Frugal foraging

What a lovely weekend. When MN weather behaves, it really behaves. I did do a little "sunning" yesterday at lake Calhoun. 75, breezy, not a cloud in the sky, unbelievable people watching... Perfection. I have a ridiculous amount of homework for my primary care clerkship. The type of homework that makes you think, "what, are you insane? You seriously expect me to do that?" Lecture after lecture after article on heath care models blah blah, bore my brains out. Breathe, serenity now. So at about 4 pm, my tummy was growling, and I moseyed into the kitchen. I'm mainly a produce girl. I opened the fringe and thought wow. I can have garlic, or pickles for dinner. Shoot. I moved to the pantry. I really needed to make something that will double for lunch tomorrow. Given my serious lack of produce, I'll probably have to make a trip after clinic. Forage away! I found pumpkin and fire roasted tomato. I can work with this. I close my eyes, and summon my inner food spaz, unafraid of dumping random junk into a pot :)

Battle of the Chilies All Purpose Goop

1 can pumpkin
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
2 spoonfuls Thai kitchen red chili paste
4 cloves of garlic
Heavy dashes of poultry seasoning, chili powder
A more reserved dash of granulated onion
pinch of salt
Glugs of red wine vinegar

Simmer in a pot till sauce thickens.

This is really tasty, and hearty! It will be topping some brown rice and frozen broccoli tomorrow for lunch. Yum. I think it may be asking for some frozen shrimp to be in the mix as well. I bet you could add red wine to the pot, which would be delish. It would be lovely on pasta and, its cheap!



I'm not kidding about the foraging. Look, the garlic is trying to escape it's long imprisonment in my dark fridge. My morning will include some raspberries picked from my GORGEOUS backyard. yum, yeah. Well, at least those little morsels are pretty.

Berry Brave

God bless America, the home of the ... processed foods? So, I had high hopes for the 4th. I was going to be so adventurous and creative. I poured over foodgawker.com as the week wound down, drooling over all fantastically festive creations. We decided to head to the Geier Ranch for the annual 4th of July shindig. Nicholaus has a par-tay every 4th. Usually it involves blowing up food items in the yard, fun folks, and more money spent on fireworks than the collective rent of all the attendees. (we live in the slums, so that's feasible). Anyways, the grill was in full swing, complete with bad-a$$ beef+injectables hot dogs and generic roundy's buns. That is EXACTLY what Jon wanted. So, I thought, I'll save my culinary juices for another time. I ate junk too, just not the roundy's bun + injectables kind. Not photo worthy, trust me.




I did however, buy baskets of bountiful berries. I was all about re-creating the red-white-blue theme. I suppose I could have thrown some blueberries and strawberries into a glass of white wine and called it good. My lovelies, I hope you know, I'm more sophisticated than that. Waah! Enter, my salad this week, ta - dah! I tend to create my lunches in under 5 min. I usually cook my eggs and buisnesss then lounge and eat while watching Angela Davis tell me what blew up or burned down overnight. Then at the last min, I jump up, put on a glamorous outfit to cover up with a white coat, and throw together some mangled creation called a ....salad. I really love salad y'alls. ESPECIALLY in summer. But, my taste buds have to be tingled by many many a flavor to feel satisfied. You also need some protein, or tummy's be growlin by your 7th Diabetes check of the afternoon. This week knocked my socks off. Beneath that hunk - o - junk is romaine. I topped the bed of glowing greens with sauteed onion, cooked spinach, tuna, blueberries and STRAWberries. The picture is pre-dressing smash. I then add a tiny tupperwear of rice vinegar, tamari and mirin. Those salad ingredients do not match! Somehow, the rice wine vinaigrette will magically meld any crazy concoction together.





Yum. I savored my salad over lunch. Today was Morbidity and Mortality lunch lecture. I had the above "eye candy" for dessert. HA! Jon was in the pulmonary function lab today. So I ate my masterpiece, and he scarfed the Domino's the U so graciously provides to all its health care professionals... Don't even start. Not a green leafy in sight! We learned about cerebellar strokes and chowed. Ahhh, then no kidding, I went back for some DIABETES checks. At least I can say I ate a salad. My patient was eating white castle every night for, oh, 6 months. He then transitioned, oh so gracefully, into a story about how he saw his dead aunts ghost in an old farmhouse. Something about hoodlums breaking in and putting pigeons in the attic, and ... yeah. psych is everywhere.

Non food fotos.

As we usher in July ( brrr) I am taking a moment to slow down and think. I think this post would be better with some hip shakin'. Let's start out with this fantabulous song I found. A boom ba.




I have not been doing too much experimentation in the kitchen lately. With the exception of my morning eggs, which I've GREENED up. I crack ma eggs in the pan, then spastically dump dill, basil, thyme, tarragon, and fancy pomegranate red wine vinegar on top. Sometimes I add some steak seasoning, if I'm feeling sassy. Then I fold em up, with my neon green spatula, and finish cooking. Delish. You see, they look so plain and simple, then you take a slice...Wham. Green surprise. So there, I classify again as a food blog. I do however, have high hopes for the holiday weekend. It's a 3 day-er you know. woot woot. I mean, yes America.



Do you ever just feel blah? Things get stressful, what? Medical school is stressful? no. I have MAJOR decisions to make. Like, woman-what are you going to DO with your life? I dunno. shoot. Anyways, sometimes you learn a lot when you make yourself...



Now, the slow down. Allow me to wax prophetic. When life gets stressful, I tend to freak out. Somehow things enter my life at the right moment. I do a lot of food blog reading. Bordering on strange and obsessive. Just sayin . Thank Gordita for googlereader. Anyways, there is something fantastic going on in this hip, underground world I snoop through. Enter: Operation Beautiful. Go there. It really is beautiful. Sometimes, seriously, this is exactly what a girl needs. Here were my entries.



My pics were included last week. These babies made it into friends purses, only after they spent some time in my apt. It does make a difference, and I really feel like it's 100% worth whatever small promotion I can make. I think when you get scared, you need to pump yourself up. This filled my soul-o-meter. I'm feeling more powerful. Am I ready to be introspective? Yikes, huge jass task.




Alright, I'm pumped up (with a hans & franz accent no less). If you think about it, being a medical student is honestly fun. There's a lot of torture and hoop jumping, but yeah, that happens everywhere. I get to talk to people all day. If I ask them something, they tell me. Usually they care what you tell them. When they don't, honestly, they are even more interesting. Like, what the bejeezus are you thinking? But anyways. People are wacky, and I love that. Listening to hearts and lungs, mmm, it's not that great. Freezing warts is pretty fun. Putting your sweet little thumb indent in a heart failure patients ankle is ok, I guess. But really, their stories are so much better.






That's what I'm learning. I think I like psych. yep I said it, online = super official. I'm still not sure. I'm a slow decision maker. I'm the type that lets things happen. Like pulling out my teeth, leave them in till they dangle. (sick, I know. Sorry Grandpa McDougall). Anyways, stay tuned I guess. Next the 4th.



I love the 4th. Almost as much as I love Netflix. But that's a WHOLE other issue. Sweet dreams, y'all. Carpe that Diem.

Sunday Slowdown!

Click to hear music file

I love this song, I can't find it on iTunes though :( I love having a Sunday night relaxation fest. Seriously, everyone needs it. My apt is clean, by brain is sufficiently mushy from netflix and TLC, and my belly is cool with Luigi Italian Ice. No food post this weekend, sorry folks. Trust me, my brain is spinning for 4th of July creations. I cannot wait. AND!!!! I have Friday off! What? Yes, university holiday! woot woot.

Sultry Summer days and Strawberries.

It's HOT here in MN. So hot in fact that I don't feel like cooking per say. I have been mixing ingredients though, which counts. Ahhh Strawberries. Thank God for Dads, the berries are all on super sale the Monday after Father's day! I purchased two tubs and these red gems, freshly washed for my nibbling pleasure.


George is hot too. He camps out in the bathroom. The bathroom, is in fact, the hottest room in my tiny apt. He's afraid of my growling, clunking, grunting air conditioners I think. His appetite on the other hand, is unchanged :)



So, after buying copious amounts of these beauties, my weekly task has been to figure out new ways to devour them. My lunch salad on Tuesday. Leftover Mediterranean mouthwatering magical salad on top a bed of spinach. I added a bit more red wine vinegar (fancy shmancy pomegranate infused RWV) and created a border of strawberries and green onions. People were eyeing my salad at lunch, back off Doctas!!!



A gourmet dessert! Dangit, why do I live 20 ft from a DQ?




Wednesday is my day off during this rotation. What to do on your day off? Make a honkin cowboy style breakfast. Tostadas topped with freshly made guac (avocado, diced vidalia, chopped cherry toms, lime and salt). I scrambled eggs (with real butter) and added a dollop of laughing cow creamy cheese and some steak seasoning. Slice some leftover dad's day steak and serve with strawberries on the side.



Delish! I garnished with green onions. Somehow 3 bundles of those sneaky scallions ended up in my basket... Alright, I registered for step two Clinical Skillz exam, so I'm not totally useless today. But now, time for a little netflix worshiping with a full belly. Religulous is already playing on the Boob tube, best get watchin. Credits are not even over and I'm already laughing out loud!

Holy Cannoli Batman

A double hitter! Father's day and qwerkyqook's Birthday!



First the main event! Father's day was celebrated pretty low key on Sunday. We met at my parent's house for a fantastic dinner prepared by my mom. I, of course, brought 18 loads of laundry home thinking that was a reasonable task to accomplish over dinner. Oh well. Dinner was fantastic. Dad requested steak per usual.



MEAT! arhg arhg argh.

The man of honor with his present. My dad is such a goofball, but the kindest and most loving man I know.


There you go dad, glamour shot of your present!


The chef! It's hard to say if my mom's cooking or the stories she tells while cooking are better!


The final product, a hasty picture at the end of the meal. whoops! My taste buds got the best of me.

Steak
"de-fatted" or whatever its called to perfection by moi. Dad let me try out his new toy, it really was pretty slick.
Coat with olive oil salt and coarse ground black pepper. My dad grinds the peppercorns with mortar and pestle. This steak business is serious stuff.

Mediterranean Salad- (insanely good)
Chop cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, salt and strain in colander for a bit.
Add finely chopped red onion, rinsed chickpeas, diced kalamata olives and a generous amount of chopped fresh parsley.
Dressing: equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil, plus some chopped garlic.
Combine it all with some shredded lettuce and top with crumbled feta. Salt and Pepper your salad as you please!

Garden Rice-A Barb Original
Prepare rice in chicken broth with chopped vidalia onions
Before serving add fresh chopped herbs from the garden. We had Dill, tarragon, parsley...I didn't write the recipe down!!!

The night was finished with ice cream and fresh berries. I left some laundry for my mom to finish, boy am I every a spoiled child:) The hired men (dad and nick) should be arriving shortly to install my air conditioners. Blasted MN, freezing one day then 90 and humid as all get out the next.

Last but not least...


Qwerkyqook turns 1 !

I can't believe a year ago I was making sushi and taking my boards. Funny how things come right back at you though. I just shelled out $1500 for my next step. ouch! I'll leave you with a fun fact, serendipitous at that. My half birthday is actually June 20, qwerky's bday! I know. The implications that has on the universe are profound.

Genius Strikes-Taco Time

Alrighty. Quicky post because I should be studying for my Primary Care test on Friday. Believe it or not, blogging is way more fun than reading about Glipizide. Last week, Jon's brother got tickets to a special viewing of The Proposal. I'm so A list! It was a cute movie. I laughed out loud a few times. Ryan Reynolds is easy on the eyes, Sandra looks slightly mummified. But yeah. I'd wait for the redbox rental. Derailed! Sorry readers, all aboard. Jon called to tell me we would be going to a movie and he'd be over in a bit. He also noted he was famished. So I get my buttoski into the shower to beautify for the big date!

Nothing for dinner? I have radishes, cilantro, onion... Genius strikes as I lathered my locks. Taco Time. Authentic style.




Salivating! Mom's smoked pork belly that I so kindly agreed to take off her hands. Or apprehended from her fridge while she was camping...shhh. She is seriously rocking the new smoker. Jealous? Yeah. So anyways, the shakedown is this. Slap corn tortillas on the burner (I keep them frozen, gotta have the staples around). Slice pork, sweet onion and cilantro. Garnish with lime. Do not add anything else! Dream of Cozumel...



I'm an overachiever. So I made beans too. I sauteed garlic and shallot in olive oil, added the black beans, and some spastic spice supplementation. Mostly fajita seasoning, coriander and cumin (don't tell Jon, he thinks he hates cumin). Garnish with traditional sliced radishes, jalapenos and limes. I sprinkled some chopped green onions on top too, I'm fancy like that.


I applied mascara, got A list ready for the big premiere, then twiddled my thumbs. Jon calls 15 min before showtime to say he's on the way, can dinner be "to go?" Transition the beautifully plated masterpiece to paper plate and solo cupped side dish. I packed some hot sauce and a Dr. Pepper so homeboy could scarf while I drove. Monitor and adjust :)




Lovely lilies for the week. Girls, buy yourself flowers. It's so worth it :)