2009: A Retrospectacular!

And now, for your viewing pleasure... a 2009 retrospectacular!

What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before? Performed in three back-to-back-to-back community theater productions!
Did you keep your new years' resolutions? Not so much, really.

Reflecting On…
New Years: Hung out at home with my little sister, watching movies and being kinda lame.
Valentine's Day: Nothing special - wanted to watch some Kevin Costner movies, but was too busy with school and the play.
Easter: Overcoming some insane migraines, I performed in Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene's Easter Production as Simon Peter. Had my world pulled out from under me upon hearing the news that my good friend Annika Dace had died earlier in the day.
Spring Break: Not much special - hung out and got some much needed rest!
Memorial Day Weekend: Not sure I remember. Probably spent some time with family, though.
Fourth of July: Went over to my dad's cousin's house and set off some fireworks with family members.
Thanksgiving: As I do every year, I went over to my cousin Roberta's house and ate amazing food. Then spent the evening with my friend Jade and her gentleman friend, hanging out and chatting.
Christmas: Went over to my sister Emilee's, ate breakfast & opened presents. Then, went over to Mom & Dad's and prepared Christmas dinner - chicken saltimbocca, asparagus & fennel risotto, and delicata squash & gruyere dip.
Your Birthday: Drove up to Illinois to visit some friends and got to hang out with my pals - the Daces (Tiffany, Trevor, and Mama Cathy), the Aumillers, Mandie Gossage, and Cirena Evenson.

Did anyone close to you give birth? Three of my teacher friends from school all had babies just a few months ago at the beginning of this school year.
Did anyone close to you die? My dear friend Annika Dace passed away on Easter Sunday at the age of 26
What countries did you visit? Has Chicago declared independence yet?
What was your biggest purchase of the year? Other than massive hospital bills, I think my biggest purchase of '09 was the topcoat I bought earlier this week.

Remember a ____ Memory
Sad: Finding out that my friend Annika had died.
Angry: Sitting in traffic at Southport & Emerson three days before Christmas
Happy: Any time spent with friends and family
Silly: Performing as John Curtis Buntner in "Dearly Beloved" at MerryMAC Players or Speed Freak in "Insane With Power" at Spotlight Players

What do you wish you'd done more of? Sleeping
What do you wish you'd done less of? Worrying

Favorites of the Year
Movie: Presently, I'd have to say Nine.
Book: I don't think I read any new books this year aside from Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book... so I'll go with that.
TV Program: "Lost," "Battlestar Galactica," "Dexter," "Glee," or "Dollhouse"
Musical Artist: I really got into Tom Waits, the Swell Season, Bob Dylan, and Adele much more this year.
Song: "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson
Concert: Didn't go to any concerts in '09...
Restaurant: Five Guys Burgers & Fries
Celebrity/Public Figure: Daniel Day-Lewis
Where did most of your money go? Bills. As per usual.
What song will always remind you of 2009? Unfortunately, "Party in the USA"...

Compared to last year
Happier or sadder? Happier.
Thinner or fatter? Oh, probably fatter. Undoubtedly fatter.
Richer or poorer? I feel poorer. Who knows, that may be the case.

What political issue stirred you the most? Couldn't rightly say...
Who do you miss? Annika, obviously. My paternal grandparents as well. Also, all my other friends around the world - particularly the ones I don't get to see so often.
Who was the best new person you met? New students, new coworkers, and a couple of new friends along the way!
Tell me a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: Never judge a book by it's author.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No - I'm a lover, not a hater.
What did you want and get? The opportunity to act in not one, but THREE different productions this summer!
What did you want and not get? Peace on Earth and goodwill toward men...
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Peace on Earth and goodwill toward men...
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Business comfortable (not to be confused with business casual)
Who kept you sane? God alone.

Who…
...were you closest to in your family? My sister.
...did you become closer to in your family? My sister.
...were you closest to, friends-wise? Probably my sister.
...won your heart? My students. Love those kids.
...did you lose touch with? I'm horrible about staying in touch, so probably LOTS of people!
...impacted you the most? A lot of people in a lot of little ways.

Top 10 Movies of 2009:
1. Nine
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. Star Trek
4. The Hangover
5. Funny People
6. Julie & Julia
7. Monsters vs. Aliens
8. Up
9. Watchmen
10. Couples Retreat

Top Ten Movies I Wish I Had Seen in 2009:
1. Up in the Air
2. The Hurt Locker
3. (500) Days of Summer
4. Coraline
5. The Invention of Lying
6. A Serious Man
7. District 9
8. Bruno
9. The Informant!
10. Invictus

Top Five Books I Read in 2009:
1. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
2. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
3. Candide by Voltaire
4. Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West
5. The Stranger by Albert Camus

Barbecued Chicken with Peach Barbecue Sauce

I was posting earlier today about some cooking I've done recently and mentioned some barbecued chicken I made earlier this week. My roommate Brett and his girlfriend Emily were over and we collectively decided to do some BBQ chicken. Part of that included me making a homemade barbecue sauce (the base recipe I've already posted here) and I recalled last weekend when I was over at mom and dad's eating a fresh peach. I had mentioned to my mom at the time that the peach would be a great additive for a barbecue sauce. So, I set about experimenting with my standard sauce and I was pretty pleased with the result (as was my super-picky roommate!). (Sorry, no pictures with this one. Didn't even think to take any!)

Peach Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 5-6 chicken legs)
• kosher salt
• fresh-cracked pepper
• smoked paprika
• paprika
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• cumin
  
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• Peach Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
   
2. Mix together equal amounts of the smoked paprika, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin (about a teaspoon each) with the cayenne pepper in a bowl. This is the dry rub that will cover each piece of chicken - if you don't think you'll have enough, double the recipe!
3. Season your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides, then rub the spice mixture onto both sides of the chicken.
4. Grill your chicken over medium-high heat, about three minutes per side. After your first flip, cover the just-grilled chicken with the peach barbecue sauce. Flip again and repeat.
5. Make sure you don't overcook your chicken; it'll dry out. One of the best things about barbecue chicken is the moist texture when it's cooked properly. When you can feel that the chicken in cooked through (and you can generally tell by how much give there is in the meat), take it off the grill. Also, make sure you let it rest awhile too; that'll keep the juices in the chicken, which also helps keep the meat moist.

Peach Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves (or one large clove), chopped
  
• olive oil
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  
• 1 fresh peach, sliced or chopped
  
• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 c. ketchup
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. dark molasses
• 2 tbsp. grade A light amber maple syrup (grade B syrup would be awesome, too!)
  
• 2 tbsp. peach jam
• 5-6 splashes of hot sauce (I like Frank's Redhot)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil, seasoning with a pinch of kosher salt. When the onions and garlic start to soften, add the red wine vinegar and reduce by about a third.
2. Once the vinegar has reduced, add the peach and brown sugar, stir, and cook, uncovered, allowing the peaches to caramelize and soften a bit.
3. When the sugar has dissolved and the peaches have softened, add the ketchup, mustard, molasses, maple syrup, peach jam, and hot sauce. Stir together until well-blended and bring to a simmer on low heat, allowing all the flavors to marry together. (This can take anywhere from five minutes to a half an hour.)
   
4. Strain the sauce into another bowl through a strainer getting out as much sauce as possible, while leaving the onions, peaches, and garlic in the strainer.
5. Make sure you reserve some sauce to pour over the top of the chicken (as you don't want to reuse sauce you've spread over semi-raw chicken). It really adds to the sweetness of the dish!

Serves: 3 or 4
Serving Suggestions: When we had this the other night, we had some fresh Indiana buttered sweet corn on the cob, which turned out to be a great accompaniment! However, ANY typical BBQ side would work with this chicken - potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, cornbread, macaroni salad, or anything else you typically like to eat with BBQ! The sweetness of the sauce might be complimented by something sweet (like corn), tart (cucumber salad), or savory (baked beans). In terms of wine pairings (if you're into that stuff), nothing fits better with BBQ than a cold beer (summer ales would be best - Fat Tire, Oberon, etc.).

Eggs Benedict a la Foxy

Since school started up, I haven't had as much time for cooking as I might like. I've managed to do a few things (like an awesome BBQ chicken made with a homemade peach barbecue sauce), but one of the best times for me to get some cooking in is Saturday mornings when I wake up. (Sleeping in makes this meal "brunch" for me.) I love to eat breakfast, but I rarely have time to make it during the week... so Saturday is the BEST time to get the culinary juices flowing on the most important meal of the day!

NOTE: This is hardly a 'traditional' eggs benedict, but is just my own twist on a classic. To make a traditional benedict, replace two slices of bread with an English muffin and every couple of slices of bacon with Canadian bacon. However, I rarely have those ingredients on-hand, so I came up with this. Enjoy!

Eggs Benedict ala Foxy

Eggs Benedict
Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp. wine vinegar (I like the flavor of red wine.)
• kosher salt
• 4-8 strips of thick bacon
• 4 slices of wheat bread
• Holladaise Sauce (recipe below)
  
• parsley (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Put 2-3 inches of water in a large non-stick pot. Salt and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add vinegar to the water.
2. While waiting for your water to simmer, put your bacon in a nonstick skillet and cook until done. You'll want one or two pieces of bacon per piece of toast, so cook as many as it takes. (I go 'two-per', so I'd cook eight.)
   
3. Crack eggs into individual cups and gently lower them one at a time into the simmering water. Make sure you don't overcrowd the eggs in your pot!
4. Poach eggs in simmering water for 2-4 minutes until they reach your desired level of done-ness. (I like runny yolks, so I usually go 2-2.5 minutes.)
5. While eggs are poaching, pop your bread into the toaster and get it toasted to desired toasted-ness.
   
6. Remove eggs from the poach bath with a slotted spoon and place them on a texture-less rag or some paper towel in order to drain them.
7. Remove bacon from pan and drain the grease off on some paper towels. (Use different paper towels than the ones you drained the eggs on.)
8. Put two pieces of toast down on a plate. Put down one or two strips of bacon on each slice, then top with a poached egg. Drizzle the hollandaise over the whole thing and garnish with fresh-cracked pepper and some fresh parsley (if you want).
   

Hollandaise Sauce (recipe borrowed from Tyler Florence)
Ingredients:

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. dry mustard (I like to use Colman's)
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1 c. butter, melted
• lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Combine yolks, mustard, cayenne, and water in the blender. Then, with the blender still running, slowly add the melted butter until completely combined.
2. Turn blender off, then taste and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
3. Keep warm while you poach your eggs. (I put it in a saucepan under low heat until the elements need to be brought together.)

Serves: 2 (or four if part of a breakfast smorgasbord)
Serving suggestions: This dish is certainly not a 'light' breakfast by any stretch of the imagination. A lot of the richness of this dish can be cut by serving it with some fresh fruit (in the summer, fresh peaches, melon, and berries work well; in the fall, apples, bananas, and grapes would be a good decision). Also, serving with orange juice is another great way to cut through the richness. If you're having this for brunch, you might replace the orange juice with a mimosa (if you're into that kinda thing).

Quotes of the Day

Sorry about my quite long absence. Perhaps one day, I will update with a lengthy post about my busy summer, though that seems unlikely. However, school is back in session, my computer still won't connect to the Internet and I'm left to do any and all updating from school (where I spend most of my time teaching).

Usually when I'm at school, I find myself doing a "Quote of the Day" for the freshmen, which I've found most of them generally ignore. I pull quotes off of a website called BrainyQuote.com and try to keep things interesting by having a different theme for every week. This week (and, if we're being honest, last week as well), I've been putting up quotes by Greek philosophers. Here are some of the ones I've used this week:

Thursday, August 13:
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
- Archilochus (c. 680-645 BC)

Friday, August 14:
"The unexamined life is not worth living."
- Socrates (469-399 BC)

Monday, August 17:
"A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man among a thousand, but an accomplished one might not be found even among a hundred thousand men."
- Plato (427-347 BC)

Tuesday, August 18:
"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice, he is the worst."
- Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Wednesday, August 19:
"Those who have virtue in their mouths and neglect it in practice are like a harp which emits a sound pleasing to others while itself is insensible of music."
- Diogenes (412-323 BC)

Stephen's Summer Gardening Project: Week 4

So, I didn't blog last weekend about my gardening adventures (my bad), but there has been significant growth in my garden over the last two weeks! In all honesty, the weather in Indiana have been ideal for gardening - lots of rain coupled intermittently with warm, sunny days. Fantastic! I've been finding myself using every opportunity to use my herbs lately in my cooking, which is just fantastic! I can already tell the difference that fresh herbs make on my cooking! Whether it's making the garlic-dill aioli (seen below) or putting some fresh basil on a hamburger, fresh herbs really do make all the difference!

In order to get my plants optimum sun exposure, I've spread them out on the deck, necessitating my taking two pictures this time instead of the usual one:

Now, let's go through them all plant-by-plant, shall we?

My Thai basil has gotten a lot fuller over the last couple of weeks, huh? The last time you saw it, it was fairly puny... how, it's quite productive and I couldn't be happier! I like the peppery flavor of this herb. I'm currently thinking of ideas on how best to pair this with my Thai chiles!

My purple ruffles basil has also beefed up. I've not quite gotten to the point where I need to pinch off the flowers, but if it keeps going at this rate, I may have to! I had a hamburger this last week that included this basil, some avocado, and a purple Cherokee heirloom tomato (more on that later) which was divine! This basil has a licorice flavor that is just fantastic!

My fernleaf dill seems to double in size every week! It's almost hitting the rim of our deck, it's gotten so tall! I may have to stake this pretty soon if it keeps up at this rate! Look, it's already leaning! I had initially begun pinching flowers off of this one, but I think I'll put a hold on that, at least for the time being, until I can better control it's rate of growth! I used a bunch of this in my garlic-dill aioli (again, scroll down to Friday's first blog entry for the recipe) and it gave it such a nice flavor! A very versatile and bold herb!

My fresh rosemary has done alright for itself these last couple of weeks. So far, I've not used it as much as the other herbs I've planted, but will likely use it if I make a spice rub for some meat or poultry or if I make anything Italian! I love the flavor of this herb and can't wait to use more of it!

My parsley, on the other hand, has done quite well, bushing up and growing a couple of extra stalks! I use this in spice rubs as well, but also as garnish! It's a lot of fun to chop parsley and use it to finish dishes like pasta or fish! If I make paella this summer like I want to, you can bet that this will get used in there!

When I went to Lowe's to buy more pots a couple weeks back, I picked up some fresh marjoram, which has been a great addition to spice rubs and pasta dishes. It's very similar in flavor to oregano, but I find it has a bit of an earthier quality than oregano does. I've got a lot of it here, so there'll be plenty of it to use as the summer goes on!

And now, my veggie plants:

My purple Cherokee heirloom tomato plant has done a lot better since I moved it to a larger pot! I've even seen some buds forming toward the top of the plant:
According to my mom, the buds at the top mean that the plant will start producing fruit very soon! (She already has some Early Girl tomatoes coming in from her garden. Not very big yet, mind you, but growing in!) I'll be excited to start growing and eating my own tomatoes! I found some purple Cherokees in the heirloom tomatoes pile at Kroger last week and had to satisfy my curiosity and pick up a couple! Here's what they'll look like when they come in:
This wasn't an overly-large tomato, but it had a good deal of flavor. There was a mild flavor to te tomato and a spicy, almost smoky aftertaste that I found quite enjoyable! I thought it no wonder that these are considered some of the best tasting tomatoes available! I sliced the other one and put it on a burger (as mentioned above) and felt it really enhanced the flavor of said sandwich! YUM!

This is my green zebra tomato plant, which is now occupying the pot the purple Cherokee plant used to occupy. It's been doing alright so far - no buds at the top yet to speak of. These tomatoes are a complete mystery to me, so I look forward to trying some new things with them. I might even use them for fried green tomatoes, if I'm able!

My orange Thai chili peppers have also been flourishing as of late. Again, no fruit quite yet, but the leaves have gotten a lot more prevalent, which I can only assume is a good thing! As I mentioned earlier, I'm thinking of things to do with these bad boys when they finally grow in. Right now, I'm thinking of making a spicy Thai barbeque sauce that's a modification of my classic barbeque sauce recipe using my Thai chiles and Thai basil. Not sure how I'm gonna put it all together yet, but it should be pretty tasty!

I also picked up some marigolds at Lowe's while I was over there a couple of weeks back, in order to keep the bugs off of my tomato plants! They were all pretty much dead when I bought them (in fact, they looked downright pathetic!), but they've sprung to life as a result of the rain and warm sunshine we've gotten the last couple of weeks. These are the only ones currently in bloom, but the other ones are beginning to bud and I anticipate them opening up within the next few days!

So, on the gardening front... so far, so good! More to come (especially if I end up with some baby tomatoes in the next week), so stay tuned!

Friday's Top Five - Comic Book Superheroes

It's been awhile since I've done a comic book themed Top Five, so I figured I'd take the opportunity today to do one based on my favorite comic book superheroes. I've long been fascinated by comic books and the fun stories of costumed heroes and vigilantes contained within, so it's only logical that said fascination should spill out onto my blog from time to time.

5. The Incredible Hulk (art by Bryan Hitch)
"Mister Hyde meets Frankenstein". That was the idea that spawned the Incredible Hulk. Mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner gets caught in the wake of his own gamma bomb and is transformed into the living, breathing engine of destruction known as the Hulk! Now, I'm all about inner turmoil and no one does that better than the Hulk. Banner literally has a monster living inside of him. The epic battle with this character is not against any random foe, but against himself. That's good stuff!

4. Swamp Thing (art by Steve Bissette and John Totleben)
Created by Berni Wrightson and Len Wein and perfected by Alan Moore, this creature of the swamp evolved into one of the most compelling characters of the 1980s. Moore turned Swamp Thing into a true monster by abandoning his humanity in favor of making him an earth elemental, using him not only to tell truly horrific monster stories but to raise awareness for environmental dangers. Despite his slow speech and relative unknown status, Swamp Thing is awesome!

3. Batman (art by Tony Daniel)
The masked avenger of Gotham City, Batman stands as the pinnacle of human potential. A master detective, trained martial artist, inventor, scientist, and all-around jack-of-all-trades, Bruce Wayne is literally everything a man can be all rolled into one. The best Batman stories, in my mind, center on his insanity (which, in my mind, is the only way Batman makes sense). Still, it's his pure humanity (no superpowers here) coupled with his amazing rogues gallery (filled with villains like the Joker, the Scarecrow, the Penguin, the Riddler, the Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman) that make Batman one of my all-time faves!

2. Captain America (art by John Cassaday)
The ultimate soldier, Captain America is a holdover from the WW2 mentality given form and substance in the 21st century! With enhanced speed, strength, stamina, and agility, Captain America isn't just a superhero - he's a symbol of everything that makes America great and good. Recently killed in his own series and replaced by once-sidekick Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers - the original Cap - is slated to return next month in Captain America: Reborn, which promises to be one of the big comic events of the year!

1. Plastic Man (art by Kyle Baker)
Created in 1941 by Jack Cole, Plastic Man is one of the first comic book superheroes. Not only that, but he is also one of the first to incorporate humor into the superhero genre, making comics literally comic. While he's been hit or miss over the last several decades, he has proven a trooper in the DCU, having been a member of the JLA fighting alongside Superman and Batman and earning at least three ongoing series in the course of his almost 70 years in print. Having been fascinated with this character since childhood, Plastic Man remains my favorite comic book character to this day!

Honorable Mentions: Rorshach (Moore's Watchmen), Morpheus (Gaiman's Sandman), Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Daredevil

So... what are some of your favorite comic book superheroes?

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Grilled Asparagus and a Garlic-Dill Aioli

Summer, in my mind, is one of the best times of the year to cook! Herbs are growing fresh, al fresco dining is enjoyable, and grilling outside is not only a possibly, but practically a requirement! Some of my favorite meals are grillable, like the one I made tonight for my roommate and I. We had a "guys-night-in" and celebrated in the least masculine way I can think of - we ate fish and watched Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Still... I had fun anyway, and my roommate really seemed to enjoy his tuna steak!

Eating fish is just fantastic, particularly a hearty piece of fish like a tuna steak. It's not as fatty as beef and it contains a lot of Omega-3s. I'm not sure what those are, exactly, but I hear them mentioned by a lot of health nuts, so I assume they're good for you... At any rate, I thought this meal was a leaner alternative to a huge hunk of beef (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Grilled Tuna Steaks with Grilled Asparagus and a Garlic-Dill Aioli

Tuna Steaks
Ingredients:

• 2 tuna steaks (mine were pretty thick - probably at least half a pound each pre-cooking)
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
  

Directions:

1. Heat your grill to medium-low heat.
   
2. Season both sides of your tuna steak with salt and pepper. Also drizzle both sides with olive oil.
3. Cook on the grill until your tuna has a nice, firm outer texture. (Turn only once, if possible.) If it's good quality tuna (sushi-grade), you'll want it no doner than medium. For lesser quality, medium-well to well is probably okay.

After the first flip - doesn't that look scrumptious?!

Grilled Asparagus
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of asparagus stalks (green or white, it doesn't matter)
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Wash your asparagus and remove the ends of the stalks, leaving the more tender top (spear) portions.
2. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Put out on the grill about the same time as your tuna steaks. If you have an upper section of your grill, go ahead and set the stalks up there. If not, find a non-hot spot on your grill. If all goes well, your asparagus and tuna should finish up right around the same time.

This has easily become my favorite way to prepare asparagus! It turns out so fantastic and has such a rustic look, flavor, and texture! YUM!

Garlic-Dill Aioli
Use this sauce as a substitute for traditional tartar sauce. It gives a very nice fresh flavor that I found preferable to tartar sauce, plus it also makes a really nice dressing for the asparagus!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise (I like to make my own!)
• two cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the minced garlic, chopped dill, and lemon juice to the mayonnaise and stir until well combined. Make sure you taste-test it and add salt and pepper if you think you need them. You may also want to add more dill. (If you think you might want to add less dill, put in a smaller amount and test it. Cooking is ALL ABOUT the trial and error!)

VARIATION! If you really like a super-lemony flavor, add some fresh lemon zest to your aioli. Also, if you're not too keen on dill, this recipe would also work with finely chopped basil or tarragon.

I decided to get a little creative with plating (something I've never really tried before). This is how the final product turned out:

Note that I put a sprig of fresh parsley on top of the tuna as a garnish! Both that and the dill for the aioli came from my summer garden! I think the only thing this plate is missing is some more diverse color - something warm, like a red or a yellow. Perhaps some sauteed bell peppers? Something to consider...

Serves: 2 (for four, add two more tuna steaks and, perhaps, another pound of asparagus)
Serving Suggestions: I've pretty much prepared your whole meal for you this time. If you don't like asparagus, it might be nice to substitute a light salad made of colorful summer foods, like summer squash, zucchini, onions, and bell peppers, grilled, seasoned with salt and pepper, and drizzled with good extra virgin olive oil. You can, of course, substitute the aioli for regular tartar sauce (but where's the fun in that?!). Also, if you go in for that kind of thing, this dish would pair nicely with a robust red wine like a Pinot Noir or a dry white wine like a Chardonnay. But again, that's only if you go in for that kind of thing.
________

Watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona got me thinking about how much the summer weather makes me want to prepare something like a paella or some tapas and a pitcher of sangria. It makes me think about having some friends over this summer and just hang out, eat some good Spanish food and leisurely enjoy the pleasure of one another's company. No pressure to do anything but sit around and be incredibly chill. *Sigh* That would be awesome!

Any takers...? ;)

Summer Reading List Update

Yes, I know, you were probably expecting a gardening update by this point, but I've yet to take pictures of my garden this weekend, so that will have to wait until tomorrow, I'm afraid. Until then, here's an update on my summer reading plans.

Before summer had technically even begun, I'd started my summer reading list. I jumped in with a novella by American author Nathanael West called Miss Lonelyhearts. Lonelyhearts chronicles the life of a man employed at a local paper writing the titular advice column. The book is a satire of 1920s mores and values and offers some interesting thoughts on religion and Man's need for a Savior. This book was recommended to me by my fellow teacher David Trujillo and was definitely a book that made me want to find other books to read!

After Miss Lonelyhearts, I found myself wandering into the world of The Stranger by French author Albert Camus (pronounced al-BEAR ca-MOO) on recommendation by another fellow teacher, Kyle Hopkins. In The Stranger, Camus plays an existential game with his reader as he tells the story of a man who finds himself, amid his mother's funeral and a decision to marry, in the middle of a murder trial. Camus places his reader directly in the place of the man and asks that we place ourselves squarely in his shoes. A very compelling read.

Currently, I am reading (on recommendation from my good friend and literary goddess, Mandie Gossage, who has promised to read it alongside me) Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Granted, this was an Oprah Book Club pick, but rest assured, that is NOT the reason I'm reading it! I enjoyed the film based on McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, so I decided picking up this book might be a good move. So far, getting into McCarthy's prose is taking some getting used to - the man uses no quotation marks to delineate characters speaking and uses apostraphes sparingly, if at all. Still, there is a poetry in his prose that I find both compelling and beautiful. I look forward to finishing this one up!

Now, you might notice that none of the above books appeared on the summer reading list I posted here back in April. Well, presuming that I finish The Road in timely fashion, I'll be picking up three other books that did appear on my list. They are:

• The Stories of John Cheever by John Cheever
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck (on recommendation from fellow teachers David Trujillo and Nanci Slagle)
• And, if I have time, Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor (on recommendation from David Trujillo and Mandie Gossage)

If I can get through all of those in the next two months, maybe I'll look at picking up something else... but I'll have to get through all of those first!

Stay tuned! Garden update tomorrow!

Easy Fettuccine with Fresh Herbs

I've been posting for the last couple of weeks about my garden and how well it's doing. While there will be another update on Saturday (count on it!), I wanted to showcase one of the dishes I've come up with using some of the fresh herbs from my garden! It's quick and easy and the perfect light meal for a summer day!

Easy Fettuccine with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fettuccine*
• salt, to taste
  
• fresh parsley**
• fresh marjoram**
• fresh rosemary **
• fresh purple ruffles basil**
• fresh Thai basil**
• crushed red pepper flake (optional)
  
• extra virgin olive oil
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

* Any 'ribbon' pasta (long, thin, flat noodle) should work fine here. Linguine is a good substitute. Spaghetti can work too if you don't have the others on hand.
** Substitutions can easily be made for any of the herbs. If you can't come across purple ruffles & Thai basil, plain ol' sweet basil will work okay. No marjoram? Use oregano. Amounts are up to the taste of the chef. I use a 2:1 purple to Thai basil ratio. Marjoram and rosemary can be overpowering, so you might want to use them sparingly.

Preparation:

1. Bring about five quarts of salted water to a boil. Add pasta when a rolling boil is reached. Prepare according to the instructions on the box (usually between 8-11 minutes).
2. While the pasta cooks, do a rough chop of your parsley, marjoram, and rosemary and a chiffonade of your basils. Set aside.
3. Once your pasta has reached al dente, drain it into a colander or strainer. DO NOT RINSE! This tends to give your pasta a slimy texture.
4. Plate your pasta. Grate some Parmesan cheese over the top and give it a little drizzle of olive oil. Finish with your herbs and red pepper flake (if using - I would highly recommend using it, as it adds a great spicy flavor).
5. Serve immediately!

Serves: 4 (6-8 as a side)
Sering Suggestions: Serve this great pasta as a side or as a main dish (a GREAT vegetarian entree). If serving as a side, this would go great with an herb-rubbed or grilled chicken (maybe finished with a little lemon). Also, serving it with some crusty Italian bread would be great to sop up some of the ambient oil and stray herbs left after the pasta is gone! If you're into the food-wine pairing, this dish would go great with a Chardonnay.

How Does His Garden Grow?: Summer Gardening 2009 - Week 2

So, last week I blogged about the beginning of my garden and how my new foray into horticulture ensued. Last week was filled with optimal growing conditions - lots of sun by day, lots of rain by night - so my garden got off to a GREAT start! It seemed like the size of some of my plants doubled overnight!

Here's what my garden looks like now:

Notice I have an extra pot out and three new plants! First, let's check on the status of last week's plants!

This is my Thai basil! I picked some leaves of this one yesterday to add to a pasta dish I made (maybe I'll post the recipe in the next day or so) and loved the slightly spicy flavor that it lends to the food I cook with it! I look forward to using this herb even more in the days/weeks to come!

This is my purple ruffles basil, which I also used in the pasta dish I made yesterday. It's fragrance is just fantastic and it has a much different, but equally tasty flavor to the Thai basil. Of all the plants from last week, this one has shown the most progress so far! And, after seeing how tasty it is, I couldn't be happier!

My fernleaf dill - I've not used any of this yet, mainly because I read online that it has a 'shelf-life' once you start harvesting it. So, in order to get the most out of my dill, I'm gonna try to just grow it for as long as I can. We'll see how that works out!

This is my Cherokee purple heirloom tomato plant. It's gotten a lot bigger over the past week and I think it'll be ready to start growing fruit in the next couple of weeks. Right now, I have it in a pot by itself, but I think it might need some more room for growth. I need to talk to my roommate about possibly making some garden space for it somewhere the backyard. That'll free up some room in this pot for more herbs!

My orange Thai chiles. This little guy has also done a good deal of growing in the last week. He's gotten a bit taller and grown a lot more leaves. I'm thinking about how to do a "Thai BBQ Sauce" using these and my Thai basil. It'll be a spicy sauce like you might get on hot wings. I look forward to concocting that formula in my head and trying to create it!

And now for the new additions!

Ah, fresh rosemary! As fragrant as it is flavorful, nothing beats this herb when it comes to Italian cuisine, poultry rubs, or just a sprig of something that smells good! I used some of this herb in my Herb-Crusted Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese (from my recipe on Wednesday), but now that I'm able to grow my own, I'll likely be using it A LOT more!

Fresh parsley is an incredibly versatile herb and, for that reason, I felt I would be remiss not to include some in my garden! I love this herb chopped on top of pasta or pizza... and, as pasta is so easy to prepare, not having access to parsley seemed like a foolish endeavor for me!

Before I left the Farmer's Market today, I had to visit my favorite salesgirls who sold the heirloom tomatoes and make another purchase from them! This week, they talked me into this Green Zebra heirloom tomato plant. Apparently, this one has a more tart flavor than most tomatoes and will likely start producing fairly early. Yes, that means I'll be enjoying tomatoes earlier than you! :) Right now, it's in a fairly small pot that I had lying around. This week (probably Monday), I'll likely head over to Lowe's and pick up another big terra cotta pot (like I have the rest of my garden in) to house this tomato plant. (I'll probably also pick up a couple more herbs, so stay tuned!)

Friday's Top Five - TV Comedies

So, here's a feature I haven't done in a while (since the end of January actually). Thought I might resurrect it and reveal yet another five things I really enjoy and the reasons why. Today, we'll be talking about the TV shows that make me laugh the most. Many people who know me know that I prefer the television dramas to the comedies (mainly due to their episodic nature & film-like production quality). Today is not time for that, though. It's time for comedy.

5. "Family Guy" (1999-present)
Now I'll be the first one to admit that I don't laugh at this show nearly as much as I used to. Like so many other shows, it's gotten to a point where it's too much about the shock value and has become very preachy with regard to the political views of series creator Seth MacFarlane. That having been said, the early episodes of this show - particularly the first three seasons - were witty, original, and laugh-out-loud funny (particularly with regard to its unpredictability).

4. "The Simpsons" (1989-present)
Say what you will about the declining quality of this show in recent years (heaven knows I've said plenty), but it is difficult to deny that "The Simpsons" is one of the funniest shows of the last twenty years. Granted, most of their genius was contained to their first six seasons or so, but the brilliance in those seasons is incredible... all culminating the the two-part cliffhanger "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" At this point, I feel the show lost a lot of steam, but it's impossible to overlook its contribution up to that point.

3."The Office" (BBC version; 2001-2003)
In my mind, anyone who references "The Office" and is not talking about the BBC version is not a true "Office" fan. British humor makes the premise of this show work in a way that ceases to be gimmicky or soap opera-esque. The awkwardness of the workers in relation to each other and their boss David Brent is palpable... making it just that much funnier! After watching both seasons of this show and the Holiday Special, I don't think the American version even comes close. Dwight is a pale imitation of Gareth, Pam doesn't hold a candle to Dawn, Jim completely lacks the subtlety of Tim, and Michael Scott is a poor clone of Ricky Gervais' Brent. If you haven't seen this show, do yourself a favor and check it out STAT!

2. "Arrested Development" (2003-2006)
One of the funniest shows of the last decade, "Arrested Development" turned the whole idea of the family sitcom on its head by introducing the completely unrelatable, unlikeable, and utterly dysfunctional Bluth family to the world. Led by the brilliant former child star Jason Bateman with a fabulous supporting cast that includes comedy veterans like Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica Walter (who play Bateman's parents) to relative newcomers Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat (who play literal "kissing cousins"). From the brilliant insular humor to the in-jokes put in just for the fans, this is a prime example of a show that got cancelled long before its time.


1. "Seinfeld" (1990-1998)
From relative obscurity to an American classic, no television comedy has had the long-lasting impact of "Seinfeld". From their changing the way Americans talk, interact, and look at television and pop culture in general, "Seinfeld," unlike many shows that get a lot of hype and praise, actually finds itself worthy and deserving of the accolades. Taking the traditional sitcom and ignoring every and all conventions associated with it, "Seinfeld" was a gamble - something completely new and original... and funny to boot! From the zany antics of Cosmo Kramer to the abrasive absurdity of George Costanza, from the polarizing insanity of Elaine Benes to the harmonizing observation of Jerry Seinfeld, the cast and the jokes just worked for this program, which is why it, more than any other, is deserving of the top spot on this list.

Honorable Mentions: "Saturday Night Live" (1975-present), "Robot Chicken" (2005-present), "Extras" (2005-2007), "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (1969-1974), "That '70s Show" (1998-2006)

So, what are some of your favorite TV comedies?

Herb-Crusted Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese

My mom signed up for something called "Farm Fresh Delivery" in which local farmers deliver fresh and organic produce straight to your door. Again, being someone who likes food (and fresh food, I'm told tastes better), I decided to get in on that action! Among other things, I picked up the herbs and the cheese for this dish, which tasted absolutely fantastic!

I would recommend using fresh herbs here if possible, but dried herbs can work in a pinch. If you don't have these four, others can be substituted (like oregano, basil, or dill) so long as they're fragrant. They'll change the flavor of the chicken slightly, but I can't imagine it tasting too altogether bad!

Stephen's Herb-Crusted Grilled Chicken with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• fresh thyme,* finely chopped
  
• fresh marjoram,* finely chopped
  
• fresh sage,* finely chopped
  
• fresh rosemary,* finely chopped
  
• 4 oz. (give or take) of fresh goat cheese

* Add the herbs to your taste, but make sure you have enough to cover all three chicken breasts once finely chopped.

Preparation:

1. Season your chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Rub your chopped fresh herbs on both sides of the chicken breast until they are covered with the herbs.
3. Allow your chicken to sit out, covered, for about twenty minutes to allow the flavors time to meld into the bird.
4. Heat your grill to medium-high heat and, after the chicken has finished 'marinating' in its rub, throw it on the grill.
5. Slice your goat cheese into 1/2-1-inch rounds. After you have flipped your chicken (you should only have to do this once - about halfway through the cooking process), place one or two of the rounds on each chicken breast until the chicken has finished cooking. This will allow the goat cheese to get a soft and creamy texture (but not melt).
6. Remove from heat once finished and allow to rest for a minute or two before service. This allows the meat to stay juicy (since the juices won't come running out of it when you cut into it).

Serves: 3-4 (depending on how many chicken breasts you used)
Serving suggestions: This dish would go great with some grilled asparagus (in my mind, the perfect accoutrement to any meal) or a light mixed green salad. The flavors make it a perfect summer meal. Also, if you're into that sort of thing, this would be very well paired with a dry white wine like a Chardonnay or a Chablis (but only if you're into that sort of thing).

Reaping What I Sow: Summer Gardening 2009

I went to a local Farmer's Market with my family yesterday. I've been wanting to hit one up for awhile now, because the idea of fresh organic produce is one that appeals to me as someone who loves food and cooking. I have to say that I was not disappointed! Because it's still so early in the growing season, there weren't a ton of fresh veggie options yet outside of some herbs. That being the case, I decided it might be a good idea to start growing some of my own.

This in and of itself is a risky endeavor, mainly because my family has a sordid history with gardening. My grandparents on both sides of my family are/were avid gardeners and my dad even managed to start a garden growing tomatoes, peppers, and other goodies when we were in middle school. My mom, however, is the furthest thing from a horticulturist. No disrespect meant, but we ('we' being my sister and I) say that she doesn't have a green thumb, but a black thumb! Plants have been known to wither and die under her tutelage. (I know what you're thinking, but despite her luck with plants, she's actually fairly nurturing as a mother. Go figure. ;))

I seemed to inherit this gardening ability last spring when I attempted to grow some herbs in miniature pots on the back patio at my apartment last year. I started them from seed (which, in retrospect, may have been a mistake) and watched them sprout... then wither and die. I'm convinced it was because the pots they were in were too shallow, but I may be in denial as to my inheritance of my mother's gardening gift. Ultimately, it's not for me to say.

Therefore, after a dismal showing last year, I decided to attempt to redeem myself this year by growing not only herbs, but a couple of veggies as well!

Above is a picture of my garden shortly after I planted it yesterday. Notice that I'm using three big pots rather than the several small ones I had last year. Hopefully, this will encourage plant growth this summer!

Now, allow me to take you through my garden so far, plant-by-plant. Let's start with the herbs, shall we?

This is some Thai basil. Within the last couple of years, I've become a huge fan of Asian cuisine and Japanese and Thai food in particular. I love the use of spicy peppers and herbs in Thai cooking! Thai basil has a stronger flavor than sweet basil and has a subtle hint of mint/licorice to it as well. I can't wait to cook something with these!

This is called purple ruffles basil. I've never cooked with this one or, to the best of my knowledge, eaten it before... but I have to tell you I was intrigued by its wonderful aroma! I've been told these leaves have a licorice/cinnamon flavor to them, which I also find intriguing. It'll be fun to come up with things to cook with these babies! (Sorry about the blurriness of this pic!)

This is my fernleaf dill. I'm not entirely sure how (or if) this differs from the kinds of dill I've had before, but if it is anything like those other kinds, I'm in for a treat! Dill is one of my favorite herbs! I love using it in summer salads (like cucumber or potato salad) and think it makes a fantastic flavorful addition to many of my fish preparations. (I've even been known to use it to flavor spaghetti sauce!) So glad I was able to find some good dill!

At the Farmer's Market, there were two adorable little girls who were selling plants from their parents' farm... and doing a great job! Among other things, they had a great selection of heirloom tomatoes - which are some of my FAVORITE kinds of tomatoes! I picked up this one - a purple Cherokee heirloom. They are slightly purple in their look and have a smokier flavor than your average tomato! My mom got a black krim heirloom for her garden and I look forward to maybe swapping a couple of tomatoes later on this summer!

My last purchase of the day (other than some killer cookies - Oatmeal Scotchies!) was something of an impulse buy. Since the two little girls with the heirloom plants were such good salespeople, I decided to pick up something else from them - a Thai pepper plant! I found out after picking this plant up that Thai peppers (even orange ones, like these will be) are some of the spiciest peppers around! Not quite as bad as Scotch bonnets or habaneros, they still rank between 50,000 and 100,000 on the Scoville scale - a ranking that measures the heat in peppers. (Habaneros - some of the hottest - have a Scoville rating of 100,000 to 150,000, just to give you some perspective. Jalapenos have only 2500 to 8000 for some added perspective.) Not sure yet how or if I'll use these, but I think it might be fun to try to whip up something with these spicy beauties once they come in!

I'll keep you guys updated on the garden throughout the summer. I may even pick up a couple more herbs next week. We'll see how things go...