Birthday Dinner

We will now travel back, through the sands of time, to a Saturday afternoon in early February. This was intended to be posted soon after the event occurred, but due to a change in my workload and then moving, time was not on my side. So now, I present to you: Mom and Dad's Birthday Meal.

Mom and Dad did not give me anything specific requests, so I was left to my own imagination and ideas to come up with dinner for them. Their only request was for the dessert item, which I will "premiere" below. The previous year, I made Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil, which was perhaps one of the best dishes of 2007. Seriously, it is filling while still being light, and it cooks pretty quick. Coming from a lemon-loving family, I believe I upped the lemon quotient, but it was by no means overwhelming. And the arugula played perfectly with the dish, although spinach would be great too. Since last year I had done seafood, this year I opted for beef.
Short Ribs with Tagliatelle was my recipe of choice. Why? Because it looked fancy and like it may challenge me a little culinarily. I was right on the former, incorrect on the latter. However, since I was the one cooking, I ran into some issues.

Issue #1: I could not find tagliatelle. HEB disappointed me! So, I went with linguine (or was it fettuccine?) instead. Whichever is the wider of the two.

Issue #2: I needed a bigger pot. Or at least one with a greater surface area on the bottom. All my ribs would not fit, so the browning of them was a little less than what I desired. But it still tasted good, so I guess it did not matter in the end.

Issue #3: I cannot read directions. More precisely, I cannot accurately recall directions I read a minute ago. That is how double the amount of beef broth was added to the sauce than was called for. Which, in turn, was why I had to try and strain some of it out with a little tiny sieve. It was not cool.

In the end, the sauce ended up a little too soupy, in my opinion, but it was still mighty tasty. And, if you read the recipe already, you may have noticed an "odd" ingredient. Yes, you actually do shave bittersweet chocolate on the pasta dish and, yes, it does add a little something to it.

Would I make this again (correctly)? Absolutely. Will it be any time soon? No way. It takes an entire afternoon to make; lots of add this and simmer an hour, do this and simmer another hour... It was a great dish for a special occasion, which is the kind of dish it will forever remain.

Dessert! Even if the dinner bombed, I knew I had dessert in the bag. Tassie Cups with Lemon Curd Filling. It is a family favorite (see above for lemon love) and it is something of a special occasion dish. Takes a little time and energy to make and whisk and "create."

The dough is pretty simple. And, use a food processor if you got it. I made this once before without the food processor and it paled in comparison to the dough this time. It came together better and more uniformly.

Dough before being "cupped" and baked:


Dough having now baked and become platforms for curd:

The dough makes more than 23 mini cups, but I made two larger cups in ramekins for Mom and Dad.

Onto the lemon curd. You can buy this pre-made at the grocery store, but rarely does it look, well, healthy. The color is a pale, almost white shade, like a more albino cousin to Vaseline. Lovely picture, isn't it?

The processed zest and sugar. I think I could eat this as it is right now...


The juice of three lemons. These were the juiciest lemons I have ever seen. Last time I made this, I think I used five or seven lemons, so if you make this, always buy extra lemons!


I have now placed the mixture on a double boiler and commenced the long session of whisking. No need to exercise your arms the day you make this, just replace with whisking.

I know, the curd looks rather lumpy and unappetizing in the above photo. This is about 4:55 minutes into whisking. At 5 minutes, this is how it looks (yes it is really that quick a change):


Unfortunately, unlike the directions say, this does not suddenly become thick. It takes about 15-25 more minutes (best I can recall) to get it thicker. So keep on stirring!

And now, for some finished products. First, a jar of lemon curd. This is dangerous to have around, but is mighty tasty. A spoonful after dinner is the perfect dessert and/or palate cleanser.


And now, the piece d' resistance - tassie cups with lemon curd! And, the added bonus of a vegetable, as Paula Deen would say (sprig of mint).

The cup is not sweet, a little salty, which ups the sweetness of the curd. And of course, the puckeringly good lemon curd, with little bits of zest. So deliciously tart. And that was mom and dad's birthday dinner!

The Move

Good news! I have located the cord which allows me to upload my pictures from camera to computer, so now I can relay the story of my trip from Austin to Raleigh. Yay!

Packing was less terrible than I imagined it would be, although it was by no means something I would want to do again soon. I had tried to sort through all my things and donate and discard in the weeks prior to me moving, but there were still a few things that I found that needed to be let go of on the day of the move. My dad and Aaron were incredible help with packing up the Uhaul. If I were doing it alone, I probably would have given up and stayed in Austin. One of my greatest fears was that I would have more stuff than the Uhaul could hold, but thankfully this was not the case and I even had a little extra space left. With the the trailer packed and my car on the dolly, I bid farewell to Austin apartment and stayed my last night in Texas at my parents'.

Driving Day 1

Hoping to get ahead of morning traffic, Aaron and I left some time after 7. I was tired, Aaron was tired, and it looked gross outside. And cold...very cold.


So, on the road went me and my worldly possessions. Aaron and I enjoyed listening to our favorite morning show, JB & Sandy, and getting used to driving something a little larger than our compact cars. After a few, er, "bumps" in the road, I got the hang of driving it, and trucking along we went.

Texas took a long time to get out of, but doesn't it always? We saw the Sanderson Farm chicken factory, lots of cows which Aaron was eternally excited to spot, and smelled dead skunks. Lots and lots of dead skunks.

Louisiana did not take too long to drive through, but it was rougher than Texas due to the road conditions. To say the road surface was uneven is an understatement. And, since Uhauls are not built for comfort, we left Louisiana feeling a little beat up.

I think leaving Louisiana was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Not only because of the roads, but because you get to drive across the Mississippi River.

This is the Mississippi. Looks like...a river. Had we been driving in the other direction, I could have gotten a picture of a steamboat, but our side was steamboat-less.

The Mississippi River Bridge. I am sure it has a better name than that, but you get the idea of what it is.
Aaron. Aaron scared. Of what I don't know. This may have been one of the times when he recalled all the work he needed to be doing for school and freaked out a little. Or he could have been providing me comic relief. It is hard to tell sometimes.

Mississippi and Alabama blended together, so there is not much more to say about driving day one. We stopped and slept at a Super 8 somewhere past Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was late, we slept. We woke up...

Driving Day 2
...and we were hungry. Aaron wanted Wendy's. I wanted a breakfast taco. We found a Wendy's but it had not opened yet. So, we walked to the nearby Waffle House. I have only been to one other Waffle House in my life and it was not a great experience. I ordered toast and, when I got it, it was drenched in butter. Yuck. So, I was leery of this. But, they did have breakfast tacos. Or so I thought...I hope it is apparent what is extremely wrong with this picture. I do not know which is more bizarre, mayo with my taco or pickles with my taco. I mean, mayo? On eggs and bacon? The taco itself was not too bad...until I reached the cheese. It was not shredded cheddar; it was canned nacho cheese consistency, but without the spicy kick. Not the breakfast of champions I had hoped for.

It did not take long for us to get into Georgia, a welcome relief that now only two states were between us and Raleigh. I like Georgia. I have not visited there but once, but it seems like a state I would not mind living in. It has peaches and BBQ and Coke. Southern accents. Paula Deen. Now that I live closer to it, I may have to pay Georgia a visit.

Georgia's one great excitement was that there was a wreck further up on the road we were traveling and, Aaron and I, wishing to avoid long delays, figured out a new route to get us to Greenville, SC where we could return to our normally scheduled route. Off the beaten path we went and what an adventure it was. Since I was navigating, I pulled out the atlas and figured out a way for us to get off the highway with the wreck and not lose much time. Aaron, being the driver, drove. It worked well for about 20 minutes until Aaron saw a sign for the highway we eventually wished to return to. This was not part of my navigation route, but it was too late to say anything now. I feared we had not gone far enough and would intersect with the traffic from the wreck. Well...the sign for the highway and the highway were a bit farther apart than Aaron thought it would be...by about 30 minutes. But, once on the highway, traffic was clear and all was once again right in the world. And we got to see "backwoods" Georgia, go through a few towns we never thought we would see.

I do not recall much of South Carolina. Lots of Chick-fil-As.

North Carolina - finally! Aaron was happy.

Unfortunately, the beauty of North Carolina was hidden from us. Why? Because of fog.

It gave off this creepy, Civil War ghosts feel. Sadly, fog soon led to rain, which turned to downpour. And, due to time change issues, we were unable to get to my new apartment before they closed for the day, so moving was delayed until Saturday morning. But, I am not sure I would have wanted to move stuff Friday evening. I could barely move myself!

Moving in was not as easy as moving out, and that is because I am weak. Weak! I can carry boxes, but not furniture. And definitely not a recliner sofa. But, everything got in my apartment, which is still in the process of being unpacked. I hung something on the wall yesterday, so cosmetic progress is being made...very slowly. I am still searching for a job, but everyone I have spoken says that it should not be too difficult, so I hope they are right.

Moving, all in all, was pretty fun. Hard and a long road (literally and mentally) to get here, but so far I am glad I did it.

Seeing "Red"

A Perfect Red (by Amy Butler Greenfield) is a book I think I first read about in Slate. Being interested in most things historical, especially when taken from a slightly different perspective than the norm, I was intrigued. On my book list(s) the title went and, when I happened to be in a bookstore, I would poke around to see if A Perfect Red was on the shelves. Never could I find it, much to my amazement and disappointment. And, since I prefer, when purchasing a book, for it to be physically in my hands after payment and not wait 2 weeks for it to show up in a brown box, my search persisted. Eventually, thanks to a wicked sweet B&N coupon and no trace of the book in Austin, I bought it online.

Unfortunately, it took me a few months to sort through enough books to make my stack down to "Red." And, it was worth the wait. While the history of cochineal, the bug used to make the world-changing red of the book, was not as tumultuous as I thought it would be, reading how colors and dyes were status symbols was interesting. Sure, lower class people could wear red, but since the dye was cheap, usually plant-based, it washed out and faded very quickly. Cochineal, however, produced vibrant, bright reds (think British Redcoats). Cortes and his merry band of marauders were one of the first groups from Europe to "discover" cochineal in what is now Mexico, but they did not fully appreciate the value of the bug (which you may have seen if you looked closely at a prickly pear cactus. Cochineal are the bugs under the white filmy stuff). Cortes preferred the gold and silver more than the insect.

So, what did red do for Europe? The color kept Spain paid since it had a monopoly on the dye. Cochineal could only be grown in Mexico, and Spain controlled the area, so Spain controlled red. It led to scientific advances in technology and research - the birth of the microscope gives its thanks to the small bug. There was such a raging debate about whether cochineal was a plant or a bug, it had theologians searching scripture, some people saying it was a plant, an insect, or something in between called a "wormberry." Eventually, a chemist named William Perkin figured out how to get a red color (mauve) from coal tar, leading to a revolution in dye chemistry. Although the demand for cochineal has subsided, it is still used in common items such as lipstick, food coloring, and candy.

It was amazing to see how one color, over centuries, could change and shape the world. Even things as simple as what different colors represented when one wore them. Red went from being a devilish color to meaning passion and desire to falling out of vogue to be improper and a sign of a "loose" person. I suppose, to an extent, we carry those same representations today, but to a lesser degree. I generally do not think twice about a person wearing red or purple or blue. However, and maybe this is a female thing, I do have days when I walk into my closet and think to myself, "Today is a red day."

Where did I go?

Hello everyone! I just wanted to give y'all a quick "Where am I?" update. The Uhaul was packed, and driven halfway across the country and now all my worldly possessions are chilling out in boxes in my new casa in Raleigh. I will have road trip pictures here soon, including the most unusual breakfast sides I have personally encountered. Did you think I could go three days without finding something food-related to post on?

Once I have internet access at my place (I am bumming off of "the dude" right now) I will update some more. I hope to give y'all my opinion of the local restaurants and bemoan the loss of Texas BBQ and Tex Mex. I guess this means I will have to learn how to make enchiladas and fajitas now. Life is tough : )

Caramel Brownies

I have, on occasion, created a sweet confection or two for my small group at HCBC UT (best small group ever!). From those confections, one in particular was begged for the most often - Caramel Brownies. And so, with big news to deliver to them this week (more on that in another post when I have time and brain enough to), I decided it was time to break brownie with them again. And so, a sort of pictorial "how to make caramel brownies" - not that it is difficult.

1. After looking at the ingredient list, I went to the grocery store in search of the few things I did not have on hand. It was there that I realized something truly tragic - while the recipe calls for 6 ounces of evaporated milk, evaporated milk is sold in 5-ounce or 12(ish)-ounce cans. Drats! Not needing extra evaporated milk, I opted to be short an ounce and hoped it did not spell an early disaster for my brownies.

2. Unwrap a whole bag of caramels. Not the best part of the process, but undoubtedly better than when I cut up gumdrops into eensy pieces for zucchini muffins. Talk about sticky and time consuming.

3. Then I put the caramels in a pot with the evaporated milk over low-ish heat.


4. Then I read the recipe and realized half the evaporated milk was supposed to go in the batter. So...1/3 cup evaporated milk with a hint of caramel infusion went in the batter.

5. I melted a lot of butter. And the batter glistens in its new fatty addition. Purdy!

6. To make cutting easier, I lined the bottom of my 9x13 with parchment and gave it a little spray with the non-stick spray stuff (both under the parchment and on top of it).

7. The good part about having so much butter in the batter is that when I put half of it in the bottom of the pan, it was fun to smoosh and spread around with my fingers. I suppose if someone had textile issues with gooey oily things this would be a dark part of their experience.

8. While the bottom half of the brownie baked, I continued to stir the caramels. It was beginning to look a lot like ice cream topping.


9. When the timer beeped at me, out came the brownies and on went the chocolate chips...


...and then the caramel. Can I eat it now?


10. Since the batter is not too spreadable over a layer of liquid caramel, I smooshed super ball-sized bits of batter in my hands to flatten it, then laid it over the caramel, eventually covering a good deal of the sticky stuff.


11. Back in the oven it went, and I was left with a dilemma. What to do with a pot with caramel sauce clinging to its sides and no apple slices to be found?


12. Twenty minutes later and the brownies were done. And self-control began to weaken. Brownies are for small group, but warm brownies with warm chocolate chips and caramel - they would not notice one little piece missing, would they? Sadly for me, my college kids are smart and would notice something missing...especially since my piece of choice would have been from the middle of the brownie pan.


13. Finished products sliced and oozy chewy deliciousness. I could not get any pictures of my group eating them because they were too quick for me.

Commercial Issues

There is a commercial on TV right now that aggravates me every time I watch it. It is a commercial for Time Warner promoting its all-in-one packages. In it, a gentleman about my age states, "I want the world to revolve around me..." and then goes on to enumerate all the things that should revolve around him (a meeting starting when he gets there, TV shows on when he can watch them, etc.) If you do not loathe this commercial already, allow me to explain why I do. It promotes selfishness. This is not to say that all or most commercials do not do this, but this one is so blatant. They are clearly marketing toward the young and "hip" demographic, a demographic which needs little reminder to think first of themselves.

I have watched news stories (60 Minutes, evening news, etc) that address the growing problem of people around my age entering the work force. They think the boss should work around their schedules, abilities, and timetables. They expect to make as much money as their parent(s) do right out of college. And, in some companies, areas of H.R. are developing ways to address the growing concern with "helicopter" parents - parents who apply for their child's job for them, come to the interview with them, and call the company when their child is unhappy with the job or to check up on how he or she is doing.

Is that the root of it - parents who raised their children to think they are the most important person? I do not think parents are the only ones to point a finger at, but they may be part of this new problem. People my age were raised getting trophies even if they lost a sports game, hearing they were great in everything...even if they were not. Why do we wonder how those kids on American Idol are convinced they are the next Aretha Franklin? It is because their parents, friends, and teachers thought it better to tell them they were the best than to point them in a direction that may be better suited for their talents and abilities.

The dawn of reality TV also began during my generation, where anyone who wanted to be on TV reasonably could. Real World, Survivor, Bachelor, Big Brother, the list goes on. All of this comes down to one person - me, my, mine, I. We grew up thinking we were the best, and so when we perform in a "less than best" manner at our employment or friendship, we assume "I am not the problem, the other person is." That is dangerous.

The result of all this, in my opinion, is that we are stunted. When we are criticized or a needed improvement is pointed out to us, we attack the person rather than confront our own possible weakness. We cut people down without a second thought and are shocked when others do the same to us. We think we can be all and do all, and that is just not possible. Perhaps the most worrying area in my opinion is that since we think we are the most important person, we constantly put ourselves above everyone around us. We look at friendships not as "what can I give?" but "what can this person offer me?" Our priorities come before and above our friends'; we are self-seeking and relationally stunted.

We do not play well with others. We play great beside others, but not with others. Because "with" means someone's opinion is being sacrificed for the good of another's. "With" means I may not win or get the attention. "With" means I have to put someone else's needs and wants above my own. And if I am putting my needs beneath that person's needs, will that person one day put me above them? Will my grand act of unselfishness be repaid? Or will they "forget" so I have to ask them "Remember the time when I did (blank) for you?" If they are going to forget, what is the point in helping in the first place?

I have no solution, no 12-step plan to combat this. Just the hope that I will remember to think about someone else every now and again, and hope that if I do not, someone will prompt me to get over myself. And I will think about what they said before I think about how I am better than them.

My Go-To Fish Cooking Method

If you, like me, enjoy fish, but get tired of the pan-grill then put lemon juice on top method, here is a great change of pace. I cannot remember where I first saw, then used, this method, but I remember liking and and using something like in on the fly since then. So far, I have only used this on fish like salmon or steelhead trout, so I do not know how it would translate onto a more delicate white fish.

Honeyed Fish with a Kick

1. Heat a skillet (cast iron works best) on medium heat.

2. Take your fish fillet, remove skin (if not yet removed). Blot with paper towel to dry so that seasonings can stick to the fish and not the pan.

3. Drizzle the fillet on one side with honey. Don't drench the fish with honey, just a light cover.

4. Sprinkle honeyed fish with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (as many flakes as you like - the more the hotter). Feel free to add whatever fresh or dried herbs you like, I like the pepper flakes against the sweetness of the honey.

5. Add a quick splash of olive oil in your skillet and add fish **honey side down** when oil begins to shimmer.

6. While fish cooks on one side, repeat step 3 & 4 (honey and seasonings) to the uncooked fish side.

7. When cooking side has a good honeyed crust to it (3-5 minutes depending on thickness), flip fish and cook other side. The other side should take about the same amount of time as the first side, maybe a little less.

8. Take off skillet and eat. What you will find is the seasonings have cooked into the honey crust, creating a tender fish with a nice spicy sweet crunch to it.

Good with: mashed potato, risotto, on a salad (spinach would be great), with a salad, green beans, some crusty bread, steamed broccoli with lemon juice, or whatever pleases your palate.

*Special thanks goes to my HEB fishmonger who suggested steelhead trout as a substitute fish after a long season of salmon. Steelhead has a lighter flavor than salmon, but still has a heartiness like salmon.*