On Our Way To Crazy

Last weekend I found myself home alone on a Friday night. This happens… never. But Aaron was out and my dinner plans fell through at the last minute, so there I was.

Generally, my solo dinners are always the same: wine and olives and hummus. Can’t beat it. But that night I’d had plans to eat pasta and the idea was already stuck in my brain, so I cooked for myself. I NEVER do that. Ever. I threw together this basil chicken pasta (delicious!) and settled in for some Gilmore Girls on DVR.

Now I don’t know if you’ve watched a lot of Gilmore Girls. If you’re reading this blog, I’m going to assume that you have. But just in case you haven’t, here’s what you need to know in the context of this post. They talk about food. A lot. All the time. If you watch it hungry you will end up jonesing for some french fries, some pancakes, maybe a roast something or other.

Or some chocolate chip cookies, perhaps.

Halfway through the episode, I was feverishly googling for a recipe that worked with what I had on hand. I happen to be very particular about my chocolate chip cookies… I like them chewy and on the crispy side, as opposed to soft and cakey. This recipe sounds like the exact opposite of what I would usually choose. But I had everything it calls for, and I love America’s Test Kitchen, so I went with it.

You guys. YOU GUYS. These cookies are amazing. Also, not so much with the thick, but they were perfectly chewy and brown sugary and REALLY FREAKING DELICIOUS. You have to make them. Immediately.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Mix in the chips until incorporated.

4. Working with 2 tablespoons of the dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I am obsessed with strawberries these days. I am going through them like nobody’s business. So the other day when I needed a dessert for a meeting, I immediately thought of strawberries. Then I thought of cupcakes. Then I googled a bit and looked in the pantry and concocted a strawberry cupcake recipe based on what I could find.

I was pretty nervous – I am a by-the-book baker for sure. I don’t trust myself to make substitutions or change measurements or differ from what’s written down AT ALL. But I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted, so I decided to wing it. And they were delicious. I was so impressed with myself.

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup strawberries
1-1/2 cups flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

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8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
3 cups powdered sugar

Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add strawberries to food processor or blender and blend until pureed. Wisk together flour, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together buttermilk, strawberries and vanilla.

In another bowl (or stand mixer), cream butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar slowly and continue to beat until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time until just combined.

Add half the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add half the milk mixture until combined. Repeat, scraping down sides with a spatula, until everything is mixed together.

Divide batter into prepared muffin cups and bake 10-13 minutes (for mini cupcakes) or 20-25 minutes (for regular cupcakes) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Directions for icing:

Cream together cream cheese and butter until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until combined.

Next time you need to take snacks to a party or an appetizer for an event, you have to make these. There is nothing healthy about them at all. You may have a heart attack after the first one. But it will be worth it.

PIONEER WOMAN’S HOLIDAY BACON APPETIZERS

Club crackers
Grated parmesan cheese (the stuff in the green can)
Bacon (one package will make about 28 pieces)

Lay crackers (as many as you want) on a cookie sheet.

Spoon a heaping quarter teaspoon of parmesan onto each cracker. (PW says to use a teaspoon, but I found that to be WAY too much.)

Cut the package of bacon in half. Carefully, so the cheese doesn’t fall off, wrap half a piece of bacon snugly around each cracker.

Place crackers on cooling rack on a baking sheet.

Bake at 250. PW says two hours, but mine were done at an hour and a half. Just watch them once you get close to the end – the bacon should cook through but not burn.

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During a trip to Trader Joe’s with my parents, the lady at the sample counter handed us these little bowls of berries with sauce on them. She made us taste it before telling us what it was, which was smart, because it sounds pretty gross. But it turned out to be fantastic, and I have consumed a ridiculous amount in the past few days.

TRADER JOE’S FRUIT DIP

1 16oz container of sour cream (I like fat free, the texture is perfect)
1/2 cup of brown sugar

Combine. That’s it. Dip some berries in. It’s delicious.

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A while back, my dad started experimenting with making pies. When we were shopping for our cookout this past weekend, he came across some key limes and decided to make a pie. He decided to go with regular limes, though, because key limes are a lot of work.

BRANDI’S DAD’S REGULAR LIME PIE, BECAUSE KEY LIMES ARE A PAIN IN THE BUTT

3 egg yolks
1 14oz can condensed milk
1/2 cup lime juice (the juice of 4 to 6 limes)
3 tbsp water
graham cracker crust

1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat egg yolks with a wire whisk or fork. Gradually whisk in condensed milk. Add in lime juice and water. Mix well. (Mixture will thicken.)

Chill a metal bowl and the beaters on mixer.

Spoon filling into pie crust. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for one hour. Cover and chill for 3 to 4 hours. Meanwhile, beat the whipping cream, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. Spread onto pie and serve.

Friday night our new friends Jacob and Katie came over and hung out. At one point I asked Aaron what time it was, and he made me guess. I went with eleven, but it was actually 1:30, so they went home. I like new friends that you can sit and talk with for six hours without realizing it.

During that talk I told a story about how Aaron, Susan and I had gone to IHOP once after a concert and I ordered pancakes because I love pancakes. I mean, I really really love pancakes. I would eat them for every meal if I could. They are so delicious. Anyway, not only do I love pancakes, but I love playing with the food that’s left on my plate after I finish eating. I cut it into tiny pieces, or draw lines in it with my knife, or build little castles with it. It’s a problem. So after I had finished eating my pancakes, I still had some left. I took the straw from my water glass and stuck it in my pancake to make a circle. When I picked up the straw, the little bit of pancake stuck inside it. So I started making holes all over the pancakes and the straw started filling up with little pieces of pancake.

I thought this was pretty cool. Aaron thought it was pretty gross. I am unsure of what Susan thought.

Once the straw was totally full of pancake pieces, I held it with one hand and used the other to squeeze the pancake pieces out of the straw. This is where things got awesome. The pancake pieces came out in one long strand, making a giant pancake worm. It was the ultimate playing-with-your-food discovery. Pancake worms! Who knew!

I like to tell this story because I think it is funny and it makes me want to eat pancakes. Aaron does not like for me to tell this story because it grosses him out but also somehow makes him want to eat pancakes.

Saturday morning we slept in pretty good. Aaron got up before I did, but he closed the door behind him and left Miles in the bedroom with me. Miles hates that because if he doesn’t have easy access to both of us at all times he starts freaking out. It’s a hard life. So I got up to let Miles out of the room and found Aaron in the kitchen. Making me pancakes. From scratch. Scratch!

How awesome is that? To show my appreciation, I refrained from making pancake worms out of them. But I sure wanted to. Because I love pancakes. And pancake worms.

Dear fellow Baja Burrito patrons,

Baja is a small restaurant with a long line. The burritos and fish tacos and salads and fruit tea are definitely worth the wait. Clearly, you think so too, or you wouldn’t have brought your six kids to wait in a line that’s out the door on such a cold day.

But here’s the thing – all the people who are currently seated and eating will not be here all day. By the time you get through the line, most of them will have finished their lunch and left. So there is no reason for you to send your kids out ahead of you guys to hold a table while you wait in line.

Let me list all the ways your family is annoying to the rest of us.

One. Your kids aren’t old enough to take care of themselves once they sit down while you’re in line. So we have to listen to you yell across the restaurant at them to stop playing with the napkins, stop pouring salt on the table, stop stealing people’s chips.

Two. You didn’t ask them what they wanted and you don’t want to squash their individuality by ordering for them, so you get to the front of the line and start snapping your fingers to get your kids’ attention. “What do you want? Tacos? What? Do you want cheese? CHEESE? What? You want a quesadilla? QUESADILLA? Sit down! Do you want salsa on it? SALSA? Are you sure? It’s hot! HOT! *fans mouth to demonstrate* HOT! Sit down!”

Three. Some of us are in line ahead of you. Pretty far ahead of you. We have gone through the line, paid for our food, and are currently standing here with our trays full of burritos and salads and pineapple salsas. But there’s nowhere for us to go! Why? BECAUSE YOUR CHILDREN ARE EVERYWHERE. Sprawled across tables THAT DON’T HAVE ANY FOOD ON THEM because you are still at the back of the line.

Four. I don’t like your face. And I hate what you’re wearing.

Please. People. Just follow the rules. If you don’t want to wait in line with all your kids and take a chance on finding a table for you all to fit around, there’s a Wendy’s across the street. They have plenty of room. And I won’t have to sit outside because of you.

GAH.

Brandi

Aaron and I have been trying to cook dinner at home more often. The problem is we really only have three or four things we both like and that are fairly easy to put together. So we make these grand plans to cook dinner at home, eat stir fry and green chicken for three weeks, get bored and start eating out again.

But! This time around I have been trying new things, and so far it’s been going really well. This is a recipe I got from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network. She has a lot of healthier recipes that look really good, so hopefully we’ll find some more good ideas.

This was incredibly easy to make, and so so delicious. I was really sad when it was gone. I only marinated the meat for a couple of hours (TIP: read the whole recipe in advance), and I think it will be a lot more flavorful in the future when I remember to do the meat the night before. Also I left out the shallots because I don’t really like them. Also also, I doubled the marinade/dressing recipe because it didn’t feel like enough, and I’m glad I did. We used it all.

THAI BEEF SALAD

1 pound top-round London broil or flank steak, about 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce
1/2 head red-leaf lettuce, torn (about 6 cups)
3 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup), divided, for garnish
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried
1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

Rinse and pat the meat dry. Place in a sealable plastic bag or small glass dish. In a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half the mixture into the bag with the meat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the bag. Seal tightly, and marinate meat in refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the rest of the mixture refrigerated, to dress the salad.

Spray grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat. Grill steak until medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness. Let rest until room temperature then slice thinly against the grain.

Combine lettuce, sliced shallot, cilantro, basil and beef in a salad bowl, reserving a few shallots for garnish. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates and garnish with reserved sliced shallots.

It has not been a good few days in the Manes house. We have been sick, sick, sick.

There is some kind of stomach bug going around, and apparently it has hit the high schools pretty hard. Aaron got really sick on Thursday night, and by the time he started feeling better on Saturday afternoon I had been struck down by it. I guess that’s what we get for hanging around with teenagers all the time.

So we had to cancel our Super Bowl party and all the fun trashy foods that go with it. Lucky for us, I tried out a new soup recipe last week, so we have been eating creamy tomato soup nonstop for four days. We both feel excessively better today… perhaps this soup has some kind of magical healing powers. It certainly tastes better than Pepto Bismal.

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP
- makes 3 quarts -

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 cups canned crushed tomatoes
5 1/4 cups chicken broth, skimmed of fat
3 sprigs fresh oregano, plus more for garnish (I used dried and it was fine)
1/2 cup half-and-half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 8 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, stock, and oregano; cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently, un­covered, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove the oregano sprigs.

3. Slowly add the half-and-half, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with oregano. Serve hot.

I think next time I will run the whole mixture through the food processor after it cools for a smoother texture. It is really creamy and delicious and I am pretty sad that it’s almost gone.

Here’s the thing.

You eat lunch at lunchtime. Especially if you make an appointment to meet someone in a restaurant at noon. You eat lunch. You do not get there, let the other person order, then say, “Oh, I’m not hungry. I ate a big breakfast/packed my lunch/am an anti-foodite/hate you and want to make you feel uncomfortable. I’ll just have a drink.”

That is mean.

It is especially mean when it is the second time it’s happened to me THIS WEEK. What is up with the universe? I order lunch, the other person does not, and then I spend the rest of the meeting, a meeting that requires a lot of talking to be done BY ME, eating in front of them while they sip their soda or whatever. AWKWARD. If you don’t want to eat lunch, don’t make a lunch appointment. It is not brain surgery. It’s lunch. For me anyway.

I did three things at work yesterday.

1. Had coffee at Starbucks with the parent of a new kid in our group
2. Had breakfast at Merridee’s (!) with another kid
3. Spent four hours at Chuck E Cheese to say thank you to the junior high kids who help with parking on Sunday mornings.

And that is why my job is better than your job.