Milk And Cookies

Sundays are good. They are the day that I like to get things done and today I did just that. I went to the farmers market, worked on this quilt, made my lunch for the week, had some outstanding leftovers, and made many dozens of cookies for school.

Last time I made cookies, I wasn't completely convinced. They were good, but not repeat recipe good. This time, I went with Martha Stewart's chocolate chip cookie recipe from this book, though I changed the recipe slightly. This is definitely a repeat recipe. I loved this cookie and I hope my schoolmates do too!

Beer Chicken Fajitas

I don't get to play online as much as I used to. School has started and it has been pretty good, so far. I am IN LOVE with my preservation class. My inner science geek comes out and makes my heart pitter patter during each lecture. We actually tested paper samples for their PH and aluminum content the other day. It was absolutely wonderful. My true calling has arrived and soon, I will take on paper conservation internships. I can not wait. I knew I wanted to spent the entire day doing homework, so in preparation of dinner, I work up bright and early and started chopping onions and bell peppers.

Yes. That is a beer too. The beer, along with marinated chicken, the onions, and bell peppers, all went into my little crock pot.

About 8 hours later, I placed the mixture onto a hot tortilla with some sour cream.

This was absolutely the most tender chicken I have ever eaten, ever.

I will be making this recipe again and again.

Scrap Card

While sewing my scrap quilt, I've accumulated a number of fabric scraps. While most of these scraps go back into the quilt, some of them have inspired me to make fabric covered cards.


This one went to my friend, Beth. These cards are a great use of fabric scraps and are super simple to make - arrange scraps and either hand sew or machine sew them onto the card. I machine sewed the one above, and added a little heart on the inside.

Breakfast Of Champions

It's been quite a few weeks. Homework? Not really. Crafting? Yes, but that wasn't it either. I actually got out of my apartment and socialized.. a lot. I'm not a hermit or anything, but I'm not the type to go out all day, all night, everyday. Well, the past few weekends, I have been the type that goes out, a lot. It's been nice. A little crazy, but nice. Waking up has been a bit more difficult. My weekend mornings have been later than usual, but whether it's 7am or 2pm, I still love me some breakfast.

My mom visited me on Saturday afternoon. She brought me Fruit Loops too! She knows my addiction to sugary cereal all too well. It's my weakness.

Though, I'm also a sucker for over-easy eggs and veggie sausage. Breakfast is my favorite.

Real Simple Pasta

During lunch today, my friend Julian mentioned I should try a recipe from the current issue of Real Simple Magazine. I had all the ingredients at home, so I went for it. The recipe is Parmesan pasta with chicken and rosemary.

It was pretty good, only it was very rich. I only managed to eat a few bites before I got full. Making this recipe made me realize that I have way too many magazines at home. I must miss lots of great recipes, because I never get a chance to fully appreciate everything that each magazine has to offer. Some of my magazines have bookmarks (aka bobby-pins) on pages with recipes I'd like to make some day, but I think it's time to go back and do a thorough recipe search.

My New Sewing Kit

My friend Lauren gave me the most wonderful sewing kit!

Not only is it pretty on the outside and goes perfectly with my decor, but the inside was full of surprises!

Vintage sewing notions galore.. thank you, Lauren!

Quiches

I went a little nuts making quiches over the weekend. Since I had both vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests, I made a few variations to please everyone. I made both mini quiches and two big quiches. The mini quiches were fun to make. I didn't have a mini-cupcake tin, so I just lined the quiches with cupcake paper.

I served them hot out of the oven, as guests arrived. I didn't get to take a picture of them fresh out of the oven, but here they are towards the end of the night. I made chicken quiches on the left and mushroom, asparagus quiches on the right.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the big quiches too. They were so pretty fresh out of the oven! Here is the aftermath. The one in back was a bacon quiche and the one in front was a mushroom-asparagus quiche. All quiches had grilled onions, and some of them had sliced almonds.

I really got to experiment with them! Though, this whole experience made me realized that I probably should invest in a food processor at some point. I think it would cut my crust making time in half - though, I did really enjoy the process. I baked while listening to Tricot Machine, Belle & Sebastian, and Jens Lekman, which I highly recommend doing.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last night, I had a bit of party at my place. It was a very last minute decision, but I somehow pulled it off. It was actually the least stressful party-planning experience I've had so far, which is probably due to the fact that it was so last minute. I'm usually a planner, but it was nice to just be spontaneous this time. I made lots and lots and lots of quiche. It's kind of my specialty lately, so I went with it. More on the quiche tomorrow. Today, I will share pictures of my chocolate chip cookies. I'm actually more of a fan of the flat-buttery chocolate chip cookies, but I'm into the soft chewy too. I went for the soft chewy this time around.


I'm happy to say the cookies were gone at the end of the night. This was the best recipe I've used for chocolate chip cookies so far, but I think I'm still looking for the right one. Not ready to settle on this cookie just yet.

15 Minutes Too Late

I was hoping to get this post in before it turned into Saturday. So Close. This is what I have been doing with my scrap fabric.

My plan has been to finish this quilt by the time I finish graduate school.. though, graduate school hasn't given me much time to work on the quilt! I'm almost halfway done with school and less than a quarter done with the quilt. I've spent my spring break trying to catch up, but there hasn't been enough time. To give spring break the proper goodbye, I decided to throw a party tonight, so my day will be spent baking and preparing for the night ahead.

The Fresh Bias-Tape Maker

I've been doing lots of sewing this week. My first priority has been to finish making a case for my new Mac Air. The bulk of the case is finished and it has been time to concentrate on the finishing details. That's where bias tape comes in.

My bias tape maker has been sitting in it's package for months. I thought it was finally time to open it up and put it to use. I was surprised at how easy it really is! I kind of want to make all of my scrap fabric into bias tape now! Though, my scraps are also being used in another project. More on this other project tomorrow.

Pencil Soup

Since I've been going through a soup phase lately, I have lots of cans to show for it. There are plenty of uses for these cans and I plan to explore the options. For now, I'm going for the simple pencil holder.

First I sewed a little tube of fabric to cover the can. I left a little bit extra on the bottom and a good amount on top. I folded the fabric on top inside the can.

Using a brush, I glued the extra fabric on the bottom.

To even things out, I glued a round piece of felt on the bottom of the can.

A quick pencil holder, in less than 20 minutes!

Easter Baskets

At 1:15pm this afternoon, I turned in my last paper officially began my spring break! I actually stayed up until about 2am this morning working on my final paper, but I'm extremely awake and just happy that this quarter is behind me. Giddy, really. The next few days are sure to be filled with friends, family, not-so-long-hours at work, and plenty of crafting! The past few weeks have been crazy, but I somehow managed to finish making easter baskets for my two nieces and nephew.

In the coming week, I really want to finish making a case for my new Mac Air and possibly my pink ipod nano! Aside from that, I might work on finishing up a few projects, and hope to blog before school starts up again... in a week!

Abra Ca-Crock Pot

I finally got a crock pot! It's been on my to do list forever and when I saw this mini crock pot for $9 at Target.. I just had to go for it! My first dish included: one can of chicken noodle soup, some rice, vegetables, chicken, spices.. pretty much things I had laying around in my kitchen.

Not too shabby! This machine is a bit like magic.. you just pour a ton of stuff into a pot and out comes a hearty, tasty meal!

Speaking of magic, I'm really going to need some super powers to get my last paper of the quarter done.

Tan Abour (Yogurt Soup)

Mimi’s Tan Abour (Yogurt Soup)
Approx. 30 oz. Yogurt
1 cup Barley
5-6 cups water
1 bushel of Cilantro, chopped (to taste)
1 yellow onion, chopped
Salt (to taste)

1. Rinse Barley, until water runs clear
2. Mix Barley with the water in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, letting the Barley to fully cook.
3. In the meantime, sauté the onion and chop the Cilantro
4. After the Barley has cooked, whip the yogurt (by spoon) and slowly pour into boiling water/barley mix, making sure the water is continuously boiling.
5. When the yogurt is mixed in, add the sautéd onion.
6. Let boil for a few minutes, then add the Cilantro.
7. Turn off heat. Add salt to taste.

Almost A Month Later

I guess I got a little busy there. I still have about one more week of school and two more papers left, but I found a moment (notice 12:30am) to post in my neglected blog, that I love and miss so much. In the past few week or so, I've welcomed a new roommate to live with me. I went to the Mac Store and fellin love. Yes, the Mac Air is my new roommate. I also got a new pink nano and an external disc drive! I went a little overboard, but I think after all of the papers I've had to write and all the long hours I had to work this quarter, I was in dire need of a present. On a crafty note: cases for my three new toys are in progress and will be posted soon.
Other than that, I've been on a soup kick lately. I re-fell in love with good old Tomato Soup.

This weekend, I'm going to make my grandmothers recipe for Yogurt Soup (also known as Tan Abour). This is step one in Operation: Get Grandma's Recipes / Make Mom Write the Family Recipes Down / Annette Needs to Cook More Family Recipes.

Thesis Pieces

I feel like I just started school, but I'm one quarter shy from completing my first year, and almost half way done! It's surreal even typing that out, but somehow it's true. I'm now in the process of preparing to submit my thesis topic for approval. I spent the day at school doing research and staying super productive. I've been really excited about school lately. I thought it would take a lot longer than it is (though, it still might) and my library school-scrap quilt is not growing with my school progress. I'm going to have to get busy with that one! I think I'll start now...

Lemon Miso Salmon

Miso Salmon with Lemon and Rosemary
4 oz. salmon filet
2 lemons
1-2 tbsp. Miso dressing
Sprinkle of mixed spices (I used Rosemary, Saffron, salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder – this is where you get to play around and use whatever you’ve got in the spice rack)

1. Line pan with lemon slices, enough to cover the bottom of the filet
2. Wash and prepare fish. Rub in Miso dressing and lie fish onto lemon slices
3. Sprinkle the top of the fish with spices and cover with remaining lemon slices
4. Bake at 350, until ready.

Eat, Drink, And Library

I've been wanting to post this for weeks now. This is possibly the last quiche I'm going to make in a while.

And hopefully the first of many salads to come. As much as I love making those quiches and that fantastic crust, it might be a little too heavy for me right now.

My friend Meagan came over and made a lovely cake!

We finished it off with some Turkish coffee.

Only two weeks left for school and a lot of work left. I've kept myself quite distracted this weekend, by actually attempting to have a social life! This morning I tended to my Sunday routine of farmer's market, where I saw one of my best star sightings yet with her super sexy husband and baby. I have to admit, I had a major geek out moment. And while I got home and prepared to do my homework, Julian got me obsessed with Library Thing, so instead I am trying to catalog my own library. Sometimes I had doubts about my profession, but as I excitedly ran around my apartment looking for things to catalog, those doubts went away. I even ordered a cat scanner. If Library Thing catalogs music, then I'm going to stay inside my bedroom for months.

Leeky Eggs

I just realized I never updated everyone on my adventures with Leeks. Well, they were very short lived. The first and last item I decided to make was scrambled eggs with Feta cheese, a pinch of (light) heavy cream, and some sliced leeks.

The Feta scramble is one I make somewhat often, so I thought adding leeks would be a subtle kick, just to see if I actually like Leeks or not. The eggs were good, but I think I enjoy them better without the Leeks. This led me to believe I’m not a Leek fan. Though, in my efforts to eating a bit healthier this year, a friend pointed me in this direction, to a recipe from the book French Women Don’t Get Fat. Leeks might be worth another shot.

Crème Fraîche Pizza

It's been a while since I've made pizza. I usually stick to the same recipe each time I make it, but this time I thought I would mix things up very slightly. Instead of using tomato sauce, I used Crème Fraîche and instead of using a white flour dough, I used whole wheat.

The results? Pretty good. I got a little carried away with my homework and may have left the pizza crust get a little too dark, but it was still good. I think I might add honey to the dough next time too.

Next time will be very soon... I made extra dough for the week!

Sandwich

I know, I've been slacking off with the daily blogging thing. School and work have kept me busy and exhausted. Good news is I have 3 weeks left until this school quarter is over. Bad news is I have about 5 papers standing in my way. One of them is a big monster, but it's about family photo albums which has been something I've been wanting to research anyway! This weekend has been lots of writing and researching, but I still have so much to do. I'm feeling a bit stuck, which is why I'm blogging instead. I also wanted to show off what I had for lunch a few minutes ago.

It was really nothing too special, just a regular sandwich, but for some reason, it tasted so good. I used wheat bread, provolone, pastrami, turkey, ham, and pepperoni (all low fat, thin slices), tomatoes, lettuce, tiny bit of mustard, and some dill pickle.

Lots of semi-scary things are happening in my apartment building right now. Couples I share walls with are fighting and many cop cars swarmed in the back alley, where I park my car. Not good for the paper writing focus. This, along with my recent rent increase, is giving me thoughts of finding a new place to live. Just thoughts for now...

Antipasto Salad

There are only three types of salad that I absolutely love. First one is my aunt Janet's salad. I've gotten her recipe before, but it never tastes as good when I make it, though it's one of those nice surprises when she does make it.  It's a little treat, because it's not too often I have it.  I think the last time I had this salad was definitely over 3 years ago, but it's just so good, I remember it. It's amazing what she can do to a regular house salad. Salad number two is similar to my aunt Janet's salad, but a little more on the Greek side, it's called the Greek Taverna salad at The Great Greek. When I'm in the mood for a nice Greek salad, this is the only one that can do it for me. The thrid favorite salad, and my favorite of the moment, is the Antipasto salad at a little pizza joint up down my street called, Big Mamas Pizza. I've discovered this is a chain, but I think each shop makes the Antipasto salad a little differently. I prefer the one in Studio City. Instead of paying about $8 for a salad that will last me one dinner, I decided to go out and buy all the goods to make my own, that will last me all week! Farmer's market lettuce.

Tomatoes, onions, cheese, garbanzo beans, pickles, provolone cheese, and turkey pepperoni made the rest of the salad.

The only ingredient I forgot was pepperoncini! I do miss my pepperoncini, but it was a pretty good salad! I have to admit, I'm a bit intimidated by salads, I've never made one that I was super proud of - I should rephrase that, I've never made a healthy salad that I've been super proud of. I do love my bean/corn salad, which is semi-healthy but full of sugars (natural sugars, but still).

Strawberry Tart

Today we are celebrating a few birthdays at work, so I prepared a Strawberry Tart for the occasion. I started off with Clotilde Dusoulier's recipe for Pâte Sablée, as my tart crust.

After baking the crust, I added in a cream that consisted of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and a bit of (light) heavy cream.

Then come the strawberries, halved lengthwise.

And strawberry glaze, which was a French strawberry preserve, heated and brushed onto the strawberries.


I’ve never made this recipe before and I’m always a bit nervous when testing new recipes on people. Either way, I’m anxious to taste it!

Too Long

It has been way too long since I've posted. Things have been hectic, to say the least. School and work have been exhausting, though, you can be sure I'm still crafting (but not posting). I'm going to try to make posting a daily routine again, so to get me going, I went a little crazy at the farmer's market this morning.

I've been trying to experiment with a new food item each week. This week, I chose Leeks. It was a steal at 75 cents for a bundle! I also got the biggest grapefruit I have ever seen!

And a baby bouquet for my niece, Anabelle.

Coming this week: fruit tarts, quiches, antipasto salad, and paper writing extravaganza for me. Oh yes.