Poco-Cocoa – Page 172 – Things & Stuff

The longest day in the history of mankind

I swear, today is taking FOREVER. I woke up at 6:00 a.m., but didn’t really want to get up until 7:00 a.m., so I laid in bed trying to half-sleep for an hour. Then I got to work and the morning just dragged on. I ate an early lunch (which of course seemed to fly by), then the afternoon was like 43 hours long. I got home this evening, ate dinner, baked cookies, read a book and it’s STILL only 9:21 p.m. What’s up with today? I suppose I should just be grateful that it didn’t zoom past me.

I’ve been Evernoting nonstop… ideas for our cute little apartment that we’re moving back into in April, recipes I’ve tried and haven’t tried, clothes, crafts. Seriously, peeps, it’s a fabulous program.

I’ve also been reading like a madwoman. I happened to get about 8 books from the library that I really want to read, all at once. So I’m trying to finish them all before they’re due, which isn’t easy to do when you also have to study Organic Chemistry and do laundry and work. And blog. And write letters. And sleep.

Also, I’m so happy that my friend Connie is blogging again. This post inspired me… I really want to create routines in my life, too. Or, different routines from the ones I already have (wake up late, rush through my shower, pull my hair back in a ponytail, scarf breakfast, hurry to work). She does mention that she has tons of self-motivation and determination, which I feel I’m severely lacking. I have so many good intentions, but I rarely seem to follow through with them. How do you get better at that? How do you self-motivate? Maybe I should be reading library books about that.

So anyway, I made these cookies tonight. They’re pretty good, though I’m still iffy about the dried-fruit-in-your-cookies thing. I’d prefer nuts. Or chocolate. Or both. But they’re a nice sweet end to a long, long day.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

January 27, 2009

Random Thoughts, Recipes
Curry curry
Oh, internets! It’s been such a loooooong week. And now I’m waiting for pizza to be ready for pick-up, and trying to clear my head of all the Sunday nonsense, like groceries and laundry and homework.

That’s right, homework. Crazy little me has decided to go back to school. I’m taking Organic Chemistry this semester, then I’ll take Physics, and Calculus…the last few classes I need to meet pre-med requirements. If all goes well, I may be applying for med school as early as next summer! And if I were accepted, I’d start med school in the fall of 2011. That’s a loooong time from now, though, so I’m just taking it one little step at a time. Starting with Organic Chemistry. You all know me by now, I may have decided to open my own cafe in 2011, or to write the next great novel, but at the moment, the plan is med school. Crazy me.

So here’s a quick little dinner that we made that’s great for busy weeknights. I liked that the tofu is just tossed into the curry…usually we saute it first in a little oil, which makes it crispy and chewy, but adds an extra step to dinner prep. I have to say though, I still prefer my tofu sauteed first. 🙂

I think this would be just as good with diced chicken breast instead of the tofu, and a dollop of chili-garlic sauce would add a nice heat to it.

Coconut Curry with Tofu and Lime
- 1 carton extra-firm tofu
- 1 can coconut milk mixed with 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 4 green onions, including the firm greens, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Soy sauce to taste
- Chopped cilantro
Drain the tofu, then dice it into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine the next 10 ingredients in a large skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Add the tofu, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and green onions, and simmer 5 minutes more.

Add the lime juice. Season to taste with a teaspoon or more soy sauce. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: This Can’t Be Tofu! by Deborah Madison.
January 25, 2009

Recipes
The simplest thing

There’s just something awesome about roasting a chicken. It feels comforting, smells amazing, and tastes like home.

I decided to try this recipe, from an awesome blog called Thursday for Dinner. I love this blog…it’s all about preserving cultural and family recipes through video. My favorite cook is Eva, the cutest little Greek woman I’ve ever seen. I watched her make this roasted chicken recipe and knew I had to make it, too. I’d love to video my mom and grandma making tamales, enchiladas, menudo, empanadas…but they’re so camera-shy that I know they’d put up a fight. 🙂

Anyway, the chicken recipe is really easy…no trussing or stuffing or basting needed. The potatoes and carrots end up being really lemony and flavorful, and the chicken is delicious as well. To use up some of the leftovers, Justin cut a bit of the potatoes and chicken in pieces, poured in some broth, heated it up and made a great little lemony chicken soup. I just ate my leftovers as-is, because I was hungry and couldn’t wait for the extra steps of making the soup. I have one more serving of leftovers packaged up for lunch tomorrow…and already I can’t wait for lunch!

In other news, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns this weekend. So sad and painful and heartbreaking. I didn’t like the end, though…it was just like The Kite Runner, in which the author dragged me through all kinds of pain and hardship with every page, then tried to create a semi-happy ending that just didn’t fit. I like happy endings, but not when they seem forced. It was still a good read, though. I’m starting on Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, but I’m not sure whether I’ll like it…seems like a possibly depressing book.

I also added a music playlist in the links on my sidebar (Music I Love, under poco-cocoa stuff), where I’ve updated my current favorite songs. It’s a cool way to find new music (or at least maybe it will be new to you). I’ve also added movies I’ve recently seen…hmmm, I’ve been watching a lot of foreign films lately.

Okay, everyone, time for bed before the big, big day tomorrow. Happy MLK day, and happy Inauguration Eve! 🙂

January 19, 2009

Music, Recipes
On my shopping list…
Things to buy:

• File box and hanging files for recipes (for recipe organization system #412)
• A pretty ceramic teapot (so I can brew a mixture of Stash peppermint and various green teas)
• A cute but easily cleanable placemat (to put under the kitties’ food bowls)
• A pair of jeans that fit (rather than whine about the fact that mine are now too small)
• The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley

Randomness in my head today…sorry I’m not more articulate! It’s one of those days when my head is filled with worries and hopes and plans. But I do want to share this recipe with you, because it’s so delicious and comforting. And at some point this weekend, I’m going to buy Peter Berley’s book, because I have yet to be disappointed in one of his recipes.

Happy Sunday, everyone!
Gratin of Cherry Tomatoes and White Beans
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups thinly sliced spring onions or finely chopped red onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

In a bowl (or food processor if you are just making breadcrumbs) combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, 1/4 cup of olive oil and black pepper to taste.

In a large skillet, heat remaining 1/4 cup oil over high heat. Add onions and a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes, until the garlic is softened.

Add the tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil. Season with salt to taste and remove from the heat.

Stir the beans into the tomato-wine mixture and pour into the gratin dish. Spread the bread crumbs over the top. Bake until the juices are bubbling and the bread crumbs are nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Source: The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley.
January 18, 2009

Recipes
It’s root beer! In a cake!

Here’s another great recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE that book?)

I saw a photo of this and immediately wanted to bake it. So I did. I brought it to work for a co-worker’s birthday, and everyone seemed to really like it. It’s interesting, because when you taste the cake by itself, you can really taste the root beer (I used Maine Root brand, since it’s very root-beery); but once you take a bite with the frosting, it tastes like a deep chocolate cake.

The instructions warned about overmixing the batter, so I mixed it with a spoon, but I think next time I’d use an electric mixer. The finished cake had tiny swirls of white – unmixed flour – that I really wasn’t happy with.

Actually, unless someone specifically requests a root beer cake, I’d probably go with a regular chocolate one…but I’d definitely make this frosting again (using milk or coffee instead of the root beer). The recipe made enough to cover the entire cake, and there was still maybe a 3/4 cup leftover for snacking on afterward. I’m not one to eat raw dough or batter, but I can definitely finish leftover frosting.

The recipe can be found here…let me know if you try it out!

January 14, 2009

Recipes

The longest day in the history of mankind

Curry curry

The simplest thing

On my shopping list…

It’s root beer! In a cake!