable 3.5 miles, so I am recommitting for real. To force myself to bike regularly, I signed up for a metrocard (through my work transit check program) with only enough money to travel by subway half the month. I'll see how this goes and hopefully adjust to an even cheaper metrocard in the warmer months. I'm also hoping that because the ride is relatively short, I won't get sweaty enough in the summer to need a gym membership just to shower before work.

To prepare, I bought a basic fender for my back tire (something like this) to protect me from slush and rain spraying up my back, and got my bike tuned up. My bike is over 10 years old and I'd never taken it for a tune up before. I'd always wondered if the creaky gears and weird noises were a sign it might fall apart at any minute, so it's good to feel confident in its working condition now.

So this morning, I rode my bike to work for the first time this year. I've been getting around Williamsburg and Bushwick by bike all winter, so the 30 degree weather didn't faze me. I don't wear any special gear for biking in the cold - just my usual clothes, winter coat, gloves, scarf, a ski headband underneath my helmet, and a backpack. For now, I'm bringing a clean shirt to change into when I get to work.

It was 30 minutes door to door, the same as taking the subway. The route had me safely on bike lanes most of the way. Bike lanes have come under a lot of controversy lately in New York, but they are necessary for bicycling to become a viable form of transportation as we move away from reliance on cars and oil, and I am personally grateful for the Department of Transportation's work to create an extensive bike lane network in this city. And I didn't encounter any ticket-happy police. Here we go...

Have you ever tried or thought about commuting by bike?

Going Almost-Vegetarian Part 2

2011-02-20T23:17:00.001-05:00

A year and a half ago I wrote here about my difficulty in sticking to a diet relatively free of factory-farmed meat. I've been having a lot more success with this lately. Partly because I no longer live with a meat-eater and have more control over what I eat, but also partly because I experienced a mental shift toward vegetarianism.

For years I lived with an avid carnivore and consequently ate plenty of meat. At home I cooked a lot of quality grass fed/sustainably raised meat from farmers markets. Braised lamb shanks. Meatballs. Bison steak. G rilled pork chops. Perfectly crisp bacon for curing hangovers. And so on. For dinners out, I often ate at Brooklyn's many new-american-local-seasonal restaurants where I was happy to order meat. But I also found myself at average restaurants with lackluster vegetarian options or at family or friend's homes where I felt bad turning down non-vegetarian food they'd prepared - which is where it got tricky.

When I started cooking for just myself several months ago, I decided to eat less meat - only when my body craved it for nutrients. However, I realized that I rarely crave it. Instead, I'm eating a lot of roasted vegetables, eggs, cheese (pizza!), and beans, which satisfies me. When I go to the farmers market, I have no desire to buy meat for myself, nor do I want to spend the added expense on it. Moreover, I've even found that when I try a bite of a friend's sandwich or sample a free meat and cheese plate at work, it doesn't taste as satisfying as I expect - for the most part. Every now and then I'll still enjoy meat, like Fette Sau barbecue last week, which is oh so good and comes from organic and small family farms.

I don't think it's realistic for everyone to become a vegetarian. I just think we should be more conscious about where the meat on our plate comes from and eat less of it. So many people go to a deli and mindlessly order a turkey sandwich without thinking about all the implications.

On top of all the water pollution, excessive antibiotic usage, deforestation, and methane and carbon dioxide emissions related to factory farming, I also recently learned that meat eaters intake higher levels of carcinogenic chemicals called dioxins - industrial byproducts that end up in the air, water, and soil, and in higher levels in animals because they are bio-accumulative. Something to think about next time you're ordering lunch at the deli.

The 20 Lessons of Moving from Brooklyn to Boulder

2011-02-17T21:09:00.003-05:00

Remember my friend Gina, who left Brooklyn a year and a half ago for a fresh start in Boulder? Well she gave a funny and inspiring talk about the lessons she learned along the way, as part of Ignite Boulder's monthly series of quirky 5 minute presentations. This video made me smile when I first saw it. When you take a risk, you are never sure what you're going to get, which is why I am so happy for her that she was able to create a good life there, and that we both found our way out of our ruts to venture forward in life's journey. I had the pleasure of visiting her in Colorado this fall and at some point (hopefully) soon, I will share my own Brooklyn versus Boulder experiences from my visit here on this blog.

So check out her video below. Gina's words are guaranteed to make you smile too and maybe even take a chance of your own. The big takeaway - If it's reversible, just do it!

"Drugs, Sex, Love, and Environmentalism: 20 Things I Learned During My Move from NY to Boulder"

Experimenting

2011-02-01T22:00:00.002-05:00

I haven't have a whole lot of time or inclination for cooking or blogging lately, as music making has been edging out other activities as a priority. So it makes me happy when I manage to find an occasion to cook something new rather than the tried and true like yesterday's post.

I had some delicious soft and slightly sweet bread at Spring Street Natural a few weeks ago that we deduced to be sweet potato bread. I experimented with making my own recently, adapting the potato bread recipe from my trusty copy of Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. And my new apartment came with a dutch oven(!), which makes it easy to achieve this beautiful crust without needing to adapt my slow cooker crock with aluminum foil. I used one medium sweet potato in my version, and the flavor came out nice but a little too subtle, so I'd like to experiment again with a greater proportion of mashed yams.

I also tried my hand at homemade veggie burgers for the first time recently. I don't know why I'd never done this before...I guess I thought it was more complicated, but it really is as easy as throwing beans and a few other ingredients in a food processor, forming patties, and frying them. I forgot to snap pictures, but I made vegan black bean burgers with onion, garlic, cumin and other spices, and oats instead of bread crumbs. Well, they were vegan until I added cheese on top. It was a winning combination together with toasted slices of sweet potato bread and mustard.

I would have liked my burgers to be less mushy on the inside, which seems like a common problem with veggie burgers - does anyone have any tips on that? My sister recommended incorporating wheat gluten for consistency. I will be experimenting with homemade veggie burgers more now that I have become an almost vegetarian (more on that another day), so I'll report back once I settle on a recipe or two I like.

Roasted Brussels Sprout, Potato, and Egg Salad

2011-01-31T22:01:00.001-05:00

People like to know about meals that can be easily made at home when cooking for one and cooking from scratch. This is mine, with minimum prep and minimum fuss, making just enough for dinner and lunch. I like to roast the brussels sprouts and potatoes until they are so crisp and brown that I'll happily snack on them on their own. Then I add chopped up hardboiled eggs to the equation for protein. The creamy hardboiled yolks find their way into all the nooks and crannies of the salad, transforming what could be soggy leftovers into more goodness for lunch the next day. If you prefer runny yolks, poached or soft boiled eggs will also work, but I feel that hardboiled are best for leftovers.

My only problem is that I haven't found a new reliable source for brussels sprouts. Having access to good produce at the Park Slope Food Coop made me lazy. I used to get cheap brussels sprouts there almost every week. Last winter was the year of brussels sprouts, and I was continuing on that path this year until I moved back to Williamsburg this month, away from the Coop. I can't always count on finding brussels sprouts at the farmers market. Last Saturday at Union Square there were just a lot of onions, apples, carrots, and squash. But it all depends on the day and the market, so it's time to recommit to my former routine of going to the McCarren Park farmers market every Saturday, and stopping in at Union Square on weekdays to check out the selection, (which should be especially easy now that I work downtown within walking distance - no more corporate midtown for me!)

Roasted Brussels Sprout, Potato, and Egg Salad
Preheat oven to 450. Rinse and chop one medium potato into small wedges (the smaller, the faster they cook). Pour olive oil liberally over a baking sheet, as well as salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes onto the tray, adding more oil, salt, and pepper and stirring around until thoroughly coated and evenly distributed so that each potato slice gets surface space. Put in the oven to roast.
While they start cooking, rinse about a dozen brussels sprouts, chop off the ends, and slice in half. Likewise prepare the sprouts on an oiled and seasoned pan. Roast for about half an hour, removing both potatoes and sprouts halfway to flip each vegetable slice over to allow the other side to brown. This is also a good time to munch on the leaves that have fallen off the brussels sprouts and crisped. Meanwhile, hard boil three eggs. I like these instructions for hard boiling. Once the eggs have cooled enough to peel and chop, mix it all together and enjoy. Makes two servings.

So this is the new year

2011-01-09T21:17:00.007-05:00

The new year doesn't necessarily mean anything besides a change in the date, but 2011 really is a new year for me. In the past week, I moved into a new apartment AND started a new job. It feels good to finally be in the places personally and professionally where I have long wanted to be. I've come a long way from a year ago, when I was in the dark nadir of a three+ year rut. The summer saw me take the courage to make one key change for the better, which set off a domino effect of good things coming my way in the months since.

I already made resolutions of sorts when I posted my list of 25 (actually 26) things to do before turning 26 in November. I'm not making new resolutions now, but have revisited the list and will continue to work my way through these goals and others as they come.

More importantly, a recent sad event served as a reminder that tomorrow isn't promised today. It forced me to reflect and realize I'm doubly glad that my life is on the right path now, because as cheesy as it sounds, life is too precious to let it pass by. It was a reminder to do the things that make us happy, and to not just think about them, but to make them happen. So that is my real new years resolution: to keep making the good things happen.

1. ~~Visit Gina in Colorado.~~ 11/4-11/8 recap pending

2. ~~Visit little miss homebuyer Caitlin's new house upstate.~~ 8/21 a night at her lakeview bungalow with a fire pit!

3. ~~Visit the Jersey shore with my family.~~ last weekend of August

4. ~~Have a dance party in an apartment.~~ 7/24 one of Jamie's infamous dance parties until the sun came up.

5. ~~Go to a dance party at a bar.~~ 10/30 Halloween party at Union Hall and others since.

6. ~~Stay up until sunrise.~~ see #4

7. ~~Throw a party.~~ 9/24 party with cupcakes

8. ~~Host Thanksgiving~~. FAIL in 2010. cooked all the side dishes for Thanksgiving 2011.

9. ~~Attend more concerts~~. have been good about going to about 4 shows a month.

10. Get a tattoo, or think about getting one. decided not to get one because i am worried about putting toxic inks into my body.

11. ~~Bike to work~~. have been bike commuting 20-40 miles a week since march

12. ~~Do the New York Century bike ride.~~ 9/12 recap here

13. Attend a Transportation Alternatives meeting. got involved with the Bushwick Food Coop instead.

14. ~~Go no 'poo~~ ~~(no shampoo that is)~~. have been shampoo free since 3/5

15. ~~Make homemade deodorant and other body products~~. made deodorant in October 2011; need to blog about this

16. ~~Trim my hair~~. 12/25/2011
17. ~~Write something every day.~~ started a journal to write at least a sentence or more about each day.

18. ~~Write a new song.~~ 9/9/10 done, several written since then.

19. ~~Play a show at~~ ~~Rockwood Music Hall~~. it's harder to get a show at Rockwood then I thought. played four shows in 2011.

20. ~~Collaborate with musical friends.~~ joined the band Sexy Neighbors

21. Play in the folk jam at Sunny's in Red Hook.

22. ~~Audition for a choir.~~ 8/15/10 waitlisted. not currently interested in joining a choir again.

23. Fit into my skinny pants. decided i don't care as long as i know i'm getting my exercises in by bike commuting and feel healthy

24. Model in a shoot for my photographer friend. she shot my band photos but still no solo promo photos.

25. ~~Knit a scarf.~~ 10/19/10 birthday gift for a friend. March 2011 knit a scarf for myself as well.

26. ~~Get a new job~~. 9/9/10 new position at same organization....1/4/11 new job at new organization!!

Squash and Leek Stuffing

2010-12-18T20:49:00.003-05:00

I haven't been much in the holiday spirit here, aside from enjoying the brisk December weather. I've been too preoccupied by more big life changes over the past month to be able to pay attention to Thanksgiving or Christmas. I failed in my goal to host Thanksgiving (as happens almost every year) and only contributed one side dish for my mother's Thanksgiving meal (this squash and bean casserole). I haven't procured any Christmas gifts yet (hopefully tomorrow...). There are no holiday decorations up in my apartment, since I should be packing up anyway for another move at the turn of the month. I've even been neglecting this blog, seeing now that it's been a month since I last wrote!

But last week I made a squash and leek stuffing, presented in a hollowed-out squash, which felt ever so seasonally appropriate. I was inspired by a stuffed pumpkin my roommate made this fall, as well as a delicious looking pumpkin with panade on Tea & Cookies. However, I've found that when you bake it all together, the squash remains too firm for my liking. To solve this, I roasted my squash first, and then scooped out the pureed flesh to mix into a stuffing with cubes of crusty bread, sauteed leeks, and cheese, and refilled the squash rinds for a final bake.

I'm taking several days off for the holidays and hoping I'll have time then to get excited about festive baking and cooking, including pumpkin snickerdoodles and almond biscotti. Now the question remains, should I make this stuffed squash, or maybe pizza with a side of swiss chard gratin, for my family's Christmas eve dinner?

Squash and Leek Stuffing

I used one delicata squash, but you could also use any other variety of squash or pumpkin. Slice squash in half, and place it in a pan, flesh side down with a few inches of water. Roast at 450 degrees for 30-60 minutes until easily mashable with a fork. Scoop out all the flesh out into a bowl, being careful not to tear the squash rind (unlike me).

While the squash is roasting, clean one large leek and slice into half moons. Sautee on low heat until softened.

Rip a day-old crusty baguette into small cubes.

Grate about a cup of cheese. Cheddar, gruyere, swiss, or any combination of these varieties would be nice.

Combine squash, leek, bread, and cheese in a bowl, with salt and pepper to taste. Fill empty squash rinds with stuffing and sprinkle additional grated cheese over the top. Return to the oven and bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes until the cheese and stuffing edges turn golden brown.

Makes two servings.

Knitting and Thinking Harder about Handmade

2010-11-17T00:19:00.003-05:00

On average, I knit about one scarf each winter, using the most basic knit pattern, which is the limit of my knitting skills. This year I got a headstart and already completed one scarf for a birthday gift. In the past I have simply picked out yarn from a store based on cost, color, and feel. However, while making homemade gifts and buying handmade items has become a rallying cry and an important way to keep money out of corporation's pockets and support small businesses instead, sometimes simply handmade is not enough. In fact, one of the benefits of handmade is that you can exert more of a direct influence over the materials used.

So I started to think harder about the source of my scarf materials. If it's wool, what were the conditions of the animals raised for wool? Did the wool travel halfway around the globe to get to me, from Australia and New Zealand, which are the leading wool producers? If it's cotton yarn, what about pesticides? If it's acrylic, it's manufactured with polycrylonitriles, which may be carcinogenic. And then there are the dyes, probably laden with toxins rubbing up against your chin as you try to keep warm.

This batch of yarn came from happy sheep upstate, care of Catskill Merino, a farm that sells lamb meat and hand-dyed wool at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays. You may have noticed their gorgeously colored natural-dyed skeins while passing through the market. This fascinating Osage and Logwood color looks gray-green indoors with highlights of lime green in sunlight. The yarn is soft and I loved working with it. It wasn't that much more expensive than "nice" wool at a regular yarn store, so I felt it was worth it. There are many other eco-friendly yarn options out there, and alternatively, you could also check out your local thrift store for yarn or unravel an old sweater to reuse.

I like that kniting lets me relax and feel productive at the same time. It's a welcome way to slow down in this busy era of life when I feel I should always be accomplishing something with my time. The repetitive process is a meditative kind of multi-tasking, knitting while sitting around the living room watching TV with roommates or chatting on the subway.

I've got more yarn leftover from a lazy scarf fail last year, so I think a friend or family member might find a scarf under their tree this December. Who wants one? I'm considering expanding my repertoire to add some kind of pattern this time. This holiday season, I challenge you to also not only buy or make handmade gifts, but to think harder about handmade.

hanging yarn photo via flickr

Canning Pickles and a Word about Skillshares

2010-11-09T22:03:00.001-05:00

At the skillshare in September, we also made pickles and pizza, in addition to beer. We followed a recipe for canned garlic and dill pickles that Sarah learned at a pickling class at the Brooklyn Kitchen led by Bob McClure. I thought I didn't like fresh dill in my pickles, but I was wrong, because these were great and tasted simply as pickles should. In fact I liked them so much that I was willing to join a daring round of shots of pickle brine when we found ourselves snacking on the finished pickles a week later.

I'd only ever made lazy refrigerator pickles using storebought pickling spice mixes, which is easy and quick for making a jar at a time. Canning is a longer process, but worth it if you want to stockpile pickles. Afterward, we worried that the cans didn't sealed properly and decided to store them in the fridge, but it turns out they had indeed sealed. We put them in the fridge too early, but you should leave your cans out overnight to completely cool before testing the seal. Click here for more on how to know if your cans sealed.

As for skillshares, they have been popping up as a cheap alternative for learning new skills and trying new activities without having to pay for classes. Brooklyn is now home to its own annual Brooklyn Skillshare day each fall with classes ranging from composting to yoga to bike repairs. Skillshares can also be a great way to spend time with friends or get to know your community better. Ours was smallscale with just three people and three food-related skills, but even so, I have a few tips.

* Figure out ahead of time what you will need to bring with you. We got a late start because our host didn't have all the kitchen tools on hand (tongs, etc) we assumed he might, so there were some runs to pick up supplies.

*Plan complementary activities. For example, beer brewing and canning both require long periods of boiling in a giant pot, and there was only one giant pot, so it probably wasn't the best idea to do them in the same day. It all worked out okay, it was just a late night by the time everything was finished.

*You might also want to make plans for food or breaks. Originally I was going to bake bread as my skill, but I am really glad that I made pizza instead so that we were able to have a meal during the long day.

What skill would you teach if you organized a skillshare with your friends?

McClure's Garlic and Fresh Dill Canned Pickles

3 lbs small pickling cucumbers (Kirby)
6 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of dill
1 1/2 cups of water
1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)
little less than 1/2 cup picking or Kosher salt
crushed red pepper (optional)
6 canning jars

1) Wash cucumbers and place in a large deep bowl with ice. Cover and put in fridge.
2) Wash dill and chop off roots
3) Place minced garlic in a small bowl and pour hot vinegar over it. Let stand for 1 minute then pour vinegar out.
4) Fill a large pot with water. Place a jar in the pot and make sure the water is at least 1 inch above the top of the jar. Remove the test jar and bring water to a boil.
5) In another large pot, combine the vinegar, water, and salt. Bring the brine to a rapid boil. Stir the salt to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot
6) While pots are getting up to a boil take cucumbers out and quarter them. Make sure cucumber will stand 1/4 to1/2 inch below the rim of the jar.
7) After water is boiling, submerge mason jars and lids in pot and sterilize for about 90 seconds. Remove carefully with jar tongs.
8) In each jar, place garlic, dill and then enough cucumber spears to fill the jar, making sure cukes are below the “neck-line”.
9) Fill jars with hot brine and add an optional pinch of crushed red pepper.
10) Cap and seal jars. Turn them over to make sure you have an adequate seal. Repeat until all jars are complete
11) Place jars back in boiling water pot. Process sealed jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
12) Let cool. Wait a week to two weeks before eating. Pickles will keep up to 1 year if stored in a cool, dry place.

Why Go Apple Picking?

2010-10-25T01:56:00.005-04:00

Someone recently asked me "Why go apple picking? I don't understand the appeal/point." Here's my answer.

To support small farms that depend on income from apple-picking tourists. Because making a living profit from farming and resisting the pressure to sell off farmland to McMansion developers are hard to do these days. The cost of Pick Your Own is still about the same as already-picked apples for sale at farmers markets or stores, around $1/lb, but the farms deserve to make money for their labor of growing the apples. And it's about the experience.

For the pleasure of walking around beautiful orchard paths and fields in good company on a sunny fall afternoon.

For insanely good views of fall foliage

For climbing trees to snare hard-to-reach fruits, especially late in the season.

For snacking on juicy freshly picked apples.

For the exercise that comes with carrying around a twenty pound half bushel bag.

For the vinegary smell of fallen rotting apples that might inspire you to make your own hard cider or try some from the local wineries.

For saying hello to goats that live in barns.

For picking out a pumpkin to carve.

For the sound of children running around. And for rolling down hills like children.

For spying on honeybees and buying local honey from the farm store.

For rewarding yourself afterward with hot cider and freshly made donuts.

For bringing home tons of apples to eat, to freeze, to make crockpot applesauce, apple pie, apple muffins, apple cake, apple pancakes...

My place of choice for apple picking is Ochs Orchard in Warwick, NY, ninety minutes outside NYC, for its stunning views, charming farm store, and proximity to my childhood home. To find a Pick Your Own farm near you, take a look through this comprehensive list of farms in the US, Canada, Britain, and other countries.

photos 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 by Jamie Santamour. rest by me.

Homebrewed Pumpkin Ale

2010-10-12T01:12:00.007-04:00

I got together with friends for a skillshare day a couple weeks ago. Among the various food and drinks we made, the highlight was pumpkin beer, led by our resident expert homebrewer who provided all the necessary equipment. As a craft beer snob, I have always been curious about homebrew, so I was psyched to get an inside look at the brewing process.

Fall is the perfect time to make pumpkin ale. Like Sixpoint Craft Ales did for their Pumpkin Brewster beer, we chose to use real pumpkin rather than canned. I roasted a three pound sugar pumpkin, which yielded approximately 3 cups of puree, or the size of a 30 ounce can of pumpkin. Why use canned when you can easily get fresh, local pumpkins this time of year? Make sure it is a sugar pumpkin, though - the same kind used for baking, and not a regular jack-o-lantern pumpkin for carving.

Roasting a pumpkin is easy: Slice the pumpkin in half, scoop out the guts, and place it on a deep baking tray, flesh side down, in an inch or so of water. Roast at 450 for about 40 minutes, until flesh is tender and easily mashed with a fork.

I also roasted pumpkin seeds to snack on during the skillshare: Separate and rinse the seeds from the goop in the center of the pumpkin, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper, spread seeds out in an even layer on a baking sheet, and roast for about 10 minutes. Crispy pumpkin seeds are addictive.

You can now find brewing supplies in Brooklyn at places like The Brooklyn Kitchen and the Brooklyn Brew Shop, but this kit was ordered online from Midwest Supplies. It was handy how everything came included in the box, even various spices associated with pumpkin pie like cinnamon and nutmeg. The complete recipe we followed can be found here.

It is important to keep in mind throughout the process that everything needs to be cleaned and sanitized, including the stirrer spoon, fermenter jugs, and transfer tubes. The first step was to bring a giant pot of 3 gallons of water to 155 degrees, which took a long time - probably over half an hour. We then steeped a bag of crushed grains in the hot water for 30 minutes. Then we removed the pot from heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes before discarding the grains.

Next, we stirred in a whole container of malt syrup, which is similar in consistency to molasses, as well as brown sugar, although most beers do not typically require sugar at this stage.

After adding the malt and sugar, we brought the water to a boil, added half the hops, and let it boil for 60 minutes. At 55 minutes, we stirred in the pumpkin puree, and at 58 minutes, we added the remaining hops and spices. Here you can see the pumpkin swirling in the wort as it boiled. Note: during this first day of the brewing process, the beer is called "wort."

Afterward, we had to cool the wort to 80 degrees, which we did by putting the pot in a sink filled with ice and cool water. This also took a long time, another half hour or hour, as we swapped out the water every 10 minutes or so to continue the cooling. The sink nearly overflowed as the ice melted.

Once the temperature dipped below 80 degrees, it was time to transfer the wort from the pot into the primary fermenter, a large glass jug.

Normally, the wort should keep streaming on its own through the tube after a couple pumps. However, the pumpkin sediment prevented a steady stream, so it took some time to manually pump all the beer into the fermenter. Somehow, beer sprayed everywhere when the tube accidentally got off course. I think we had one too many (storebought) beers to drink during the course of the skillshare day.

The final step was to add proofed yeast (similar to baking bread) to the top of the jug. This airlock stopper was put in place to allow air to escape without letting air or bacteria enter as the beer bubbled away occasionally for a few days. After a week, it was transfered to the secondary fermenter, or a second glass jug, to help reduce sediment.

Another week later, it was time for bottling. At this time, the beer is done fermenting, and a little sugar was added just before bottling to activate the carbonation process. We rinsed, sterilized, and rinsed again about 40 beer bottles and caps. You can collect empty beer bottles and recycle them for this second life. Using a special tube, we transfered the beer into the bottles, and capped off each one.

Normally you can get up to 50 bottles from a five gallon batch, but again, the pumpkin sediment caused some problems. Toward the bottom of the batch, sediment blocked the beer from flowing into the bottles, so we had to scrap the last dregs. In total, we ended up with 39 bottles. Lesson learned: beer with pumpkin or other ingredients added are tricky to work with.

We poured a sip to try, and it definitely tasted like a pumpkin ale, with a little sweetness and bitterness, but unfortunately it did not seem very strong. For whatever reason, it didn't bubble or ferment for as many days as normal. Now that the beer is bottled, it will be ready to drink in two weeks, and hopefully the taste will improve with carbonation. I am excited to drink it!

Cocoa Zucchini Cupcakes

2010-09-27T00:00:00.037-04:00

I had a little party this weekend, a housewarming of sorts, although I am living in a sublet, so I can't take credit for the beauty of the home, and I will be moving out again in just a few months. But does one ever really need a reason to gather friends together, old and new alike, and prepare a storm of snacks and drinks to offer them?

There was a spread of roasted red pepper hummus, white bean garlic herb dip, cheeses, crackers, and other sundries, and cupcakes per usual. I originally thought I would turn my recipe for cocoa applesauce muffins into cupcakes, but apples equal fall, and I'm not quite ready to accept the turn of seasons yet. I'm a big advocate of continuing to take advantage of summery produce until it disappears from the markets. With my schedule busier lately than I'm used to, I also didn't feel like taking the time to slowly cook apples down into sauce, so a simple grated zucchini from the greenmarket made sense.

I ended up adapting Heidi's recipe for chocolate zucchini cupcakes on 101 Cookbooks, but left out the chocolate chips because they actually aren't necessary. I've never before been able to achieve a rich chocolatey taste through cocoa powder alone. The key, I've now learned, is to use a full cup of cocoa, as a quarter or third of a cup won't cut it. My cupcakes tasted sharply of dark chocolate, with moist shredded zucchini hidden secretly and healthily inside. I paired them with bourbon cream cheese icing, but lemon or peanut butter icing might also be fun.

Cocoa Zucchini Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup milk
1 zucchini, about 2 cups grated
2 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
bourbon cream cheese icing

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar. Whisk in honey, eggs, vanilla, milk, and grated zucchini. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and beat until batter is combined and smooth. Bake 20-25 minutes. Remove, let cool, and top with icing. Makes two dozen cupcakes.

How to Eat at Summer's End

2010-09-16T00:30:00.004-04:00

Somewhere along the way, I forgot to keep taking photos of my farmers market hauls, but I've still been bringing home bags of produce and finding time to cook despite my newly busy schedule. This time of year, I like to focus on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, which in past summers, I would have grilled and turned into caponata. Lacking a grill has required me to get a little more creative this year. Below are some dishes I've enjoyed in the past couple weeks, showing how seasonal vegetable driven meals can be as lazy or as complex as you have the time and inclination for.

For a still hot summer night when you don't feel like cooking:
Deconstructed cheese and tomato sandwiches
Top one cube of Bread Alone organic baguette with one slice of Bobolink grass fed cheddar and one cherry tomato (preferably from a mother's garden) and pop in mouth. Chase with a sip of Troegs Sunshine Pils.

For a cooler late summer Sunday when you have time for a cooking project, so that you can eat quick meals with little prep later in the week:
Roasted red pepper hummus
Cook a large batch of dried chickpeas, let cool, drain, and apportion into jars in freezer for future meals. Also roast two or three red peppers until blackened on each side, remove skins, slice into strips, and marinate in olive oil and garlic in refrigerator. Either that day or sometime in the next week, prepare the hummus - thaw one jar of cooked chickpeas, and blend in food processor with 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, a generous stream of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of tahini, juice of 1/2 lemon, and a sprinkling of crushed hot pepper. Serve this special sweet and spicy hummus with warmed pita as an appetizer or as a dinner for one.

For a cool evening when you have time to make a more complicated dinner, company to help, and/or a desire for leftovers:
Eggplant parmesan sandwiches
Slice one large eggplant into thin rounds. Salt heavily and let drain in colander for 30-60 minutes, rinse, and dry with paper or cloth towels. Dredge eggplant in a bowl of beaten egg and then in a plate of homeground breadcrumbs. Fry in a shallow layer of hot oil until browned on each side. As you dredge and fry, have a helper remove the cooked eggplant from the pan and layer it in a baking dish with homemade tomato sauce and grated parmesan cheese. Warm in oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted, alongside slices of Amy's rustic Italian bread drizzled with olive oil. Plate sandwiches, enjoy with a red wine, and remember to thank your helper for doing the dishes.

Scenes from a Bike Tour of NYC

2010-09-15T07:00:00.001-04:00

I crossed off one of my 25 things last weekend when I rode the New York Century Bike Tour, organized by Transportation Alternatives, New York City's advocacy group for pedestrians and cyclists. I'd been wanting to do this bike ride for years, but was deterred by having to haul my bike an hour to Central Park at 7am on a weekend morning. This year they launched an alternate starting location in Prospect Park, a doable mile or so from my apartment, which meant I no longer had an excuse. I will admit it was hard to say no to all my friends party harding on Saturday night in order to get to bed early-ish, but I am still glad I did it.

TA offers varying distances from 15 miles to 100 (that's the "century") to accommodate beginners and families through experienced bikers. I chose to ride the 35 mile route, which was longer than I've ever biked in one day before. I actually rode about 31 miles, factoring in my trip to the starting line and my more direct route to finish at my apartment in Brooklyn rather than at the park. I wasn't sure how I would feel when I hit the halfway point at Central Park, but I was totally fine with continuing to pedal back to Brooklyn.

I was on my own, but the fellow riders and marshals were all friendly, and I was able to join another single rider along the way at my same pace so we could have company. My fear of getting lost alone in the backstreets of Queens was unrealized. It was a gray day, but the cool air was actually perfect for biking. Serendipitously, the only rain was a half hour drizzle that didn't bother me once I had my rain jacket on.

The route is designed for on-street cycling, to demonstrate that bikes have a real place on roads alongside cars, so no roads were blocked off, and that meant we took both protected bike lanes and scary busy streets (ie. what were they thinking with having us on West End/11th Avenue and all its fast traffic heading for the tunnels?)

My favorite part was getting to see so many different parts of New York City in one day, including some locations I'd never been before. From hipster Brooklyn, to the view at the top of the Triboro bridge, to swamps on Randalls Island, through Manhattan's quickly changing neighborhoods, and over the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

The 35 mile start time in Prospect Park was 8am, during offleash hours for dogs.

We headed north through Bed Stuy, quiet on a Sunday morning, and up the North Brooklyn waterfront. Loving the two-way bike lane on Kent Ave in Williamsburg, and capturing the strange juxtaposition of the neighborhood's artsy charm and its new towering condos.

Crossing Pulaski Bridge over the excessively polluted Newtown Creek from Brooklyn to Queens, with Manhattan in the distance.

We followed the Queens waterfront from Long Island City to a rest stop at Astoria Park, under the shadow of the Triboro and Hells Gate Bridge (awesome name). I was excited to cross the Triboro Bridge, a giant highway of a bridge I have traversed many times by car, for the unique opportunity to see views that you can only take in at this slower pace.

Looking west over the Triboro Bridge to Manhattan

Looking at Randalls Island and the industrial beyond from the Triboro

We meandered through Randalls Island's bizarre sports fields and swampy landscaped waterfront paths, which I'm now realizing were next to a psychiatric institution, before crossing this pedestrian bridge to Harlem.

Rest stop at the top of Central Park, at 110th street and Lenox Avenue. I don't think I'd been north of 85th street in the park before.

We rode down the west side, not on the Greenway, but on Riverside Drive then scary West End Avenue, and then to this protected bike lane on 9th avenue from 30th street to Bleecker street in Manhattan, complete with light signals for bikes!

After passing through the West Village, Soho, Chinatown, and City Hall, I headed over the Brooklyn Bridge, in the homestretch.

The Manhattan Bridge, as seen from the Brooklyn Bridge

I took a little shorcut through Downtown Brooklyn and Carroll Gardens to finally get home! 31 miles. 4 1/2 hours. 4 bridges. 3 boroughs. 2 wheels.

Season's End

2010-09-10T00:37:00.003-04:00

Summer's season is ending, and so too are peaches, I hear, although they could still be found heaped aplenty at last weekend's farmers market. But while Labor Day appropriately felt like summer's last hurrah, this week has already transitioned to crisp breezes asking for jackets to be worn and leaves to fall. The golden September light is a reminder to hurry up and enjoy summer's produce before it passes by.

Summer is my favorite season, so I'm sad to see it go, but at least I can look back fondly on it this year. I filled my last long weekend with warm weather activities: Free kayaking in the Hudson River aka sunbathing and paddling on a personal boat in a protected pier...

A dance party in a museum courtyard... Walking in the sunshine... Biking around Prospect Park...

And a boatload of cooking projects, including peach coconut ice cream. I like peach smoothies, so why not peach ice cream, with coconut leftover from a cupcake endeavor. Follow the almond chip ice cream recipe, but add two pureed peaches and 1 1/2 cups toasted coconut when making the custard, and obviously leave out the almond and chocolate.

Then enjoy ice cream instead of dinner on the remaining warm nights of the year. Do not fear that this will be the last of the ice cream, though, now that my sister is a ~~milkmaid~~ market lady for the Milk Thistle Organic Dairy Farm.

Growing Plants Indoors

2010-09-02T11:40:00.002-04:00

I have always been lucky enough in New York City to have outdoor space for growing herbs and other plants...until now. I am also no longer at the mercy of plant-devouring dogs, so my move has been a useful reminder that we can in fact raise and enjoy plants indoors. In addition to being pretty and often useful in the kitchen, indoor plants improve air quality, which is something we can all benefit from, given the prevalance of toxic chemicals hiding out in our homes. The Green Phone Booth explains this in greater detail, along with an an extensive list of the best plants for air purificiation.

I was unable to bring my tomato plants, but the herbs did find a home in my new sunny living room. Unfortunately, this picture was taken a few weeks ago, and many of those small pots have since dried out, which is a common problem I have with growing indoors, even if I keep the plants watered regularly. I think they must need even more light than they can get through these windows. The oregano, basil, and rosemary are still doing okay, however.

The tall plant on the left with the skinny stem and broad leaves is an avocado tree, which are fun to grow yourself from the pit of an tasty avocado you have just eaten. In looking up this how-to for you, I discovered that you should pinch off the newest top shoots to help it grow bushy rather than tall, so clearly this rapidly rising plant could use a little bit of that before it reaches the ceiling!

Tropical plants tend to fare well indoors, and unlike herbs, do not generally need to be watered every day. Remember this canna which sprouted during a neglected winter in my basement? It's now happy next to my bedroom window.

My friend Jamie has done an excellent job of filling her home with plants. Every time you turn around, you will discover another pot of greenery in each corner. She uses cuttings to propagate plants around her home cheaply, by cutting a healthy stem from an existing plant and placing it in a water-filled glass jar, sometimes with store-bought rooting hormone, until roots emerge. I gave her parsley and rosemary to add to this windowsill to thank her for leting me stay on her couch for a week, and they are going strong, unlike my herbs. I suppose her windows get enough light to make it possible for the parsley to happily grow out of control. She also has a cute and smart cat, who knows not to eat the plants.

What has your experience been with indoor growing? Have you learned any tips along the way?

25 things

2010-08-22T21:29:00.016-04:00

The reason I moved is this: Exactly a month ago, I parted ways with my now ex-boyfriend. It was finally time to accept that we did not bring out the best in each other and move on. I walked out of that life right into a summer as a single lady filled with fun things and happiness. I so appreciate the dear friends who helped make that possible, including the support of many of you reading this now.

With this new beginning, comes the chance to take on a whole host of adventures. My birthday is in just a few months at the end of November, and I decided to put together a list of 25 things to work on accomplishing before I turn 26 (inspired by these lovely ladies). The focus is on cultivating an active social life, tackling green projects I have been meaning to do, and reviving my musicianship. Clearly, I've got a good start on this list over the past few weeks.