diva in training

Newborn Photography

2012-01-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

Just a little hint at what I've been working on.

This is Jacob. He was born at the beginning of this year, and this is his first photoshoot. You see he looks pretty skeptical . . .

This shoot was done without the use of any props or baskets, and even without any holiday garb. Just an honest photoshoot with natural lighting.

Much patience was required from myself, Arielle, and baby Jacob.

A very special thanks to Arielle, for letting me into her home to photograph this sweet baby. I think all the patience was worth it :)

Blueberry Lemon Jam

2012-01-21T16:30:00.000-05:00

This is my first attempt at jams. And though I was not entirely happy with my viscosity, I would definitely attempt this again. It was delightfully easy to make.

And pretty good to eat.

Blueberry Lemon Jam:

8 cups fresh blueberries
5 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pouches (3 ounces each) liquid fruit pectin

Place blueberries in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a stockpot. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, lemon peel and nutmeg. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

I found my first attempt to be a little too lemon-y, with too low of a viscosity. I also found it too be too sugary. I think those will base the adjustments I make to my next batch, which will be delicious.

Pieces of Trees

2012-01-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

Photos taken in Ft. White, Florida, December 2011. Special appearances by "The Big Tree."

Things Found in the Leaves

2012-01-12T10:09:00.000-05:00

Taken in Ft. White, Florida, December 2011

Poblano Gazpacho and Goals

2011-12-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

I'm experienced a renewed sense of vigor with the mere identification of a goal. It's wonderful. Two basic things have been identified: Working all the damn time drains my creativity and makes me miserable (1). I'm finally ready to go back to school to do my Masters (2). Just identifying and recognizing these things has helped so much.

But what to do the Masters in? This is a fun problem to have. The original plan was music, but now the possibilities seem limitless, well almost limitless. I'm really, seriously, pondering an MA in Photography. Seriously. Now the task is finding out just how qualified I actually am.

And as far as goals go, I've come up with a few more in my moments of inspiration. I don't like to call them New Year's Resolutions because that seems so fleeting and boring. And plus, I made them in December, so they are more like End of Year Resolutions, or maybe just Life Plan. I'll stick with that. They are really quite beautifully simple.

-Be more active! Not go on a diet or lose weight or anything, just lead a more active lifestyle and enjoy nature a little more.

-Keep in touch! Most of my friends live really far away, and we all lead such busy lives. I miss them. Let's fix that.

-Chase the Dream, whatever that may be! Seems cliche, I realize, but I have found myself settled lately. I don't like it. Who dreams of working in food service? Though it has been a fabulous opportunity, I'm ready to get out and do something more meaningful. It's time.

Oh yeah, about the soup . . .

Such a great fresh and smokey flavor is achieved from first roasting or sauteeing the vegetables. It can be served hot or cold.

Poblano Gazpacho:

3 cups of poblano chili peppers, seeded, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
3 cloves of garlic (why not more?)
2 T unsalted butter
1 T flour
4 cups of chicken broth
3/4 t ground cumin

Sautee vegetables in a large pan (or roast in oven) until tender, about 8 min. Stir in flour to thicken and cook 1 min longer. Add chicken broth and cumin and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 min. Process soup in blender or immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Feel free to garnish with a dollop of sour cream on top!

Manatees in the Sante Fe

2011-12-07T13:04:00.000-05:00

Manatees!!

I meant to share these back in September when I went down for Nana's birthday. It's always so great to see them flourish in the wild.

2011-12-01T22:01:00.001-05:00

Ok, yes, I took a Belgium waffle and stuffed it with bacon, egg, and cheese.

Yes, I'm a big fatty.

And, yes, you are jealous.

I'm not much for words this evening, but when am I ever? Work is still work, I still don't have time for the things that I love, and I am thinking of the future without taking any action. Dark and twisty much? I apologize. Now, if I can just get a good chicken and waffles going . . .

New Traditions

2011-11-28T09:17:00.001-05:00

John and I stayed in Columbia for Thanksgiving this year. With my vicious Black Friday work schedule and his cold, we decided not to brave the highways for travel. Instead, a day of peaceful, do-nothing relaxation was in place. We played video games, drank home brew, watched football, and for the second year in a row, made a kick-a$$ Seafood Jambalaya!!

I feel it may become a tradition with us now, and with good reason. You see, this Jambalaya is goood. Loaded with lots of custom blended Creole seasoning, power-packed quinoa, and pounds upon pounds of seafood, this is too good to resist. We opted for Oysters, Shrimp, Catfish, and Andouille sausage this go round. We even had a new addition of flaked barley with the grains. Flaked barley is now a staple with John's beer brewing.

Seriously, look at that deliciousness!

You can find the recipe post here.

And here's to new traditions! We shall see what Christmas holds . . .

November Leaves

2011-11-16T20:23:00.001-05:00

Earlwood Park, Columbia, SC

Shrimp and Quinoa Lunch

2011-11-15T11:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's day off did not go to waste! With the gas stove back in action and a doors open weather kind of day, it was perfect conditions to whip up a quick and hearty lunch.

First, some things about quinoa. It crept into my life a few years ago and now I cook with it so often that I feel it has been a childhood favorite.

"In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods.[13] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.[13]" -Wikipedia

Cool, right?

So, with kitchen door wide open, a cool breeze coming through, a bottle of wine to be opened, and some Old Bay seasoning, this was a good lunch.

And I swear by Old Bay. Insta-delicious.

Shrimp Quinoa:
(for one)

1/3 cup quinoa
1.5t Old Bay Seasoning
1/4c diced Onions
1/4c diced Green Bell Peppers
1.5c water
4-5 large shrimp (fresh or frozen)

Sautee onions and peppers in some olive oil in your pot until tender. Then add Old Bay, quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Do not stir excessively. Boil until quinoa is expanded and fluffy (you will see the circular casings come off the grain). Add shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until shrimp have turned pink.

And don't drink half of the bottle of wine when you have stuff to do later that day... just sayin.

maybe, just maybe...

2011-11-11T08:56:00.001-05:00

I'm constantly trying to imagine new ways to use my photos, and subsequently, a new way to use my life.
When I have a free moment, I let my mind wander of what my life would hold if I gave in to a life of art and beauty. Music, food, photography, arts I always wanted to try and never found the time which to experiment. . .

What would I be like? I imagine more rested. And more enthused with life. To be fair, I like making money. My job allows me to make a decent amount of money while interacting with people, food, and the like. But what else could I be doing? And making my own schedule sounds magnificent!!

In the spirit of all of these musings, I made something for you all:

Desktop Calendars!! (featuring my photos)

The first is Columbia, SC fall foliage. The second, Florida's fall foliage on the Sante Fe River.
(Just right click on the image and save as Desktop Wallpaper)

It's a wonderful feature, thanks to Big Huge Labs! Perhaps I will make one every month now?

Charleston, South Carolina

2011-11-09T09:07:00.002-05:00

A loooooong overdue post....

I did promise to post pictures from this July excursion, which means I need to stop promising things.

I'm finding less and less time in my day for the things that I like to do. Like sharing and cooking. But alas, these need to be shared.

Most of the photos are of Architectural aspects of Charleston. I found them to be the most interesting. Then, of course, there is Battery Park, the shops of King Street, and the Wharf next the the Aquarium. It was a great weekend excursion for us, and an excellent Birthday celebration of continual eating and drinking! Such great food in Charleston...

And sorry these took so long. *Thinking if there is anything else I promised and have not yet delivered...*

On a side note, I have a singing gig next week.

Flora

2011-10-31T09:43:00.000-04:00

The newest additions to my kitchen garden.

Georgia Aquarium!

2011-10-26T20:49:00.001-04:00

So many beautiful shots from there! I'm excited!!!!

Can't you tell?

None of these are edited, though they could probably stand to be.

Apple Crisps

2011-10-06T14:17:00.000-04:00

I recently had a time out from work. A moment to contemplate some things. I spent most of it cooking.

It worked wonders for calming the mind, and letting out some of the pent up creativity.

Plus, I was able to share some of it with my neighbor downstairs. Win-win? I think yes.

The recipe is simple:

Slice up some apples, make a nice crumble with oats, brown sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon, and drizzle it with honey.

Bake it off. Done.

Then share with friends!

That is all. Thank you.

Nam Sad Moo

2011-09-21T20:00:00.000-04:00

It's no surprise that I favor Asian dishes. John has commented on that on many occasions. So much that he gave me a wok and seasonings for my birthday in July.

I'm ashamed to say that I still haven't seasoned or used the wok yet.

John is a recipe tweaker, while I am a "wing it" sorta gal. We get into debates over this all the time. This is also why I'm not a big baker.

To prove this, I thought you may enjoy this:

Always the thinker between us!

And in other news, I still work all the damn time!

Herbed Quick Bread

2011-08-31T20:49:00.001-04:00

So I made this delicious herbed quick bread, so named because it uses baking soda rather than yeast to leaven. Therefore, it is "quicker." But the thing is . . . I, uh, kinda lost the recipe.

And the worst part is that it wasn't even mine. I have a ton of things where I just kinda eyeball it, but this was exact. Pretty damn spot on actually.

I remember getting this recipe from a popular food blog, though now I cannot find it. I just jotted it down on a post-it note. I remember at some point during the Great Bleaching of 2011 thinking I wouldn't need it, I could just look it up again online. So I tossed it. Just like that. Trash. *hand on forehead*

And it was deliciously moist on the inside, with a great crust on the outside. I even used a whole grain white flour instead so I wouldn't feel so bad about downing half a loaf of bread in one sitting. I mean . . . nah, no denying it, I totally did.

Well, if any of you come across this recipe, please send it to me.

And for the creator of the recipe and blogger of anonymity, I thank thee. Because it was delicious.

Cannisters

2011-08-29T11:16:00.000-04:00

Quinoa, Lentils, and Oats stay stocked in my kitchen.

I'm not Dead.

2011-08-23T08:46:00.000-04:00

At least not physically.

I watched after these guys. And then a small litter of three, of which only one made it. They suffered from a bad dose of coccydea, a bacterial parasite. It caused them to have extreme diarrhea and they couldn't retain anything. It also caused me to have to clean my floor twice a day. Exhausting. And sad.

After turning in the last little one, I finally have my kitchen back! Everything has been painstakingly scrubbed with bleach and disinfected. Finally. After and month and a half. And now I de-flea my house. Awesome.

And maybe I'll finally get to use my wok that John gave me for my birthday, back in July.

And maybe I'll get to upload and share my pictures from Charleston.

And maybe I'll actually get to communicate with friends and family other than a passing, "yes, I'm still alive, I'm just working all the time." Especially echoed that I found out an Uncle has bladder cancer.

But, most likely, I'll just keep working and dragging my personal life over the coals.

Yep, sounds like a game plan.

Kiwi for Breakfast

2011-07-25T14:43:00.000-04:00

It is so hot in Columbia!! In the hundreds. Daily.

And I still work all the damn time.

So, nothing new in my life, I guess. Except the fostering of kitties. Yes, I opened my door to keep little ones out of the shelter until they are old enough to get vaccinated and adopted. On my second litter now.

And I had a weekend trip to Charleston for my birthday! Pictures to come, especially from the aquarium.

Life is busy-- and it's summer, the time when one is supposed to relax. Oh well.

I guess, in all this, what I'm trying to say is that a cold fresh kiwi and some strawberry yogurt can really hit the spot for breakfast.

US 301 Southbound

2011-06-23T12:42:00.000-04:00

A photo journey with me in my car. All of the pictures were taken from my car and at speed (roughly 55-65 mph). None of them have been edited. Straight out of the camera.

I find 301 so interesting. Since the construction of bigger and larger interstates, much of this has been forgotten and left by the wayside. So much of it is a time capsule.

Salmon with Lime and Honey

2011-06-23T11:32:00.001-04:00

When I finally came to reside in my apartment again, and not driving back and forth to open new Panera cafes, living out of hotels and the like, I craved fresh and whole foods. So much of the past three months entailed eating take out and Panera. And alcohol. But that's another story!

I bought so much produce and seafood that I had to share with friends lest it spoil. One of the meals that I most looked forward to was the salmon fillets. I knew I wanted to incorporate a lime, but I wasn't sure what else I wanted to use. As the self-proclaimed Queen of throw together seasonings and marinades, I had no trouble.

Salmon with Lime and Honey

Salmon Fillet
Old Bay Seasoning
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Honey- enough to baste the top
Limes juice and wedges

Add each of the dry seasonings to the Salmon and pat down. Squeeze half of a lime over the fillet, then slice the rest for wedges. Cover the top with honey and spread to cover the entire top. Arrange the lime wedges on top of the fillet. Bake or Broil in oven until fish is firm throughout.
I tend to under cook mine.
Delicious!

Animal Print

2011-06-09T18:21:00.000-04:00

Curried Noodles with Shrimp and Sliced Mushrooms

2011-06-03T18:13:00.000-04:00

One of my birthday presents to John was a cook book full of curries, which he loves to cook with.

This was the first recipe we decided to try.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 fresh red chili, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp Red Curry paste
1 lemon grass stalk
8 oz cooked and shelled shrimp
1 pkg fresh sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp Tamari soy sauce
8 oz fresh egg noodles, or linguine
chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the shallots and chili and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the Thai Red curry paste and lemon grass and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the shrimp, mushrooms. fish sauce, and Tamari and stir to mix well.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, drain, and transfer to warm plates. Top with stir-fry mixture. Sprinkle cilantro garnish and serve immediately.

The Ostrich

2011-06-03T17:45:00.000-04:00

A trip to the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens with John a few weeks ago led to these fabulous pictures. John was talking to her and she walked right up to us (as I slowly backed away... ostriches scare me a little).
Such character in each of these. I love them.

It was a fabulous day, so enjoy!

Note: I'm not at all sure if it was indeed female, but I just got the air that she was.

River Fauna

2011-05-27T23:38:00.000-04:00

A continuation of the previous post, and general exhilaration at seeing so many native woodpeckers. Pictures are the Red Headed (above), and the Red Bellied (further down, and seriously mis-named).

A mother Turtle lays her eggs in our yard.

I'm not really sure what was going on here. I just happened to have the camera aimed at the right moment.

Further evidence that animals do silly things when you have a camera pointed at them.

River Flora and the Start of Summer

2011-05-23T19:41:00.001-04:00

Normally Summer would be a much anticipated and happy season. But not in the Southeast. It's already reaching sweltering temperatures of 97 degrees.

Ridiculous. It's not even summer yet. It's not even June yet!

These pictures are from the Easter weekend at the River house in Florida. I'm still behind in all of my postings. Typical.

My job has forced me to travel a lot in the past few months. Since March, I have not spend more than a week straight in my apartment. Hotel living in tough. Even tougher to blog in such conditions. I haven't had any opportunity to cook any food for myself. Nothing but fast food and take out for me. Not cool.

My intention is to use my day off tomorrow as a spa and relaxation day. Then back to the grind in a different location.

By the way, I've been promoted.

Dog-fishing

2011-05-07T23:18:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day at the River House.

Fish were jumpin', and the cotton was high . . . .

ok, I may have stolen that line from a Gershwin opera, but nevertheless, the fish were, in fact, jumping.

And this guy was trying to catch them:

He never ended up catching any, but he sure tried.

Whole Grain White Waffles with Walnuts, Oats, and Cranberries

2011-05-04T15:59:00.000-04:00

Yep, I made waffles again. And they were delicious!

And they freeze exceptionally well, so I can make a whole batch and just heat them up as I need. Most mornings I can only tackle half of one anyway, so it's perfect.

In other news, I still live out of a hotel in Bluffton, SC. Luckily, I've had a few jaunts back home to keep me going. Also, I had a wonderful Easter holiday down in Florida with my family. More on that later, I promise. The pictures of the wildlife are too cute not to share!

Back to these waffles:

I took my standard Whole Wheat Waffle recipe and made some variations on what I had available. I didn't have vanilla extract, so I substituted pure almond extract, which gave it a delightfully fragrant smell. I also finished off a bag of oatmeal I had lingering about, and some chopped candied walnuts. The best part was the scattered cranberries throughout the dough. They've been in my freezer since winter, so look for more creative uses as I try to get rid of them.

Whole Grain White Waffles with Oats, Walnuts, and Cranberries

Ingredients

1 1/2 c Whole Grain White Flour

1/3 c oats

2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

2 T sugar

1 large egg

1/4 c chopped walnuts

1 1/2 c almond milk

1/3 c melted butter

1 t almond extract

4-6 cranberries per waffle (best to sprinkle over dough before closing waffle maker)

makes about 3 large waffles

Country Breakfast

2011-05-02T20:58:00.000-04:00

Just a simple country Breakfast.

I woke up after a leisurely morning of sleeping in at the River House. My Father had this waiting on me.

Buttermilk Biscuit and Sausage Gravy.

An Easter of Pysanky

2011-05-01T23:34:00.000-04:00

Nana brought her egg decorating kit, which she had housed in her garage for years. Every year she took it out with intentions to decorate eggs in this method. And each year she put it back because it would be "too much work."

This year we stuck it out. And with amazing results.

Pysanky is the Ukrainian method of decorating eggs. It is translated as "to write," as you draw lines with bees wax. It is extremely time consuming, but yields beautiful results.

There is also an interesting amount of folklore attached to them.

"Pysanky with spiral motifs were the most powerful, as the demons and other unholy creatures would be trapped within the spirals forever. A blessed pysanka could be used to find demons hidden in the dark corners of your house."

"Pysanky held powerful magic, and had to be disposed of properly, lest a witch get a hold of one. She could use the shell to gather dew, and use the gathered dew to dry up milk cows. The witch could use bits of the eggshell to poke people and sicken them. The eggshell had to be ground up very finely (and fed to chickens to make them good egg layers) or broken into pieces and tossed into a running stream."

Silly, right? (taken from wikipedia)

Boiled eggs, apparently, dry up into nothing and leave just the shell. I always thought they would spoil. Alas, they do not. Well, we shall see what happens with these.

And of course, there were some casualties . . .

And we will definitely repeat this next year. With a little more know-how.

And it was a lot of work. And very time consuming.

For more information on Pysanky, click here.

Mike and Vanessa's Wedding

2011-04-28T21:19:00.000-04:00

I had a blast!

Apparently I should be a wedding photographer in my spare time...

Congrats again De la Rosas!!

A moment in the sun

2011-04-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

Oh, how good it felt just to sit in the sun! I had a moment to myself to dine al fresco and absorb the suns rays. My skin welcomed them as a long lost friend.

I had forgotten that I love to get my endorphins from Vitamin D.

It was lovely, and I plan on doing it again whenever I can.

Gingerbread Cupcakes and a moment of pause...

2011-04-18T11:39:00.001-04:00

I can't even remember when I baked these. That's how long it's been and how busy I've been.

I want to say somewhere in late January? It's April. OMG.

April.

Life has been a whirlwind of working, moving, working, traveling, working . . . you see the trend.

These cupcakes were a final ode to the holiday and winter season. They were, in fact, delicious, though I can't fathom craving them now. Oh well. This would have been so much more appropriate in January . . .

Perhaps this is one of those perspective moments.

A chance to catch my breathe, a chance to restart, a chance to get back in touch with what is important.

Thank God for second chances.

Like these cupcakes. I may have misread and therefore mis-measured the amount of baking soda for the recipe, therefore causing them to expand rapidly and spill over their baking pans and liners. Yep, I did that. Nothing a little glaze can't cover. And I made up for it with the glaze. Try a framboise butter glaze. That's right, delicious and alcoholic. And then some pink sanding sugar, which I affectionately call Barbie Sugar, on top, and ta-dah!

Okay, so you can kinda tell . . .

I'm not concerned.

So here's to being back in my own apartment after living out of a hotel room for most of this month! And to Spring, and to rest! *raises invisible cupcake*

*now wishes she had a cupcake*

Ingredients

2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup unsulphered molasses
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

As for the glaze, I can't help you much. Sometimes I just kinda wing it.

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 jumbo muffin tins with paper baking cups, and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light. Beat in the brown sugar until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in the eggs.
Fill the cupcake papers three-quarters full, making sure that the batter is divided evenly. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of them comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cupcakes cool a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

A Compilation of Bird Nests

2011-04-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

Before the leaves of Spring came I started noticing and photographing bird's nests. They were exposed to the world from Winter's shedding of leaves. They had a certain beauty to them. Each intricacy was made with care to raise their young. How special.

Flowering Trees Pt. II

2011-04-05T22:05:00.000-04:00

Dogwoods, Cherry Blossoms, and White Wisteria!!!

I'm in Production Week of La Dolorosa.

Work all day, rehearse all night, sounds like a plan to me.

Not so Still Life

2011-03-24T09:59:00.000-04:00

I leave today for a week to Bluffton, SC with a mixed bag of emotions. It starts a whirlwind chain of events which includes the opening of a new Panera and ends with seeing so many of my friends at Vanessa and Mike's wedding in Florida. I cant wait! But long days are ahead of me. Think something like 6am-10pm. And that's just the clocked-in hours, not actually counting my drinking time.

So wish me luck! And let's hope my preparation is enough to get me through this.

Carolina's Flowering Trees

2011-03-21T22:55:00.000-04:00

Oh, the glorious return of internet!!!!

We now start the journey of catching up. So much to catch up. So. Much.

We start by identifying that spring is sprung. It sneaked up on me, without me realizing that the winter had finished. I guess that's not a bad thing. But where did March go? For that matter, where did February go? This seems a common theme in my life lately. Perhaps I work too much?

I already know the answer to this.

This marks my first spring in Columbia, South Carolina, which has filled my life with so much beauty. It seems that every single tree here flowers. How wonderful! So, I give you the flowering trees of Columbia! A set of photos that is quickly growing with each beautiful day.

I believe these are Japanese Flowering Cherry Trees. Notice the bees that swarm them.

I got buzzed a few times taking these pictures.

Oh, Internet, how you allude me!

2011-03-17T20:18:00.000-04:00

I'm currently stealing internet from Panera, but when I get my own (please be Monday, please be Monday!!!), I will recant methodically everything of importance.

Well, maybe not everything. But at least everything that I've taken pictures of.

Starting with this:

And my eye is much better, thank you.

Goodbye, February!

2011-02-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Alas, I have not forgotten you, blog!

I promise, I have not.

This is what the last few weeks have entailed:

A subconjunctival hemorrhage...

or basically just stress.

I've been in the midst of trying to get promoted at work, finding a new place to live, and staying afloat with music, work, and health. I promise there are more beautiful things to come. I been so picture happy with the beautiful weather lately, now I just need to edit and compile them. Coming soon, I promise.

The Winner!

2011-02-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

Ive been called into work early (story of my life), so the Giveaway is coming to a shorter end.

However, the winner is Maureen from suburban prep!!

Please email me your snail-mail address and the cookie cutters and beautiful spatula are headed your way!!
INCaudill [@] gmail [dot] com

Thanks to all who participated, and look forward to more!

A Simple Breakfast & A Giveaway!

2011-02-03T17:03:00.000-05:00

Simple enough.

Just an English muffin, perhaps of the whole wheat, heart-healthy variety, topped with browned butter sauce and some home-made strawberry preserves that were sent my way.

And a cup of coffee.

Now about that giveaway...

I've done some work with CSN stores and could not be happier with their products. CSN has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need. It could be a chic leather briefcase, modern furniture, or cute bakeware. It is of the cute bakeware realm that I bring you the giveaway products!!

Inspired by Valentine's Day, I'm giving away the cutest heart cookie cutter set by Paderno World Cuisine, accompanied by a Le Creuset spatula in cherry!! <3<3<3

In order to be entered for this giveaway you must simply comment on this post. Easy as pie. Please use your actual name and no anonymous posts.

The winner will be announced Saturday by noon. Good luck!

January is Gone, Can You Believe It?

2011-02-02T20:54:00.000-05:00

There are so many things that I haven't made the time to tell you. And I'm not even sure if now is the right time...

First off, the start of my Master's Degree, of which I was so excited, has been postponed. I could have, and maybe even should have, but I'm okay with it. So far, at least.

On a lighter note, I'm still very much involved with the show. La Dolorosa goes forward as planned! Even more exciting, I have my first coaching tomorrow. It will be nice to work with someone again. I do miss the wonderful Dr. Elizabeth Graham. What a woman.

The decision has led to greater responsibilities at work, and hopefully soon, greater recognition. Stay tuned. It's currently out of my hands, but I threw my name in the hat in dramatic fashion on New Year's Eve.

The time to myself? Good.
The other evening I had the wild hair to open up my Fauré book of melodié and sing through about 10 different songs. It was nice. Beautiful, even.
Retail therapy has helped.

The time to myself.

I'm currently eating some whole grain pasta covered in John's wonderful marinara sauce with pine nuts that I found in the fridge. The pasta is a little past al dente, because, let's face it, sometimes I have the attention span of a squirrel. And of course, it's smothered with cheese. But it's delicious. And soon to be gone. A side note: Don't put the opened mozzarella in the same bag with the opened brie. The moldy rind transfers. Lesson learned.

I love Panera and the people that I work with. I know many others that feel the same. Here are a few shots from when I actually bring my camera in to work.

That last thing is a Cobblestone, by the way. Our Cinnamon Raisin dough cut up and mixed with spiced apples and molasses, topped with struesel and white icing. You wouldn't believe the speed in which I can rattle that line off when customers ask. :o)

Beauty in Small Things

2011-01-27T21:28:00.000-05:00

like roses.

As Promised...

2011-01-23T18:58:00.000-05:00

More snow and ice pictures!

Home Made Granola

2011-01-17T20:41:00.000-05:00

It's delicious. That's all you need to know.

I made this recipe to give out to friends and family for the holidays. I thought it would be a nice supplement to the home made Kahlua I made that had been aging since August in my cabinets.

The recipe is painfully easy, but requires some patience on baking time.

It also requires some patience from your boyfriend when you tell him he can't have any.

Luckily John is a very patient man. :o)

.... who was later rewarded with his own stash of granola.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups large unsweetened coconut flakes

I skipped the coconut flakes and instead opted for dried cranberries and bing cherries. I also used thick cut oats which worked fabulously.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Whisk together maple syrup, sugar, oil, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Add oats, pecans, and coconut, and toss well to coat.
Spread granola mixture on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
Bake, stirring every 20 minutes, until golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes.
Let cool completely on sheet.

Recipe taken from Martha Stewart Living, November 2010.

Store in airtight container for up to a week. I mean, really, two weeks will be just as fine.

Snow Day!

2011-01-11T19:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the skies in Columbia, SC dropped 4" of snow. I spent an opening shift at Panera playing in the snow, snapping pictures, and gossiping with customers who were brave enough to drive in a grab some of our hot coffee. It was wonderfully magical and beautiful!

I my have spent some time drawing the Mother Bread logo...

I had such a bonding experience with my staff, those that showed up.

I also had my first experience of living in a place where it snows. This doesn't happen in Florida. And driving in it, and having to scrape it off my car, and slipping in it, and how it changes the landscape into something much more beautiful...

More from this later, I promise! We'll see how driving tomorrow on all of the melted snow/ice goes...

A Beachy Florida Christmas

2011-01-04T18:18:00.000-05:00

Ah, routine. I almost forgot what that was like.

I owe you all pictures from my Christmas Spectacular of North Florida. I'm still catching up on sleep from the holidays it seems, but seeing family and friends made it worth all the driving.

Sometimes seeing the ocean and big wide expanses of water brings me back in touch with the whole picture.

Did I mention I like the ocean?

And right now I am really appreciating oratorio arias. (Think opera, but religious, and not staged, and beautiful!) In particular: Renée Fleming's Sacred Songs Album and Kiri Te Kanawa's Ave Maria Album. Divine!

For some perspective, listen to this.

Catch up and restart!

2011-01-02T17:52:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. It's been forever. But this should soothe your wounds for now:

Arlington Marina in Jacksonville, FL

At first I didn't like the gray, overcast weather that kept colors from popping. Then I learned to step back and appreciate the silvery quality that attracted me. Perhaps a lesson to be learned... another time.

Drunken Tiramisu

2010-12-09T17:22:00.000-05:00

We've been attempting to try tiramisu for awhile now. It is one of my favorite desserts after all. However, John has been the master of the cheesecake. Why ruin a good thing, right?

Throughout our dating I've been dropping blatant hints about how he should try his hand at tiramisu.

It finally happened this week.

And it was glorious. And really alcoholic. I'll explain later . . .

Instead of a nice brandy, like the recipe called for, I suggested we use the Disarrono that we had in the cabinet. It added the necessary sweetness, but also twice as much alcohol content. A good and a bad thing.

The evening already involved a few alcoholic drinks: Crown and Seven, Rum and Cider, Diet Dr. Rum, and beers, to name a few...

So we may of had a slight buzz by the time we tried the cake after an hour of rest in the fridge. A 2 x 2 inch piece may have sent my faithful assistant, Morgan, and I to the ground. (And thanks to her for taking some of these shots.)

Two days rest in the fridge helped some of the alcohol to burn off and settle into a beautifully layered dessert. A few more days and it won't be the drunken cake anymore.

Tiramisu di Toscana:

3 egg yolks
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 1/3c Vinsanto or Marsalla or Brandy (Not Disarrono!)
1/4 cooled espresso
8 oz. Marscapone cheese
1/4c whipping cream (We doubled this and still didn't have a lot)
1 egg white
4 oz. Savoiardi or Lady Fingers (We actually used pre-made cookie layer sheets that we found at a European mini-market. They worked fabulously.)

Beat 3 egg yolks and sugar on top of a double boiler until they are an ivory color (this takes some time and patience). Add 1/3 cup of liqueur to the zabaglione (what you just made) and whisk gently. Remove once it has thickened and let cool.

Separately, stir the espresso into the marscapone.

Whip the whipping cream into heavy peaks.

Beat the egg white until it stiffens and peaks,

Fold the egg white into the zabaglione to make an airy texture. Dip the ladyfingers into the remaining liqueur. Some of the remaining coffee can be added to reduce the alcohol level.

Arrange lady fingers in the bottom of the dish. Cover them with 1/2 the marscapone mixture, 1/2 the zabaglione, and 1/2 the cream. Repeat the layers as needed.

Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

And eat responsibly!!

Have I ever shared with you...

2010-12-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

My parent's second home, and a place where I spent a good portion of my childhood?

Of course, as a child, I did not appreciate being whisked away from all of my friends and away from society on weekends. Away from cell phone signals. No I did not appreciate it at all.

Only now can I appreciate it.

In the small town of Ft. White, Florida, and even outside of those city limits, down winding dirt roads, and past several country neighbors, is the River House. It's often called the Lake house by people who have not experienced it-- and even those who have. But it's located on the Sante Fe River. Ten minutes by boat from the mouth of the Ichetucknee River which flows into it. The two conjoined rivers then flow into the Suwannee River, which then flows into the gulf.

The Sante Fe River is almost entirely spring fed, so the waters sparkle. As a matter of fact, we have a spring right next door. Beautifully chilly and sparkling waters bubble out of the earth. We drink it on occasion. How many people can say they have had water directly from the springs source? Not bottled. But cupped in their hands.

By boat we can access numerous springs along the river banks, and probably tons more that we don't even know exist. With the water table so low, who knows where the next one will spring up next?

The river floor is widely varying. It takes an experienced boat driver to navigate the river. Rock, shoals, and channels occur throughout the river. It is important to know where they are, lest one lose a prop. The river floor is full or gashes where boaters have made this mistake.

One of my favorite parts of boat rides in watching the river bottom as we glide over it. Many areas of the river it is possible to watch the fish, turtles, rocks, and snails fly past. In others, it drops of to an unknown depth where you lose sight and wonder what actual resides down there.

The river is full of Native Florida wildlife. So many people imagine dolphins and flamingos when they hear Florida wildlife. But it's so much more. This ecosystem is so underrated. It's full of manatees, turtles, alligators, fish, crayfish, and a variety of birds and snakes. Yes, even vultures.

The line markings on the trees indicate where the water level has been in the past. And don't be fooled. The water has been much higher than that.

The river is always changing.

Cuteness

2010-12-02T12:31:00.001-05:00

For all the people with Holiday Blues, this should make you feel better!!

I give you.....

cute puppy!!!!!

She was present for Thanksgiving celebrations, the newest acquisition to my cousin's family. She was shy but so playful.

Now for the opposite end of the spectrum. This is Tinkerbell, the cat from hell, as John calls her. She is John's sister's cat. One massive cat. But we bonded and she took a liking to me.

Goodbye Thanksgiving, Hello December!!

2010-12-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

As I listen to my Christmas playlist, I cannot believe how fast the holidays are flying by. I remember gearing up for Halloween, only to see it go by, quickly followed by Thanksgiving. Why can't I enjoy the holidays? Oh right, because I work all the damn time. Well, at least, on that front, I've almost saved up enough to pay for a good portion of my school next semester. Minimal loans for me! Well, I say that now...

Anyway, I was able to sneak off for a few days down to Florida to see my family for Thanksgiving. John and I split time between our families, two days with mine in Jax, a day and a half with his sister in Gainesville. Hectic, lots of driving, but well worth it.

Thanksgiving morning presented us with a beautifully foggy morning. As soon as I came downstairs in my pajamas and looked out the window I gasped and ran around trying to find my camera. I threw on some shoes and a pullover and ran outside in my pajamas snapping pictures of my neighborhood. I'm not sure how the neighbors felt about that.

My neighborhood is in a little nook where the Arlington River flows into the St. John's. All of the houses around us are on the river. The fog flows in from it, then the ancient oak trees trap it in. It's a wonderful feeling.

Once the sun came out full force, it burned most of the fog off and presented a beautifully pleasant day. That Florida sun. I do appreciate being able to lay out on New Years Day...

Study in Leaves, Part the Second

2010-11-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

A Study In Leaves

2010-11-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

Jalapeño Cheddar Bread

2010-11-07T19:54:00.000-05:00

With colder weather comes my desire for comfort food. And comfort food for me is soup and carbs, Mmmmm, carbs.....

For a few weeks now, I have been dropping heavy hints to a certain someone about a certain delicious bread he makes. Well, actually, it didn't take much. I just had to go buy more whole wheat flour and a few jalapeños.

Finding time to enjoy this bread has been the biggest issue. I have been consistently putting in overtime hours at work, week after week. Yay for holiday money! But nay for spending time with my man. We joke about having parallel lives at this point. Me off to work at 4:30 am to come home to him leaving for rehearsal.

sigh....

Plus, the speedy loss of October made me remember that I'm going to start grad school in January. OMG, so close. I realized that I hadn't set up my email account, hadn't registered for classes, hadn't verified my citizenship, hadn't taken the music diagnostic test, hadn't gotten an ID card....

To be in school again. . . what will that be like after a year off? I've been so slack on the singing lately. I have so much work ahead of me, yet I'm so glad I took that time off.

What I will be working on full force when I get back to singing will definitely be my Dvorak song cycle. So beautiful and so much potential. (And so much Czech to study.)

Oh, and my allergies have screwed me! Apparently I have a ragweed allergy. Why do I never see it coming?! And my new state is one of the top offenders. Great. Congestion headaches are running rampant.

Well, back to the bread, it was delicious! So moist and flavorful. However, due the aforementioned points in my life, I didn't get to enjoy as much as I perhaps should have. After several days, some mold spots appeared and I was informed to eat it or toss it. The last pieces are in the freezer now.

When I asked for the recipe to post here, I was denied. In jest, but also in feigned offense.

Maybe I can coax it out of him.

In the meantime I'll be finding new ways to incorporate this bread into my meals. I'll have to slice some and take it to work... at the bakery... where we bake and sell tons of bread.... oh boy. I'm in trouble.

Eggs and Cream Cheese on English Muffins

2010-11-02T20:49:00.000-04:00

Did I mention I like Breakfast?

because I do.

On days off, or days where I run the close shift, I lavish sleeping in and having the apartment to myself. As a matter of fact, this shouldn't even be called breakfast, because I ate it during a clearly delineated lunch period.

And it was good.

Have I told you of my love for cream cheese? I could really put it on anything. I've been known to dip many things in it: cheez-its, animal crackers, black olives, any kind of chip, carrots, celery, apples, my own finger-- wait-- you weren't supposed to hear that part...

Anyway, this cream cheese is featured on top of a whole wheat English muffin and topped with lightly scrambled eggs. Had I not been so lazy, I would have grated some sharp white cheddar on top. Alas, it was my day off. And then I would have had to wash the grater.

Granby Park and Fuzzy Friends

2010-11-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to post these for a while now...

These come from the weekend that my Parents and Nana came up to visit.
It had rained all day. Towards late afternoon it cleared up enough for us to take a stroll in Granby Park along the Congaree River.

Everywhere we looked, we saw these fuzzy friends. I must also say that I am mildly infatuated with caterpillars. I used to "collect" them as a kid. Then they would cocoon and emerge as beautiful moths and I would set them on a warm tree branch. So wonderful.

I didn't touch these, don't worry. They were a little too Maltese looking for my liking.

And also a picture of this animal: My Mother

Where did October go?

2010-11-01T20:42:00.000-04:00

I did not find the opportunity to carve a pumpkin this year, so several of these minis were strategically placed around my apartment.

And will be until they rot because they are so cute!

Europe Revisited: Rome

2010-10-27T20:26:00.001-04:00

And you thought I was done?

well, almost.

Rome is absolutely fascinating! Everywhere you look is a ruin- some proof that people were here thousands of years ago. It still blows my mind, two years later. And it's still standing. Dang.

We tried to plan our course as best as possible to hit all the major tourist spots. The Colosseum, Fontana di Trevi, the Vatican.... we missed so much.

I tried.

The Colosseum is intense.

Such a bustling city. So much to see. I so want to go back!

French Toast

2010-10-20T11:35:00.001-04:00

As you can tell by many of my food postings, I like Breakfast. I have such a sweet tooth, which makes eating lots of sweet things at the start of the day very appealing. I find days when I don't eat breakfast to be unsettling and frantic at times.

There have been posts about waffles and a country breakfast bowl, but now my favorite and easiest to make: French Toast!

The dish was designed to make the best of stale bread. The stiffness of the bread keeps it from getting mushy and falling all over the place in the egg mixture. I always try to use stale bread, bread from the freezer, or one with a dense crumb.
This time I used Panera's Cinnamon Raisin Bread, because, well, I work there. And it's delicious.

The recipe is fairly basic: eggs, milk or cream, then flavorings like cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.

I normally do not use measurements, but instead crack an egg in a shallow bowl and beat in some milk until it looks right, but here is a simple recipe from allrecipes that includes measurements:

Ingredients:

6 thick slices bread
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
salt to taste

For me the biggest thing is getting the bread equally saturated on both sides. For God's sake, please don't let it soak, unless you are planning on baking it in a casserole dish...

Then just fry it up until the sides are golden and delicious!

Windy Hill Orchard

2010-10-16T18:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we took advantage of Fall break and jumped in the car.

The final destination was Charlotte, NC for some shopping. The in-between was Windy Hill Orchard.

A quaint little orchard in York, South Carolina, Windy Hill was to play host to a Fall Apple Festival, which we missed by one day....

We had every intention to pick our own apples, but instead became side tracked by the hard cider and apple butter that was offered.

We also made the mistake of feeding the roosters.

It was a short drive from Columbia with beautiful scenery. Maybe next time we will actually make the Fall Festival.

Upcoming review of CSN

2010-10-14T17:45:00.000-04:00

I'm taking a small pause to prep you guys for an upcoming review I'm doing for CSN.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need, whether it be a stylish handbag, a chic bar stool or even cute cookware!

Right now I'm totally in love with their AllModern site. Someday I'll be able to afford to buy furniture . . . someday.

It's on it's way, so get excited!

In the meantime, this is how I spent my day off:

Europe Revisited: Paris

2010-10-14T14:59:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhhh, Paris.........

Notre Dame is such an iconic church. So massive, intricate, and steeped in history. Also the setting of my favorite Victor Hugo novel. I loved all of the stained glass. So impressive and worthy of awe.

Sacré-Coeur Basilica

It is so easy to fall in love with this city. And the pastries.

Europe Revisited: Salzkammergut

2010-10-11T10:59:00.001-04:00

The Salzkammergut is a beautiful lake region outside of Salzburg, Austria. A short bus ride to the Alps and we lake hopped from city to city. It rained all day, which made beautifully overcast pictures.

We went through the towns of Mondsee, St. Gilgensee, Wolfgangsee, and Hallein.

Each town was more beautiful than the last...

Europe Revisited: Venice

2010-10-11T10:30:00.000-04:00

Such a wonderful city! Only two days are required to see it, since it is so small and contained, but every corner speaks of something to see. So much to see in Piazza San Marco alone.

So many town squares just to sit and observe. And to think, people have been doing the exact same thing in these squares for hundreds of years...

The mosaics of San Marco Basilica are fantastically inspiring. The photo is high contrast so you can see all of the intricacies.

There are cats all over Italy. I caught this one sneaking in.

Alleyway after alleyway. Thank God we had a map.

Europe Revisited: Vienna

2010-10-06T10:20:00.000-04:00

The Gothic church of St. Stephen's

Vienna is such a great town. Ringstrasse brings you to so much as it loops around the city, separating the old from the new, but also joining them together. There were so many modern elements to the city, the capital and cultural epicenter of Austria, but also so much rich tradition. The old palaces and jewels remain from the Hapsburg Empire as a perfect shrine to their history.

Schloss Belvedere.

Vienna is filled with beautiful palaces from the Hapsburg Empire including this one and Schloss Schonbrunn, each with beautiful baroque gardens.

Gee, which ones are the Americans...? Look at all that Vera Bradley. Blech.

On the way back we visited the beautiful town of Melk, Austria, known for the Melk Monastery.

Europe Revisited: Munich

2010-10-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

Just a day trip!

The Englischer Garden has beautiful mixes of modern, baroque garden, and cultural areas. A river that runs through it swirls in such a way that surfers can ride the swells.

Europe Revisited: The Ice Caves

2010-09-30T12:37:00.000-04:00

A thirty minute train ride from Salzburg, and into the Alps we go!

These pictures depict the ride up the mountain, the hiking up that ensued, then the gondola to the top, and finally, the view.

The largest ice caves in the world were up there.

Totally worth it.

Pause:

2010-09-27T17:51:00.000-04:00

I know I'm interrupting the whole Europe extravaganza that I had planned, but I had to share these:

I will post more on this adventure later, I promise!

Time Out!

2010-09-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

Let's take a break from all this Martha Stewart-y stuff.

I need to take a stroll back to Summer of 2008.

What happened in Summer 2008? A six week study abroad program in Salzburg, Austria, that's what. I've been missing it horribly, especially since John and I have been talking about going over to Germany... another story altogether. And a wonderful blog, praguepies, gives me pictures and stories from another European nation. Ahh.

So let's relive the journey through my pictures that I have to laboringly retrieve from my slow and forgotten laptop. Another painful process: I have to screen out all the wonderful pictures that include my ex-boyfriend. Boo. Goodbye Eiffel Tower. Goodbye Colosseum. Beer Garden out. But it's going to be great!

Let's start with a collage of churches:

Recognize any?

A Ripe Avocado and Sandwich Makings

2010-09-18T13:48:00.000-04:00

A few days ago I picked up a soft avocado at the grocery store.

I had every intention of slicing it up and drizzling it with olive oil, sea salt, and some lemon juice.
And I did just that.

And I had some leftover prosciutto from an earlier pizza creation...

And we always stock bacon...

And John had bought some brie from an earlier trip...

What an incredible sandwich this made!!!!

Breakfast!

2010-09-15T14:36:00.000-04:00

My favorite meal of the day.

My breakfast was a southern breakfast bowl of local yellow grits, crisped, crumbled bacon, shredded sharp white cheddar, and coins of sausage.

And of course, I mixed them all together. You're supposed to.

John's breakfast was a little more European, and a little more low-carb friendly.

He chose to fry his sausage split down the middle. He supplemented his with a chunk of sharp white cheddar cheese and a dollop of his favorite Asian spicy mustard.

We love our cast-iron pans!

He thought I was crazy for wanting to take pictures of this.

"Can I just eat already?"

Why Can't It Be Perfect?

2010-09-14T17:48:00.000-04:00

I've had a slump in my photography lately. This is mostly blamed on my monstrous work schedule, but some is truly my fault.

I've been taking pictures of things, analyzing them, and casting them off. They aren't up to my expectations. They aren't good enough. They are average. When did I stop appreciating the unique capture of a single photograph? When did I become a photo snob to myself? I feel like I deserve some more credit than that.

For example, take this photograph of some sunflowers in my apartment:

Not so bad, right? I had spent the entire morning trying to get the right light, keep the saturated colors from blowing out my focus, and keep from knocking it over. I'm pretty clumsy. But looking in my screen, I saw nothing I liked. The focus looked blurred, the colors bleeding.

I get this critical perfectionism from my Mother. It all started with science fair boards in middle school and has transfered on to the other aspects of my life.
So critical.

It took a mind-clearing walk with my camera today to get out of it. Walking along the sidewalk, I saw some cute purple flowers poking through the border grass. I snapped a couple of pictures. I figured the harsh afternoon sun would wash it out, but instead I looked to find delicately detailed macro flowers.

Nothing like the simplicity of the beauty of flowers to snap you out of it.

Here is the shot:

Indoor Gardening and Summer's End

2010-09-08T19:48:00.000-04:00

How does our garden grow?

Quite well, actually.
How did you guess?

Remember the pictures from earlier in the summer? My, how our babies have grown. From one planter to two, with the addition of dill and penny royal. The basil has taken off! He loves the warm sun in our window.

For those who do not know about penny royal, it is a traditional culinary and aromatic herb in the mint family. It's also one of those herbs that can be toxic when taken in excess. But then again, aren't most things bad in excess?

For instance, read this:

"Pennyroyal was commonly used as a cooking herb by the Greeks and Romans. The ancient Greeks often flavored their wine with pennyroyal. A large number of the recipes in the Roman cookbook of Apicius call for the use of pennyroyal, often along with such herbs as lovage, oregano and coriander. Although still commonly used for cooking in the Middle Ages, it gradually fell out of use as a culinary herb and is seldom used so today.

As an easily-made poison, pennyroyal has had a long historical use. Early settlers in colonial Virginia used dried pennyroyal to eradicate pests. So popular was pennyroyal, that the Royal Society published an article on its use against rattlesnakes in the first volume of its Philosophical Transactions (1665).[1]

Pennyroyal tea is the use of an infusion made from the herb. The infusion is widely reputed as safe to ingest in restricted quantities. It has been traditionally employed and reportedly successful as an emmenagogue (menstrual flow stimulant) or as an abortifacient. In 1994 a young woman died from an undetected ectopic pregnancy while performing a self-induced abortion using pennyroyal tea; reports say that she had consumed the tea for longer than the recommended five days.[2][3] The most popular current use of the tea is to settle the stomach[citation needed]. Other reported medicinal uses through history include treatment for fainting, flatulence, gall ailments, gout, and hepatitis (presumably Hepatitis A), and as a lung cleanser, a gum strengthener and, when ground with vinegar, a tumor remedy.[citation needed]."

It is obviously all true, as it is from wikipedia! (Notice all the citations needed.)

Amusing regardless.

The dill is also overgrown and gangly looking. I just trimmed a third of him off to dry. I'm thinking of recreating a lovely dill sauce the Cafe Gardens Restaurant in Gainesville uses for their sweet potato fries. Stay posted. It won't suck.

It seems that my lowly apartment windowsill herb planters are making their last jaunt before the summer ends. The dill will thrive in a cooler climate, but the basil longs for the warm Mediterranean climates. I don't blame them. Who doesn't want to live off of the Southern coast of France or Italy? I do! .... but that's another post altogether.

I appreciate their last push to glean to fruits of summer weather, but I cannot wait until the weather turns. It is fast approaching my favorite season: Fall! The crispness of the air, the beautiful produce, the lack of sweating, the holidays! Normally it would accompany my anticipation of being in the full swing of school, but I have different things on my plate this year. More exciting?
I hope so.
I think so.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure.

La Dolorosa and Family

2010-09-03T12:51:00.001-04:00

I've had the pleasure of shopping for car insurance this morning....

Turns out that moving out of Florida is a big help! It seems a common theme in my life right now. Got a promotion, cheaper car insurance, landed my first legit opera role.... wha?!

That's right! I was cast in the USC production of Jose Serrano's Spanish zarzuela, La Dolorosa!! I will be singing the roles of both Nicasia and Dolores. It's not been done very often, but there is a recording of Placido Domingo singing it so it can't suck. For a detailed plot analysis, click here. Landing a role in this new place is extremely gratifying! Who knew I would beat out so many people who are actually enrolled? Sweet.

Another area of note: I just discovered through a phone call last night that my Nana, who doesn't have internet, has seen my blog, and is proud of me. How cool?! She is coming to visit me, along with my parents, in a few weeks. She is an awesome woman.

* a wintry sunset in Payne's Prairie State Preserve outside of Gainesville, FL.
I now long for the fall and it's wonderful weather.

Tahini Noodles with Cucumbers and Chicken

2010-08-26T12:00:00.001-04:00

This has easily become one of our favorite dishes, and it changes and evolves each time we make it. It's one of those recipes where you use what you have on hand. Well, ok, not everyone has tahini paste on hand, but we do. Of course we've tweaked it to become a little healthier with the substitution of whole grain noodles. And yes, that is some of our home-grown basil on top! He will be featured much more further down the page, as well as our newly acquired penny royal.

The recipe is an adaptation from chef Ming Tsai:

Ingredients

1/2 cup chinese sesame paste or tahini (can also substitute creamy peanut butter)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 serrano chiles, de-stemmed
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup basil leaves
1 bunch chopped scallions
1/3 cup mint leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta, blanched and refreshed
2 english cucumbers julienned
2 cups shredded chicken from whole roasted chicken
Garnish: 1 red bell pepper finely diced

Instead of serrano chiles, we used two seeded jalapenos that we had on hand.
We also threw in an extra garlic clove to ward off the vampires.
We substituted the mint leaves for penny royal which made it less sweet and more spearmint-y (if that made any sense). We've made it with both kinds of mint, and I prefer the sweet mint, but I wasn't about to go out and buy some.

I find this sauce doesn't need any salt, but feel free to add it in later.

Obviously we had more than 1/3 cup of basil...

We used one cucumber for this version, which made the sauce kind of watery. Zucchinis were used in the past and make an excellent substitution.

We fried two chicken breast paillard style for our dish. John tenderized them and flattened them before searing them well in our cast iron on both sides.

They were beautifully golden, picture worthy just in themselves.

And of course, the whole grain linguine instead of wimpy angel hair pasta.

Directions

In a food processor, mix sesame paste, oils, and vinegar. Add chile, garlic, and herbs and puree until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper. In a large mixing bowl toss pasta, cucumbers and chicken with dressing.
Check for seasoning and garnish with red bell peppers and basil/mint leaves.

The dish is great warm and even better chilled the next day. Something about all those refreshing herbs and general brightness of flavor goes so well when it's chilled. Plus, the sauce clings to the noodles better.

John likes his with sriracha sauce. Lots of it.

Opera Auditions and Ensuing Callbacks

2010-08-25T11:19:00.000-04:00

It's hard to make time for singing when you have overtime two weeks in a row. This week and the last have been opera auditions at the University of South Carolina. Although I've been working 9-12 hour days, I've had to cram in singing on days off where I really just want to sleep. Life could be worse, I guess.

These auditions have been different from any others that I've participated in. Because this is a new school and territory, I don't know anyone, save the opera director which I had met once before. This is daunting, yet awesome. I can walk in, sing my arias, and no one knows who I am or where I came from. All the other sopranos lean in at the door to listen to this new character. I'm like the dark horse. It actually does wonders for the confidence level because I can't compare myself to anyone.

What is even more wonderful about these auditions is that I was called back! For those non-opera peoples out there, it means they are considering me for a role, not just ensemble.

My first audition aria was "Elle la fui, la tourterelle" from Les Contes d'Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach. Such a great opera! It probably has several tunes that anyone would recognize, not having seen the opera. The plot goes a little something like this: Hoffmann is drinking in a tavern and gets persuaded to tell the stories of his three great loves, by his nemesis, Lindorf. Olympia is the first he falls in love with, who turns out to be an automaton, or mechanical doll. She has a fabulous coloratura aria in which she runs out of steam twice and has to be re-cranked. Fabulous. The next act Antonia, who is a dying character, awaits Hoffmann's return. She suffers from a mysterious illness in which singing brings death. "Elle la fui" is her aria where she laments the fleeting love of Hoffmann until he returns. She is tricked into singing to death by the act's nemesis. The third act is Giulietta, who is a courtesan that Hoffmann falls in love with. However, he discovers her singing the lover's "Barcarolle" with his friend, Nicklausse. It turns out that each of these women are all facets of his actual love, Stella, who has been waiting for him while he has been drinking. She leaves with his nemesis, Lindorf.

For a video of the aria, watch here.

My second aria was "Kommt ein schlanker bursch gegangen" from Weber's Der Freischutz. It is a rather under-done opera these days but is wonderfully fun. For a full synopsis, go here. This aria is Ännchen's, who is trying to cheer up her cousin. It is sprightly, full of coloratura, trills, and a high B natural- what more is there?

For a wonderful video of it, go here.

We shall see what comes of all of this.

Vacation and Grapes

2010-08-10T21:19:00.000-04:00

Finally! A chance to catch up on life.

John and I spent the last week in Florida visiting family, friends, former teachers, and former employers-- a rather busy ordeal. Although we had to divide our time carefully it was nice to see everyone and feel how much we are already missed. Nice indeed.

Now back in Columbia I have caught up on work and finally have a day off tomorrow. Well, not really. As part of my promotion I am overnight baking for the bakery- cafe. I'm looking forward to creating so many beautiful pastries, but not to the 9pm- 5am graveyard shift. Oh well.

Before we left, and even when I got back home, I bonded with these grapes. I would pluck them off and pop them in my mouth, add a pinch of Parmesan cheese, maybe swig some Chardonnay-- Heaven! One night I even substituted it for dinner. Now that's living.