Because There's More To College Than Pizza

MOVED: College Kibble!

2008-06-27T20:51:00.003-05:00

Hello all! College Kibble has moved to a new address! Please update all links (AHHAAAHA), as CK is now located at http://www.luciahawley.com/collegekibble .

See you over there!

COOKED: Chickpea Salad Or The Valetudinarian Just Threw Her Kleenex Into Her Glass Of Water. Damn.

2008-06-24T12:48:00.006-05:00

Hey dudes and dudettes, the lack of posting has been due my complete preoccupation in June 2008: The Awesome Summer of Sickness. Super-fun so far! It's that kind of cold where one finally feels better, plans and executes an actual social activity, only to wake up the next day completely broken and battered. And then the process repeats a few times. And then I actually got sick sick this past weekend, with bodily functions that really shouldn't ever happen to nice, unsuspecting people. So, there's my excuse for a lack of cooking. As it is, I can't part with much energy. On the bright side, piano playing is one activity that my crapulous body still enjoys. Zone-out to the max, a nice and brooklyn way to chill. Regardless, I still have to feed myself something. One dish I cooked was a Chickpea salad. Recipe time? Right-o.

1. Saute sliced mushrooms and finely sliced onions in preheated oil (which has a good fistful of hot pepper flakes).
2. Once those have cooked, add the chickpeas to the pan of vegs until they are warmed.
3. Transfer to bowl. Add cilantro, lemon or lime juice and salt.
4. Feta, goat, or some sort of creamy cheese is optional, but, as always, delicious.
5. For the complete Lucia-experience, enjoy while watching Ghostbusters. Thanks, VH1. I felt a particular kinship to Slimer. Bless his boogeriness.

There. There's your recipe. I hope it's satiating. If I had leftovers, I would have ground them up and made pseudo-falafels by adding around a tablespoon of flour and frying the mix.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fried Egg And Bell Pepper Salsa Or Leggo My Eggo

2008-06-06T11:16:00.003-05:00

I've become protective over mine eggs. I eat so damn many that I'm sure my bodily ratios have tipped towards the freaky side of healthy egg consumption. At least my head hasn't changed shape towards some sort of oval formation. Nope. It's still the same flat-topped shape as usual. Phew. As in my prior post, I shall attempt to give a recipe:

1. Fry an egg.
2. Make salsa out of diced tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, lime juice, red pepper flakes and onion. Take charge and gauge the amount of each ingredient as you see fit. I have faith you won't fail.
3. Put salsa on fried egg.
4. Crumble feta cheese over your sordid contraption.
5. Ignore stares from family members who suggest eating meal with a bread-like substance.
6. Do not eat the bread-like substance.
7. You'll only regret it.
8. No, really. Totally not worth it. The salsa's flavor alone is enough to make people weep. Grown men people.
9. Focus on the damn egg. It's tasty. Right? Isn't it?

YES. YES IT IS. YOU'RE SO HEALTHY NOW! CONGRATS!

(seriously, this combo is really delicious)

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Eggplant Parmesan Or This Blog's Overarching Theme

2008-05-28T13:47:00.005-05:00

Is that homework is a very useful, powerful procrastination tool. One must obviously be wise in summoning the power that is all things food. This time it was the eggplant parmesan gods who shone down on me. It all started, per usual, as I lounged around near the TV, guiltily avoiding my homework. I flipped to a reliable channel (can you guess?) the Food Network. There, I stumbled upon Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, who is lovingly nicknamed in this household as "Mr. Nips". This pet name comes from Bobby's complete inability to wear shirts that don't flaunt his precocious chest and all it has to offer. Which boils down to a lot of nip' action. Either that or he's always turned on by his food... I DON'T KNOW I JUST WATCH THE SHOWS I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT... TOO HARD. Anyway, this day was a day which had previously been set aside to write a final paper. Which had to be in Spanish. Any idea why B. Flay's down throwing suddenly looked so good? Yeah, procrasti-nation. Additionally, the New Yorkian Italian man he was trying to throw down (and completely failed to) was a master eggplant parmesan maker. Inspir(procrastin)ation went into overdrive. I Needed To Make This Dish. Now. So all thoughts paper-related went out the window into the blustery Saturday in May air as I started to cook. This process included thinly slicing the eggplant lengthwise (removing the skin as well), skipping the flour dredging step and dunking the eggplant boards straight into their egg bath. Then, to the hot oil they went. Luckily for me, there was already homemade tomato sauce in the fridge, so compiling the fried eggplants in the sauce was easy (don't think I forgot the cheeses. They were there. Pounds.) It's a pity that my pictures didn't turn out better. I think it's because I was too excited to stand still. But, with good reason, for what a day it had been! A cooking, day-walking ginger with pectoral pointiness on the tube. A hot, steaming dish of eggplant parmesan in real life. A forgotten paper.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Blueberry Honey Parfait Or Would The Naked Chef Be An Accurate Name?

2008-05-22T10:11:00.009-05:00

Whoa! It's been a while, but never fear. I'm back... finally! Now I have the whole summer to do (mostly) whatever I'd like. Regardless of what I will be doing in the future, I cooked this dessert (which just happened to replace my dinner). I don't know what inspired me. I think I wanted to prove that if I plopped myself down in the kitchen--a good way to avoid writing important papers--I could cook something sweet and dessert-like, sans the refined white sugar and flour of most desserts. (Like the fool I am, I'm still "eating well", which, for me, is basically not eating processed foods or foods that are wheat/gluten based.) Mission accomplished. WAY easy.

I'm starting to wonder if I should include recipes on this blog, some sort of addition to my blather. I'd suggest taking a vote, but as I enjoy doing what I want, STICKING IT TO THE MAN, I don't think that process will hold any merit. So we'll see what happens. But I will say it is hard for me to write recipes, because most of what I cook isn't from recipes, so I...have to think. Usually recipes aren't needed in my meals (hence the title of the post, I'm recipe-less), as nothing I cook is very fancy, and I rarely bake, which would (logically) need recipes with correct amounts of ingredients, to allow rising or whatever the thing I'm so totally not baking needs to do to... not taste like a burned puddle. YEAH!

Here's my parfait! It's all eggy. I first cooked a quasi-custard--no recipe, just eye-balled ratios/fractions/mathematical portions--beat the egg whites separately, then folded my concoction together. The blueberry sauce included frozen blueberries, honey, orange zest and rosewater (saw it in the cupboard. Eyes turned shiny. Used it.). I toasted oats and sprinkled them on top. Aaaand there's my recipe for the day!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Strawberry Salad Or Served With A Side Of Hot, Steamy Erratic

2008-05-02T21:52:00.005-05:00

I'm the strange girl (just to really drill it into your head) who brings salad to school now. First it was scrambled eggs. Even that was a little too awkward for me. "Oh no, hi! What, what is this? Just um, scrambled eggs. Those? Ah, those are peas. Does it taste good? Well, I think so. WANNA TRY SOME YUM JUST STICK OUT YOUR TONGUE NO WORRIES I DON'T HAVE HERPES OR ANYTHING JUST TRY THE EGGS THEY'RE GOOD, EVERYTHING IS GOOD, THERE'S NO NEED TO BE SCARED, HEY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, GUESS WHAT I HAVE FOR DESSERT!**" I say, I do say, as the friendly passerby wishes they could retract their previous question and run in horror. But they don't. They just kind of walk away stiffly, taking with them their furrowed brow and whatever sort of outgoing nature they still have left. Then I switched to fried egg sandwiches. I thought it was quasi-healthy. I mean, I think eggs are really healthy, and bread isn't very healthy, and cheese just tastes damn fine. That worked better. Apparently eating sandwiches is more socially acceptable than muddling about with a gladware full of scrambled eggs. Who knew! But even a carb-loving girl like me needs a break. And because this break just happened to coincide with spring, I figured why not go all out and eat well? Huh? Crazy thought, right? You know what's even stranger? I'm still doing it. And it feels great! I eat crazy salads like this, and hell, I don't miss the cake, the special noodles someone around here likes to cook all the time, the muffin failures. They're all fond memories stored away, and no worries. They'll be back, just in time for winter. For I am a creature that hibernates.

Chow, Lucia

**prunes!!!!

COOKED: Sauteed Zucchini With Poached Egg Or No Worries, That Crunching Sound You Hear, It's Only Coming From That There Pile Of Books

2008-04-23T21:37:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I think so much about myself that I forget that other people like to eat. Or, more specifically, other things like to eat. As in my homework. As in me... alive. My homework likes to eat me alive, chewing the fatty pieces extra hard, just for the fun of it. I knew there was a reason why this semester has been so hard. It's because the damned homework fights back, it rebels just as much as I do. And it's no case of "opposites attract". And, well, so far the only thing feverish about this spring is the damn cold that's been circulating since the fall... so even that's nothing new. Here's something new. And spicy. And So Damn Fine You May Blow... Up. Or A Haystack, If That's How You Swing. Want to know what I ingested yesterday? Start with super hot oil in a skillet, toss in either the a) pinch, b) thumbful, c) fistful of hot pepper flakes that ye old tongue desires. I chose option "c" and while my pain receptors regretted it MY TASTE-BUDS REJOICED IN THE MERRY LAND THAT IS HEAT. They were decked out in bikinis (at first, I've been sworn to secrecy about the later whereabouts of my... taste-buds'... clothing... Oh, intrigue!) But, I digress. So, let the hot oil work its magic on said peppers flakes, and have ready to toss in whatever vegetables you want. I only wanted zucchini (and scallions...and ginger). Let them do their thang, getting some color on one side, shaking them to the other, do it again, do it again! Meanwhile, you've got a lovely egg poaching away on a companion burner. I must admit, I've never been a fan of poached eggs until recently. I'm not quite sure what changed, but thank god it did, because a poached egg, no matter how funny its boiling water may get, is just good. Wholesome. She bang, she bang, I go crazy! wholesome, the good for the family type. Hey, so you've got this whole dish put together, yeah? Don't forget a squeeze of lime juice. I mean, if you don't do it... your sad, sad tears that will begin a'dripping will not suffice as a condiment. I speak from experience.

Chow, Lucia

REVIEWED: Little Taj Mahal Or Chewing To The Beat Of Some Rad Head Bobbing

2008-04-17T11:35:00.007-05:00

Really. I wish I had a picture or something. Maybe I'll get an artistic, beautiful shot of the receipt, because um... no one in their right mind would want to see where the food is right now (I could... try... if you, uh, wanted me to...). Hey, you know what? I must be a recluse, or something. I'm in a library, writing this entry right now, and I feel so vulnerable. Like a turtle flipped on its back, my soft underbelly and all its toughts for the whole world to see. Wha! My posts don't even make sense! Poor reader. Maybe I'll write more about Little Taj Mahal now. So anyway for the low, low price of 5.99, one can get an all you can eat styled buffet. Typical dishes include curried chickpeas, chicken marsala, palak paneer (spinich with cheese), naan, and...well, I don't know their name, but deep-fried potatoes. Someone died a heavenly death in the Dinkydome when...she... bit into one of those poofy, child-of-god potato slices. You know, that girl, in the corner, with the goofy smile on her face? Yeah, she died from over-indulgence of the soulful power that is the potato. I think this post is basically a plug for the chaps at Little Taj Mahal. They need all the lovin' they can get. In fact, go love them double time if you're a Minneapolinite, because they'll be opening a restaurant soon (NO I WON'T GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS, DON'T PRESSURE ME). They'll give you poofy potato slices. That's really the only thing my cheese-like brain can throw at you today. Here's a picture of the real thing, to inspire you:Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Carrot Soup Or The Gift That Keeps On Giving

2008-04-12T11:48:00.008-05:00

(Perhaps that title would be better suited for my "Beans Beans, the Magical Fruit" post) What is it with taking pictures of soup? Why does the suckage always seem to happen? I could have this fantastic, warm and filling soup and the photos would do it no justice. Either the top collects the soup's oil (which is a very, very scrumptious predicament indeed), the color doesn't translate to the digital symphony that is created by my superior point and shoot taking skills (Dear Photoshop: I Am Your Slave), or the fact that it's this body of liquid messes with my ability to "capture its texture". WOE IS ME. TO A POINT. Because I just made soup, you know? It's one of the best things to drown my sorrows in. But don't take that literally. Not yet, at least. Just you wait! No, don't! Turn around! Made you look! Touch your finger to your nose! I don't have one! Where's the ballerina? Quick, to the islands! I'm afraid this will be a recurring theme. My insanity uncovers its slimey self once the semester begins to come to an end. And you're stuck reading about it! In order to aid me in my quest for non-insanity, I ask you to answer the following question:

Chow, Lucia

PS IF THIS POST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, YOU WON THE QUESTION.

COOKED: Gluten-Free Bread Or Sweet, Sweet Clenchy Fists Is All Angry

2008-04-03T21:54:00.003-05:00

How many times have I bought a special, gluten free product hoping it'll taste good? I don't know, but I obviously don't get sick of it because I keep doing it. I think, in total, maybe four slices of this bread were digested. The rest was thrown away. Bad, bad Lucia. From what I can tell, it's the garbanzo bean flour, which, no matter how intensely it's baked, just doesn't seem to lose its raw, bitter bite. And bread, I address thee; thou shalt not carry thy acrid...twang... without expecting little girl tears, sad wasted energy and money. Le sigh. I didn't really cry. But the sentiment was there. Broken hearts, they heal, right? They must, because I found myself weeping salty tears of happiness over some other form of carb-y goodness later. Oh, food. T'is'alight.

PS The title had nothing to do with this post.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Banana Muffins Or Just Because They Look Healthy

2008-03-29T13:48:00.002-05:00

Doesn't mean that you have to spit them out. No, really! The muff' recipe came from the old Joy of Cooking, which is... you know... old. Back when buttery, moist and delicious muffins were not the norm. So, sigh. I pushed one into the palm of an unsuspecting victim, assuring him that these weren't like those healthy bran muffins (close cousins of cardboard) I had made last week. These were for everyone!, not just chewers of amalgamated cellulitic fibers (me, me and me). I had hoped these would be a treat for everyone, I imagined the smiles that would melt the edge off the hard, long day with every bite. Not the case. The bromidic bite of muffin was quickly spat out by the victim into not the civilized trash, but the sink. It was too hideous of a food to spare a moment to find the trash can. Thinking the victim was merely overreacting, I found another hungry fellow and offered him the rest of the muffin. He spat too! Imagine my sadness. So, I finally tried a bite. Poor, unloved muffin. It really wasn't bad, it was just so not fun. It had nothing going for it except for the sugar sprinkled on top ("Oh, how fun they'll find this!" I thought to myself as my brain directed my zealous hand to sprinkle extra, extra sugar! What a treat! What a treat!) Maybe it's a good thing that the muffin didn't turn out to be as exciting as I'd hoped. After a few more suckers walked by the batch and tried a few bites, it was settled. They weren't blackholes of doom. They were just... not fun. But I got through them, don't fret. Maybe now it makes sense as to why my favorite animal is the goat. Scrap metal, anyone?

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Coleslaw Or Cue The Wah Pedal, Unnngh!

2008-03-28T10:30:00.005-05:00

The few times I used gopher grocery were nice. Order the basics online, pick a time to have the food delivered, wait for food, get rung by the awkward gopher grocery guy with groceries in tow, let said guy in, make enough small talk until we reach apartment door, avoid thinking troublesome thoughts about how this could easily be sleezy porno (c'mon, all the elements are there. Dude in uniform, food props...me...) sign the receipt, bid the G.G guy adieu, snarf food. So one chilly Monday I recieved enough ingredients to, somewhat a la Jamie Oliver, whose show Jamie at Home involves growing and cooking his own meals, make coleslaw. Fun stuff. I took out the "growing my own food" part and only cooked it. Wait. I didn't even cook the coleslaw. That'd be limp and a wholly unpleasant experience. Yum!!Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Applesauce Or The Creepy Girl Is Back, And Why Is She Waving Like That?

2008-03-28T10:14:00.004-05:00

Food! Fooood! Dear Diary, I'm back. Can you tell? Vim and vigor in place, dirty dishes in the sink. Fun on the bun. I don't even drink coffee and I've got the jumps. The good food jumps. So, here I am to tell you about my applesauce. No need to explain how I made it (that'd waste the precious time you and I have, I swear), just trust me when I tell you it makes bad apples better. Good, even! Plus, when it's cooking in your little one-roomed abode, it makes the place down right cozy. Cozy enough to forget about that smelly poop that somehow got placed in front of your neighbor's door down the hall. The fetid gift itself isn't really the problem, it just sits there, but smells aren't picky. They go wherever the hell they want! Oh no. I've done it again. I've made a nice entry weird... But don't lie... you missed me, didn't you! Fweet!Chow, Lucia

UPDATE: Hi Or Hey Sexy Stud Muffin

2008-03-19T18:50:00.003-05:00

Do I have an excuse for not updating? Well, sort of. My camera hasn't been handy as of late, and who likes to read my drivel without something to look at? There's that. Plus school, as much as I don't like saying this, has been getting me down, which leads dear ol' Lucia to the pantry, sans the motivation to cook anything. There are other reasons. But fear not! Easter is right around the corner, and, you know, birds of feather flock together, so one rebirth's gotta lead to another... PUSH, PUSH, PUUUUSH! Just think of this as my Spring Break. From everything.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Roasted Squash Seeds Or Little Things Once Covered In Goo Have Never Been So Loved

2008-03-05T22:03:00.003-06:00

By you, reader(s)! I always enjoy the gooey, the sticky, the gross. Not like this is new for you, I hope. If it is, then just take a minute, breath, and drop everything you're doing to... learn that. There will be a quiz at the end of this blog (as a whole, not just the post, goody two-shoes) and you are expected to pass. Pass, damn you! The prize for successfully completing the imminent exam? More things covered in goo! But not seeds! It'll be a surprise, for you and me!
Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Spaghetti Squash Stir-Fry Or Lucia Felt Oddly Healthy

2008-03-03T22:44:00.004-06:00

But I mean, I had to, right? I had the ba--guts... to buy the squash, so that meant I had to keep it together long enough to eat all of it. Which isn't really much of a problem, but I've got to add some sort of intrigue to this damn post, so here we go. Fried! Stirred! Eaten in bed! If this post is getting too hot for you, I suggest immediate scampering, tail between the legs optional. I'll just be here, popping a pea between my teeth while thinking thoughts about... about... hmm. My internet just died. I can't think without that. What to do, what to do! My sentence structure will surely collapse, my words will jumble, all will implode upon itself in an unflattering manner. I... without the internet... this wonderful world of wireless is throwing me for a loop. The ability to think straight has vanished, so here, have a picture or two!

Chow, Lucia

PS, mine internet had return. I speek frily!

COOKED: Spaghetti Squash Or Oh, The Things You Can Do With A Tuesday Afternoon

2008-03-03T22:40:00.003-06:00

I cooked it. I had the time. I cut it. I waited. I forked the strands out of it. I separated out the bad goo. I used the verb "fork" in an appropriate manner. I came. I saw. I conquered my mountain of spaghetti squash.Chow, Lucia

JOINED: Great Cooks Blogroll Or I Haz Friends?

2008-02-28T20:14:00.003-06:00

Who knew! I've joined the Great Cooks Blogroll, and I must say, am feeling pretty connected to my fellows bloggers. Check them out, you'll see what I mean when I say I get a warm fuzzy feeling all over. Wait, no. It's just in my stomach...because all those blogs have pictures of food. Mmm. Did you know I like food? Huh. How about that! Whow! Wow! Surprises every here here at collegekibble... I mean hey, that's what pulls my 1-3 readers every few days... hell, every now and then I even get a comment!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Roasted Beet Soup Or If You Don't Like Chewing, Try Swigging!

2008-02-27T18:16:00.003-06:00

Because really, I didn't feel I could endure literally eating a beet. Or wait, no. I had three. Yeah, I wasn't up for "eat a beet times three". So I souped them up. I roasted the beets with onions, carrots and garlic, then later put them in my surrogate blender. I feel like there was something I put in this soup... maybe it'll come to me. Anyway, the soup was really nice at room temperature, but I'm not really into the chilled soup... thing. Maybe that's because it's still relatively really cold out. Maybe it's because I don't really like cold food. I also don't like hot food. I know! Ha! Totally thinking what you are! "Poor soul, how does she do it?" Well, it's hard, let me tell you. Whew. Thanks for not judging. It hurts, it hurts real bad. The life of the tepid temperature advocate is a difficult one, sigh.Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fried Eggs Galore Or "Close To You"

2008-02-27T18:01:00.003-06:00

You know that song by the Carpenters, Close to you? Yeah, it makes me think of fried eggs. Vice versa, too. I think it has to do with the dopey, sappy smile I get on my face whilst chowing down on a perfectly fried egg. I just discovered this joy! A few years ago I had this cool method for making omelettes which would result in a twirly pattern on one side of the eggs. They looked downright snazzy. But I got sick of them, sick enough that I have held off any major egg eatings for quite some time. Until now! I admit that while the feeling has been dwindling (I DROPPED MY PASSION AND I JUST CAN'T. SEEM. TO. FIND. IT. Get my glasses!), I have been rather egg obsessed for the past week and a half. I've eaten more than a dozen eggs, to be sure. I think that's an ok thing to do. Right? Right. It's said that cravings (real ones, I suppose) should be fed, because one craves something for a reason, like the lack of a specific nutrient. So, I've been abiding by that rule. Guess my stomach has been craving noshing on undeveloped fetuses.

What. Too far? Nah.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Spring/Summer Roll Or The Warmer Half Of The Year Roll

2008-02-24T00:29:00.003-06:00

Apparently there's debate on the appropriate names for these rolls. From what I've learned, the real Vietnamese name, gỏi cuốn, translates to "mixed salad" roll, so. Take that with a grain of salt. But don't, just pulling your damn leg! Who would mix salt and tamari sauce?? Only idiots! Fools! Hooligans! As per the typical American way, I've probably ruined the traditional 6 month span rolls by sauteeing the insides. It was way good, though. Also, it was a fast, healthy lunch option. Kind of small, though. I had to make a few (OH GOD, WORK?). Voracious appetites + exhaustion don't mesh very well. Because I could never be lazy, oh no no no.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Broccoli Over Cellophane Noodles Or Damn You Broccoli

2008-02-24T00:20:00.005-06:00

I feel like you're taking over my blog. I didn't even throw away the old head of broccoli I had in the fridge last week. No, I cut off the bad parts, cooked it, and proceeded to freeze it for later use. That's how much I enjoy and relish my brocs. So that's the little back story on why I eat so much of it and why it's always showing up here. Oh. don't leave the blog yet! I'm just getting to the interesting bit, the part that reels the reader back it, the interesting shenanigans that are inherent to All Things Lucia. So, as I was going to say, this time I cooked it I put lime and cilantro on it, so.... you know... it tasted different... and stuff. Because those noodle-y things have a good texture, but that's it. No taste, flavorless.Ha ha! Made you read the rest of the post! Sucker!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Yogurt And Oatmeal Or Why I Should Stick To Bulk Oatmeal

2008-02-20T23:36:00.006-06:00

I eat so much oatmeal. I've just recently run out, and for the first time I haven't immediately restocked. I know, I know, why write this post if I don't actually have any oatmeal? Because my friend(s), this lack of oatmeal has made me appreciate it so much more. Right now I've got this great image of me, twirling in yellow, sunny fields, caressing a big, beautiful bowl of oatmeal. Raw oatmeal, that is. For as much as I enjoy the daily bowl of hot, steamy oats, I enjoy raw oatmeal piled on top of yogurt more. Cinnamon and flavors both optional. Also, I'd like to clarify that I'm not putting a respectable sprinkling over my little bowl of yogurt. No. I go for oatmeal nirvana and load up my yogurt with as much oatmeal as it can stand. Think of a paste-y consistency, and my oatmeal concoction rides the fine line between that and stupidity. Maybe I just tolerate oatmeal well, but this usually means I end up eating at least a full cup of raw oatmeal in one of these snacks. Maybe "snacks" is a better way to put it. Later I'll get a crazy look in my eyes (I have extensive mirrors here) and go back for a second cup. Then the midnight munchies come along...

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Potato Pancakes Or Another Good Way To Love Yourself

2008-02-20T23:28:00.004-06:00

Because you know, there more of you there is, there more of you there is to love. Fluffy clouds of whipped, once-mashed potatoes reformed into pillows. Of food. Foody goodness right here, folks. Really, truely, deeply. Hey guess what, I discovered the joys of italicization, and it feels so right, so spot-on. I also may or may not be high on Nutella. Not like that's anything new. ...Sugar is my friend.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Broccoli, Tomatoes and Chickpeas Over Rice Or BROCCO-WHEEEE!

2008-02-10T12:47:00.000-06:00

Because I really enjoy my vegetables. And beans. Hell, and rice! My god!Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Brie, Red Pepper and Cilantro Quesadilla Or Bet You Wish Your Quesadilla Was Hot Like Me

2008-02-10T12:29:00.000-06:00

This qualifies a "Zomg", no matter how hard you wish I wouldn't say that. I bet you also don't like it when I say "mang" or "wtf" or any other type of internet lingo that I've picked up. Well, I have an assignment for you, then. Please find out what "w00t" means. But don't comment on my blog about it. I don't enjoy being all muddied up with comments. Who needs them! What, what you say! Sarcasm? No! Never! Shush! Truth be told, I love comments, but its not essential to the well-being of my sou--this blog. But from now on and forever more, this quesadilla is essential to my well-being. This was so good. So good. I drooled a bit just writing that. Brie in anything is good, really. I had been put off by this particular purchase of mine though. I'd open my fridge to get eggs or something harmless out, get them out, close the door, and then smell it. You know, that smell oh-so unique to brie. Well, that and feet. So I was intimidated, especially ever since I cooked a seemingly innocent piece of fish awhile back only to be completely assaulted by its smell for two full weeks after. (Need to relive the moment with me? Click here, please.) So, I've been wary mixing my apartment with strong smells. Well, I think its safe to say that I can now cook brie without hesitation (smell-wise)! Maybe 300lb Lucia will regret that I said that...

...Nah.

Chow, Lucia

PREACHED: A Disclaimer Of Sorts Or Hey, Working Hard Or Hardly Working?

2008-02-04T19:29:00.000-06:00

Ok. So, I don't have a job. I've gotten some questions (obviously not comment posts, my 0-3 readers seem a bit on the shy side) about how expensive it must be to eat all these meals I've been cooking for myself. Fresh vegetables? Fruits? It's got to add up. I'm here to say that, really, it isn't more expensive than buying myself a bunch of packaged goods where I'm paying loads just for the cardboard and plastic wrappings. I don't know about you guys, but paying for that convenience isn't very appetizing when you feel like crap after eating whatever you just bought. I'm being a bit severe, but you understand what I'm getting at. I understand very well how blessed I am to even have the time, let alone the ingredients, to cook good meals for myself. Also, I could always improve. Eat locally, stop buying imported olive oil, fruit, don't accept that piece of (gasp, I know!) pizza from Domino's. Or two. Pig, and don't even think about a late-night run across the street for some McDonald's fries! But, I guess the question that's been racing around my head for a while has been, where is the line for a college student, the line between "you're doing ok" and "oh god, you're one of the consumerist Amerikillers"? Where should the guilt stop to let that pat on the back feeling start? There's a lot of stuff I don't do, things I don't buy. What, do I get a point for that? Things like this drive me crazy. Uh oh! What happened to the food? Sorry, it'll have to come later.Chow, Lucia

REVIEWED: Halls Defense Supplement Drops, Assorted Citrus Or Excuse Me, Does My Sucking Bother You?

2008-01-31T17:35:00.000-06:00

Oh, cough drops. How I loathed thee, until you, blessed assorted citrus variety. You barely have that mentholatation manuver that so turns me off. Just a little bit, here and there, man does it hit the spot. The cough spot. Seeing as how I've been up every night for the past week and a half because of a cough, these cough drops helped me through the drowsy days after. Best part is, they're loaded with 100% DV vitamin C, which is good, no, awesome, because I have run out of my vitamin C pills and ate my last banana. It was a gross banana but I ate it anyway. To sum it all up, if you must deal with cough drops these are ones that will treat you right. Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Stir Fry Over Cellophane Noodles Or It'd Be Cheaper To Buy Packing Peanuts

2008-01-30T22:48:00.001-06:00

Can there please be a website called blooger.com? I'd go to it. Hmm. Maybe I should just make it, put my old HTML knowledge to use. Except I guess HTML is ancient news now. It's the mother of the hip, sexy XHTML. Grocery shopping together, who will the bag boy hit on? Beautifully classic HTML, or too-much-eye-liner XHTML? Probably the latter, because bag boy is dumb and doesn't recognise HTML's fantasticity. Oh, moving on, are we? Well you can stop reading right now, because I will continue this metaphor until I get sick of it. Me. Blogs are the outlet for the self-obsessed, what, has your mother taught you nothing? She's probably sobbing in a corner somewhere, dismayed by your lack of...Sorry. I suppose I have the 10:54 Jumpies. On another note, the dish I made tonight was very nice. Wednesdays, foodwise, kind of suck for me (and Mondays, to a degree). I have a half hour to eat and get from one class to another. I don't want to buy a sandwich, they... well, to put it simply, they make me sleepy. If you want me to explain that further, I will. Privately. God knows I wouldn't want to lose any of my... readers. I was trying to count how many I have. I honestly have no clue, but I'd warrent a guess of anywhere from 3 to 0. Anyway, I made my lunch of scrambled eggs and vegetables this morning, and now I know that's just not enough food to propel a blond haired mass through temperatures of -40 (windchill included). Luckily, I didn't freak out my classmates when they saw me eating it. They seemed intrigued. They seemed envious. Oh, what now? How is that even possible? Anyway, cellophane noodles were fun to try, I'd buy them again. Which means I'd eat them again. Clarifying. The noods' were very receptive to tamari sauce. And hot pans. I have dishes to wash. Excuse me.Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Potato Salad Or Just Because The Potatoes Have A Little Give To Them

2008-01-28T18:45:00.000-06:00

Doesn't mean that they're not delicious. Poor babies. Poor you, what, with that double negative! Anywoo, I left my place for a few weeks, but before leaving I made sure to use up any perishables. Guess potatoes should be added to that list. I came back last week to find them slightly shriveled and soft, quietly bawling on the lower shelf of my fridge. So, sorry potatoes. I put them out of their misery, though. They cooperated very well, sliced, diced, boiled and flipped around in their delicious dressing. The caramelized red peppers and onions are not to be forgotten, oh, yes, they dived into that salad like champions. Then they dived into me. Champions, I tell you.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Onion Rings Or Ring Around The Rosy, Pocket Full Of Greasy Hand Stains

2008-01-25T13:45:00.000-06:00

YUM. YUM. YUM. SO EASY. YUM. BET YOU WISHED YOU WERE HERE. SUCKS TO BE YOU. SO SORRY.Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Brussel Sprouts Or I Won't Say It...

2008-01-25T13:37:00.000-06:00

Ha! Bet you didn't see this coming, nope nope nope. Not from a plain oatmeal eater. Not from the prune lover. Not from the oatmeal raisin cookie endorser. Never, ever would I even think about brussel sprouts. Nor would I think about enjoying them. Well, proved your little pea sized brain wrong, again! Just kidding. I'm sure your brain is nicely sized, can't say much about mine. Who would be smart enough to eat brussel sprouts for dinner before a final exam? Obviously, this girl, yeah, right here. What.

Chow, Lucia

ps THEY WERE AWESOME.

COOKED: Potato Latkes Or 80% Water In Potatoes, 95% Potato in Lucias

2008-01-25T13:28:00.000-06:00

Plural. Yep. Again, this was a finals week meal, which would explain the potato-y, fried nature of the... potato latkes. Um. not much to say about this. Really easy, but I probably could have cooked them for a bit longer. In the hot oil. God, I love cooking. Though, I can count the number of times I've used my stove on one hand... it's stovetop all the way. Represent. If I wore buttons or patches or any of that crap you bet I'd be all over designing one that'd showcase hot oil. Or something. Not that I'd put thought into that sort of thing. Naw, I'd rather eat. I think this post needs to end now, I've never felt less love in an entry before. Fucking towhead latkes. They can't groove either (see previous post).

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Rice Noodles and Vegetables Or How Lucia Got Her Groove Back

2008-01-23T20:31:00.000-06:00

Just kidding with the title. It assumes that I once had a groove, or would be able to attain a groove. Neither of which are possible. We Minnesotan towheads are born without the groove gene. Sure, we can mosey, meander, even do the wave, but grooving is just one motion we'll never get the hang of. And for anyone who cares, I just had a grammar moment with that last sentence, the one that ends with a preposition. I tried changing it. It got worse. We'll stick with it. On to the food. God, I cooked this meal a long time ago, more than a month I do believe. Towhead memory is pretty awesome, just fyi. Maybe no grooving, but a whole lot of remembering. What's not sexy about that. I see no problem. Right, so rice noodles! Again, a Lucia Trying To Be Healthy Purchase. They're... ok. Almost like regular noodles, but not as delicious. But again, they're ok. They taste very clean. I mainly enjoyed the side of broccoli, onions and tomatoes, sauteed until the tomatoes turned almost saucey (another quality towheads lack). I apologize, but I have no food photos from my Paris Study excursion. Too awkward, what with the French staring as the big towhead takes out her clumsy camera to take a picture of their food. Better to indulge, sans documentation. I will tell you that I feasted like Louis XVI while I was over there. Maybe I will post about one special meal I ate during my weekend in London (ubertourism is not so frowned upon there). What else does a grooveless girl do in the back of an empty restaurant but take pictures of her food. Nothing, nothing I say.Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Gluten-Free Pan Fried Pizza Or Damn Do I Know How To Have A Good Time

2007-12-13T19:48:00.000-06:00

I honestly thought way back in September that during this last week of classes I'd be balled up on my bed crying for tire swings and all things childhood. Either that or constantly peeing my pants. Really, it was a toss up between the two. Who thought I'd be making food! Not me. Well, maybe me. But I guess diapers were more involved than they really are. Pee+Food! Score one for me, again. Yeah, place that little white chalk mark of win between the one for slipping on ice with a squishy burrito in my hand and the one for all the times my hat has ridden up my unshapely head. My chalkboard is almost full! What to buy with all my win points... hmm... Back to the food! So I bought this gluten-free pizza mix during a period of Lucia's Eating So Well Better Pull Out The Big Bucks For A Little Did She Know Not Worth The Cost Specialty Item. I mean, the stuff is good. But they put the pizza herbs in the dough, which is so not cool in my book (Perhaps it is a book of win? Can one have both a chalkboard and book of win?). My book of win clearly states that all true pizzas should only have the herbs in the sauce. But it also says that I'm a fool for thinking that this would be a true pizza. So, hmm. But as much crap as I've said about this poor little pizza he(you heard me) really was pretty good. I've got to find a damn lid for my large sauce pan. I'm having trouble melting cheese. It is a problem of growing proportions and keeps me up at night. It's not like I'm missing out on much. My dreams usually consist me chopping, cooking, draining and then eating broccoli. Fucking obsessed, I tell you.
Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Onion Dal Or Once, Twice, Three Times A Pile Of Dog Barf!

2007-12-13T19:46:00.000-06:00

So here is a picture of my lentils before they turned into dal. Aren't they lovely? Don't they just appear to be fantastic? Stop it. Stop it right now! You know what they will look like, so I'm just showing you before the magic happens. Because really, who wants to see another posted picture of dog barf? Such delicious dog barf, regardless.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Sweet Potato Hash Or Shh, They're Like Potatoes... Only... Ah, Well, Only Better.

2007-12-13T19:35:00.000-06:00

The day before my last three days of school was so nice. I did homework and ate. Oh, wait. That's all I ever do. Well, hey, then my life is nice! What? Socialize? You kid me. Pffft. What do you call sitting next to people in class huh? Hmm. Subject change real quick. I just noticed that when I'm thinking these entries while I type I have an insanely dirty mouth. I (in my head) emphasise each sentence with a "fuck" or a "balls" or "fucker!" or "eat my metaphorical balls!" to say the least. Again, all in my head. It's more or less my second home. Anyway, what was I posting about? Oh yeah, hashed sweet potatoes. They're way good! I also put in onions and carrots as usual. I will tell you that I thought about putting in some celery, but it drooped in a most pathetic manner when I pulled it out of fridge (and thusly quickly said a prayer or two and placed it in the trash). I'm just kidding. I don't pray! Only when I damned. See that? I'll stop. No one wants to hear what I'm really thinking. I'll continue to censor myself. All for the sake of my lovely readers.

...balls.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Flour Tortillas Or Oh, The Cravings After A 2 And 1/2 Hour Nap

2007-12-13T19:20:00.000-06:00

That's right. I took a nap that long. It was amazing. I didn't even cognize that I was tired, not until I hopped onto my bed to turn on the light next to it. That final Spanish portfolio that's due tomorrow? Yeah, it's due tomorrow. I totally had this plan to finish it tonight and be all sorts of greats (me, that is) but it will have to wait until tomorrow. What did I do that made me so tired? Who knows, life maybe. Anyway, on to the food! I woke up with a belly aching for tortillas. But not enough to walk half a block to the market and peruse the two isles for old, no-college-student-gives-a-shit-about-you-tortillas. I don't think anyone buys anything there except pop and chips. Oh, excuse me, I forgot to include milk. That's right. Bros will still drink their milk. To start a day of beer-pong off the right way! Sometimes I see their moms pull up in their large SUVs to help Timmy or Derek with the laundry. (I am) so nice. But really, who could resist making fun of boys that have, on more then one occasion, insisted on only making incoherent vocal noises at me while walking past me, such as grunts or screechs. I'm not talking about cat calls. Nope, just hoarking and hissing, all that good stuff. So, back to the tortillas! I was tired from the nap so they're thick little buggers, but I like them. They're mine. My delicious, fat children who I made and then ate like any sensible person would. I made them into quesadillas. Mmm.

Chow, Lucia

REVIEWED: Falafel "Sandwich" Or Beans Beans Beans Beans Beans

2007-12-08T22:35:00.000-06:00

Hummus drizzled over falafels? Yes please. Beans drizzled over beans? Yes please. I got this pita sandwich from a semi-new mediterranean deli (aptly named "Mediterranean Deli") here in Dinkytown. I hope they get business (there weren't many people there at all), as there are roughly three types of humans in Dinkytown, from what I can tell:

1. Coffee slurping coffee lovers who will get a muffin if they can muster the will.
2. Bros. (See: Pizza and/or Liquor store)
3. Cranky old men who are homeless 50% of the time.
It's an approximation, people. Also I won't say if I fall into one of these categories or not (some say #3, and I'd be rude to disagree in any sort of frank manner) as you can make a decision for yourself. I love blogs. It's like talking to people when all I've got is this math book for company. Oh, I guess my calculator counts as well. Sorry I forgot you there for a sec, Cassidy Casio.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Or What Champions Are Made Of

2007-12-08T22:30:00.000-06:00

These were all I ate before I presented like none other has (or ever will) about the history of North Korea. Regardless of what I am, I have always believed these to be a treat of the gods. Including the raisin part. What's with the oatmeal raisin hate anyway? Sometime in the future I'm going to replace the raisins with grapes in these cookies, for kicks. Well and for giggles, I suppose. I had no brown sugar, so these were lacy little devils.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Sweet Potato Chips Or It's Been Such A Long Time! Take Off Your Skin, Let Me Put It In The Trash Darling!

2007-12-08T22:20:00.000-06:00

Gotta love the ever versatile tuber. Why, the options are endless! Me? I choose to either fry it chip or french fry style. Maybe, just maybe I'll try mashed potatoes later! Oh, and can't forget that hash! I'm being mildly sarcastic here. Can you tell? I need to work on this whole thinking what I'm typing thing. By work on I mean further perfect upon. ...Guys, sometimes sarcasm has layers, like an onion... like me. Like me cooking an onion to sweet sweet carmelized unbeknowst heights of beauty.

Ah, the tangents of a schoolgirl. At least I'm not an old hairy guy wearing wool socks.

Hey, chips!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Noodles and Tomato Sauce Or Dinner: Sexified

2007-12-08T21:59:00.000-06:00

The tomato sauce is made from fresh tomatoes, expelled of their seeds, cooked in a bit of olive oil with a clove of garlic until they've loosened up a bit (uptight little things that they are). After that, a generous portion of greek yogurt is melted in. The noodles were special too, as they were gluten-free rice noodles. Personally, I like their consistency. I've had a brand in the past that was gummy, but this kind was just fine. It's not like I'm going to tell you the brand though. Maybe if you ask nicely or something. I'm busy being lazy at my computer, can't you see? Can't you see that?

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Cranberry Orange Sugar Cookies Or Where Is Lucia?

2007-12-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

Because I couldn't possibly be at my place. No! No one would ever expect to find white flour and white sugar at my place. Lucia doesn't eat those things, she doesn't cook with those things. Well, did you think I'd talk in third person, too? Surprises, everywhere! Truth be told, I bought those heavenly ingredients for a party I threw. It was quite a crepe-y event. My friends can attest to that. Anyway, now I have this flour and sugar here and well, I won't be here for roughly a month this winter so... I've got to be a good kid and not let these things go to waste. I introduce you to Lucia's Home-dried Cranberry and Orange Zest Sugar Cookes (Hey look! Third Person again. Huh.) This was the first time I used my cranberries in any sort of recipe. Drying them was really easy, I put them in boiling water until they cracked, and then into a oven that had been preheated to 350 for about ten minutes, then turned off. After a night in the oven, they went above my fridge to hang out for about a week. A long time, right? Honestly, I thought they'd get moldy or aquire some sort of wonky flavor. But they turned out just fine, and even better in cookies!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Ceasar Salad (And Salmon) Or Mmm, If You Didn't Want To Kiss Me Before...

2007-12-08T21:40:00.000-06:00

...God knows you want to now. Garlic and fish breath? Oh, behave. This lettuce was really great though. It wasn't typical romaine, which I often find to be bitter and watery. If I remember the name I'll edit this post...check back, my flunkies!

Chow, Lucia

PS By "flunkies" I mean my esteemed readers. Obvs.

COOKED: Swiss Chard and Potato Soup Or Boil Damn It

2007-12-08T21:34:00.001-06:00

Mmm, BOILED LEAVES IN THEIR OWN BROTH. But really, what a lovely dinner. It was super filling and the potatoes were thinly sliced so they weren't too boorish for my lovely chard. I used a full head of the swiss chard, but, like always, it cooked down to a reasonable portion within minutes. What else, what else... hmm... I suggest you cook this. I've noticed I don't really do recipes on this blog, but that's mainly because I don't use recipes too often. Impressed? Nah, don't be. It's the damn lack of time that makes me so creative (but, for the record I didn't think up this recipe. Nope. My mom did).

Chow, Lucia

FOUND: Orange Jelly Bellies Or Willy Wonka's Pad Aint Got Shit On The Rosedale Super Target

2007-12-08T21:16:00.000-06:00

Do you ever find things? Magical things? Delicious, edible things? Because I did yesterday. I managed to get over to the Super Target in Rosedale. You know how Super Targets have those big grocery sections? Well, they apparently also have half an aisle dedicated to large dispensers of Jelly Belly jelly beans. They come in those dispensers like coffee, where there's a grate under it to catch all the spewed jelly beans... needless to say someone made a mess yesterday. There were jelly beans, right there, just waiting for me. Calling out to me, in that bright orange seductive manner of theirs. I'm not claiming to be an artist, but I felt I needed to draw the scene.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Not Baked Tilapia, But Some Other Type Of Fish Or Ode To The Fish

2007-12-05T22:27:00.000-06:00

Ode To The Fish

Fish of few colors

I hand selected you,

Love was in my hands,

reaching towards your

taut flesh, ready to be

cooked,

served,

consumed by me.

Your owner that you ruined,

Oh fish,

Never have I stank the way I did,

my quilts, my desk, my being, my soul they

carried you on, for days at a time, never fading

in quite the way I hoped

Wash I did,

Lies, they told me, you've done no such thing, but

I beseech you, fish, that I did

I washed with detergents, with tears

nothing will ever fully separate us, fish,

and for that, I hate you.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Beet, Orange and Jicama Salad Or Oh, The Never Ending Supply Of Beets

2007-12-05T22:16:00.000-06:00

I still have a few in my fridge. Man. I AM NOT A GENIUS. I cannot make myself want something. It has to come from deep within, from a source of a most inexplicable nature. Hunger. But for what? This time it was for beets. Again! This time, I roasted them. Real thin, real thin. I don't really have to explain this dish, what you see is that you get. I should really retrieve my pepper shaker from the spot behind the stove however. He was the only spice in my life, sigh.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Eggplant Sandwiches Or This Is Your Brain Speaking

2007-12-05T22:12:00.000-06:00

Your brain is speaking to me. Yes, it really is. There's no denying it, there's no reason to even be ashamed of it. I know what you're thinking. You're think this looks good. But, not for dinner. Oh no, no no no! Not at all. This is a lunch. Nothing more, nothing less. Well my friend, how right you are. Never again will I doubt you. What now? You wish the cheese had melted? Child, you ask too much of me. Sigh, I thought we were on the same page. Back you go. Where to? Oh, you know. You know.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: A Fried Medley Of Sorts Or Hey, Now, Let's All Be Friends.

2007-12-05T22:03:00.000-06:00

Cravings. They crawl up, stick to you, eat at you. Once you fulfill that craving, I can't think of anything else so wonderful. I get high off food. Anyone who has seen me sit down to dinner after a long day will notice that shine in my eye, that intense sparkle... of addiction.

Thusly, I sometimes get cravings that I don't really understand. This was one of those days. "God... I'm so hungry. More rice? Yuck. I... I... damn. What the hell am I going to eat? Everything seems nasty. Except for that ginger. Man. Why can't I just eat the ginger? Damn. I... I... hey... that pepper looks, no I can smell the juciness of that pepper." So I did what I wanted. I ate the ginger. Sliced and fried baby, with some potatoes and a bit of the pepper. But I mostly ate the pepper raw. And it felt so good.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fried Rice Or This Isn't What Made My Coat Smell Bad

2007-12-05T21:56:00.000-06:00

Guys, I cooked this such a long time ago. It's been at least a month. But I just rocked a presentation on North Korea and am back for a post. Or two. We'll see how far I get.

So I bought some frozen salmon from Gopher Grocery and thought I'd give it a whirl in what else but Lucia's favortie dish, fried rice. First I defrosted/cooked the salmon in a pan. I wanted to keep it whole but that just didn't happen, so I decided to... flake it. Then I tossed in the rice and went on my merry way. I also love cilantro. It made the rice very nice and flavorful. Quite quite.

Chow, Lucia

DRAWN: Foodie Or How A One-Way Mind Works

2007-11-29T09:18:00.001-06:00

Ten minute madness! The left side of the comic is pretty gentle, and then by the right side I don't know what happened to style. Maybe he's not a foodie.

Chow, Lucia

I've been asked to explain this. So, the story goes from left to right. I see a bag of play-doh (though I put it as dough as a joke) and my mind wanders about, thinking of all the fantastical things I could make. But what is most appealing is making a cupcake out of the play-dough. So I do... but because it looks so good, I eat it.

COOKED: Roma Tomatoes, Plantains and Queso Fresco Or I Only Cooked 1/3 Of Said Food!

2007-11-17T18:42:00.000-06:00

I felt pretty special eating this. Everything was lovely. Fresh, pure and of a good quality. There's not much to explain. Just, well, I hope some of you feel like cooking plantains now. They are so worth it goddamnit.
Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Tomato and Cilantro Dal Or Sigh, Still No Real Camera

2007-11-17T18:36:00.000-06:00

So this was the second day I didn't have my camera. No worries, these are the only two posts with shitty pictures. Oops. I mean, who cares? Food Is Beautiful. Use your damn imagination. And I'm not in the mood for you to compare this dish to

a. Barf

b. Poop

c. Anything dog-related

Deal? Good. Because this was AWESOME. It was all warm and the tomatoes melted into something beautiful.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Tamari Glazed Salmon, Sauteed Tomatoes and Spinich Or Sorry Red Fish, Blue Fish Will Have To do Without You For The Next Stanza

2007-11-17T18:02:00.000-06:00

The one day I didn't have my camera... I used my phone's camera, which is not bad, just kind of blurry. This was all in one pan. This was easy. This was fun. And delicious. Next time I would use less, if any, olive oil on the spinich, it just didn't need it. I would use more tomatoes. I would write full sentences. I would stop doing homework. I would, oh I would!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fried Zucchini Or Why I'm Glad We Humans Have Fingernails

2007-11-06T17:09:00.000-06:00

I cut those zucchini slices damn thin. Egg batter, hot oil, salt. It was for lunch so I kept it simple and ate them with slices of cheese. I know you're jealous. You, yes you. And no this is not sarcasm, whatever gave you that idea.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Scrambled Eggs With Potatos And Tomatoes Or Eggs, Tomatoes and Potatos OH MY Or She Woke Up With The Sun On Her Plate

2007-11-01T16:52:00.000-05:00

Again, I ran out of oatmeal one morning and had to resort to other food stuffs. Oh no, I thought. Ok not really. I liked this so much I didn't even want to go buy oatmeal. Go figure. I sauteed the potatos first, then the tomatoes and finally added the eggs at the last minute. Nothing could be simpler. Well ok oatmeal is a much more mindless task. But this has flavor, and oh the flavor my friends! There is something so clean about the three ingredients, it was a really nice way to start my day. God knows I don't want to see Tony the Tiger any time soon.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Acorn Squash Or Peter Peter Pumpkin...Beater?

2007-11-01T16:40:00.000-05:00

So I had this acorn squash. I wanted to eat it, I knew that for sure. But... how? And, well... with what? I decided to suck it up and just cook it for god's sake, it had already been in my fridge for a month. I settled on cutting it in half and baking it with a bit of butter and sugar. It worked pretty well! I would have liked something to go along with it, but I didn't have much else in my cupboards... or anywhere for that matter. Warm, sweet and buttery. I ate one half, and now the other is sitting in the fridge. If I could make ice cream, I would make it with that. Fall like and delicious. Although, the temperature of my fridge is whacky, so really, I have the half left with a iceberg of condensation newly erected on it. It's kind of cool. It'd be cooler if I could sled on it.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Sauteed Peas Or I've Got Peas On My Head, But Don't Call Me A Pea Head

2007-10-29T23:44:00.000-05:00

Saute! Saute! I think a spice of sorts would have been nice. This is so simple. Maybe some garlic would have been nice too. All I know is that I gobbled this up like there was no tomorrow. But, I'm sad to say that the once infamous Bird's Eye Sweet Peas we used to get when I was little have slowly but surely crept to the dark side of the pea family. The tasteless, boring side. Like a bad joke, that's what these peas reminded me of... in the most metaphorical of senses, to be sure.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Mushroom Potato Soup Or Mmm Floaty Things In Broth!

2007-10-29T23:35:00.000-05:00

If that title didn't entice you then nothing in this post will so you can just stop reading and go check your e-mail again. It was a cold night full of homework and rain. I walked up to my fridge and realised the mushrooms were just about to turn on me. So I souped them. Really, I initially wanted this soup to be smooth, but I don't have many things in this abode that would do that for me so I kept things simple. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the simple broth with the very finely sliced potatos and mushrooms. If only I had had a baugette of sorts.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Sauteed Maduros Or How I Learned To Eat Really Hot Food On Really Hot Days.

2007-10-29T23:28:00.000-05:00

And how did I learn? I was really hungry and the door to the fridge was broken, occasionally held closed with a waxy-from-too-many-little-kid-hands old shoestring. So we cooked. Level two of the plantain is the maduro stage, the ripe stage. It was pretty easy to peel these suckers. Ok so peel, cut thinly and saute. Easy. Eat for lunch. PS that fantastic story I just wrote went down in Nicaragua just in case you didn't catch on. Maybe I'll cook a fish dish for you and remedy your slow neurological connections. Jeez. I've got to do all the work around here. God it's late.

COOKED: Plantain Empañadas Or FRIED FRIED FRIED

2007-10-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

Mmm, but how can you resist the temptation frying brings? Quick, easy, delicious and I've made it a point to believe that a quick dunk in super hot olive oil can't be all that bad--hell, I haven't touched the butter in my fridge for weeks now. Hmm. Maybe that isn't something to be proud of. Anyway, these are my plantain empañadas, a rough recollection of one of the plantain dishes I would help prepare during my two months of volunteer work in Nicaragua. There are three degrees of ripeness plantains obtain that I have been blessed to eat. First, the unripe plantains, which I used for this dish. Chop them in half, peel on, boil in water until soft and then mash like potatoes. Once mashed and cooled a bit (burnt hands are not cool guys) take a palmful in hand and smooth down a bit, making an indent with your thumb. Place a bit of cheese, I just so happened to have Queso Fresco, in the middle and bring the sides of the flattened mash up around, thus creating the empañada. Fry. Eat. Fry more. Eat those too. Wish you had bought more plantains right? I did. More about plantains later!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Pan Roasted Cauliflower And Spiced Rice Or Shades Of White

2007-10-26T21:35:00.000-05:00

The picture of this dish doesn't do it much justice. I used a mixture of spices mixed by none other than mother dearest--http://everydayroz.blogspot.com--to pan roast the cauliflower, and put a bit in the rice as it was cooking. Not a bad lunch! The roasting really helped the flavors of the spices to come out, while the rice kept it all subtle-like. I have a thing about my food being all the same color, which was a bit of a turn-off of this dish. And my plates are white too. But at least it tasted good!

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Baked Potatos and Green Beans Or I Deflowered My Oven!

2007-10-26T21:27:00.000-05:00

I hadn't used my oven until this fateful night. It was cold out and I had an episode of 3rd Rock From The Sun sitting all ready on my computer, waiting for a viewer and her food. I want to call this dish scalloped potatoes, but I actually used an egg amongst other ingredients--cheese being one--to pour over the spuds and beans before cooking. I felt pretty healthy. Beats Kraft Mac&Cheese. I suppose for the ultimate diet I could just take a tip from my neighbors the bros and just start a liquid diet of beer. Champions! Anyway if I were to cook this again I think I would blanch the green beans before baking them. They were just on the edge of not being cooked enough.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fennel Lime Risotto Or Shut Up Homework I'm Busy

2007-10-26T21:16:00.000-05:00

So I went to Lund's and decided to conquer a, well, not a fear but a long held hesitation I've had towards a particular plant: fennel. Something about a vegetable tasting like licorice just seemed so unappealing. So, I took the leap and bought myself one of the pearly white bulbs. But what, I pondered after I had brought it home and put it in the fridge, was I going to DO with it? Salad? Too intense raw. Roasted? Nah, no desire to use the oven. Then it hit me.

I had two options. Either cook a quick meal for myself and get started on homework, or... not. So I chose the latter. And boy, did I win. I thought about meals that took longer than half an hour to prepare and realised that I could make the most scrumptious of meals, risotto. To boot, FENNEL risotto. I cooked and stirred and added and waited unitl finally, my masterpiece was complete. Fennel Risotto. Now, only thing left to do was taste. Wait. Something wasn't right. It was like it was missing some key ingredient, something to bring out the fennel. Something sharp but flavorful. Something called lime peel. I'm going to stop typing because I've got to clean up all this drool.

Chow, Lucia

ETA: This is my original post, which I thought I had lost! So, I had gone to Lund's and decided to face one of the few vegetables that I had never really tried or thought that I would like. Fennel. It always appeared to be beautiful--pearl white bulb, long tender stalks with delicate dark green fronds--yum, right? Only, I'm not a big fan of licorice. That's what scared me the most. Vegetable that tastes like licorice? Heh, white flag flying here.
But I conquered my fears and placed the awkward vegetable in my basket. I came home, unsure what to do with it. Stir-fry? No, too many other flavors...Sauted? No, what would I eat it with? Then I glanced over at my homework, the pile tipping precosioculy and taunting me. I needed a distraction. And something delicious. With fennel. Then it hit me, risotto! Takes a long time to cook, needs attention, is a good base for vegetables, and is insanely rich and great. So, fennel risotto, I decided. The night would either have been a grand waste of my time, or a huge success.
Well, I'm posting about it, so take a guess. IT WAS A SUCCESS. The bite of the fennel slowly turned into a warmed whisper of it's dauntingly raw state. The fronds were used as a last minute flavor burst--not so licoric-y as the other parts. I also added lime zest to the risotto, which worked so well.

COOKED: Yan Fries Part Deux or Damn Those Were Good

2007-10-26T21:07:00.000-05:00

So my first attempt at making yam fries went over really well (except for that lack of sour cream, sigh). Why cook them again so soon after? Because this time I wanted more yam, more flavor, more JOY to come out of them. So I cut the strips thicker. What a fun treat this was! Yams make me appreciate taste. And sight. And fried foods. And salt. Hell they make me appreciate LIFE. YAMS=LIFE.

You scoff, say I've gone too far. Never! You'd be this excited after 200+ pages about Energy And Mass Transfers.

The last picture is a better representation of their color.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Fired Rice Or Something Not To Cook In A Small Space

2007-10-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

One thing I'm learning about living in the same space that I cook my food in is that if you're dealing with really hot pans and spurtage and oil is that the damn oil goes everywhere. And I mean, it travels through the air, as if it decided to break up into tiny little micro droplets and settle onto your mirrors.

Either that or the stench seeps into fabrics. Of all sorts. Not to say that my food smells bad, but cooking something in the morning/afternoon and coming back eight hours later, well... that's the stench I'm referring to.

BUT I cooked fried rice and cut my carrots real small and added the frozen peas at the last minute and had an egg in all of it.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Eggs and Quickie Hashbrowns Or LumberJill's Plate: Where's My Ox?

2007-10-26T20:51:00.000-05:00

So, I usually have a pretty basic breakfast of oatmeal... with the occasional shot of milk. Oh and this week I added raisins! I'm going to be such a happy toothless old woman, I can't wait!

But I digress. I got a bit bored with the oatmeal route and decided to actually cook something with flavor (I won't mention that I usually add flax seed to the oatmeal, too ...oh snap). So I took to breaking open a few eggs, scrambling their brains out and melting pepper jack cheese in. So warm, and a pinch of salt. Good stuff. But, who wants just eggs? If they are healthy, I've got to fix them and add some real food. Hashbrowns, baby. Except I had things to do, being a modern girl in this modern world. Things like turning on my computer. So I grated the potatos (takes two seconds, literally) and tossed them in the hot splash of oil. Nothing else.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Failure

2007-10-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

NOOOOOOOOOO

I had just finished a post (a delicious, delicious post, sigh), clicked save and then BAM, it all deleted. How disappointing. I will post soon. I need to go drown my sorrows in homework. As usual.

SNACKED: Candied Papaya, Or Hey What An Autumnal Color Must Eat It

2007-10-04T20:10:00.000-05:00

I must be a sucker for color. I waltzed into the new Lund's on Central Ave (which is pretty expensive, but awfully fun) and these caught my eye. They're sold as "Dried Papayas: Low Sugar and NO Sulfur!" but really, these are not low sugar and are instead a delectable candied fruit. The texture of fruit is important, sure, but there's a crystallized sugar crunch that is the more appealing part. In fact, they're so sugary that I only took a few bites before I was satisfied. That was a new experience...

Hey guess what! I caved at the store today and bought sugar. And orange marmalade!

On to the visual stimulation:

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Yam Fries, Or I Yam What I Yam

2007-10-04T14:11:00.000-05:00

I get so sick of hearing complaints from college kids about their poor eating habits. They know--well, some of them--that Ramen starts to taste pretty shitty after awhile. But, any of the kids who have stovetops, those not in dorms really, can make good food in a short period of time.

What's with the veggie fear I see in my peers? Why must we forever be restricted? Yams are well priced. They're sweet. You can make them do whatever you want (they're the adoring nerd of the starch family). So I fried them. Hard. You could put sugar on them, but since I don't actually have any of that in my place, I salted them instead. I don't think I missed out on anything. Peel, cut the yam into thin, thin striped and plop into salted oil of choice (I like olive). Leave on one side for a few minutes, flip when browned. I cooked two batched in 10 minutes. And they were well done, too. That's my pref, I wanted them crispy. I think sour cream would go well, it's what my little taste buds were craving. I substituted with goat cheese (Caution: Goat Cheese Frequently Used):

Yum. Need I say more? Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Rice Soup

2007-10-04T14:01:00.000-05:00

Look at the clock. 30 minutes before the night class. Only staple foods are inside barren cupboards. Shit. What to make? The flu is coming, or maybe it's just a cold. Either way, warm and fast is necessary in order to presevere through the night class and whatever is attacking your body.

Soup.

Rice (you'll soon realize how often I eat it) cooked in chicken broth with onions and and carrots tossed in. Takes fifteen minutes. Grate parmeasan, let melt, eat. Don't know how much it helped with the illness, but sure tasted damn fine. Here's my little bowl:

REVIEW: Turkish Delight (Creme de Menthe)

2007-10-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

And that it is, delightful. A gift to my mom from a friend, I went to my parent's house recently and fell in love with the novel sweet. I had once tried a bite of another type of Turkish Delight a few years ago, but it failed flavor-wise and is worthy only of shunning. Shun shun.

Not this stuff. I think it has to do with the specific flavor of this particular box of it, mint. It just seems to work with the texture of the candy. Each bite is soft, rolled in powdered sugar and melts in indulging mouths. The mint was graceful and the taste lingered, which only spurred me to take another morsel.

Also, this particular brand is packaged in a cute box adorned with quirky figures. Win-win! Here are the photos of this most delightful treat:

By the way, I didn't steal it from my mom. She saw the good-food glint in my eye and slyly nuzzled it into a bag I was taking back to my place. She rules.

Chow, Lucia

COOKED: Rice and Beets

2007-10-01T22:06:00.001-05:00

Beets. They get such a bad rap. Sure, they've been canned. Sure, those canned ones taste as bad as canned foods can get. But I think we should give real, fresh beets a second chance. Boiled, they only slightly resemble potatoes (and that's to get you comfortable with them), but have a delicate texture and sweeter bite.

Let me explain. I came home today, after my morning classes, aching for some rice. However, as staple foods go, it can get pretty boring as a side dish. And, as college life goes, you can get pretty low on foods that are edible together. So, I used what I had at hand. Rice, onions, and yes here we go, beets. I cooked the rice as usual, thrown into boiling water with salt, in a bright metal pot. But this time I threw in those beets and onions too. I had a few reason for using the beets.

A. They were getting old.
B. They're an amazing fuchsia color when sliced, and they give up some of that color into whatever they're being cooked with.
C. How could I pass up purple rice?

Turns out that the rice didn't turn purple, or even pink. No. Instead, after 20 minutes of anticipation and the smell of onion enticing me, I took off the lid of the pan, turned off the heat. After the initial steam clouded my vision, there it was. Fire red rice--some grains with tails of orange--and the beets a dark crimson. I stop here to let the pictures speak.

And the taste? Like I said, fresh beets are really good. And, to top it all off, I added a spoonful of goat cheese. That was magical. The only problem I came across was aesthetic. The dish was awfully red. So I added some frozen peas to the mix, and they were gently warmed by the remaining heat in the pot. Christmas-y, but a bit more visually stimulating (and only heightened the flavor). Behold.

If this isn't a foodie's dream, then I don't know what is. I redeemed beets.

Chow,
Lucia