Culinary Adventures with Bob and Al: First Installment

Since the last topic here on ppppfffffttttt was lasagna rolls, I thought I broach a new subject and part of my married life and that would be…food.

While dating Robert, I discovered that he has an appreciation and love for good cooking and good food. This has opened my eyes to the world of Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Giada; as well as shown me how fun and gratifying it can be to cook and prepare a meal that someone enjoys.

*Sidenote: It’s not always fun. Weird coconut shrimp and misshapen pancakes have caused me to have psychotic episodes. Robert about the pancakes, “They still taste the same, they’re good! I promise!!” Me about the pancakes almost in tears, “But, they’re not pretty!! I bet your mom has never made an ugly pancake!! I hate cooking!” (Robert’s Mom is basically Martha Stewart cooking and decorating wise. Her friends’ literally call her Martha Stewart. So, I have nothing at all to live up to. Ha.)

BUT, for the most part, I’m finding the more I try out this cooking business the more I like it. Having someone to cook with and for really helps out a whole lot. I don’t think it would be as fun if Robert and I didn’t get to share the experience. Cooking in our little kitchen together listening to the Beatles on this weird iPod dock that Sarah and I got free with our old microwave, it’s pretty nice, even when I’m chopping up vegetables. It’s also become an adventure trying to figure out a meal that both of us enjoy. Robert is kind of picky and I’m kind of a vegetarian…so we try to mesh these worlds as best we can in our culinary adventures.

Here’s some pictures of things that we’ve cooked in our first months of marriage. I get so shocked and excited that we’ve actually succeeded in cooking a meal that I usually have to snap a picture with my phone. I can’t tell you why? But, I thought I’d show you all and keep you privy on our Culinary Adventures, good or bad.

*These were all taken via Blackberry, sorry about the dodgy photography. (The term "dodgy" makes me think of Kelsey Harrod. Sigh. I miss her.)

You can't actually see it, but this was Robert's first sushi experience in Kauai on the last night of our honeymoon. Shrimp tempura roll. Look at that natural with the chop sticks.

Bob and Al love cheese and wine nights. We actually have a relationship with the wine and cheese guy at Whole Foods now. His name is Spuds and he's awesome. If you don't like wines from South America you will after your done talking to Spuds. Spuds is also so savvy with the cheeses, he will NOT steer you towards a bad cheese. If you're at the Whole Foods in Lakewood, please go by and meet Spuds. Tell him Alexis and Robert sent you. If he forgets, say the tall red head guy and the girl in work clothes from the 90's that are always holding hands. (We are those people, I know. Gross. ha.) Anyway, wine and cheese nights are the best because we get to chat with Spuds, then go home use our Italian cheese knives from Mary, the elegant wine decanter from Katie and the fancy marble cheese board from Robert's Dad's friend David, who I've never met. Thanks, David, we are living it up with the marble cheese board.

I feel like we made this after Christmas when we were really trying to get our hands dirty stop eating at Sonic and Whataburger and cook. This is some sort of white fish that I can't remember the name of, maybe tilapia, with sauteed apples and frozen asparagus (warmed up and drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan) We got the recipes for the fish and sauteed apples from our Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook. It's got some good stuff.

This is an apron Sarah Smith got me as a house-warming gift when I moved into our duplex. I love wearing it, it makes me feel like such a serious cook/baker/housewife.

Once again, I don't remember what fish this was, sorry this was in December, I have dementia. But all these recipes were again from The Bride & Groom Cookbook. Caramelized brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes with mascarpone cheese. The brussels were okay, the mashed potatoes, realllyyy good. We haven't made them since though, I don't know why. If you have ever watched Giada (http://www.foodnetwork.com/giada-at-home/index.html) on the Food Network, you will see her constantly use mascarpone cheese. Like in everything. Desserts, pasta dishes, appetizers, she puts it in everything. She also likes low cut shirts almost as much as mascarpone cheese. Robert swears that he can't stand her, but I've recently decided he has a secret a crush on her...his annoyance with her purely stems from an attraction to her emphasized Italian accent.

OMG - This is really what I loooovvveee to do. Bake. When we were getting to know each other, Robert asked me if I could cook, to which I replied, "Kind of. But, I'm way more into baking." Mary and I want cookies right now. I love baking. Okay, anyway, these are Reese's Peanut Butter Blondies that I took as a dessert to Lacy and Stephen's for New Years Eve. Goodness, they were rich, but good and I got to use our Kitchen Aid mixer for the first time which was magical. This recipe is from the Magnolia Cookbook and it called for Heath bar chopped up on top, but I did Reese's instead. I know, I know...I'm wild.

This was my first time using a recipe from The Pioneer Woman http://thepioneerwoman.com/ - I love love love this site. I'd heard of her cinnamon rolls, but never went on the site, until the fateful night when we went over to one of Robert's friends' for dinner. His wife has The Pioneer Woman cookbook and I couldn't put it down. The Pioneer Woman almost makes me want to quit my semi-vegetarian ways. She, herself, was a vegetarian for six years, then met her husband who was a rancher and he made her steak when they were dating and she hasn't looked back since. Go figure? Anyway, this is a Chicken Parmigiana recipe from her site. I was excited that I had made this, I don't know why, maybe because it's on the menu at Olive Garden or something. But, I don't think we were blown away by it, but it was a good hearty meal and I'm glad we tried it.

This is homemade macaroni and cheese a la Roberto Scarff. We had left over cheeses and baguette slices from a wine and cheese night and Robert used the rest of those three cheeses and the baguettes as bread crumbs to make this yummy dish. We had it two nights in a row and it was so good. I think it ended up having like 7 cheeses in it? I can't remember the other methods he used, but I think there was some milk and spices in there too...it was really good and really low fat. (jk on the low fat part).

Closing thoughts....you are what you eat. This means I'm chocolate mousse because I made it on Monday for no reason except that Robert and I watched Bobby Flay make it last week and realized that somehow we had all of the ingredients and that meant I HAD to make it. It was meant to be. Destiny. Here's pic of what it looks like when Bobby Flay makes it and the recipe...go mousse yourself!

Ingredients

• 5 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 14 ounces cold heavy cream
• 3 large egg whites
• 1-ounce sugar
• Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish, optional
• Shaved bittersweet chocolate, for garnish, optional

Directions

Place chocolate in a large bowl set over a bain marie or in a double boiler at a low simmer. Stir chocolate until melted. Turn off the heat and let stand.

Beat the cream over ice until it forms soft peaks. Set aside and hold at room temperature. With a mixer, whip egg to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until firm.

Remove the chocolate from the bain marie and using a whisk, fold in the egg whites all at once. When the whites are almost completely incorporated, fold in the whipped cream. Cover the mousse and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until set. Serve in goblets topped with more whipped cream and shaved chocolate, if desired.

Lasagna Rolls: Everyone is doing it

Now that I have tools in which to cook and someone to cook for the search for recipes has become a fun adventure and chatting with people about recipes has actually becomes a conversation that I can take part in. I love talking recipes with my dear friend, Jamie, especially because she always has a remark on how I'm a semi-vegetarian and I can sense how completely stupid she thinks that is. It's entertaining.

She was asking me about what Robert and I did for Valentines day and I told her that Robert cooked me these great Lasagna Rolls and she had to try them. She did and added meat, of course. (She loves being a carnivore.) The recipe is posted to the right on Velcro Dog as well as some great shots of her Lasagna Rolls. She blogged about it and I got if off a blog of someone I barely know because I'm creepy. I'm seeing this trend that blogging Lasagna Rolls is clearly hot right now and if you think I'm going to miss out on this bandwagon you are sorely mistaken.

Check out what Bob cooked up for me, complete with garlic breadstick with parmesan and a very good bottle of Syrah my father-in-law, Boney, gave us.

Here's an aerial shot.

And last but not least, here is the dessert Robert picked out at Whole Foods

And there my friends are my Lasagna Rolls. Boom.

Wrong Side of the Bed

Me. Sort of.

Things are looking up now, but I can say that this morning I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Mentally for sure and now that I type this I realize that I did physically too. Last night was the first night I have spent away from my husband since our wedding night. I slept on his side of the bed last night and got up from his side and didn’t notice at the time, but in retrospect it felt weird. I guess that 67 nights is a substantial period of time and an obvious awareness of sharing a space with someone would be even more present when that person is suddenly MIA.

There's my sleeping partner. He'll be back tonight. I love him.

I can say with gusto that I am trying to journey away from this icky feeling with the help of coffee, gchat and office talk with Mary. (She’s been having a hellofa day herself .) And it’s helping, the fog is lifting, but what is up with winter, that it is so easy to feel “blah”. Blah is a scientific word for, “I don’t give an eff about anything” type of mood.

I was gchatting with my best friend since diapers this morning, Lauren Margaret Hyden and she said, “Last night I was driving home from the gym…the sky looked so fresh and clear kind of how the summer sky is in New Mexcio and it made me soooo happy!!! I was like….GEEZE I have just been so blah!” What is it about talking with someone that you have known your whole life that has a kind of healing power?

That's us being little kids -Lauren, Chelsea, J-Fizical, Me

That's us being grown up.

She reminded me of two simple things that I needed hear today to get me further from the wrong side of the bed. 1. Go to the gym. HA. KIDDING. Okay, for real now - 1. You’re not the only person in the world. When I am having a bad day (and trust me, I’ve had some doozies, just ask the front row spectators, Sarah and Mary) I feel like no one could is going through something as heavy as I am. I don’t acknowledge that I think this at the time, but I’m pretty sure that’s what I’ve convinced myself of during those bad days. I think it’s during the blah days when this feeling comes creeping through. Anyway, Lauren sharing with me that she too, has felt blah, just made me feel not alone and okay and that perhaps this blahness can be overcome. 2. She also reminded how there is nothing like a summer night in my hometown Carlsbad, New Mexico. Those high schools summers, there’s just nothing like them. Sinking back into a good carefree memory of youth sometimes is as gratifying as a paycheck. When I got in my car to get Mary and I Eatzi’s for lunch (We had the sushi and judged it to be Fair. Not Good, definitely not Great, but just Fair.) Anyway, in my car, I was parked facing the sun and it was warm when I got in, almost that summer feeling, you know? It felt so good. I’m ready for a little sun. My pale, skin-cancer-prone-self needs it.

So as we began of this season of Lent, where some chose to fast from one thing or another, for religious/personal/nonexistent reasons, I want it to be known that it’s okay to feel blah sometimes and waking up on the wrong side of the bed IS going to happen, but try not be grumpy despite it all and know that spring is coming and the sun is near and most importantly St. Paddy's day is in 27 days! I want to talk about Robert's St. Paddy's last year, he took it prettty seriously and some really good grape Everclear punch, but that's all I'll say for now.

Dead

My Monday morning began with the joyful news that I have to get a root canal on Friday. It’s like the thought of giving birth, I know millions of women have given birth and I will survive if I go through it, but it doesn’t make me exactly excited about the process. I can’t get excited for pain even in the end I get a child or a healthy tooth.

(Above is a healthy tooth. Oh the things I take for granted.)

Another thrilling fact is that my root canal is special (don’t be jealous) because it’s on one of my two front teeth. How you ask? When I was 11, my cousin Judy and I were intertubing, being pulled by my Aunt Judy’s boat (yes, Judy was named after Aunt Judy) on the one and only Pecos River of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Judy and I were the ones who always wanted to go faster, crazier, the most we could handle…so hardcore. Well, on this particular summer day, the intertube hit a wave wrong, flipped and we flew in the air. Somewhere in the process my mouth was hit or I bit down really hard and since then half of my top left tooth has been missing and a couple of my bottom teeth were pretty chipped-up too. The next day I got them all bonded up and the most upsetting thing was the initial realization when I came up from under the water and I had a mouth full of blood and teeth and that I didn’t get to have any of Granny’s oreo ice cream that night. It never upset me that I happened to chip my teeth that day, it was more annoying than anything.

(picture of the beautiful Pecos –the 4^th of July 2008)

And annoying it’s continued to be up to this very second. My bottom teeth were never an issue, it’s just that stupid top tooth. I was always a little self consciece because I knew it didn’t look quite like the other. Self esteem issues…I can’t say that the tooth helped those. Anyway, when I moved to Dallas three years ago, what should happen when I’m making 25k per year, but my tooth starts to chip and then the fake part falls out at work. It’s sort of looked down upon when half your front tooth is missing, so of course, immediate repair is necessary. And convienently my insurance won’t cover this aesthic repair. Please. Like I’m trying to get a boob job. Thankfully, my parents helped me not to be toothless and I found a perfect dentist here (via the Hoges) to put a veneer on my front tooth to fix it for good. I’d have this permanent veneer and it would last for a long time and I could treat it just like a normal tooth and it matched my other real one. Perfect. Yes. No more tooth issues. Stick that baby on. The veneer is thankfully still intact and has been dependable, but now it’s clear that my front tooth up and died on me. DEAD. DEAD. DEAD. I saw it on the exray yesterday. Side by side with my alive teeth is the one dead one, no root, no nerve…just dead. And since it’s dead bacterica has crept in the root and this is the reason that I will be getting a root canal. Stupid dead tooth. It would die, it would die just to be annoying.

I was thinking about this dead tooth and wondering how long it’s been dead and only when it started causing me pain and then physical evidence of a swollen lip did I finally do something about it. Then I thought about my life…the different areas of it…

The part of my life that was reserved for exercise and physical activity is completely dead. I don’t belong to a gym. I don’t go to yoga. I don’t run outside. I don’t do a work out video. I wake up, drive to work, sit at a desk and go home and attempt to cook dinner with my handsome hubby. I don’t think that this part of me will be dead forever, I know that eventually I will make the time to do myself a favor and move and sweat a little. What is it going to take for me to do something? The pain and physical evidence of my pants not zipping?

(Let’s Get Physical- Olivia Newton John)

Sadly, I also had to admit to myself that my spirtual life is dead. I believe in God. I occasionally pray, I go to Bible study but I can tell you that today I’ve been on facebook more than I’ve thought about God, His goodness, His will for my life, how I can serve others I love. What would if take for me to address that part of me is dead and that God is real? Pain…physical evidence, like my tooth? I’m not sure. When someone I love is going through something hard or when I am struggling – I turn to God because I want the pain to go away. It’s not that simple though. Like with my tooth, I wanted the pain to go away, but for this to completely happen, the dead root has to come out. So, it looks like I not only need a dental root canal but a spiritual one. Like we floss and brush our teeth to prevent the cavities – I’d like to get up thinking how I can praise the One that gave me life, instead of walking around half dead. I don’t look dead, just like my tooth…but it’s always on the inside that counts-just ask my dentist.

I don’t want to become that far gone physically or spritually that one day I turn around are realize those parts of my life are completely removed. Thanks to the brochure I was given on root canals, I learned that years ago the teeth that were infected had no other choice BUT to be removed. Thankfully, I can turn to God no matter how rotten I become and thankfully there are shows like the Biggest Loser which show us that you can get healthy no matter how far unhealthy you get…

In closing, I want to thank God for root canals, tomorrows and last but not least, pain pills.
For there was never yet philosopher
That could endure the toothache patiently.
~William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing(obviously missing the pain pills..ha)

J.K. Rowling = Inspiration

I’m always thinking about blogging, yet never doing it. Good intentions, but no action. SIGH. When I get to the point where I do have time to write something and have a solid thought, I become overwhelemed. Much has happened. Engagement, marriage, honeymoon, new home and where to start makes me not want to start at all.

You know what though, J.K. Rowling started writing Harry Potter on a napkin and that had to be overwhelming so you know what….I can do it…I’m going to blog on a napkin. Welcome to Hogwarts. Speaking of Harry Potter. Harry Potter’s biggest fan has a birthday tomorrow. Happy Birtday, Sarah…may 27 be the bomb. Boom.

Imagine he’s saying Sarah. Imagination in 2010! YES!

is any one else bothered by this??

Fast food is getting cheaper. See below. My question: HOW?

$1 Burger Offered at Jack in the Box

[2009-09-14] Jack in the Box is featuring its Big Cheeseburger—also known in Texas as the Big Texas Cheeseburger—for only a buck, excluding tax, at participating restaurants for a limited time.

"It'll be hard to find a more affordable burger that's bigger and cheesier than our Big Cheeseburger," says Tammy Bailey, division vice president of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "We know our guests' wallets have been pinched by the recession, so we wanted to offer an affordable option during these tough times."

The Big Cheeseburger features a jumbo beef patty topped with American and Swiss-style cheese, mayo, and ketchup and is served on a jumbo bun. The Big Texas Cheeseburger features a jumbo beef patty topped with American cheese, mustard, and pickles and is served on a jumbo bun.

I know we are in a recession. I know prices are going down on many things that Americans care about , so we will be encouraged to buy -but a DOLLAR for this cheeseburger. What I’m confused about is if these fast food chains (i.e. Jack in the Box) were just massively overcharging when this same burger was $3.99 or if they are now manufacturing the food in a way that it’s somehow cheaper? That’s a frightening thought. What is really in that burger? Are people out there, like, “YES! The Big Texas Cheeseburger is only a $1.00??”

That’s all I’ve really got on this topic…just baffled by this cheaper fast food thing….

past, present, future

There are some things that you can’t stop, that the human life will experience no matter what –death, sickness, stress. These things are inevitable. I guess, some people sum it up to “death and taxes”. Are these the only two things that we can’t avoid? Maybe so, but I believe we also can’t avoid beauty, love and the miracle of the human spirit.

The death of Patrick Swayze is what reminds me of this . He battled pancreatic cancer. He had the best treatments, his spirit was strong, but he couldn’t stop the cancer, he couldn’t stop the sickness, he couldn’t stop death. The older I become the more aware I am of the precious passage of time and the short span of a human life. My Granny died of pancreatic cancer too. My strong, active, full of life Granny. My eyes still fill with tears thinking about how she’s gone. I miss her. I’m going to miss her at my wedding, I know I’ll miss her til the day I join her at the “pearly gates” or whatever heaven is like. Oh how funny, I just remembered that when I was pulling in to work this morning, I was listening to Radiohead, Videotape – "when I’m at the pearly gates. this will be on my videotape." How weird to think of. Will there be a videotape played of our lives when it’s all said and done? Only God knows this – I’m guessing the afterlife is all too grand for the human mind to comprehend and that’s okay with me. I’m still trying to comprehend that I’m marrying someone that makes “heaven a place on earth” – (ooo baby, do you know what that’s worth?!)

Speaking of my sweetpea face (that's him in the above incriminating photo - BOOMER!) he’s on his way to the big D this very minute to pick me up to head to Houston for our first shower. How weird is it that the shower is for me? I’m the one getting married? I think Robert and I both feel this way. Earlier this week he said to me, “wait, we’re going to get presents this weekend?” to which I replied, “yes, honey, it’s a SHOWER.” We are going to be showered with gifts. Speaking of, I’ve been constantly reading all things bridal on the web and came across this: The History of the Bridal Shower. It’s sweet and I thought I’d share….

The History of the Bridal Shower

Once upon a time a young Dutch girl fell in love with a man who had a kind heart and a handsome face, but little in the way of worldly possessions. All who knew him adored him, for he was so good and gentle that whenever he and came upon someone in need, he would always share his meager portion with them.

She loved him for his sweet nature and his great beauty, and did not care that he was only a miller, while she was the daughter of a wealthy and powerful man.

But her father, a wealthy townsman, had already selected a groom for her. When the miller approached him to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage, he flew into a rage and barred the miller from ever laying eyes on his daughter again. The girl was full of gried, for she truly loved the miller, and lover her father also. She pleaded with him. She tried to reason with him. But her father was known throughout their village as an obstinate man, and he refused to see why she would choose a man other than the respectable, well-to-do landowner he had picked out for her.

At night he could hear her crying, but he hardened his resolve and said to himself, “This love that she speaks of will wither with age, but the man I have chosen for her owns land as far as the eye can see, and flocks of sheep with wool as white as the hair on my own head.”

He told his daughter that if she did not listen to him, if she did not marry the groom he had selected, she would be his daughter no longer, and would forfeit any claim to his fortune, including her dowry. “If you go to nothing,” he told her, “you go with nothing.”

But his daughter was wiser than he about the ways of the heart, and knew she would marry the miller who never hesitated to share his bread with the poor. Still, she could not stop crying, not for the loss of her fortune but for the rift that had settled within her small family.

When the townspeople, who revered the miller for his generous spirit, heard of the girl's tears, they gathered to see what they could do. The miller, who had always given to them, needed their help. While they did not have much, they all had something they could contribute to help the young couple start their life together.

They came to the mill in a long procession, all of them bearing gifts and good wishes. The miller could scarcely believe it, but the girl nodded her head sagely. “He who gives everything will never be without,” she whispered, and they thanked the townspeople profusely as a pile of coverlets, porcelain, and cooking utensils grew at their feet.

When the procession of people had tapered, the two were amazed at the bounty their neighbors had shared with them. A party sprung up, and when her father heard the sounds of rejoicing, he came to the mill. When he saw all that the townspeople had done, he felt a great shame. With heavy legs, with outstretched arms, he approached the. His daughter ran to him, and they embraced with great tenderness.

To make up for his coldness, he decided to give the young couple a fine house to live in. To thank the town for showering his daughter and soon to be son-in-law with gifts, he made a magnificent feast in celebration of the marriage, and invited all of the town's inhabitants, young and old and rich and poor alike.

And the bride and groom lived happily ever after

Sigh. I hope that’s a true story, but it’s probably just a fairy tale – it’s sweet though. The miller, the father, the flock of sheep, the caring townspeople – it’s a little different these days. When Robert asked for Daddy for my hand in marriage, I wish his reply would have been, “How many flocks of sheep have you acquired?” NOT, that I’m comparing you to the miller, Roberto, if anyone is the miller in this scenario it’s me. I digress - some things aren’t so different from this tale, showers are still people coming together celebrating and selflessly giving. I haven’t even met most of the people in Houston that are hosting this shower- to them, I’m a stranger from New Mexcio, but since they love the Scarffs, they welcome me without question to the point of throwing a dinner party for me and buying me presents?! I need to remember that is the essence of the shower. Instead of almost developing an ulcer about what I’m going to wear. There will be margaritas and Mexican food there - also a departure from the first shower - but, I’ll be fine, yay tequila. Oh dear, me and tequila will be on “my videotape”.

In other news: I’ve set a goal for myself. I don’t expect anyone to believe me, BUT, I’m going to try to post every Friday. Once a week, surely, I can do this.

Okay, over and out. Have a great weekend.

“It’s amazing Molly. The love inside. You take it with you.” – Patrick Swayze as Sam Wheat in Ghost