December 2009
16 posts
5 tags
Cookies for the Holidays: Rugelach, World Peace...
The holidays are never complete without overindulging and overeating- and this definitely includes sweets and desserts. I enjoy baking several kinds of cookies for the holidays.. it gives me an excuse to try a few recipes that I never seem to get around to during the year without feeling guilty for eating the whole dozen by myself. I sent these off with Andreas for his family to enjoy, and brought...
3 tags
Roasted Butternut Squash and Warm Goat Cheese...
When the temperatures drop to the 20s and the endlessly blowing wind chills you to the bone, I don’t usually think of a salad as a satisfying winter meal. However, this awesome salad is THE EXCEPTION! The salad ends up being warm with the addition of the roasted butternut squash and the freshly pan-fried goat cheese; the richness of the squash with the cheese makes this an ultimately...
4 tags
Mushroom and Zucchini Quiche
On the weekends, I really enjoy taking the time to cook or bake breakfast. During the week, I’m in such a rush to get to lab, either by some ungodly early hour if I have a 12-14 hour timecourse, or before 8 am on most other days, that I eat either on the walk to lab or after I have gotten experiments started. Weekday breakfast is mostly a fleeting thought amidst the innumerable worries and...
The first day of winter...
Yesterday was the first day of winter. I never remember that the first day of winter is December 21 because, in California there really is no winter, just rain, and in Boston, usually there has been snow on the ground for a month by then. This year has been different, until last week when we had ridiculously cold days and then this past Sunday, I woke to a world of white. This is what I saw from...
4 tags
Risotto with Mushrooms and Asparagus, and Seared...
I have a confession to make. I don’t really know how to cook rice.
I know, I know, I’m ASIAN and I don’t know how to cook rice?!?! How can this be???
I blame it all on technology. Seriously. I grew up in a household that had not one, but three rice cookers. One for everyday use, a larger one for parties, and a newer one, gifted many Christmases ago from Grandma, just in case...
3 tags
Latkes
To continue the exploration of my Jewish side (after having baked challah bread), plus the fact that it’s Hanukah, I was excited to cook (and eat!) latkes, or potato pancakes. I love the contrast of the warmth and cripsy-ness of the pancakes with the coolness of the traditional condiments: tangy sour cream and sweet apple sauce. I can’t decide which combination I like better… so...
1 tag
Hello, winter.
Today’s forecast is “a high of 20 degrees F”. 20 DEGREES!!!!!! SOMETIMES WE DON’T EVEN ACTUALLY REACH THE HIGH!!! I also love the “feels like” part of the forecast.. as if 20 wasn’t bad enough, they’re telling me that right now it “feels like 0 degrees”. Awesome.
We had a weirdly mild summer and a long-lasting fall where for a few days...
1 tag
Dear Construction Workers on the roof of my apt....
Thank you so very much for the abrupt awakenings over the last 4 weeks at about 6:30-7 am every morning. I have really enjoyed the powerful beat of heavy metal tools or parts (of whatever it is you are building up there) dropping at incredible velocities onto our ceiling, and the symphony of your thunderous footsteps- you have successfully captured the sounds of a herd of dancing 2000 lb....
4 tags
Challah and Apple-Gruyere French Toast
I stumbled across this article and just couldn’t get it out of my mind. Cheese? Yum! Apples? Healthy! Challah french toast? HOLLA!
I also used this recipe as an excuse to bake some bread. I am by no means an experienced bread baker- I have definitely baked some tasteless bricks. But I really enjoy the process: adding just a handful of mundane ingredients to some microbes, using your hands...
Merry Birthday
I was lucky enough to receive a few birthday/christmas gifts early this year! :)
Beautiful, happy flowers from my lovely Mom and Dad. See Mom, they survived the cold! I smile every time I look at them.
A birthday/christmas gift for both of us from Andreas: big wine glasses (and rack). These elegant beauties can hold a whopping 20 oz of grape juice! Now that we’ve started to explore...
4 tags
Spanakopita Triangles
As the holidays approach, so begins the circuit of holiday parties and requisite cooking, baking, and (over-)eating! My lab was planning our holiday potluck party this week because some labmates were leaving early for the holidays (lucky ducks). I decided to try to make these little bundles of earthy spinach and tangy feta goodness, enveloped in layers of flaky pastry. Nothing says...
“What did I tell you? Hot girl. Volkswagen Jetta. It’s like a law! Like...”
– Taco, The League on FX
3 tags
Cranberry Orange Scones
I’d like to introduce you to my new best friend.
We got to know each other at one of my favorite spots, Crate&Barrel. I was like, hey, i like scones. And he was all, then let’s go make some!
I am a total sucker for scones, pies, biscuits… basically anything with a high butter to flour ratio. The only catch is that these recipes require “cutting butter into...
