#I wanted to try a honey garlic chicken recipe that is actually easy but I don't own vinegar or soy sauce

[silentspaces]

The worst thing about trying to get into cooking is that all these recipes call for ingredients that I don't have and I will ultimately use for this single recipe and then never again (because I will give up on cooking in 2 weeks)

[spooniechef]

Roast Chicken, Squash, and Red Onion with Lemon and Rosemary (1 spoon)

First of all, happy Disability Pride Month! I honestly wish I could do something a little more festive for it - I’ll see what I can dig up for the month. Still, since I’ll have to fight fibro fog and the consequences of last night’s rather epic bout of insomnia, mostly I’ll be going through a bit more of my Rukmini Iyer cookbook “The Roasting Tin” this month. Well, that and tips on a marinade for a really good roast beef, and possibly cottage pie if I have the spoons. That or I’ll finally make use of the recipe I found for home-made gluten free condensed cream of mushroom soup and finally do the tuna noodle casserole I’ve been desperate to try.

But for now, back to Rukmini Iyer’s obsession with red onions, lemon, and rosemary in combination (it was steak last time, if I recall). This one’s a one-spoon, but that one spoon is a fairly large one because of the peeling, seeding, and chopping of a squash. Still, despite that and it not being all that great for batch cooking (it only realistically makes two meals), it’s still worth it, as it’s a really tasty dish and at least it’s one day’s worth of leftovers. It’s good for if you feel like doing something fancy but also need it to be low-effort.

Here’s what you’ll need:

500g (a little over a pound) chicken thighs and drumsticks (though I just used thighs)

300g (a little over 1/2 pound) squash of your choice, cut into wedges (I used butternut)

1 red onion, cut into eighths

1 lemon, cut into eighths

6 cloves garlic, bashed

4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary

2-3 tablespoons honey

Olive oil (though you could technically use whatever oil is available)

Salt and pepper to taste

Seriously, the only real work this involves is peeling a squash, which is never easy. I largely picked butternut squash because I like butternut squash, it’s easier to come by in the UK than acorn squash, and it’s a little easier to peel, if not by that much. I did manage to do this one during a particularly brutal pain day, though, so it’s probably not that bad.

Here’s what you do:

Preheat oven to 200 C / 180 C fan assist / gas mark 6 (395-ish F / 355-ish F fan assist)

Place chicken, squash, onion, lemon, garlic, and rosemary in a large roasting tin

Throw in a generous splash of olive oil, drizzle in the honey, and add salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything in the tin so it’s all evenly coated with the oil and honey, then roast for 1 hour until the skin on the chicken is brown and crispy

Overall, pretty simple. A couple of notes:

I cheated with this one. I didn’t actually have a lemon and was having too bad a pain day to go out for one. So I just put the oil, the honey, and some bottled lemon juice in a bowl, mixed well, and then poured that over the chicken and veggies. I probably used a bit too much lemon juice, and I imagine it would have been a subtler flavour had it just soaked out of the roasting lemons as intended, but it still worked fairly well. Probably easier than trying to evenly coat everything with honey, too, so if you do have a lemon, mixing the honey into the oil before coating the chicken and veggies would probably make things easier.

I served this with potatoes, but I have a feeling rice would have worked better. Though that could have been the “too much lemon” thing. Either way, it does probably want a little bit of something starchy to go with it. Or, if you’re cutting down on your carbs, something like broccoli or asparagus or something green might also be nice - there was just an awful lot of orange and yellow on that plate in general and while I’m not going to win any Instagram foodie contests for my plating, it’s nice to have some colour in the dish.

Like I said, there’s honestly not much to this one beyond having to peel a squash.

[alsamara]

December In Review

Well let’s start off with I’m stealing Li’s template.

What’s In My Cup?

AM: As of late I’ve been drinking black/earl grey tea w/ honey or drip coffee because too much caffeine has been giving me massive anxiety and OCD tics which we don’t even want to get into. I add 1 scoop of Agent Nateur’s holi(mane) which is just collagen powder w/ pearl powder. It actually really helps the evenness of my complexion in my skin. Then I add some hazelnut, english toffee, or vanilla stevia drops depending on the vibe I’m in each day and then my nut pod creamer. Also, you guys I’ve been putting my warm drinks in my ember cup I got for Christmas and it keeps it to the temperature I want for so long, I can shower, do my skincare, whatever and it’s still the same temp. 😭 life changing.

During the day: I’m drinking water with silica drops for thicker and healthier hair, ultima electrolytes in lemonade, and trace mineral drops. I rly want to try the LMNT??? Element??? (Idk..) electrolytes, but why do all the flavors sound like they taste bad.

During the holidays I have been partaking in an occasional sprite that I mix with white peach cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, frozen cranberries, and a sprig of rosemarry as a little mocktail vibe.

PM: I’ve been drinking teas. My favorites have been spearmint, hibiscus tea w/ honey, or elderberry healer by the company rishi.

What’s On My Plate?

AM: smoothies are my go to.. usually strawberry & banana with almond milk, cacao powder, inulin, flax seed, chia seeds, rice bran, pearl powder, chocolate protein powder, cacao nibs, and honey to make it taste like a chocolate covered banana/strawberry.

Pm: I have been rly into a couple things that I’m just rotating…

1. smash burgers on corn tortillas that have been all over TikTok lately. They’re just easy and take such little planning.

2. I marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs in coconut aminos, salt, minced garlic and minced ginger from a jar and cook it in a pan with all the sauce from marinating. Add it as a dressing on top of a bed of lettuce, cilantro, green onions, sugar snap peas, cabbage slaw mix, and add vermicelli noodles if I’m feeling like I want some carbs.

3. Another one is chicken thighs skin rubbed w/ salt & garlic, fry up the chickens and then remove them from the pan add in black rice (super high in antioxidants) with minced ginger, garlic, let it soak in all the oils and then I add chicken stock, a can of coconut milk and lemongrass smashed. Then add the chicken back in and ignore it for 40 mins. ( this is just a recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow clean plate book which I kind of die for)

My mom and I made Julia Childs lamb for Christmas with green beans and an endive salad.

What’s On My Bookshelf?

Currently reading the 4th book in the “Magnolia Parks Universe” It’s called “The Great Undoing” the series starts out with a book about Magnolia Parks and BJ which is the most toxic but addicting love affair we’ve all had and the 2nd book goes on to Daisy Haites which is like crime lord familia, brother steals paintings from the louve type vibe with more love triangles between both worlds from different perspectives and the 3rd book goes back to Magnolia Parks and the 4th is now back to Daisy Haites.

What’s In My Playlist?

I’ve been into classical music or scores that have been evoking feelings of a past life or have been allowing me to just feel my feels. If not that I’m rly into the song High by Steven Sanchez .. hawt 🫡

What I’ve Been Up To?

I was going crazy for Christmas decorating I wanted it to feel like the North Pole, but honestly it also made me kind of depresssed. My expectations are always high for holidays. My sister never comes home for ANY holiday and always spends it with Lara’s dad side. We used to always spend Christmas night at my grandparents on my Dad’s side of the family and I think that makes the holiday feel lonely now that they’re gone and my uncle is in Boston. Usually we go over to my neighbors on Christmas Eve and she has this huge pasta party, but she cancelled cause she had a pinched nerve in her back and we ended up cooking her a huge lasagna and taking over chicken pot pies for her Christmas Eve + Christmas. I was over stimulated but not with Christmas joy. Happy to help, but I’m feeling exhausted. I enjoyed spending time with my parents and surprising my mom with a gift for her business my dad and I snuck around to get, but as sad as it is to say… I feel relief that Christmas is over and it’s time to bring in a new year.

I am severely dedicated to my physical therapy and my body now that I’m stationary and not traveling around. 3 days out of the week I’m at the clinic in tractions. One where I’m strapped in to the wall pulling my neck to the left and one with 25lbs pulling my neck forward and 20lbs pulling my head back to reintroduce the C curve into my spine. Then I have a ton of at home exercises they have me doing for my knees/ankles and spine as well everyday. It’s a holistic clinic so I’m going to see their nutritionist in January and go further cutting out foods and getting clear on what my body needs to be its highest and best self.

I got a pill organizer from Amazon cause I’m trying to be better about my supplements… it’s been life changing. I’ve been taking saffron 3 times a day to help mood stabilize and gaba to help calm my brain ( both life changing ), chlorophyll, heavy doses of omegas, vitamin d3k2, zinc, glycine which is a building block for collagen, pumpkin seed oil for long hair, and a lot of Bach essences to keep my brain as peaceful as possible.

I’m spending lots of time with my animals. One of my ducks is being a bully so we had to separate berry cause her leg is hurt and cherry won’t stop standing on her back pulling her feathers. We’re collecting about 7 eggs from our ducks and chickens per day.. which is crazy cause I can’t eat eggs anymore, so we’re over flowing with eggs. We have 2 strays in our basements that we are taming to hopefully adopt out or have as outdoor cats that come inside at night… only time will tell.

I finally bought an air doctor for Christmas and I feel like I’m in a pure oxygen tank the air feels so clean (I found a coupon code for $300 off if anyone is interested)

I’ve deep diving into astrology and doing moon rituals.

Every first of the month I’ve been blowing cinnamon through my door which I highly suggest for an abundance practice and washing your cards with cinnamon water.

Skin & Hair Saviors

Face reality is my tried and true. I’m afraid of anything else but I rly want to venture out. I’m going to start micro needling at home to help plump my skin & get rid of acne scars.

My red light/blue light therapy wand + my near infrared/red light therapy panel are saviors.

I use golabs rosemary hair oil any chance I have to let it sit and chill and I use her other oil on my ends and then pop it in a shower cap and let it simmer for at least an hour.

Virtue hair oil with keratin has been my go to before I braid my hair every night.

I’ve been using a ph balanced shampoo by k18 & a rice water conditioner called mykirei..

I also do a apple cider water rise on my scalp to balance PH after I shampoo and condition ( 4 parts water, 1 part acv)

Miss & love you all

Aly 💗

[prismatic-bell]

Nina's "Thank You, Diamond" Barbecue Sauce

So a couple of weeks ago, I made a post about how, after searching a ton of mommy blogs for a decent barbecue sauce recipe, I turned in desperation to Tumblr and said "I need a Black person to teach me how to make barbecue sauce." A Black woman named Diamond answered this call, and taught me some tricks of the trade and base ingredients. Then she told me to go forth and experiment, because to actually teach me how to make her barbecue sauce she'd need me in her kitchen. And a few weeks ago, at long last, I'd finally put together something I liked.

Several people asked for the recipe, which put me in a fix because I, like Diamond, grew up knowing of measuring cups as things you either used for baking or took as suggestions. But I'm making barbecue chicken tacos for work today, so I pulled out my measuring cups and got to work translating my "yeah, that looks about right"s into actual measurements for y'all. The amounts listed here will provide enough sauce for two chicken breasts, in a consistency thick enough to baste on if you're grilling. (If, like me, you're slow-cooking, just add a little water to thin it.) THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: --all measurements are approximate; I dolloped "the right amount" into measuring devices, rather than actually measuring. Don't assume any measurements are exact.

--adjust to your taste as needed. --I have a gas stove and cooked this on low. You may need to adjust for electric ranges. --if you're the kind of person who eats habanero salsa, you won't find this spicy. If you're the kind of person who uses mild sauce at Taco Bell, you will. Adjust as needed. Be aware that nothing in this recipe adds spice for spiciness' sake, and the flavor profile will be altered if you remove all of the spicy ingredients. --taste frequently. You want to build a knowledge of what it tastes like at each step so you can check on it, plus this will help you adjust to your personal tastes. --yes, if you don't live in the Southwest you'll either have to find an international grocery or order chiles de arbol online. Don't whine, as the TikTokker who does the Glam Kitchen says, "put in the effort, Kyle!" ON TO THE RECIPE! 4-6 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped 1/2 sweet onion, diced 1 tsp fresh grated ginger Bloom your garlic in some olive oil in a two or three-quart saucepan. You want just enough oil to lightly coat your garlic. Once you start to smell the garlic, add the onion, and some additional olive oil--again, just enough to coat the onion. Cook until onion is soft. KEEP STIRRING. Onions are like boiling milk, if you look away and blink they burn (yes, even on low heat). Add your ginger. Stir until you've got a decent mix of everything. Next, add: 1 cup ketchup 1/2 cup brown sugar, not packed Stir this well. Your ketchup will start to turn ever so slightly brown. Not by much yet, but you should see a difference from plain ketchup. (When I measured the sugar, I did it by tablespoons. DuckDuckGo tells me I actually used about 3/5ths of a cup, but find a measuring cup that does that.) Continue by adding: 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp honey Stir well. If you taste at this step to learn the flavor profile, don't try to adjust anything, because all you're going to taste is acid. It's okay--it'll balance and mellow as you continue. Continue by adding the following, stirring in each ingredient as you go and tasting frequently: 1 tbsp yellow mustard (the kind you put on hotdogs) 2 tsp cocoa powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp turmeric 1/2 tsp ground cloves (go easy on these, add more if needed) 1 bay leaf 1 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 chili de arbol; remove seeds first Adjust as needed. (I added roughly 1/4 tsp mustard and another half a chili de arbol.) If you want a tangy sauce with more sweetness, add more honey; if you want just plain more sweetness, add more brown sugar. If you feel it's not smoky enough, add more of any of the following: mustard, cocoa powder, cumin, paprika. If you feel you need more tanginess, add a bit more of one of the vinegars. If it's not spicy enough, add more chili powder or chili de arbol. If you're the kind of person who likes your barbecue sauce spicy and you don't want to alter the flavor profile, add some of the chili de arbol seeds. Be aware that these may cause "spicy pockets" in the sauce and you're going to want to stir the absolute motherlove out of it to distribute them evenly. Also be aware, if you decided to taste the chili de arbol first, that the heat of the pepper itself is nothing compared to the seeds. The pepper is tasty, but the seeds make me unable to feel my lips. Simmer as long as you like on low to let the flavors meld, but be sure to add a bit of water if you do (you'll be amazed how thick this is). Say a quiet thank you to Diamond, the Black lady who went "sure, I'll take this in good faith and teach this random white person to make barbecue sauce." Baste or marinate your meat, or add meat and slow-cook. Serve with a vegetable of your choice and some good homemade fries. Enjoy. Life is good.

[sustenance-soon]

foods to make when i get my kitchen back. i swear i am going to cook / eat my way through this list and cross stuff off as i go:

new:

apple lemon ginger drink (apple, 1T lemon juice, 1 slice ginger blended then pour over hot water and add honey and cinnamon)

theroamingchef’s butter chicken and garlic naan

list of british food to cook!

soon dubu ✅

lavendar syrup

korean spicy pork (doesn’t use much soy sauce??!)

CRISPY EGGPLANT (also easy to make low sodium if u just use less sauce on top!!)

spiral cucumber salad!!

french toast breakfast sandwich (egg, cheese, ham or bacon)

korean corn dogs mini w bread

french toast ?

pancakes but like, some cool version

banana bread ✅

zucchini bread

japanese 7-11 egg salad sandwich (just get brioche and use the extra for french toast !)

vietnamese spring rolls — do no salt in the roll (just rice noodle, mushroom, carrot, cabbage, etc + wrapper) and put sodium / fish sauce etc in the dipping sauce!!! yesss

kitchn copycat starbucks lemon loaf (do a shorter version if possible / or freeze some)

coffee cake??

CHOCOLATE COVERED ECLAIRS W CUSTARD

maybe try cream puffs first lol to not have to do everything at the same time

croissants……!!!!!!!!!!!!

cream filled donuts …!!!

KOREAN CORN DOG .. maybe do minis not on a skewer to be able to fry fully. i feel like 1 hot dog could make 3 little corndogs!!!

in fall: COTtage pie! do the fork think on the potatoes so they get crisp up top!! no salt in the potatoes! all the salt in the filling! maybe grate carrots and onion and celery and use ground beef to make it faster. or if cheaper get a cut of whatever beef is used in joc beef curry and cut that into 1/4-1/3” cubes!!! actually i kind of like that idea best.

homemade pizza ✅

palak tofu ✅

yu xiang eggplant

hashimaki

shrimp tempura ✅

congee / porridge ✅

shrimp and carrot kakiage ✅

PANZENELLA OMG??

chocolate chip cookies ✅

KEBAB i want kebab!!

steamed buns!!!! i want to make pork buns…!!

swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes (needs cubed white bread)

and japanese grilled meat and green onion

ok i am adding paprika hendl unfortunately i am not immune to peer pressure of my 25k person book club

quiche!!! ham swiss onion!!!!!!!!! ✅

brownies to have with ice cream or whipped cream and strawberry sauce or other fruit sauce!

chocolate chip and walnut cookie ✅

sour cream coffee cake!

yuzu ice cream via joc!

joc chicken spring rolls!!! wow easy to make low sodium! woohoo!!

french toast bacon and cheese sandwich

frittata ? with ... potato?

nyc japanese-style curry

peter morwood’s pork with chili and chocolate

pork belly shabu shabu salad!!!

bone-in chicken curry ✅

soba noodle salad (needs soba tho wahhh)

swedish meatball and gravy!!

egg curry!!!!

aloo mattar

sushi!!!!!!

fried egg rolls

hong shao pork belly ✅

baby potatoes curry (indian)

mattar nimona?

dahi aloo

vegetable biryani (needs cashews, fresh herbs)

punjabi khadi pakora (needs chickpea flour)

Panch Phoron Dahi Baingan (needs curry leaves)

punjabi dum aloo (uses menthi and cashews)

spicy pork belly stir fry

soon tofu from packet ✅

soon tofu from scratch again

bossam (korean boiled pork belly wrap)

nori sour cream dip ✅

shepard’s pie ✅

fish n chips (i love the idea of frying the chips alongside the fish in the oil!!!!) i need to buy malt vinegar and learn to make tartar sauce. maybe i can use sour cream or yogurt instead of all mayo, that’d be good.

crispy potato tacos! could use leftover tortillas to make quesadillas ... breakfast .. quesadillas... oh boy. i think i want to use mixed corn and wheat together tortillas those are the best to me

chang fen from dim sum!!! steamed tasty guy! plus just other dim sum recipes from scratch!!! bbq pork buns, soup dumplings, shrimp dumplings too!!!

chicken tikka masala

can also use fried fish in corn tortillas with coleslaw for fish tacos !!!

stovetop butter chicken with this sauce and this chicken

honey walnut shrimp ✅

eggplant and tofu (some riff on the panda express vers my beloved lol) ✅

samosas!!!

tomato soup!!! ✅

eggplant donburi omg i lOVE EGGPLANT ✅

kabocha gratin with extra mushrooms and yeah maybe shredded chicken!! oooh making a bechamel!!!! not as scary now that i have made my cream pasta! ✅

tamagoyaki

butternut squash soup

japanese beef curry with tomato

japanese pork belly curry

japanese tonkatsu curry

taiwanese stinky tofu

taiwanese beef noodle soup

stewed pork feet

stewed chicken feet

tiramisu again ✅

mosaic sushi

korean tofu soup ✅

beignets !!!!

nacho cheese

bbq chicken wings or drumsticks in the oven ooooooogh!! ✅

homemade coleslaw to go with ^??

okonomiyaki omg

di san xian but what if i roasted the eggplant and bell pepper and potato FIRST would that not be the shit???? it would not lol ✅

dittalini sage pumpkin and chickpea stew!!

chili and cornbread with roasted carrots

pan fried ginger pork belly ✅

tunamayo or ham and cheese onigrazu

swedish meatballs with roasted carrots

spicy garlic tofu ✅

eric kim's salmon bowl ✅

white fish chowder but use heavy cream and sub extra 1T butter for bacon ✅

crispy roast potatoes

fried tofu with dipping sauce (thai)

satay chicken pork and tofu and eggplant

alu chaat (need sev, good blender) or aloo tikki chaat with tamarind and cilantro- mint chutney ✅

ground beef kebab rolls ✅

chicken biryani and raita

black pepper tofu instead of beef!! ✅

indian egg curry!! and raita!!! (just do another kind of raita lol)

nice foccacia or something dipped in olive oil and balsamic, maybe with some kind of pasta ✅

rabbeokki

handmade wontons

calamari

jalapeno poppers

chicken korma!!!

malai kofta

baingan bharta

indian potato and spinach

a meal that is ALL frozen apps. i am thinking: tiny meatballs, more bacon wrapped dates, mushrooms with something, vegetables and dip. i want to GRAZE FOR HOURS!! bruschetta. caprese salad or on a stick! ham and swiss sliders??? honey garlic cauliflower! brussels sprouts and dip!

chicken parm tenders omg

sweet potato tostada

just bread / veg and dips: caramelized onion dip, nori sour cream dip, guac, eggplant and yogurt dip — these all seem really really doable!!!

ricotta spoonable with pasta, tostini, and crackers and veg (see recipe end notes)

tang cu yu: method 1 + method 2

roasted corn tomato risotto (maybe with yurucamp rewatch??) ✅

braised daikon????? ✅

vegetable / bone stock from scratch ✅

no salt udon noodles!!

spicy wontons oh my gOD i could kill for these

corn salsa

beef and potato stew (maybe lebanese?)

BORSCHT

burmese chicken and potato curry!!

handmade meatballs for spaghetti

lamb meatballs also!! maybe could use leftover breadcrumbs from loso bread

big pot of miso soup with rice noodles, enoki, napa cabbage, firm tofu, tomato!! i just want to make actual miso soup like imamu room instead of always instant miso soup from packet. i dream of miso soup with stuff and fresh rice and little a pickle meal!!

soup dumpling

sukiyaki / tomato sukiyaki from yuru camp

baingan bharta (requires gas stove or charcoal grill for best flavor tho)

easy spicy tteokbokki ✅

korean braised potato

hasselback baked potato ✅

one-pot japanese-style hot pot: fish, enoki mushroom, napa cabbage, tofu, vermicelli. with sesame paste and chili crisp based dipping sauce!!!!!!! (all in one pot, lid, cook, eat. not rounds.) ✅

korean green onion pancake with dipping sauce

faster bai qie ji ✅

yaki onigri!!

queso for one (??) to eat with nachos (sour cream/lime crema, diced or small chopped fajitas, beans maybe, diced tomato, guac, hatch salsa if its still good)

tempura via imamu room husbento week 27 — i can also do green bean and shimeji mushroom! or carrot, kabocha, sweet potato, tofu, yummy! broccoli if that’s what i have, too. maybe it all needs to parboil first? honestly idk but how hard can it be? ✅

vietnamese spring / summer rolls ✅

fried egg rolls

italian bread soup!!!

watermelon and sprite slushy (watermelon, sprite, blender)

seared salmon don bc then i can stop buying it at stores lol (requires blowtorch)

korean tofu with spicy ketchup

leigh smith’s eggplant pasta

easy:

teriyaki tofu ✅

hashbrowns and scrambled eggs with sliver sauce (once my ketchup order comes in!! ✅

croque madame ✅

salads with hardboiled egg ✅

burger and sweet potato fries ✅

guac and chips ✅

baked potato or loaded sweet potatoes (with sour cream and butter and green onions and garlic powder and maybe a little smoked paprika!!) ✅

squid hotdog spaghetti

soup with dipping bread oh my god ✅

cheezits and dip

blta sandwich. bbq chips. fuck YEAH. ✅

medium:

kimchi fried rice!!! ✅ with pork belly is best!!!

kimchi fried rice with some kind of asian mushroom in it and cheese but actually use gochujang this time! ✅

nachos: refried beans, cheese (ideally queso for one), avocado, chopped tomato, roasted corn, fajitas, sour cream, some kind of sweet salsa, hot sauce, rice ✅

burrito bowls ✅

unagi don and rewatch yuru camp s2e3!!!✅

pickles (red onions and bread and butter pickles!!)

medium hot golden curry with PORK BELLY carrot fresh shiitake. celery. potato. cabbage?? tomato?? i feel like tomato curry would taste good.

ooooh pork katsu again!!

onigrazu. tunamayo, cucumber, lettuce. ham and thin egg. just boiled chopped egg and mayo. spam. unagi!?????

tj lee’s taiwanese cucumber salad

ok in general i just need to learn to make more taiwanese food! argh!!!!

tomato hot pot

shrimp and avocado burgers

beef boruginon

lebanese stuffed pitas ??

SHAKSHUKA but maybe half or 1/3 recipe

out:

blaze pizza pizza ✅

bulk boxes of chips oh my goddd yesss sunchips!

hong shao tofu from DE my beloved + soup bao ✅

more ... indian food. i constantly want. indian food. which means i really need to learn to make. indian food. ✅

chipotle, to my eternal shame. i just want. queso!!! ✅

[1010ll]

do you have any new recipes that you've learned recently? i remember you wrote something a while ago about carbonara and i tried it out for myself it was really fun!!

i love this 😭 im gonna write way too much idec! something that has changed since that post: my kitchen is worse. i have a horrible combi oven which has resulted in me accidentally eating raw chicken, because it had been in there for more than 2 hours at supposedly 230 °C and i was really hungry and thought it HAD to be done by then. also i have less time and less money lol. it has made me a bit sad, and less motivated to cook nice things but i also love food! which means these tips/recipes are gonna reflect that and might seem a bit dull but probably also relatable for a lot of people.   i’ve definitely made spaghetti carbonara a bit too much because it’s simple and require few ingredients! will still vouch for that one tip about substituting the bacon with roasted veggies and other types of meat.

last week i made risotto for the very first time, i think? which means i might be assuming a bit too much, but i think it’s a great dish that you can almost make with whatever you have in your fridge. i made it with roasted beetroot(needs A LOT of time to soften, lesson learned), carrots and parsley root or parsnip(idk the difference), dried rosemary and thyme, garlic and onion. i had some leftover sushi rice, which is great for risotto apparently(love versatile ingredients), roasted them in some oil and then added white wine and chicken stock and actually added a leftover parmesan rind i had in the fridge to give the ‘stock’ some flavour, a bit of nutmeg and then in the end some shredded gouda lol… it was surprisingly delicious and i didn’t even really care to cook the rice perfectly. it also tasted delicious 3 days later, which was a nice surprise. i bet there are tons of risotto recipes online, but as long as you have rice, some kind of flavoured water, i guess you could kind of add whatever you want of veggies and top with whatever herb you have around.

another type of porridge i consume a lot these days is hot oat porridge, which i’ve eaten since i was little and it was the first ‘dish’ i learnt to make myself and it’s cheap. some people really dislike the consistency and look but i don’t. it’s also very easy to customise. i put in whatever nuts and seeds(which are often cheaper than nuts) i have around: flaxseed, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds and sometimes a dollop of peanut butter. i let them simmer along with the oats. i like adding those elements because it gives it some texture and it keeps me more full throughout the day. it’s very important to me because i hate spending money i don’t have on fast-food when i’m not home and i hate being hungry. dried raisins, cranberries for a bit of sweetness and if i’m treating myself i’ll add some fresh apples cut into small pieces or some homemade berry compote(i use frozen) or brown sugar. if i had more money i’d use maple syrup but i don’t at the moment. i also add a bit of cinnamon and cardamom, dried ginger etc, whatever you feel like. some people also add milk afterwards but i’d rather spend my milk on my coffee.

a small tip: making chili flake / garlic oil. it’s really delicious, you could put it straight on pasta with some parmesan and pepper and it would be a filling meal. either chop the garlic really fine, grate it, microplane it, smash it to pieces. heat some olive oil until it’s quite hot, then remove from heat and add the chili flakes and garlic. if the oil isn’t hot enough you can just put the pan or pot back on the heat but be careful you don’t burn the chili flakes or garlic, as it will make it bitter. the longer it will toast, the less pronounced the raw garlic flavour will be, so when it smells toasted enough for your taste, take it off. i store it in a tiny glass jar and add it in stews, sauces, toasts, pizza, sandwiches etc. the flavour is very strong imo and everything it touches will smell like it. something to drink: i like strong foods and i like sour foods, which is why i like lemon/ginger based drinks. to make it even more winter friendly and easy to make, i like to grate unpeeled ginger(i hate slices of ginger, they do nothing for me and seems like a waste of ginger), lemon zest, lemon juice and mix it or blend it with some water/apple juice and honey and strain it afterwards. if you have a really nice blender you can just add all of it together with some ice. i’m basically making a large amount of ginger shot mixture. then when i feel like it, i can take some of the mixture and either drink it as it is, add more apple juice if i need a refreshing beverage or add hot water and more honey for when im cold. you could also add turmeric, chili, use less sweetener and other sorts of healthy stuff but i honestly do it for the taste so i don’t care about that that much.

something sweet: i posted earlier about cakes and someone mentioned swedish kladdkaka, which is a super delicious, cheap, brownie-like chocolate cake that is easily customized and hard to fuck up which is why i’ve made it since i was very young and is a go-to and i didn’t even know it was a swedish thing. if you like airy, light cakes this is not for your. this is sticky, sweet and almost like confection. you can add nuts, swirls of peanutbutter, tahini, actual pieces of chocolate, replace the white sugar with brown sugar, the butter with oil(you can be fancy and use a bit of olive oil) or use a mixture, brown the butter, you name it. the recipe i use is this: melt 100 g butter and let cool. mix 2 eggs + 3 dl sugar in a bowl until fluffy in one bowl. mix 1.5 dl flour, 4 tbs cocoa, 1 pinch of salt in another. mix the dry with the wet mixture and add the cooled, melted butter. this is the point where you’d add chopped nuts, chocolate etc. pour the batter into a cake tin lined with parchment (i use one that is 16 cm in diameters i think). bake the cake for around 30 mins at 150°C - 175°C degrees. check on the cake using a cake tester or a a knife. if the knife is clean after … stabbing it, it’s done! the cake will change it’s texture after cooling. this is a cheap cake, and if you like cake dough you might want to give it less time in the oven for a more fudgey texture. make it your own! there are no rules. last time i made this, i left it in for too long in my opinion but it was still delicious. also i literally have a shit oven with a round oven rack that goes in circles no matter what due to the microwave function, and the only ‘mixing’ equipment i have is a whisk and a spatula. no need for kitchen aids or  even electrical hand mixers.

something else i’ve been eating a lot for lunch is simple open faced sandwiches, and something that can really elevate those is: making your own mayonnaise(and toasting the bread). it can be challenging, but it’s really worth it imo and i can’t remember the last time i bought it in a store. i have a small plastic bowl, whisk and 1 egg yolk. something i can really recommend is buying pour snouts for bottles. i transfer my oils from their plastic bottles to smaller, old soda bottles because im cheesy like that and it’s really handy especially when making mayo. constantly whisking the egg yolk by hand and then adding the NEUTRAL oil ever so slowly. don’t be fancy and use cold pressed stuff or extra virgin olive oil because it will taste weird. i only ever fail when i try to use immersion blenders for some weird reason but i find it rewarding to do by hand anyways and i think it might be easier to make smaller portions that way. mayo needs acid and you can get it by adding regular vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, pickle juice, citric acid dissolved in water etc. it’s really easy to customise! when im making banh mi, i add some sesame oil, soy sauce for saltiness and use lime as the acidic element. for more regular use i add a bit of mustard(also helps with the emulsion), for fries, i like adding some fresh garlic. something as simple as mayo, tomatoes, flaky salt and pepper topped with chives is really nice. i also really like using slices of boiled potatoes or boiled eggs(idk if that’s only a thing where i’m from), mayo and the chili garlic oil. it’s also great for making tuna salad. yesterday i made a really simple sandwich with a very simple tuna salad(tuna, mayo, yoghurt, lemon and pepper), arugula, basil, the garlic/chili oil, cream cheese, pickled jalapeños and onions, green peber, cucumber and tomatoes. you could leave out everything but the tuna salad and it would still be a great little meal.

another nice condiment that beats the supermarket stuff by far is homemade ‘pesto’. when i buy parsley from my local grocery store, it’s a gigantic amount that i in no way can consume in a week. first of all when buying fresh herbs i really recommend washing them, wrapping them in a damp towel and keeping them in a closed container. it will prolong their lifetime from lasting a day to a week(change the towel if it seems too wet). i once had some cilantro in my fridge for several weeks and still be fresh. anyways, when i buy that much parsley, i like to remove the tougher parts of the stem(which i use in stews/sauces! chop it up and sautee it along with garlic and onion), add literally just olive oil, water, pepper, garlic, and a bit of acid and then blend away! it keeps for a long time in the fridge and is also delicious beneath tomatoes/potatoes/cheese on open-faced sandwiches. if you want to be fancy you can of course add some type of hard cheese, nuts, seeds, dried tomatoes, whatever.

i know this is the longest text post ever, but as a last reminder, i really recommend watching pasta grannies on youtube. really simple recipes with focus on few, good ingredients that just takes some time and love.

[jaembby]

three course meals

Pairing: (SF9) Jaeyoon x f reader

warnings: none

words: 1.6k

prompt: hi~! 😳can i request a fic featuring sf9 jaeyoon please? (◕‿◕ )the plot is he is doing his "I can do it" live series. this time he is challenged to cook the recipe from his gf (let's say it's a 3 course meal) and then his gf is telling all the cooking step through a phone call. in the end of the live broadcast, his gf come visits him to try the meal that he made.stay healthy, stay happy and have a great day~ 🥺🥰🧡

requested: yes! by @jsnyoung

a/n: i’m really tired right now so i haven’t proof read this yet. maybe i’ll do it in the morning. the writing is probably going to be shitty because i’ve rushed it a bit and am literally about to fall asleep but if it’s too bad, when i proof read it, i’ll fix some bits up! sorry for the wait @jsnyoung but thank you for requesting!!

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“What do you guys think I’m doing today?” Jaeyoon asks his fans as he waits for your call. Today, Jaeyoon is getting you, his girlfriend, to help with his “I can do it” live series. He’s going to cook a three-course meal of your choice with you guiding him through the phone. What he doesn’t know, however, is that you’re planning on getting him to make one of the courses the same meal that you and him had ordered on your first date.

“’Are you going to make something?’ Good question! As a matter of fact, yes, I am making something! And hopefully it turns out okay... if not, blame y/n!” Jaeyoon laughs as he reads comments, awaiting your phone call.

“ ‘When are you going to start? What are you going to make?’ Well... honestly, I’m not even sure what I’m going to make. Today, y/n is going to tell me what to make over the phone so I’ll start as soon as she calls!” Jaeyoon smiles at the camera as he awaits your call. ring He picks up on the first ring, eager to get started. 

“Angel you’re going on speaker and I’m live, okay? I mean you already know that but I’m just reminding you.” Jaeyoon says quietly into the phone before turning back to the camera and introducing you. “Fantasy, as some of you probably know, this is my girlfriend. Y/n say hi to Fantasy!” 

“Hi” You say happily as you get a recipe for what Jaeyoon is going to make. “Today, our Jaeyoon is going to make a three-course meal! With the hepl of yours truly, of course.” Jaeyoon laughs into the phone at your statement as he questions you on what it is that he’s actually meant to be making.

“I’m glad you asked, Jae. Well, for the appetizer, it’s a chicken salad. It’s easy enough so you shouldn’t need too much guidance, or at least, I hope not.” You tease him. Jaeyoon starts getting what he needs from the fridge and cupboard as you read out the comments. “ ‘Jaeyoon should cook for Fantasy!’ ‘y/n should be in his lives more!’ ‘Eat well!’ Thank you for the last one! Also yes, Jaeyoon should totally cook for you guys and feature me in his lives more often!” “Nuh-uh, princess! You’ll take all my fans away!” You laugh at this as you jokingly tell him that he might be right before instructing him on what to put in the salad and how much.

Soon enough, Jaeyoon’s finished with the first course and puts it in the fridge for later. “Angel, what’s next?” He asks you just as you get a recipe up for the next meal. “Well, my dear boyfriend, I’m sure you’d be familiar with this one. If you remember what we had on our first date, that is!” You say excitedly into the phone as you tell him what he needs. “Okay... I’m sure Jae already knows what he’s making but Fantasy, in case you haven’t guessed already, it’s a creamy tuscan chicken! We actually had this on our first date so it’s pretty special for him to make this.” “Here we go again... y/n being hopelessly romantic!” Jaeyoon laughs as he begins to season the chicken. “Jaeyoon! Look, your fans think it’s cute!” It’s as if Jaeyoon can hear your pout over the phone as you complain about him calling you hopelessly romantic. “Angel, don’t worry, I think it’s cute too!” “I know” You giggle. 

Jaeyoon heats the oil in the pan and starts placing the chicken in. “You know, I’m doing pretty good. If I do say so myself!” Jaeyoon smiles proudly at the camera. “Oh! I should tell Fantasy about that one time you nearly burnt the FNC building down!” You say with a smirk, although no one could see it. “Will you ever stop teasing me for it?” “Nope!” You say as he flips the chicken over. “Look, all of your fans want to know what happened! Can I tell them? Please?” You ask. “Fine!” He draws out the syllables. “I mean you were going to anyway, weren’t you?” “Yeah I was!” You laugh at the slight redness on your boyfriends cheeks.

“Well, one day I was over at the dorm hanging out with Jae and the guys and he decided to make ramen! Now, he’s not a bad cook, considering he’s only ever used recipes. Anyways, we all decided to watch a movie. It was about half way through when Jaeyoon decided he wanted to make the ramen so he got up and did that. He’d left the ramen in the water for a bit and came back to see what was happening as he let it cook. Jae  must have lost track of time because all of a sudden, Chani comes in and asks “Hyung, what’s that smell?” We all turned towards the kitchen as we saw smoke and Jae realized what he’s done. It was so funny! All of a sudden, Youngbin, Zuho, Jaeyoon and Rowoon all rushed to the kitchen while Dawon recorded and Inseong, Taeyang, Hwiyoung, Chani and myself burst out laughing. It turns out the ramen had been left for too long and had caught on fire so Youngbin, Zuho and Rowoon had to put it out. It’s safe to say that Rowoon sticks to cooking in the dorms now. Hey Jae, ask Dawon if he still has the video!” You laugh at the memory as you read the comments on Jaeyoon’s live. Fantasy all find it funny, too.

Jaeyoon’s already added the garlic, onions, tomatoes and spinach into the mix and is now putting the cream, salt and pepper into it. “Well it looks like I’m a much better cook now since there’s no fire this time! Y/n, do you know what you want me to make for dessert? I’m nearly done with this, angel.” Jaeyoon says as he adds the last ingredients - parmesan cheese and parsley - and stirs the mixture before mixing it one last time and putting the creamy chicken into the oven so it stays warm.

“As a matter of fact, I do know what to make next! How does Brownies sound?” You laugh as you see his face light up on the live. “Sounds perfect!” Jaeyoon says as he gets everything he needs to make them. You and him have made brownies together so many times that it’s just muscle memory now. The recipe is implanted in both of your heads. You smile while watching his live as he starts making them without needing any instructions.

 “We have to make brownies when you come over again, y/n. It’s our thing.” Jaeyoon says as he pops them into the oven and turns back to the live, smiling as he starts reading comments. “ ‘Jaeyoon how are you?’ ‘What have you eaten today?’ ‘What’s everyone else doing?’ Okay firstly, I’m good, how about you? Second, I’ve had a few snacks but when these brownies are done, y/n should be here and we’ll eat them together. Speaking of which, y/n, you can get off the phone now and come over! Third, honestly I’m not sure what everyone else is doing. I think they’re just relaxing.” After Jaeyoon finishes what he was saying, you quickly tell him that you’re heading over now before getting into your car and driving over to the dorms.

“Boo!” 

“Y/N! You scared me!”

“Yeah that was the whole point!” You laugh as Jae calms his heartbeat.

“You clear the bench and I’ll get the brownies out, Jae.” You call out to him, already making your way over to the oven.

“Well thank you so much for joining me for another episode of “I can do it” today, Fantasy! I’ll feature y/n in lives more if you want? As it turns out, I’m a pretty good cook. We’d better get going now before the food gets cold! Bye bye Fantasy! Goodnight or morning! See you later!” And with that, your boyfriend ends the live.

“Jae, I’ve got to admit, this all looks amazing! Let’s eat!” You say as you portion the food. Jaeyoon brings the plates over to the living room where he places the food on a table and moves couch pillows out of the way so the two of you can sit there.

“Why are we eating on the couch today? I thought Bin didn’t want us to make it messy.” You ask, bringing extra napkins in case anything spills.

“Well, angel, I want to cuddle while we eat brownies and sitting at the kitchen table’s not really ideal in that scenario, is it? Besides, it’s comfy here.” Jaeyoon smiles up at you as he puts the salad bowl and two forks between you. You smile up at him as you eat the salad he made, proud of your boyfriend’s cooking skills... even if this is just a salad. Soon enough you’ve both finished and are onto the second of the three courses.

“Jae is amazing!” You say as you take a bite of the creamy chicken. It really does taste good. Now you’re even prouder of him! You’ve both moved onto dessert now and Jaeyoon moves the plate of brownies to the side before patting the space next to him.

“Come here, angel.” He says with a pout. You move closer to your boyfriend and lean on him as he wraps his arms around your frame. The two of you stay like that for a while, finding comfort in each other’s warmth and taking in the faint smell of brownies and him. 

“Thanks for helping me today, princess. You’re an amazing instructor” Jaeyoon giggles, his voice calming and soft like honey.

“You’re welcome, baby! You’re an amazing cook.” You retort with a smile and small giggle as a content sigh leaves your lips, and Jaeyoon pulls you closer, the both of you staying in this position and eventually falling asleep to the sound of the other’s heartbeat. 

[publiccollectors]

QUARANZINE #14

QUARANZINE #14: Rachel Herman. Rachel was diagnosed as a presumptive positive for COVID-19 after a test for Influenza A and B turned up negative. She's been fighting the virus for just over two weeks. Yesterday she posted this long message on Facebook about her experience so far and I asked her about publishing it in QUARANZINE. She had been thinking about reaching out to me, so we were both on the same page. The text is very long for the format I adhere to so the type is quite small, unfortunately. Here it is in its entirety: Dear friends,

This is the week many of us will get sick. Social distancing is working, but most cities waited too long to declare shelter-in-place orders and many others have yet to. So, we will see spikes in confirmed cases within the next week or so. I want you all to be armed with pragmatic and useful information if this happens to you or someone you care about.

I am on Day 14 of what was diagnosed as a presumptive positive for COVID-19 after a test for Influenza A and B turned up negative. (I am still waiting for my COVID-19 results.) I’ve had a relatively mild case, and I’m on the mend. My congestion is clearing up, I can breathe deeply again, and going up and down the stairs doesn’t make me winded. My energy and appetite are coming back though I still have had a fever of 100+ for 14 straight days. Most of us will get a mild case. 40-70% of us will get it, but so much of the media frenzy right now is focused on things that were important last week and yesterday (every day feels a year these days, though, to be fair). I have seen shockingly few articles or helpful testimonials advising how best to treat ourselves at home, and, trust me, I’ve been looking. So much of the information we’re focused on now is preventing transmission, but there is woefully little on what to do IF and WHEN we get sick.

Being waylaid during the time that so many folks have been still frantically trying to avoid getting sick has offered me a strange bubble of calm and insight. I’m grateful for that because the fear out there is palpable. I would like for this to be an offering to assuage at least some panic. That is my hope anyway.

The CDC and the WHO have labored and lengthy instructions on how to prevent transmission to someone else in the household or orders to quarantine. This creates a new problem for us as caregivers. A potentially critically ill person separated from everyone else drastically reduces a caregiver’s ability to monitor, replenish fluids, and generally take care of the person who is sick. On top of that, these two trusted sources offer only the most basic (honestly, negligible) recommendations for treating symptoms: sleep, keep hydrated, and take Tylenol (or the generic acetaminophen). This kind of bare bones advice is, well, skeletal. We all want to know how best to take care of ourselves and each other so that we can avoid having to go to the hospital. We want to be able to recuperate at home because we want to prevent putting a strain on the system and, face it, the idea of going to the hospital in this scenario is downright daunting. The better we know how to nurse ourselves back to health, the better our odds are healing well in our own beds.

So, I wanted to share what I’ve learned.

Caveat emptors/disclaimers because I’m making this public and shareable: This is based on my own personal, lived experience. I am not a doctor, so this does not replace or supplant solid medical advice from a professional you trust. I have had relatively mild symptoms but still a longish case. I am one of the freakish 5% who has had never-ending nasal congestion that went into my upper respiratory tract, but I somehow avoided the dreaded cough. YMMV (your mileage may vary). I have no underlying health concerns, I’m 52, a non-smoker, and fortunate. I have a comfortable apartment to myself, and I was able to spend $500 to stock up on essentials before the lockdown and before I got sick. (For the love of all that is holy, I swear I did not stockpile anything, especially TP. Stocking up is simply incredibly expensive. I dwindled my account down to almost my last dollar, since I’m adjunct faculty at two local universities and don’t make a whole lot.) Still, that is more than so many of us are able to do, and I am grateful for all that I have. What follows goes a bit beyond common sense, because this virus is unlike anything I’ve experienced before, even though to be clear, this is certainly a far cry from the sickest I’ve ever been. I hope it can be a boon to friends and strangers alike.

Here are the things I did that helped:

WHILE YOU ARE WELL

1) Start taking your temperature in the morning and at night so that you have a baseline.

One of the first signs of the virus can be a low-grade fever, though this virus does present in different ways. Full disclosure: I was one of those people who had to go to 3 different drugstores on Wed Mar 11 looking for a thermometer amid decimated shelves.

2) Before you get sick, change your diet.

Stop eating and drinking things that will make it harder to fight off the virus. Mellow out on the processed foods, dairy, and sugar (alcohol and gluten are in this category too, sorry).

Increase your intake of immune-boosting foods like green vegetables, fish and other omega-threes, garlic, ginger, and citrus. You don’t have to give in to the whole elderberry craze (though it does taste pretty good). Replace coffee with chaga, a fungal immune booster that you can brew into a strong, soothing tea, for a few weeks.

If you think these dietary recommendations are extreme, consider that you are in a temporary but dire situation where everything else around us is collapsing. Change your eating habits this month, even if it’s just a little for a little while.

3) SLEEP at least 8 hours a night. (I know, I wake up at 4am in a blind panic too. But, still, try.)

4) Make a pot of soup NOW while you are healthy or at the first sign of any symptoms.

This is especially important if you are sheltering in place alone. When/if you get sick, trust me, you won’t have energy to cook. You will barely want to eat anything anyway. But you will force yourself to have two bowls of it every day, and it will help. The pot should be big enough so that you can eat from it for a week. Make your favorite broth-based recipe: chicken, vegetable, or bone. Bone is most healing, obviously. Avoid dairy and noodles because these ingredients increase congestion and inflammation. Freeze it if you don’t have any symptoms at this point, so you will be able to thaw it when you start to feel oogy.

WHEN YOU GET SICK

1) At the first sign of fatigue, a tickle in your throat, aches, or a fever, go to bed and stay there. SLEEP. Don’t try to keep working. Your body needs to heal, and it can do that most effectively when you are sleeping.

Early symptoms reportedly vary. Some have aches and fever, scratchy throat, and chest tightness with a dry cough. Headaches, sneezing + nasal congestion, shortness of breath, nausea, and diarrhea have all been reported. I woke up on Mar 14 with a headache, body aches, congestion, and a fever of 101. My fever spiked to 102.5 on Day 2, and I’ve had a fever of 100+ every day since along with body aches, nasal congestion (my nose opened up like an actual running faucet on day 5), chest tightness and upper respiratory congestion, exhaustion, lack of appetite, and some lower GI distress (though not full-on diarrhea, everything just felt labored and different and, sincere apologies for the vivid image I’m about to put in your head, my poop seemed to be covered in a gauzy cloud). The two aberrations from most commonly reported symptoms: I have only had a negligible cough, and I never had a sore throat. My baseline temp leading up to getting sick was 99, but I am usually a straight-up 98.6 kind of person.

I had a dinner party the Monday before I got sick, and a friend who helped me in the kitchen came down with the same thing at the same time. My friend has asthma and has had a much harder time of things. But we are both on the road to recovery, in large part because we have been sharing what we’ve learned, checking in with each other, and doing some intense jobs taking care of ourselves while in isolation. (No one else from the dinner party has gotten sick to date.)

2) DRINK WATER, every 15 minutes when you are awake. Every time you wake up or roll over, drink. It should be room temperature, not cold. Cold liquids exacerbate the illness.

3) Drink WARM liquids like herbal tea and broth. Hot liquids keep everything in your system moving. Make soothing, healing, and warming remedies out of whatever inexpensive supplies you already have available.

4) In the giant void of an antiviral treatment that works on COVID-19, I have turned/returned to plant medicine, and it has helped me a lot.

My cousin, who is taking a Chinese medicine course in Singapore right now, sent me directions on how to make a ginger and licorice root decoction that was used throughout China during the Hubei lockdown. It’s easy to make. You bake the licorice in molasses, and then you boil the licorice root and the ginger for an hour. The ginger licorice decoction has really helped my friend who also got sick at the same time I did.

Making tea from Chaga – an Alaskan mushroom – has been so incredibly helpful. I’ve made a large pot of it every day, reserving the chaga and re-steeping over and over again for the past two weeks. Was it the chaga or the fact that I was drinking a gallon of warm soothing liquid daily, ladling out a mugful every couple of hours, that helped me get better? I’ll go with a little of both.

Other natural antiviral immune boosters that might help include vitamin C, C60, and olive leaf extract, oregano oil, and Manuka honey. Since stores are closed and Amazon has stopped shipping, we have to make do with what we already have. Make a tea with citrus peels and cloves and sliced ginger, if that’s is in your fridge.

5) The word on the street is to manage fever with Tylenol or acetaminophen or paracetamol, which are supposed to be more suited to treating respiratory illness than other alternatives. Frankly, I have been taking acetaminophen as sparingly as possible to avoid putting strain on my other organs. Cool compresses work too.

Some people are saying NOT to take Advil and its generic ibuprofen, as they have anecdotally said to propel otherwise healthy people to hospitals for oxygen. There is a lot of noise and confusion in this debate, and I’m going to sidestep this thorny conversation for our purposes.

6) Zinc lozenges and elderberry syrup help with a scratchy throat and cough. A friend of mine prone to bronchitis recommended Myrtol, a German cough syrup made from natural ingredients, including elderberry. If you have a pharma protocol in place for managing a persistent, chronic cough, you are probably already on it.

7) The fatigue is real. It also becomes really hard to think clearly. That’s why it’s so important to have soup and tea and other supportive supplies ready ahead of time.8) When you think you are getting better the first three or four times, STAY IN BED.

The arc of this virus is really rollercoaster-y: up and down and up and down. After the initial alarm passes, (and it is alarming at first because you don’t know which way it’s going to go and that seizing up can make everything feel worse), I was able to focus on getting better, calmly. I made it through the first scary fever spikes, but right when I thought I was feeling better, I would get knocked down again. There were critical junctures around days 3, 5, and 7 where I was certain I’d turned a corner, and, well, yesterday.

I’d get up and do dishes, take out the trash, take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood (face covered), and try to get some work done (end of quarter grades were due at both my schools and my departments have been preparing like mad to take our classes online in the spring). Then I would feel hot and light-headed again, taking my temp only to see it had sprung back up to 101.5. You will feel better and want to get back up and do things only to get knocked right back down. The moment I ease up on drinking water and tea constantly, I start to feel horrible again.

Remember: YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY PREVENTING YOURSELF FROM DEVELOPING FULL-BLOWN VIRAL PNEUMONIA. I would say the new mantra needs to be SLEEP + DRINK WATER. Start now, to the extent that you can. Please resist the urge to get up and do things. Rest. Do your Zoom meetings from bed with a virtual office background, if you absolutely have to be on a call. But, truly, you shouldn’t because this is the time to sleep sleep sleep and binge watch The Good Place (my choice for existential dystopian laughs/insert whatever makes your socks go up and down). For the past few days, my temp has been normal in the morning only to spring back up to 100+ if I try to do too much (e.g. read: ANYTHING). When I let myself sleep, my temp goes back down.

9) A humidifier has helped. Some recommend running a hot shower and sitting in your own makeshift bathroom sauna. Steam eucalyptus or rosemary, if you have any, and inhale deeply. I just made a homemade vaporub with a base of coconut oil and a few drops each of clove, thyme, rosemary, and peppermint oil. It is wonderful.

10) My breathing never got dangerously shallow. But this virus can potentially fill your upper and lower respiratory tracts with mucous until you feel like you are drowning. A physical therapist wrote with life-saving advice about the importance of Postural Draining, a method of draining mucous from the lungs using gravity and percussion. It involves physically moving your body so that you tilt your lungs and bronchial tubes upside down and then firmly clap the back or chest. This allows the mucous to flow up out of the lungs along with deep, prolonged exhales. Then you can cough it the rest of the way out. You can do postural draining alone or have someone perform it on you. Google postural draining diagrams – there are different for positions for each of the five lobes of your lungs. Do these exercises for 3-5 minutes a day before you get too sick. You can get into position in a chair or laying over a yoga ball, bean bag, or pillows for support.

Failing steps 1-10, if you have difficulty breathing or your temperature spikes beyond what you and your doctor are comfortable with (I’ve heard different numbers), please go to the ER immediately. Some of you will develop dramatic and dangerous symptoms quickly. Please do not wait to seek care if your lungs are struggling beyond what you can manage at home. My advice is geared to keeping as many of us comfortable for as long as it takes to heal, but that obviously is only going to go so far for those who suffer from chronic conditions, are older, or are immunosuppressed. If you have a finger oximeter, and are able to monitor your oxygen levels numerically, then you will know when you have to go to the hospital. But very few of us have those, and they are way sold out.

THE OTHER SIDE

Healing from even a mild case (and mine IS mild) takes about two weeks to a month.

As my dad would day, take it easy. It is unclear how immunity works with COVID-19. Some have said that there was a patient in Japan who tested positive a second time. There is speculation that this, in fact, was a relapse and not re-infection. We need more time to learn about the virus. In the meantime, please give yourselves time to heal.

We don’t know how long immunity lasts, and we don’t know about immunity to slightly different mutated strains even if we have recovered from one of them. I do hope that we get to develop a fair amount of herd immunity in the next year, but, again, there is a lot to learn. We will obviously still need to protect our vulnerable populations, and our society will continue to bend and contort itself around the virus.

But I hope to be in a position to assist when others get sick. I will happily help you to the best of my abilities. Looking to a future I can hardly conceive at the moment, I anticipate learning more about plant medicine. Scientists will develop new antivirals, retrovirals, and vaccines. I look forward to donating plasma as part of a treatment for those who get sick in the future, whenever that near-distant moment may be.

And thank you, friends. I am good. I have everything I need. My inner circle is incredible (I love you, mom!). I have been quarantined since developing symptoms and went out for a half hour only to get tested (thank you, Howard Brown for your invaluable service). No one else I spent time with beforehand has gotten sick (except my one friend whose illness coincided with mine, and they are also struggling a bit today with the ups and downs. Please hold them in your thoughts).

May you and your loved ones stay healthy. Or, more to the point, may we all get well and stay well. Sending love to all corners.– Rachel Herman

[jaybug-jabbers]

Meal Ideas for College Students

Ok, so. As a college student, I’m compiling my own list of easy meal ideas. I have a bad habit of skipping meals, like many students do. A list of ideas helps a lot when you’re busy, stressed, tired, and/or not feeling up for much.

This post will prioritize quick/easy meals, ideas for relieving meal monotony, food that gives energy that sticks with you throughout the day, and meals that are generally healthy and balanced.

Note: This list of ideas was made with myself in mind. Everyone has their own dietary needs and/or preferences to keep in mind! Still, you might find something useful here. :) Also, check out my other post of recipes for more specific ideas.

Lunch/Dinner Ideas

1.) Soup/Salad/Sandwich.

-Not many canned soups are worth eating in my opinion, but a few taste acceptable (split pea’s pretty good), and sometimes grocery stores have containers of fresh soup. Those are almost always better tasting then canned!

-Salads ideally are more then just plain romaine lettuce and croutons/salad dressing. They can have all kinds of crap thrown on: nuts, seeds, tortilla strips, dried fruit, fresh sliced fruit, cheese, chicken, even some pasta noodles.

-It’s better to buy heads of greens and wash them yourself, as the already-washed bags of greens go bad quickly and have been prone to e. coli outbreaks. A little salad washing bowl speeds up cleaning greens. In either case, try to get a mix of darker, vitamin-rich greens.

-Sandwiches can use the healthier lunch meats but also leftover cooked chicken, or just a grilled cheese sandwich. (Use different kinds of sliced cheese.) Fancy mustard, pesto and horseradish can really punch up a sandwich; so can bread that actually tastes good.

2.) Pasta.

There are a lot of options of what to put on top of pasta; just adding some marinara sauce to spaghetti noodles is only the beginning.

-If you do use red sauce, I suggest adding mushrooms, sliced sausage or ground meat, or lots of cheese on top to bump up the protein.

-If you do something else, stir-frying some veggies (fresh– zuccini, mushroom, celery, carrot, snappeas, etc. frozen– frozen stir-fry veggie mix) and adding a light sauce is good; even dumping vinegarette salad dressing on it can be tasty.

-Other options include frozen shrimp, meatballs, leftover chicken, tofu or a cheese casserole.

-Try other kinds of pasta noodles, because even that can relieve some food monotomy. You can even use cheap ramen noodles, because why not? Just skip the spice pack they come with and add other things instead.

-Raviolis or tortillinis are also great for a light dinner or lunch.

-Sides for pasta include bread/garlic bread, salad, and fruit.

3.) Tacos/Burritos/Tostadas.

Canned beans, cheese, a bit of shredded lettuce, some jarred salsa, a tortilla, presto. Also great for using leftover ground meat or baked chicken. If you are lucky enough to own an avacado, please use it for this.

4.) Nachos.

This is basically when you have canned beans but you ran out of tortillas. Dump everything on top of corn chips instead.

5.) Enchilada Casserole.

Ground meat (or shredded chicken), canned black beans/red kidney beans, shredded cheese, canned enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, and a casserole dish. Dense and lasts you for a long time. Freezes well, too.

6.) Baked chicken.

There’s about a million different ways to prepare chicken. What’s more, the leftovers are so useful for so many things.

7.) Homemade pizza.

-They sell those kits at the store with the shell and the pizza sauce all ready. Just add your desired toppings and cook. A million times better then frozen pizza and worth the five extra minutes of work. You’ll need to invest in a large cutting-board and a pizza cutter or a large knife, but that’s it.

-If you want emergency personal pizzas, you can even use English Muffins for the task.

8.) Hamburger.

If you don’t care for ground beef, ground turkey or chicken works just as well; you can cook them insanely fast and easily on a Foreman grill, but still cooks pretty fast in a regular pan too. Adding some fixings goes a long way: pickles, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pineapple rings, etc. Good sides: salad, fries/potato, peas or beans.

9.) Baked frozen fish/salmon.

Again, you’re unlikey to have the time to buy and prepare fresh fish, which needs to be cooked and eaten quickly, but you can buy a filet of frozen fish. Good sides: rice, easy risotto, boxed couscous, broccoli, bread, etc.

10.) Fajuitas.

Steak strips/chicken strips that are pan-fried, plus stir-fried mushrooms, asparagus,  zuccini, etc. Lime juice and avacado add a lot of flavor.  

11.) Chicken, mustard, mushroom, garlic, spinach and swiss hot sandwiches.

Bake ‘em after assembling them for melty goodness.

12.) Smoothies/shakes.

This is a great addition to breakfast or lunch if you’re not very hungry or running low on food supplies; only if you have a blender, of course. Ice cubes, plain yogurt, fruit (fresh or frozen), shredded coconut, honey, fruit juice or ice cream, and blend. Experiment to find what works best.

Breakfast Ideas

Bulk up on breakfast if your schedule demands it!

1.) Oatmeal loaded with nuts, dried fruit, powdered proteins, flaxseed, and a dash of maple syrup/honey

2.) A plain yogurt parfait loaded up in a similar manner, plus granola

3.) Bagels or toast with cream cheese, nut butters, jam/honey, or avacado

4.) Stir-fried potatoes, potato pancakes, hashbrowns

5.) Low-sugar muffins

6.) Breakfast burritos

7.) Omlettes

8.) See above for smoothies!

General Tips

1.) Always make large portions when you cook so there are leftovers. When you bake chicken for dinner, you can use the leftovers the next day or make a sandwich or a taco or whatever. If you’re going to invest your precious time and energy into cooking, get the most out of it. If you have TONS of leftovers, freeze them in portions that are easily taken out, bit by bit, to use later on.

2.) See if you can locate a microwave on campus. This expands your options for what to pack for food, in case sandwiches a million times a month gets tiring. Pack things into microwavable tupperware or bring little paper plates and plastic utensils. Plastic bento boxes are also handy ways to pack things other than sandwiches. You can even bring soup, pasta, or ramen with you in a thermos.

3.) Frozen vegetables help a lot. You may not have the time to buy, clean and cook fresh veg, but grabbing a bag of something frozen is easy to make sure you have balanced meals. Steam them in the microwave easily in a bowl with a plate on top; avoid the ‘steamer’ plastic bags if you can, which tend to taste gross imo and may not be super healthy. (zapping plastic may create toxins.)

4.) See what’s in season for fruit. That way you can buy cheaper organic fresh fruit such as grapes, melons, berries or even exotics like kiwi. If you get them in bulk and need to use fresh fruit up before it spoils, try smoothies or put them on cereal/oatmeal or even make a fruit salad.

5.) Consider investing in a crock pot or insta-pot cooker. This opens up options for a lot of low-effort recipes, where you can just toss crap in and come back later and it’s done.

6.) Invest in spices. It’s worth the money and effort to get a variety. Get in the habit of tossing them into things. It can punch up just about anything and is way better then just salt. Even scrambled eggs can be punched up with some Sriracha sauce or some spices, or a little bit of shredded cheese.

This is a repost on a new blog. The original post was on Nov 4, 2019.

[transmedicalism-saves-lives]

What type of meals do you prepare for yourself while losing weight? I was on a steady routine and lost... maybe 12 kg, reaching 23 BMI. But with covid, my entire routine just disappeared, and now I weigh more than when I started. I think I may be uninspired to make foods, and all stuff I see online is just needlessly fancy or expensive. Any tips?

Covid’s been a tricky time for all of us. I’ve backslid slightly too, and I’m kind of ticked off at myself, but we can only move forward, not backwards. Congrats on reaching a healthy BMI the first time, you’ve done this before and you CAN do it again. I’m proud of you! 

I count calories, personally, so I eat all kinds of things as long as it all adds up to less than 1200 calories per day, but there are some low calorie meals I absolutely love, and they’re pretty easy! Most use a frying pan, though a microwave will work in a pinch. 

Disclaimer: All calories are based on my ingredients, double check your own. 

Mushroom Tacos (330-610 Calories): 

1. Wash about four cups of mushrooms, and slice them thin, about a sixth to an eighth of an inch for each slice. 

2. Dump the mushrooms into a frying pan on high. If wanted, add a tablespoon of olive oil (about 20 Calories). 

3. (OPTIONAL) Add in 3 oz. of chicken breast (about 180 Calories), and stir thoroughly. 

4. The good news is, most other sauces and spices are Calorie Free! I like to add a splash of Buffalo sauce and some garlic powder, along with a bit of Reaper mash, but find the spice combination that works best for you! Just try to avoid the high-calorie Barbecue sauces and outright sugar and you should be good. Stir thoroughly.

5. (OPTIONAL) Add a quarter cup of cheese (about 80 Calories) to the top, let melt.

6. Scoop the mixture out of the frying pan and into the taco shells- you should have enough there to fill up five! 

7. CLEAN UP. This is a little messy, you definitely spilled something somewhere. 

-

Zucchini Crisps (20-120 Calories)

1. Wash and cut the zucchini. I like to lop off the tips and cut it longways, but circles are fine. 

2. Lay the zucchini in the pan. Try to make sure they aren’t too layered, you want a crisp on these. If wanted, add a tablespoon of olive oil (about 20 Calories). Turn the stove on high.

3. Press down on the zucchini with the spatula, squeezing out any juices. You should hear a louder sizzling when you press down. Then, turn zucchini over.

4. Here’s where the spices are added! My favorites are oregano and garlic salt, but feel free to mix it up! Sprinkle these over the zucchini to your discretion. 

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the zucchini is dark on both sides. 

6. (OPTIONAL) Once the zucchini is done, add a quarter cup of cheese (about 80 Calories to the top, and allow to melt. 

-

Tortizza (380-420 Calories)

1. Place tortilla in frying pan (DO NOT LIGHT YET).

2. Spread a quarter cup of tomato sauce over the tortilla. If wanted, add garlic, rosemary, oregano, or red pepper to the sauce. I like red pepper. 

3. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the tortilla. I like to use a half cup personally, though if you use less you’ll obviously save calories. Is it obvious cheese is my biggest dieting weakness? 

4. (OPTIONAL) Add 5 pieces of pepperoni to the top of the pizza for some extra zing!

5. Turn the stove on low, and cook until the cheese has melted. 

-

Apple (60 Calories)

1. Wash apple. 

-

An Actual Apple Recipe (120-340)

1. Wash 2 apples and slice them up into cubes. 

2. Place apple cubes in a frying pan. If wanted, add a tablespoon of butter (100 Calories). Turn frying pan on high. 

3. Stir the apple cubes until all are golden brown.

4. Add cinnamon. If wanted, add 2 tablespoons of honey (about 120 calories) OR 2 tablespoons caramel (about 120 calories). Stir until mixed. 

[harvestheart]

HOME, SWEET HOME - now more than ever

I have not been out of my house since March 17.  In that time, while viewing the daily news updates, I notice both Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and Dr. Fauci, the  immunologist, have had haircuts. With Trump, I can never tell when Melania has cut his hair.

But  today was the day I had to go to a store.  After 10 days of seclusion, it felt strange to be driving again. It came back quickly enough, so no worries. There was more traffic on the road than I had thought there would be. Certainly more than there should be. It was still lighter than "Friday light" but it was 2:30 p.m. My goal was to be done before rush hour and back home.

I also noticed several houses had "for sale signs" on my street that were not there two weeks ago. I am thinking they may be on  the market a while since so many people have lost their jobs. It is going to be a rough market until the economy evens out.  I only wish I had money to buy a car, because there should be some good deals on the 2020s.  However, my reality is less grandiose.  I dream of a new washing machine or refrigerator.

So I was forced to go into the world today because the pet food supply was getting dire and to prevent the pets from even thinking of eating each other or me, it had to be done.  I made a list to do everything in one shot and get back to seclusion.

The 99 Center store was the first stop. I got some decent produce (potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, sweet potatoes) all cheaper than at the regular grocery stores. I found  the cans of dog and cat food, enough to last another 10-12 days. Yet there was absolutely no paper products to be found.  

On to Fry's/Krogers. I did pretty good there, except, again, no napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates. NONE. There were also no gallons of drinking water, so I got a case of bottled water. Also, there was barely any pasta or rice. Even the Hamburger Helper section was nearly empty, which is okay, cause you can make your own in a covered skillet better than that. I thought the supplies would be evened out by now, but ... nope.  What are people doing with all that paper? Fry's is letting seniors shop Monday through Thursday 6-7 a.m., so I can try that next time I absolutely must shop.  

I did find bread, but not the kind I would normally buy. Stlil and all, am glad to have bread again. It is not the time to be picky.  (I can always try that recipe for beer bread when this runs out.)

On the next isle I saw a guy sneezing like crazy. I promptly did a 180 to a different isle. He might have allergies, as do I, but it is also not the time to tempt the fates.

I snagged a large package of chicken breasts (only one package per customer allowed). One is plenty for preparing several different dishes. Gonna do a creamed chicken & rice dish with snap peas and spring green onions. I will supplement my meat proteins with tuna, SPAM, quesadillas and also make some pasta carbonara with bacon instead of ham and hard cheese.

As a weekend treat, I purchased two big cans of Sol Chelada.  This should also help me sleep soundly, 'cause I have been having nightmares. Anxiety has a way to find you even in your dreams.  Self-talk doesn't help you there.  Only lots of exercise or whiskey or long hours of work helps me there.  With the gym being closed, and admittedly not being self-disciplined about my at-home exercise, I can feel the waist expanding.  But one crisis and problem at a time.

Another treat, a box of Almond Honey cookies.  Plus, I still have my brownie mix and may make an easy peanut butter fudge soon.

Overall, I feel fortunate to have gotten most things on the list, though the sizes and brands were not my normal selections. I just really do not want to go back to the store until I must. I keep hoping we turn the tide sooner than later, but looks like Arizona's numbers are still climbing. We are headed toward 80+ degrees next week and I wonder if the warmer weather will actually work in our favor soon. If this turns out to be a seasonal virus, it might give the scientists time to find answers.

While I fill my days with weed-eating a badly overgrown backyard and being creative in my cooking, watching old DVDs, sketching, reading, watching television, the days are passing.  

Meanwhile, my long time friend in Ohio is facing real challenges.  She is currently a patient at the Ohio State Hospital in Columbus. She has been ill for a long time and waiting for a kidney, but because of a persistent infection that just won't go away, her doctor had her go to ER because that is the only way to get a hospital bed right now.  She was put into isolation until they could test her for "the virus". Today she got the news she is negative and they moved her out of isolation to a regular room.  Now we are hoping they can get her better enough with intravenous antibiotics to let her get out of there and away from possible contagion.  

Home is where you want to be right now.  Home, be it ever so humble, there really is no place like home -- never more true as now.

[ifeveristoday]

Buffy Summers’s Diary (X)

So my follower count jumped up by a lot since I posted about the Boom!verse, so I’d like to say hey. I will keep thinking and posting about the Boom!verse because I really enjoy it. Hopefully, my recaps/reactions continue to be amusing/useful to you guys.

That said, this side blog is mainly for me to post first drafts of fic and reblog all! the! gif sets! about Buffy and co. And she’s my favorite so I will not tolerate Buffy Summers slander. But I also won’t shit over the other characters, even the ones I’m not as fond of, because again - they’re someone’s favorite. I’m just here to be snarky and occasionally thoughtful.

On with the latest installment of my pastiche!

 Eating dinner at Tara’s was always an experience. Candles lit, the warm scent of sandalwood in the air – I missed those nights when I was invited over for dinner at her and Willow’s place. Tara had a way of making any place feel like a home – lived in and cozy.

I didn’t want to arrive empty handed, especially after such a long time of not seeing her. It was mostly out of guilt – it was hard to reconcile the idea of Willow, my best friend versus the woman who had recklessly lied and imploded her relationship with Tara. Dawn hadn’t been right when she accused me of choosing sides, but I hadn’t exactly done the best job of supporting Tara, either.

After mindlessly wandering the aisles of the specialty grocery store -ugh, I know. So LA. I found a jar of a locally farmed honey. It was packed in a pretty glass jar and there was a handwritten label pasted on it. I remembered the fully stocked cabinet of tea in Tara’s home – the honey would go perfectly with it.

 Dawn opened the door when I knocked. ‘You came,’ she said, with some surprise.

‘I said I would.’

I handed her the jar. ‘Where’s Tara?’

‘In the kitchen. She’s finishing the last dish.’

It smelled delicious, garlic and buttery and rich. I went into the kitchen, where Tara was frowning at something on the stove.

‘Can I help?’

She jumped slightly. ‘Oh hey, Buffy.’ She smiled, and every worry I had that she would resent me faded away. ‘I’m just steaming this broccoli. I’m doing vegetarian tonight, is that okay? I could make you some chicken – I would just have to defrost it.’

‘No, it’s fine. Vegetarian actually sounds really good. I’ve been eating nothing but junk at work this whole week. It’s like we’re sponsored by Big Carb.’

She grinned. ‘Well, I made eggplant lasagna and tofu salad. The broccoli is just extra veggies. Dawnie took care of dessert.’

‘She did?’

Tara laughed. ‘She bought it from the bakery down the street. It’s safe.’

‘Oh, thank God.’

‘I heard that,’ Dawn called from the living room. ‘You’re just not ready for my flavor combinations.’

‘You have the palate of a six-year-old.’

‘I wouldn’t say that. I would say at least eight,’ Tara mused.

‘Tara,’ Dawn protested.

‘Dawnie,’ she teased back. ‘And Buffy, you can just sit, I’m all good here.’

‘So how’s everything going at the studio?’ I stirred around my salad, picking up crunchy noodles.

Tara brightened. ‘Really good. I’m doing a workshop for a women’s shelter – it’s open to the general public too. It’s about surviving a fundamentalist cult.’

‘Really? That sounds cool. I wonder if Kendra would be interested in that – I’ll email her tonight.’

‘That would be great publicity. I’ll let Lily know – poor thing is running that shelter all by herself, I’m sure extra attention would bring in extra money.’

‘I can’t promise anything,’ I said, ‘but I’ll do my best to pitch the idea.’

‘Oh, I know. I still appreciate it, though. I’m also doing a freelance job, so I’ll have some funds to pass on to the shelter.’

‘What’s the freelance gig?’ Dawn asked.

‘I’m doing a decorating job – it’s only one office, so it’s not too complicated. It’s for a law firm.’

Small bells began to sound in my head.

‘Which law firm?’

‘That big one downtown. Wolfe, Ram and Hurt.’

The bells became a noisy choir. I swallowed, not tasting the sesame dressing.

‘For who?’

‘Uh, let me think. Ah, a Mr. Delaney?’

Dawn whipped her head around to stare at me. ‘Delaney? Isn’t that..’

‘Angel. You’re decorating Liam Delaney’s office?’

‘That’s it,’ Tara said. ‘Yes. He set up the appointment last week. Actually, his assistant did, then he called to confirm.’

‘Angel’s our old neighbor. And Buffy had a big crush on him,’ Dawn announced.

‘Thanks, Dawn.’ I gritted my teeth. ‘And for the record, it was not a big crush. He was my best friend’s older brother.’

Tara nodded in understanding. ‘Well, while he’s not my preference, he sounded pretty hot on the phone.’

‘Eh,’ Dawn shrugged. ‘He’s all right if you like tall, brooding guys. And jocks.’

‘Angel’s not a jock.’

‘Yeah he was. He was on the football team!’

‘For one season. He quit and joined the art club.’

‘He did? Didn’t see that on a plaque at Hemery. Anyway, Buffy’s type is a jock.’

‘No it isn’t.’

Dawn rolled her eyes. ‘Okay, with the exception of Billy, every boyfriend you had in high school was a jock. Then there was Riley,’ her mouth twisted with distaste. ‘I guess that was more work-related, though.’

‘They had other interests. I have other interests. This is a slander against athletes. You’re an athlete.’

‘Touche. So have you talked to him?’

‘We met for coffee. Tara, this lasagna is awesome.’

‘I can give you the recipe after,’ Tara offered. ‘It’s pretty easy to make.’

‘Real smooth, Buffy. Way to be all avoidy.’ Dawn snorted.

‘Liam’s fine,’ I stressed. ‘He’s dating my co-worker. We’re acquaintances. Anyway, it’s none of your business.’

‘He’s dating? Oh. That’s a surprise. I heard from Mom he was kind of a wreck the last time she saw him.’

‘Yes, he’s dating. And not interested in me, because I am also not interested in him.’

‘Sure,’ Dawn said, unconvinced. ‘So the blushing is just a side effect.’

Tara stepped in before I threw my water at Dawn’s head. ‘I believe you, Buffy. And there is nothing wrong with enjoying your own company. Dating can be rough.’

‘There was another guy,’ I said. ‘Something is going on with him – but he’ll probably have to leave soon. He mentioned he had to renew his work visa.’

‘What? You didn’t tell me this!’

‘I didn’t know I had to, seeing how you’re a regular Harriet the spy,’ I said. ‘Like I said, it’s something, but I’m not sure. He was interested, but Liam kind of ruined it.’

Dawn shook his head. ‘It’s so weird hearing you call him that. I think I was twelve when I found out his real first name.’

‘It’s not like it was my personal nickname for him – his family called him that. Kathy would only use his full name when she was mad at him.’

‘Sounds like we’ve got a lot of catching up to do,’ Tara said. She stood up. ‘Help me clear up the plates? And Dawnie, if you can go get the dessert? It’s in the fridge.’

���Thanks for the save,’ I murmured so Dawn couldn’t hear. ‘Dawn’s super intense with secrets, especially when she thinks I’m keeping something from her.’

Tara smiled gently. ‘I get it. My cousin and I used to be that close too. I kind of envy that bond you two have.’

I shook my head. ‘You’ve been a better older sister to her than I have – the last couple of years….’ I trailed off. ‘Tara, I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you. It wasn’t right.’

She reached over and squeezed my shoulder. ‘I’m not mad at you, Buffy. I never was. I’m happy you’re here tonight. Don’t be a stranger, you can come around anytime.’

Her eyes sparkled. ‘Do you want me to run recon on Mr. Delaney?’

I laughed. ‘That’s sweet of you to offer, but I think the less I know about him, the better off I’ll be. He’s moved on with his life and I’m trying to do that too. It just kind of threw me – like, I was seventeen again and hearing about him eloping. It wasn’t anything then, and it’s not anything now.’

‘If you’re sure.’ Tara looked at me solemnly.

‘One hundred percent. Besides, there’s the matter of William,’ I said. ‘He’s pretty charming. In an annoying, cocky way.’

Tara raised an eyebrow. ‘William? Do tell.’

‘What about William?’ Dawn entered with a plate of cookies, each one dusted with powdered sugar. ‘Also, who’s William?’

‘The other guy. William Pratt. Also known as –’

‘Spike Pratt?’ Dawn interrupted excitedly. ‘The author?’

‘You know him?’

‘Yeah, his novels are the best to read on long flights. I can’t believe you’re dating him.’

‘We’re not. We’re just getting to know each other, but he’s cooled off. Liam told me to stay away from him, said he was a womanizing playboy.’

‘Oh right, because Angel was a saint,’ Dawn said dismissively. ‘There were always girls going in and out of his house.’

‘Yes, but I know-knew him better than I do William. And people should have second chances. He’s been very respectful with me.’

‘Pe-people can change,’ Tara said. She bit her lip. ‘Sometimes not for the better.’

‘Right,’ Dawn said quickly. ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater, I say.’ She looked at me sharply. ‘Maybe you should stay away from him.’

‘The Summers’s curse is in full effect, nothing is going to happen. And not everyone is going to turn out like Riley. He seems to be happily married now.’

‘Yeah, well if karma was real,’ Dawn said. ‘I just don’t want you to get hurt again.’

I couldn’t help it. I pulled her into a hug. ‘I know. And I love you for that. But I’m a big girl and …I do what I want.’

She patted my back. ‘Yeah, but I call dibs on I told you so later.’

‘I expect nothing less.’

‘Boys are dumb,’ Tara said lightly. ‘That doesn’t really change with age.’ She plucked a cookie off the plate and offered it to me.

‘They really are,’ I sighed. I bit into the crumbly softness, the sugar dusting my mouth. ‘But I’m tired of talking about me. What else is going on in your life?’

Tara looked down bashfully. ‘Well, I think I’m going to adopt a cat, and I finally finished all the seasons of the X-Files, work is going great, Dawnie is helping me with the apps…’

‘What apps?’

‘Dating apps,’ Dawn said. ‘I let Tara see my profile and then set her up with her own account.’

‘You’re on dating apps?’

‘Uh yeah. Everyone is on dating apps, no one meets in the wild anymore,’ Dawn said. ‘Besides, it’s fun.’

‘But – they’re strangers. They could be anyone. Dangerous anyones.’

‘I’m not stupid, I have filters in place. You’re just paranoid because of what happened with Xander.’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Because Xander got codfished. Multiple times. One of them turned out to be an escaped convict.’

‘Catfished,’ Dawn said exasperatedly. ‘And he met Anya on an app. She was nice. Sort of.’

‘I’ve gone on a few dates,’ Tara said. ‘All very nice women. No serial killers in the lot.’

‘It’s perfectly safe, Buffy. Look, I just bypass all the men who have lots of gym pictures, hiking pictures, and golfing pictures. Oh, and if they quote Borat.’

‘That’s like a third of LA. Who’s even left?’

‘Nice guys, I swear. And sometimes,’ Dawn shifted in her seat, ‘it’s not about the dates.’

Tara coughed. ‘I have a book club you could join, Buffy. If you want to meet nice people.’

Objectively, I knew I shouldn’t have been surprised. Dawn was twenty-four years old, I didn’t think she was at home knitting tea cozies. But still. She was my baby sister.

‘I think I need to see your feed.’

‘No way. You have judgment face. You’re just going to say mean stuff about all of them.’

‘I will not,’ I lied. ‘If they’re as nice as you say.’

‘Not in a million years. You can make your own profile.’

‘Ugh. No thank you. I have to have a social media presence for work and it makes me want to burn down the internet.’

‘It’s okay as long as you don’t read the comments. Or check the grammar,’ Tara said helpfully. ‘People generally mean well.’

‘That hasn’t really been my experience. I’ll just have to live vicariously through you two.’

‘Here’s what I’m thinking – if this something doesn’t work out with Spike – you could try the app. Maybe find a nice Joe Normal.’ Dawn shrugged. ‘It’s really not a big deal.’

‘I’ll have to get back to you on that. Can you email me the lasagna recipe, Tara?’

‘Of course. Take some cookies home, there’s too much for me to eat by myself.’

She walked us to her hallway and hugged us both. ‘I’ll see you in the morning, Dawnie. And you,’ she punched my shoulder playfully. ‘You are always welcome to stop by. You’re family.’

I was overwhelmed. ‘Thanks, Tara. I’ll let you know about that article about the shelter. I could volunteer at the very least.’

‘I’d like that. Lily would like it too, I’m sure.’

  ‘Tara’s doing really well, isn’t she?’ 

Dawn nodded. ‘She is. I think she’s moved on.’

‘That’s good. I’m happy for her.’

‘But…’ Dawn said. ‘You have that look on your face.’

‘I thought she and Willow would have made it. After Xander and Anya broke up, they were supposed to be the rock solid couple. I guess that was selfish of me.’

‘Well, you know what I think about Willow. Tara might have forgiven her, but I haven’t. And I don’t like Kennedy.’

‘She’s an acquired taste. And it doesn’t matter what we think – Willow loves her. She sees something in her that is valuable.’

‘She calls you a gringa idiota behind your back, you know.’

‘What?’

‘Yeah. She doesn’t know that I know Spanish.’

‘I just have to remember that Willow loves her. That’s all that matters.’ I clenched my fist. ‘She’s a valuable, worthy person.’

‘If you say so,’ Dawn said doubtfully. ‘I think she’s a rebound and both of them deserve better.’

‘Yeah, but I can’t tell Will that. It’s her life.’

‘Maybe you could just hint at it? Are you still doing those weekend brunches?’

‘Yeah. We have to schedule one soon, she’s been really busy with wedding planning. Do you want to come?’

‘I’ll pass. I have plans for the weekend.’

‘Do they involve sketchy app guys?’

‘Maybe.’

‘You’re being safe right? Mom gave you the talk?’

Dawn grimaced. ‘Yes, and the book and the PowerPoint. Relax, Buffy. I know what I’m doing.’

‘Will you text me when you leave at least? And when you’re on your way home?’

‘Okay. Anything else, Mom?’

‘Mom would have given you Mace to put in your purse – she did, didn’t she?’

‘Yep. It’s millennial pink.’

‘Then we’re good.’

previous entry | next entry

#Buffy Summer’s Diary

[thisislizheather]

Best Thanksgiving Recipes

American Thanksgiving is in one week! Do I care? As a Canadian, of course not! The real one was on the second Monday of October. But since so many people are about to enjoy their sweet little late turkey, maybe it’s time to publicly declare my favourite tried & true recipes you might want to try this (fake) Thanksgiving.

Appetizers

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip - It’s become a staple appetizer in my house now because it’s ridiculously easy, flavourful and can be made ahead of time then popped in the oven alongside the turkey. Tortilla chips taste best with it, but if you want to dunk a Dorito instead this is your life and you have to live it proudly.

Rumaki - I can't find the recipe for this, but it's basically water chestnuts wrapped in bacon on a toothpick and baked in steak sauce. Incredible. (Thank you for introducing this to me years ago, Marla!)

Cranberry Jell-O Shots - Alcoholic & adorable.

Spinach, Bacon & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms - I absolutely love these stuffed mushrooms, but I’ve made them so many times I think I have to take a break from them for a little while. If you haven’t tried them though, you must. Whatever you do, don’t skip the breadcrumbs step because it’s the best part.

Cauliflower Toasts - Oh my god, the name is so boring but this is truly one of the best appetizers on the planet. Especially if you’re not hosting that many people and they happen to be mostly adults. Do children like cauliflower? I don’t know and truthfully I don’t care.

Side Dishes

Cranberry Sauce - This has been the one I’ve made for years now and it’s perfect. You can make it a few days in advance and it makes your home smell amazing. Even if you don’t like cranberry sauce, just make it… someone will appreciate it and love it. I am someone.

Cranberry Butter - It’s so good on literally everything (potatoes, dinner rolls, crackers, I can go on and I will, corn, garlic bread, green beans, stuffing). It’s untouchable. Even if this doesn’t sound amazing to you, I encourage you to make some kind of fancy butter because then if you screw up most of the meal, you’ll still be considered pretty fancy for making your own compound butter (honey butter, cinnamon butter, basil butter, etc.).

Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpeas & Sweet Potatoes - One of my favourite salad recipes of all time, even a kale hater MIGHT be okay with this salad because the dressing is just so good.

The Ultimate Salad Vinaigrette - If you dislike shallots then stay away from this recipe, but if you understand flavour and taste, then this is the greatest simple dressing of all time. The arugula part doesn’t matter much, pick whatever leafy green you prefer.

Boxed Stuffing - Okay, so I’m going to make homemade stuffing this year to see if it’s actually better, but every other year of my life I’ve made boxed because I love it, AS LONG AS YOU’RE FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS.

Best Garlic Bread - I love this spread because it’s so involved, it just screams effort. And yes, simple garlic bread is beautiful and amazing, but for the holidays it’s nice to go a little nuts.

Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad - Does this seem insane to include as a side? I guess it would make sense to skip adding the chicken since it’s already such a big meal, but it’s truly just a great side dish with or without the chicken.

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes - Any kind of mashed potatoes are good mashed potatoes. Since everything else on the dinner table is usually so much more decadent, I like having a simple potato dish. One year I attempted scalloped potatoes, but I used too deep of a dish and it came out raw so I’ve always been a little afraid to attempt those again.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Pudding - Yes the phrase “corn pudding” sounds disgusting, I agree, we have to move on from that initial thought because this is SUCH a good corn side dish recipe. But whatever you do, I beg you to cut the recipe in half. It’s insane how the portioning is off on this one, I guarantee you’ll still have leftovers even if you half it.

Make Ahead White Wine Gravy - So, so good.

Entrees

Easy, No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey - My mom usually handles the turkey, but the one time I tried to help I used this rub and it was sublime.

Eggplant Lasagna - Too, too good. If you’re not offering vegetarian options in 2021, nobody likes you.

Desserts

Individual No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups - There’s just something about an individual dessert, it’s so classy and almost independent? I don’t know what I’m saying, but you get it.

Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting - Truly heaven on earth. I have put this frosting on cookies it’s so unreal. I’m really ruining your life by telling you about it.

Apple Fritter Cake - I’ve never made apple fritters and now I never have to. Truly shocked at how good this tasted. It’s a bit of a wet cake, but sometimes that can be a wonderful thing.

Leftover Ideas

Leftover Stuffing Muffins - Simply incredible. I purposely make extra stuffing mainly so I can make these for the following week. Oooo and you can cut a stuffing muffin in half and then make yourself a mini turkey sandwich! Just thought of this! Gah! How am I not in charge of more things in this life?! It’s infuriating.

The Leftover Sandwich - Okay, so every year (starting with last year), I have altered the bread in this sandwich recipe. I think that will just be the tradition from now on because I kind of love it. Last year I went with focaccia (stellar) and this year I did a soft ciabatta roll (wowza). The main ingredients are turkey, cranberry sauce (or cranberry butter), stuffing, caramelized onions, cheddar & gravy. I love this sandwich and it will remain the legacy I leave on the world. That might be sad? I’m okay with it.

All that being said, I love to try a few new recipes each year to see what works and what doesn’t. Here’s what has caught my eye this year.

Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding - It’s an Ina recipe so how could it be bad? Also, I think I love the idea of doing a bread pudding instead of a stuffing. Although I do love stuffing. So I might just make this and call it a mushroom & leek bread stuffing, which would solve everything in my brain.

Turkey & Cranberry Ravioli - Love this as an idea for leftovers. I just bought wonton wrappers and I. am. PUMPED.

Loaded Baked Potato Chips - I love when appetizers are individually portioned out already. Makes me feel like I’m at a rich person’s house.

Simple Stuffing - I do love the idea of making this for the first time. I’m just so worried it’ll taste SO boring so it’s a toss up between this one and old bread pudding at the top there.

Stuffed Mushroom Casserole - Genius idea! Absolutely doing this.

Southern Baked Mac & Cheese - Is this insane on a Thanksgiving table? Or is it just what has been missing?

Honey Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots - I can’t decide if my family will laugh me out of the house if I put these on a table and expect them to be eaten? We’re not exactly a “vegetable” family. (Hahah, is that like stupid apparent?? I put frosting on cookies for christsake.)

Peas & Pancetta - How could this not be good? But again… the vegetable conundrum.

Leftover Turkey & Stuffing Croquettes - These are giving me such strong crab cake vibes, I couldn’t be more into it.

Maple Pumpkin Gingersnap Tiramisu Trifle - I mean, this looks almost royal.

However you’re eating this great meal on Thursday, I beg you to try at least one of these. You will thank me greatly and everyone will love you.

Hoping you have a “Happy” “Thanksgiving!”

[foodonabudget18-blog]

4 recipes for less than $3 a serving

We all know that cooking can be challenging and expensive, but what if I told you that it didn’t always have to be that way? Today I’m going to share with you 4 recipes that won’t break your bank and taste incredible! All these amazing recipes cost $3 or less per serving! That’s insane! I hope you all enjoy.

The first recipe I want to share with you all is an apple chicken wrap. This recipe allows you to make as much as you want for only $1.25 per serving. Not to mention it’s pretty healthy too! I learned this recipe from 5dollardinners, so make sure you check them out and all the other great recipes they have!

http://www.5dollardinners.com/apple-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

What you will need: 1 lb. ground chicken (or you can make your own and dice it yourself)

6 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs vinegar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp minced garlic (you can add more if you want a stronger garlic flavor)

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tbs honey

1 tps ground ginger

16 lettuce leaves (big enough to use as “shells”)

1 apple

Optional: green onions, other veggie toppers, ½ tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

1)      In a skillet brown the chicken with both the garlic powder and the salt. Make sure that you cook the chicken all the way through

2)      In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, minced garlic, ground ginger, and crushed peppers. Once well combined slowly stir into the chicken over a low heat and allow the sauce to warm up thouroughly.

3)      Combine the cornstarch with equal parts water. Once well combined mix in with the sauce and allow it to simmer for 3 minutes. In this time the sauce should thicken up. Add more cornstarch mixture if you desire a thicker sauce, and less if you want a thinner sauce.

4)      Carefully chop the apple up into small chunks and combine with the green onion. This mixture lightens up the meal and adds a layer of texture.

5)      Carefully layer everything up inside of the lettuce leaves. The chicken should be on the bottom topped with the apple and onions. And finally enjoy!

The next recipe I would like to share with you is called “Greek Turkey and Rice Skillet”. I learned this recipe from a place called Budget Bytes. To me it makes me feel fancy because it’s a different taste then normal American food. It makes me want to take a trip and enjoy some real Greek style food. Reguardless, this recipe is amazing and I highly recommend it. It also is low cost with a serving cost of $2.49.

https://www.budgetbytes.com/greek-turkey-rice-skillet/

What you will need:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

16oz Ground turkey (I prefer 97% Lean)

1 tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp salt

1 c. white rice

¼ lb spinach (fresh or frozen)

1/3 c. sun dried tomatos (optional if you don’t like tomatoes)

½ c. olives (sliced, I prefer black)

1 ½ c. Chicken broth

1 lemon

Parsley

1 oz feta cheese

Directions:

1)      Using a deep skillet pan, add the olive oil and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes. In this time, you should start to smell the garlic. Once you can smell the garlic, add in the ground turkey and oregano. Make sure to salt and pepper to taste. Continue to sauté over medium heat until the turkey is cooked through. This typically takes about 5 minutes.

2)      While the meat is cooking take the time to slice the olives and tomatoes. Once the meat is cooked, add the rice, spinach, olives, and tomatoes to the skillet.

3)      Add the chicken broth and stir until well combined. Placing a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to a medium high, allowing the mixture to come to a slight boil. Once it is boiling turn the heat back down to a low to medium low and simmer for another 15 minutes.

4)      Once 15 minutes has passed stir the mixture and replace the lid. Turn off the heat completely and allow the mixture to sit for an additional 10 minutes.

5)      While the mixture is sitting, zest half the lemon and slice it into wedges and roughly chop the parsley. Give the skillet a stir and top with the lemon zest, parsley, and feta.

6)      Serve with lemon wedges on the side for added zing and flavor. This allows the consumer to decide whether or not to squeeze the lemon over their helping.

The next recipe I would love to share with you guys is actually a vegetarian dish! Sadly, its not vegan, although it is easy to make it vegan style using vegan ingredients rather than things like real cheese. This recipe rings in at a total of $0.90 per serving, how amazing is that! The best part, its pizza! This pizza is a garlic and kale pizza, which is a healthy alternative then your average meat lovers’ delivery. This recipe also came from Budget Bytes, so make sure to check them out!

https://www.budgetbytes.com/garlicky-kale-and-ricotta-pizza/

What you will need:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove of garlic (minced)

6 cups of kale leaves (torn/shredded)

1 large pizza dough (if I’m lazy I use 1.5 tubs of the refrigerated Pillsbury ones)

¼ tsp garlic powder

1 c. whole milk ricotta

1 c. mozzarella

Directions:

1)      Preheat the oven to 400F. If the kale you purchased has stems, make sure to remove them. Rinse the kale well and tear into 2-inch pieces. These pieces may be bigger or smaller depending on your preference.

2)      Place the garlic and 1 tbsp of oil into a large pot and sauté over a medium heat for 1 minute. The garlic should turn soft and become fragrant. Add the kale and continue to sauté for an addition 5 minute. In this time the kale should start to wither. Season the kale with salt and pepper to taste.

3)      Shape your pizza dough into a circle or square and place inside either a pizza pan or baking tray of some sort. The normal size for a circular pizza is between 12 and 14 inches. Some pizza doughs require pre-baking before adding toppings so make sure to read the directions of the dough you choose. Many premade pizza crusts do not require this.

4)      In a small bowl combine the other tbsp of olive oil and garlic powder. Brush the mixture onto the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the kale evenly over the pizza dough. Top with the ricotta and mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella cheese should be the final layer to your pizza.

5)      Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes, or until the desired brownness of the crust and cheese. Slice the pizza into the desired servings and enjoy.

The last recipe that I would love to share with you is a desert. This desert is a chocolate lava cake. Lava cakes are one of my favorite deserts because its like there’s a surprise in the middle! They are so fun and gooey. It makes me feel like a kid again. The other good this about lava cakes is that there are so many different recipes out there. You can make red velvet, vanilla, chocolate, and even cookie ones! The combinations are endless.

https://www.eatwell101.com/chocolate-lava-cake-recipe-molten-chocolate-cake

What you will need:

7 oz butter

7 oz chocolate (can be whatever type you want)

5 ½ oz icing sugar

1 2/3 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

Directions:

1)      In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together over a low heat. This is best achieved using a double boiler, or a heat resistant bowl over a pan of water. You may also do this in a microwave but be careful as you can easily burn the chocolate this way. The best way is to start melting in 30 second intervals, and once it starts to melt drop down to 15 second intervals until well combined.

2)      In a bowl which together the icing sugar and eggs. Add in the flour and baking powder and gently mix until combined. Slowly add in the melted chocolate and butter until you get a smooth paste like consistency. Pour the mixture into small buttered molds and allow them to rest in a refrigerator for at least 2 hours. If you don’t have molds you can use oven resistant mugs or even cupcake tins.

3)      Once the batter has rested, preheat the oven to 360F. Bake the batter for 8 minutes until they turn a light golden brown.

4)      Serve and enjoy! These cakes go really well with chocolate syrup, caramel, whip cream, or even some ice cream on top. So, don’t forget to top it with something you enjoy!

Thank you guys so much for the support you have given me so far. I hope that you enjoy these recipes and check out the different people who help inspire me to do my cooking. Keep in mind that each recipe can be changed and tailored to meet your wants and needs. So don’t be afraid to experiment and try different things! I hope you guys enjoy! If you try out any of these recipes take a picture and let me know what you thought!