tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83828072024-03-07T23:09:47.821-05:00from the mind of meThings that are going through my head...are you sure you really want to read it?kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.comBlogger222125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-33481675362891666512012-02-05T10:05:00.001-05:002012-02-05T10:05:24.915-05:00One Month Done<div style="margin: 0 0 10px 0; padding: 0; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/6823238475/" title="201201 photo365"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6823238475_322dfc5671.jpg" alt="201201 photo365 by terpkristin" /></a><br/><span style="margin: 0;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/6823238475/">201201 photo365</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/">terpkristin</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>Well, we're a bit more than 1/12 through 2012 and so far, I have managed to take a photo every day except January 1st. I used Picasa to create a collage of the 30 photos I posted for January in my Photo 365 project.<br /><br />Oz was featured prominently in January, mostly as a result of working long hours. I have two favorite photos, and both are of clouds. I really liked the colors in the sky of the picture I took on the 4th of January. I also liked the puffiness of the clouds and the framing of the photo on the 27th. <br /><br />Hopefully February will bring a few more outdoors shots. Maybe some more cooking shots, too....</p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-91050570213038234282012-01-27T10:00:00.005-05:002012-01-27T10:15:05.702-05:002012...The End?So it's 2012 and I utterly failed in my 2011 goal of cooking out of each cookbook I own (though I did diversify my "goto recipe" list a bit). The Mayans say that the world is going to end in 2012 so I figure I may as well try to write a little more in this last year here. I'll admit, I was partly inspired by <a href="http://apocaknits.wordpress.com/">Lindsey's</a> renewed blogging in 2012, too, to write more here.<div><br /></div><div>Not much has changed since 2011. My back is still jacked up. Surgery in early 2011, like the one in 2010, helped a bit but then I grew tons of scar tissue on the nerve roots and so I'm still dealing with pain and burning down my left leg. My right leg is also feeling it, though it's not as bad. I've been trying different things with a pain management specialist including drugs and <a href="http://www.columbianeurosurgery.org/specialties/spine/procedures/non-surgical/snrb/">steroid</a> injections. <div><br /></div><div>As a direct result of my back issues, I've been spending a lot less time at the gym. I need to get back into my gym habit, as it will probably help or at least not make things worse...but it's hard to motivate to go to the gym when you wake up in pain and have to take a lot of drugs to keep it away. So that's kind of depressing. However, also as a direct result of my significantly more sedate lifestyle, I'm doing a lot more reading. I joined <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a> when the <a href="http://www.swordandlaser.com/">Sword and Laser</a> book club moved from Ning to Goodreads. I'm <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3392444-terpkristin">terpkristin</a> over there, should you want to follow my reviews. I'm probably going to start posting my reviews over there on this blog, too, so you can see what I'm reading. I have made a goal of reading 52 books in 2012 (compared to the 47 I read in 2010 and the 44 I read in 2011...in both years, though, that ended up being right around 21,000 pages).</div><div><br /></div><div>Something else new for 2012 is my "photo 365" project. Every day, I'm posting a picture I take with my iPhone to my <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/terpkristin">twitter</a> account. During the winter, when I work long hours, there are a lot of Oz pictures. I'm hoping that on weekends and during the spring, summer, and fall, I can get some non-indoors shots. :) I'm also curating the photos at <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/sets/72157628777439653/">flickr</a> and am going to try to do a once-a-week summary here. </div><div><br /></div><div>And, who knows, I may end up posting some of my cooking and crafting adventures. Time will tell. So, happy 2012, people.</div></div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-90661684221644157122011-04-30T19:33:00.002-04:002011-04-30T19:39:40.902-04:00Confession Time<div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5673448553/" title="Beef Stroganoff"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5673448553_a2ea62b431.jpg" alt="Beef Stroganoff by terpkristin" /></a><br /><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5673448553/">Beef Stroganoff</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/">terpkristin</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>So, I have a confession. I've never bought beef other than ground beef. Nor have I ever cooked beef other than ground beef/hamburgers. That all changed today.<br /><br />In continuing with my new year's "resolution" of cooking at least one recipe from each cookbook I own, the next cookbook on my shelf was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Healthy-2010-Full-Flavored-Recipes/dp/1933615575/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304205264&sr=8-1">Light & Healthy 2010</a> from America's Test Kitchen. While I was going through the cookbook, I had to force myself to try something different. There were a lot of recipes in there that look like things I like to make and eat regularly (such as chicken stew). After all, part of the point of the resolution was to try out some new things. Though there were plenty of recipes for things I've never made before (not just beef, but also pork--other than the pound of real bacon I bought for a party and the very occasional sausage, I've never bought or cooked that, either...just not a fan of the flavor). In the end, there were two recipes that fit all my requirements: beef stroganoff and spring vegetable risotto. Since I've just gotten over a period of doing a lot of vegetarian dishes, I opted for the beef stroganoff.<br /><br />I'm not sure if my mom ever made beef stroganoff when I was growing up. I think I've only had it once or twice, and what I remember of it was a thick cream sauce. I think I remember coming across a recipe while in home ec in middle school that used cream of mushroom soup. This recipe did not.<br /><br />I was surprised at how long this took to put together and cook. Including prep, it was a bit over an hour (albeit, a lot of it is just waiting for things to cook so it's not an active hour). I guess, though, that if you want to develop flavor without as much fat, you have to let things cook. I'm not complaining. The result was a supremely tasty brandy cream sauce with big chunks of beef and big mushrooms. The sauce isn't as thick as I remember it being (or remember seeing it at restaurants), but that might have been partially my fault. The sauce spends about 30 minutes simmering at medium heat; I think for the first 15 minutes, I might have had the heat a little too low. I kicked it up for the last 15. What I really like about this dish is that I can really taste all of the components in the sauce. I still get a touch of the brandy, the beef isn't hidden in salt, and a little bit of lemon juice and parsley added at the end round out the flavors. I'll be keeping this recipe in my repertoire.<br /><br />So. Not a bad first beef experience. I actually didn't like the smell of the beef cooking in the skillet. Once it was cooked, though, the flavor was pretty good. I'm not sure that I've learned much about buying or cooking beef. I cooked the beef much like I cook chicken. And, if I were to be honest, if the cookbook hadn't told me to get tenderloin and showed a picture of how to cut it, I probably wouldn't have had any idea what type of beef to look for in the store. Sometime this summer, I'm going to have to buy more beef and figure out what one does with beef, other than grill it.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Healthy-2010-Full-Flavored-Recipes/dp/1933615575/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1304205264&sr=8-1%3ELight%20&%20Healthy%202010%3C/a%3E%20from%20America%27s%20Test%20Kitchen.%20While%20going%20through%20the%20cookbook,%20I%20found%20a%20lot%20of%20recipes%20that%20look%20similar%20to%20things%20I%20make%20without%20cookbooks...things%20I%20like,%20such%20as%20chicken%20stew.%20I%20was%20tempted%20to%20try%20ATK%27s%20version%20of%20some%20of%20these%20" old="" standbys="" but="" finally="" decided="" against="" entire="" this="" resolution="" was="" learn="" some="" new="" so="" what="" s="" point="" eating="" same="" things="" already="" settled="" two="" or="" spring="" vegetable="" in="" the="" beef="" stroganoff="" won="" out="" because="" it="" had="" i="" ve="" just="" ended="" my="" time="" of="" forced="" vegetarianism="" and="" wanted="" to="" try="" something="" completely=""></a></p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-7587341678443177252011-04-17T19:45:00.002-04:002011-04-17T20:01:34.920-04:00Vegetarian Paella<div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5628920329/" title="Vegetarian Paella"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5222/5628920329_6179ce6882.jpg" alt="Vegetarian Paella by terpkristin" /></a><br /><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5628920329/">Vegetarian Paella</a>, a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/">terpkristin</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>With one week left in Lent, my "forced" vegetarianism is almost over. It seemed like as good a time as any to make a recipe out of a third cookbook, to keep up with my New Year's goal (yes, I'm behind on that goal...I'm still having back issues, which is making it harder to cook).</p><p>I've never had paella. It's always associated with shrimp and other things that will kill me, so I've avoided it when going out. I have yet to come across a non-shellfish version of it that looks appealing or doesn't look like a lot of work. Thus, when I came across a vegetarian version in Mark Bittman's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Vegetarian-Meatless/dp/0764524836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303083743&sr=8-1">How To Cook Everything Vegetarian</a>, I was intrigued. It looked fairly straight forward and fairly quick to make. Truth to tell, I wanted to order pizza for dinner tonight so these were very good attributes for a recipe. ;)</p><p>I made the mushroom variant of the "Paella with Tomatoes" recipe and, based on a suggestion in the book, added 4 eggs to the pan (I wanted to be sure I was getting enough protein). The recipe is straight-forward enough: stock or water, olive oil, rice, onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomato paste, saffron, and smoked paprika. Throw it all together and bake for 15 minutes, and then keep it in the oven for another 15 with the oven off. I was surprised by how soupy the dish was when it went into the oven--I wasn't even sure it would hold the eggs very well. In retrospect, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, as the cooking technique is very similar to how I make my tomato-based chicken and rice dish.</p><p>The dish turned out all right. I think I could have cooked it a smidge longer with a little more liquid; the rice came out very slightly underdone. Also, I think it would have been better with butter instead of oil (for a better brown on the bottom). Bittman, in the book, suggests putting the pan over high heat for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven to give it more of the characteristic "crust" on the bottom. I'm not sure how well that would have worked with an electric range, though. Also, to make this dish I used mushroom broth in place of normal vegetable broth. I've found that mushroom broth is a bit more flavorful. If I make this recipe again, I may use vegetable broth and a bit of wine; the mushroom was a bit too earthy when combined with the baby bellas on top.</p><p>All in all, I think it was a success, but I think the next time I make "paella," I'm going to try a non-vegetarian version. I think this would have been tastier with chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. This isn't the first time I've found vegetable broth to yield results that have left me wanting a bit more. I make a wicked lentil soup that when made with chicken broth is rich and flavorful, but when made with vegetable broth, falls a bit flat.</p><p>Bittman's cookbook is a large tome, I'm going to have to try some other recipes out of it...after I get through the other cookbooks.<br /></p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-54495916832259726892011-03-13T19:40:00.003-04:002011-03-13T19:43:09.910-04:00Cooking...again<div style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px; padding: 0pt; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.6em;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5523880997/" title="Gordito"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5296/5523880997_b81f8a6763.jpg" alt="Gordito by terpkristin" /></a><br /><span style="margin: 0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin/5523880997/">Gordito</a> a photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/terpkristin/">terpkristin</a> on Flickr.</span></div><p>It's been a long time since I posted. Truth to tell, it's been kind of a rough year. As I posted on <a href="http://gimpygal.blogspot.com/2010/05/on-not-cooking-much-lately.html">May 9, 2010</a>, I fell and hurt my back. I ended up with a left-sided herniated disc at the L5-S1 level. After epidural steroid injections, therapy, and anti-inflammatories didn't work, I ended up having surgery on June 2, 2010 (#12 for those playing at home).<br /><br />Things went well at first, but then I ended up having continued pain down both legs. An MRI revealed that I had re-herniated my disc, and this time it was bilateral. 2 more injections and a lot more therapy later, I found myself scheduling a revision diskectomy. Two days after scheduling it, I fell in the shower and made things worse. I finally ended up having the revision on 1/6/11. So it's been about two months and my recovery hasn't gone nearly as smoothly as it did the first time. It's a bit frustrating. I have a feeling my Ehlers-Danlos is playing a role in this.<br /><br />Before my surgery, though, I'd made a New Year's resolution to cook more and take more photos. As far as "cooking more," I cook a lot. But I have a lot of old stand-by recipes, and I wanted to move away from those. So I resolved to make at least one recipe from each cookbook I own. So far this year, I've done two. About 3 weeks ago, I made Cuban-style Black Beans from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crockers-Slow-Cooker-Cookbook/dp/0739406086/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300059082&sr=8-1">Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook</a>. They were OK. They didn't have a lot of flavor, but when served with some green salsa on top, they were pretty tasty.<br /><br />Today, I made recipe #2, from cookbook #2. This time, I made the Gordito recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Healthy-Meals-Trader-Joes/dp/0966730941">Quick and Healthy Meals from Trader Joe's</a>, which was a Christmas gift from <a href="http://paddlepedalpound.blogspot.com/">Wendy</a>. I had no idea what "gordito" meant, and nor was I sure what the texture would be. The cookbook actually has an error in it--the directions call to add marinara sauce, but only tomatoes are on the ingredient list (and it didn't say what to do with the tomatoes). Turns out "gordito" means "sloppy joe." Or, something like that, because that's what this came out looking and tasting like. It's vegetarian, made with the <a href="http://www.morningstarfarms.com/products_meal-starters-grillers-recipe-crumbles.aspx">Morningstar Farms Grillers</a>. Full disclosure, I didn't end up actually using anything from Trader Joe's to make this, I picked up ingredients at my local Wegman's.<br /><br />I served it like you see, on top of some flatbread. I also had mixed vegetables on the side. Turned out pretty tasty, I'd recommend this recipe to others. The recipe makes 4 generous servings, though one serving was too big to be sandwich-able. I think when I eat the leftovers, I'll throw a little cheese on top. Maybe some avocado, if I can find any that look good.<br /><br />Next week, hopefully another recipe.</p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-73750166974877440262010-06-21T18:03:00.003-04:002010-06-21T18:15:15.546-04:00Healthy Comfort Food: Chicken StewAwhile back, I happened across a recipe for "chicken stew provençal" in the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a>. It was based on a recipe from <a href="http://runnersworld.com/">Runner's World</a>, and was touted as a simple, flavorful recipe that runners could use as a nice post-run dinner to replenish their systems. After making it a few times (even though I'm not a runner anymore and will never be again), I have to say that this has become one of my goto recipes for a healthy dinner. It's also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. The one big difference I've done from the original recipe was that the original recipe called for red potatoes. I am not a big fan of potatoes, so I substituted a can of white beans instead. As written below, it makes about 6 servings. The recipe can also easily be halved, and extra portions freeze very well.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>olive oil</div><div>approx. 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed</div><div>2 small or 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges</div><div>2-3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2" pieces</div><div>2 carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces</div><div>4 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>2 cups chicken broth</div><div>28 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with juices</div><div>2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed</div><div>1 tsp Herbs de Provence, crushed</div><div>1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)</div><div>1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or to taste)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until it is brown on all sides (5-7ish minutes). </div><div><br /></div><div>Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes, stirring every couple minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, and spices, stirring so it's all combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes (so chicken is cooked through).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As I said in the intro, I sometimes use this recipe to use up leftover vegetables. If the vegetables are fresh/stand well to satueeing, I add them at the same time as the onions and celery (stuff like zucchini works well here). For frozen vegetables (like peas or cut green beans), I add them at the same time as the broth. Adding other vegetables might require adding additional broth and/or tomatoes, so just keep that in mind. </div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-38852462731072020092010-05-31T09:39:00.003-04:002010-05-31T09:58:48.385-04:00Quick Bread Interlude: Mango Tea BreadI love quick breads. I do not particularly like mangoes, at least served on their own. Mangoes to me are nice accents to other ingredients, but on their own, they're too sweet for me. My mom brought me a couple mangoes the other day, and I had no idea what to do with them (the easy solution would have been to make some <a href="http://gimpygal.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-for-dinner-new-spin-on-black-bean.html">Black Bean and Corn Salad</a>, but I'm having surgery Wednesday and am trying to <b>not</b> create any more leftovers, plus I had a spin on that salad last week). So, I went to epicurious and looked for recipes, finding a ton that sounded interesting but a) would take too long (too much standing around hurts my leg) or b) would create too many leftovers. Eventually I came across a recipe for Mango Tea Bread. I modified it slightly, and the result was a smooth bread that was slightly sweet and not overly mango tasting (a win in my book). <div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>1 cup golden raisins</div><div>1/4 cup brandy (I actually used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9my_Martin">Remy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac</a>)</div><div>2 large mangoes, peeled, diced</div><div>1 3/4 cup flour</div><div>1 tsp baking soda</div><div>1 heaping tsp cinnamon</div><div>1/2 tsp salt</div><div>heaping 1/2 tsp ground ginger</div><div>1/4 tsp ground nutmeg</div><div>1 cup packed brown sugar</div><div>1 stick unsalted butter, brought up to room temperature</div><div>3 large eggs</div><div>1 tsp vanilla</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bread pan (I used a glass 1.5 qt loaf pan, the same I use for all my breads). In a small bowl, mix raisins and cognac and put aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>Puree the mangoes in a food processor or blender until smooth. It should be about a cup (I ended up slightly less than a cup and it turned out okay. If it's more than a cup, I'd use about a cup and reserve the rest for another use).</div><div><br /></div><div>Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg in a small bowl.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar and the butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then mango puree and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture and beat until just combined. Then, using a spoon or spatula, fold in the brandy-soaked raisins. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pour batter into the bread pan. Bake it for about 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan on a cooling rack, then turn the loaf out and let cool completely.</div><div><br /></div><div>This bread was really tasty with a little bit of butter in the morning. This bread doesn't taste too much like mango, but is still tasty. One thing I did notice was that the raisins retained some of the cognac flavor, which was a nice counterpoint to the bread.</div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-82262662776388791932010-05-10T18:53:00.004-04:002010-05-10T19:09:39.858-04:00Comfort Food: Corn ChowderWhen I was growing up, one of my mom's (and dad's) favorite weeknight dinners when things were hectic was corn chowder. It was quick to make, had some good vegetables in it, and easily adaptable. For me, it's become one of my favorite comfort foods. I'm posting the basic recipe here, though it's well-suited to extra add-ins. It also is easy to double, for yummy leftovers or for a crowd.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>1 can cream of potato soup</div><div>1 can of milk (whole milk or 2% work best)</div><div>1 can Niblets (or otherwise, about 1-1.5 cups cooked corn)</div><div>Butter (or oil) for sautee</div><div>2-3 stalks celery, diced</div><div>3-4 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>1/2 onion, diced</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div>other ingredients as desired</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>Sautee the onions, celery and garlic for a few minutes, until they start to sweat a bit. Add the corn (and anything else you want to add, see note) and any seasonings you may want to add (I usually add Old Bay seasoning). Sautee the mixture until the corn has a little color.</div><div><br /></div><div>Move the mixture to a saucepan and add the potato soup and milk. Mix well, bring it to a light simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve with chopped scallions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Without extra mix-ins, the base recipe creates a chunky soup that is pretty hearty. If you add a lot of other items, you may want to add more cream of potato and milk. Other mix-ins include leftover vegetables (diced), cooked chicken (diced), cooked sausage, bacon, lima beans, or anything else you have leftover. When I make it, I like the corn to get a little brown, as it makes things a bit tastier. During the summer corn season, I've also grilled corn and used that instead of Niblets (or frozen corn), it gives the chowder a bit of something extra. If you have any other ideas of items to mix into the chowder, let me know!</div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-56152062422455022312010-05-09T09:32:00.003-04:002010-05-09T09:37:55.377-04:00On Not Cooking Much LatelyYeah, this blog has really turned into a cooking blog. I should probably just rename it to cookingwithkristin or something, but I don't want to bunk up anybody who's actually bookmarked it...plus, I still have the occasional interlude of injury, gym, and EDS news.<div><br /></div><div>I haven't been cooking lately. Part of that is because my company just launched another satellite, and I was involved with the rehearsals leading up to the launch, the actual launch, and then the early mission operations activities.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other part of that is that I managed to get a herniated disc (actually, I got it when I fell while shopping for the ingredients for the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#551A8B;"><u>Parmesan</u></span><a href="http://gimpygal.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-for-dinner-pasta-with-kale.html"> and Kale pasta</a>), and right now it just hurts too much to stand or walk for any extended period of time. Seriously, the other day I went to Wegman's to get a sandwich and some cat litter, and that was too much, I couldn't wait to get back to a seat and off my leg. The good news is that I'm seeing a doctor now for the disc. The bad news is that he said it's a "substantial herniation" and he has said that my only real options at this point are steroid injections or surgery. I had an injection this past Monday which hasn't helped much so far, but I think I still need to give it some time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, the sort of advantage of being in so much pain is that my mom's been coming down and buying groceries for me and cooking for me...and really, who doesn't love mom's home cooking when they're not feeling well?</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, hoping to have more soon, sorry for the hiatus.</div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-49640925524161438272010-04-05T18:57:00.004-04:002010-04-05T19:15:10.280-04:00Another Vegetarian Adventure: Chickpea Burritos with Yogurt SauceNow that Lent's over, I'm free to eat meat again, though I do enjoy the vegetarian eating, so I have a feeling that a bulk of my home cooking will be mostly vegetarian. That said, I'm kind of craving a cheesesteak, so I may have to get one this week. ;)<div><br /></div><div>Towards the end of Lent, my mom forwarded an email with a recipe for chickpea burritos that came from <a href="http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/">The Splendid Table</a>. I love chickpeas and I liked the flavors involved, so I figured I'd give it a go. I can't find the recipe on the website (it originally came in an email newsletter), but it was so good that I kept a copy in my "recipes" folder on GMail. </div><div><br /></div><div>Not only is the recipe good as a burrito, but it worked quite well when folded into a quesadilla with some cheddar cheese, then using the yogurt sauce as a dip. The yogurt dip itself served as a tasty dip for chips and crackers, too. I think the recipe would work with any bean, though the heartiness/meatiness of the chickpea was quite good. I also tried the filling on its own over couscous with the dip on the side (no tortilla involved). The filling is quite flavorful and works well with almost any starch, even rice. This is a great dish. Even though Lent's over, I'll be making this one again, I most certainly didn't miss meat in the dish.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, without further ado....</div><div><br /></div><div><b>For the filling</b>:</div><div>2 Tbsp vegetable oil</div><div>1 Tbsp minced garlic (I used about 4 cloves, pressed through my garlic press)</div><div>1.5 cups thinly sliced onion (I used a whole small/medium Mayan onion)</div><div>2/3 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper</div><div>2 tsp ground coriander</div><div>1 tsp ground cumin</div><div>1/2 tsp red pepper flakes</div><div>1 tsp paprika</div><div>2-15 oz cans of garbanzo beans, drained</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div>2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro</div><div>6 large flour tortillas</div><div><br /></div><div><b>For the dip</b>:</div><div>1/2 cup plain yogurt</div><div>1 small cucumber, seeded, peeled and grated on medium holes (about 1/2 cup)</div><div>1/2 tsp paprika</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b>:</div><div>Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and cook for 6 minutes or so, so the onion is soft and the mixture is aromatic. Add the coriander, cumin, pepper flakes, paprika and mix well. Add the chickpeas and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) then mix in the cilantro.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the onion/garlic/pepper mixture is cooking, make the dip. Mix the yogurt, grated cucumber, and paprika. Add salt and pepper, to taste.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make a burrito, warm up the tortilla briefly in the microwave or on the stove and then spread out some of the dip in the center, and then put about a half cup of the chickpea mixture on top. Add ~1/4 cup grated cheese if desired. Fold the sides in and roll the burrito. For the quesadilla, put about 1/8 cup of shredded cheese on one half of a warmed tortilla. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chickpea mixture on top, then cover with another 1/8 cup of cheese. Fold the tortilla so it's in a half-moon shape. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Serve with the dip on the side.</div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-4737739055878337182010-03-27T12:14:00.005-04:002010-03-27T12:42:37.336-04:00Recipe Time: Creamy Pumpkin Pasta, Vegetarian-StyleLast October or November, I happened upon a recipe for pasta with creamy pumpkin sauce. It sounded tasty, and as I had a couple of cans of pumpkin lying around, I decided to give it a go. For a variety of reasons, it never quite worked out for me (once it was too salty, once the sauce didn't thicken properly, etc). I was ready to give up on the recipe, but decided during this Lenten time to give it one more shot, this time with a vegetarian twist. While I can't find the original recipe I used, <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Creamy-Pumpkin-Pasta-146732">this one</a> is very close. But, to make it vegetarian, what follows is how I made it.<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>4 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div>2-3 T butter (I almost always use unsalted butter...for everything)</div><div>1/2 small Mayan onion, chopped (optional, but yummy!)</div><div>1 pkg baby bellas or shitake mushrooms, sliced (optional)</div><div>1 pkg <a href="http://morningstarfarms.com/product_detail.aspx?family=366&id=343">Morningstar Farms Sausage-Style Crumbles</a></div><div>1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (about 2 cups fresh, if you have it--I didn't)</div><div>2 cups vegetable broth (I used <a href="http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/broths/organic-vegetable-broth">Pacific Organic Vegetable Broth</a>)</div><div>1/4 cup half-and-half</div><div>1/2 cup light sour cream</div><div>1/4 tsp nutmeg</div><div>1/2 tsp red pepper flakes</div><div>1 tsp salt</div><div>1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper</div><div>1 tsp dried sage</div><div>1 lb rotini</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>In large skillet (I used my 12" All-Clad), melt butter. Add garlic, onion and mushrooms (if using) and saute a bit over medium heat until soft and onions start to turn translucent. Stir in the red pepper flakes and sausage crumbles, cover and cook for about 8 minutes, until the crumbles are cooked, stirring once or twice.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>While the sausage crumbles are cooking, in a medium bowl, mix the half-and-half, sour cream, pumpkin, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and sage. Also, start the water for the rotini and cook it according to the directions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once the crumbles are cooked, remove the garlic/onion/mushroom/crumbles/paprika mixture from the pan and put them aside. Pour the broth into the skillet to deglaze the pan. When the broth is very warm, whisk-in the pumpkin mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken, stirring as needed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and return it to the pot. Pour the pumpkin mixture over it, then add the sausage crumble mixture to that. Stir and cook over low/medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and sticks to the rotini. Serve with fresh chopped parsley mixed in and/or shredded romano cheese, if desired.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This time, when I made the dish, it turned out amazingly well. I usually divide dishes with a whole pound of pasta into 8 servings, and I ate 2 servings the night I made it. I loved the leftovers, too! I may never try it with real sausage again! <i><b>If you wanted to make a non-vegetarian version of this dish</b></i>, you could substitute 1 lb of Italian sausage (sweet or hot, turkey or pork) for the sausage crumbles and use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. I didn't end up serving it with the cheese, mostly because I didn't have any on-hand. Let me know if you try this, and if you have any other suggestions.</div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-2479419512763837722010-03-15T19:32:00.002-04:002010-03-15T19:49:47.709-04:00What's for Dinner: A New Spin On Black Bean and Corn SaladSometimes, I'm too darn lazy to take much time to cook. One of my favorite go-to "quick" dinners is black bean and corn salad:<div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div>1 can corn (I use Niblets), drained</div><div>1 can black beans, drained and rinsed</div><div>1/4 - 1/2 red onion, chopped (optional)</div><div>fresh cilantro, chopped</div><div>avocado, diced (optional)</div><div>salt to taste</div><div>pepper to taste</div><div>hot sauce to taste (optional)</div><div>extra virgin olive oil (optional)</div><div>juice from a lime</div><div>chicken, chopped (optional)</div><div>mango, diced</div><div>diced yellow or red bell pepper (optional)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>In a large bowl, mix the corn, black beans, onion (if using), cilantro, chicken (if using), bell pepper (if using), and mango. Mix in the lime juice and the hot sauce (if using). If a little more liquid is desired, use a little bit of olive oil or more lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If serving immediately, mix in the avocado and serve.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love this dish because it scales well to make more, it can easily be made vegetarian (by omitting the chicken), and it is great as a leftover. Recently, I ran across a <a href="http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/01/roasted-poblano-and-sweet-potato-salad.html">recipe</a> on the Budget Bytes blog that put a spin on my "classic" recipe: instead of mangoes, it uses roasted sweet potatoes and also adds some roasted poblano peppers. The recipe, as I made it, is:</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><div>2 large (about 2.5 lbs.) sweet potatoes</div><div>2 large poblano peppers</div><div>one 14 oz. can black beans</div><div>1 can corn</div><div>1/4 diced red onion (optional)</div><div>1 medium lime</div><div>3 Tbsp olive oil</div><div>1 bunch cilantro</div><div>2 tsp ground cumin</div><div>1/2 tsp salt</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees on the broiler setting. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray your poblanos with non-stick spray. Place the baking sheet with the peppers about 4 inches below the broiler coils. Roast the peppers under the broiler for 15 minutes on one side, flip them over then broil for another 5 minutes on the other side. You want the skin on the peppers to be all blistered and blackened. This will give them a nice smokey flavor. Don't worry, you will be peeling away the charred skin.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) While the peppers are roasting, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even chunks about one inch square. Place the chunks in a bowl and toss them together with 3 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp of salt and about half a bunch of chopped cilantro leaves. Mix it all up until the sweet potato chunks are well coated.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) When the peppers come out of the oven, put them into a resealable freezer bag and let them cool. The peppers will steam themselves in the bag as they cool allowing you to easily peel away the skin.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) Turn the oven from broil to bake (still on 400 degrees), pour out the bowl of sweet potato chunks onto the baking sheet that was used for the peppers, and roast the sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.</div><div><br /></div><div>5) Drain and rinse the can of black beans. Drain the corn. Finely chop 1/4 of a red onion (if desired). Put the beans, corn and onion together in a bowl. When the poblanos have cooled, peel off their skin, open them up to remove the seeds, seed pod and stem then cut the flesh into chunks. Put the chopped poblanos in the bowl with the other vegetables.</div><div><br /></div><div>6) When the sweet potatoes are done, let them cool for about 10 minutes. In the mean time, chop the other half of the cilantro, and juice the lime. Mix the sweet potatoes, cilantro and lime together with the rest of the ingredients and serve. This dish can be eaten warm or cold!</div><div><br /></div><div>I had an issue with my broiler, so it didn't quite roast the poblano peppers like I would have liked, but I felt that the sweet potatoes worked well in this dish, and added a new texture. I didn't get a ton of flavor from the poblanos, but they added volume. I think next time, I'd use 4 poblanos. </div><div><br /></div><div>The website also suggested using this salad in an enchilada, by putting a bit into a tortilla, adding cheese, then rolling and topping with enchilada sauce and more cheese. I did this, making 6 enchiladas, and found it to be surprisingly tasty. I wasn't sure how the cheese and enchilada sauce would work with the salad, but it was much better than I thought it would be. </div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it. 2 black bean and corn-based salads. 3 dishes. A lot of flavor. And a good bit of health. :)</div></div></div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-8943407461871641602010-03-07T11:37:00.004-05:002010-03-07T11:50:24.987-05:00What's for Dinner: Pasta with Kale & ParmaseanBefore last night, the only time I'd had kale was when it was in such small quantities, it might have been considered a garnish. I've never cooked with it, but came across a recipe that used it for a pasta dish, so figured I'd give it a try. The <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/10/spaghetti_with_braised_kale">original recipe</a> comes from Bon Appetit, though I modified it slightly.<div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Ingredients</b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">2 bunches of kale, leaves ripped off the stems and ripped/cut into small pieces</span></b><div><div>extra virgin olive oil</div><div>1 red onion, chopped</div><div>5 cloves of garlic, minced (original recipe called for 8, I used what I had)</div><div>~10 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced (I had some leftover from a previous recipe)</div><div>1/2 pound pasta (I used ditalini)</div><div>~1 cup vegetable broth</div><div>2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice</div><div>Finely grated Parmesan cheese</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Rinse and drain kale.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale, a little more olive oil, and about half of the vegetable broth and toss until the kale is wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding broth as required.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente in medium pot of boiling salted water. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked pasta to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and ~2 tablespoons broth or reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; ">This dish turned out pretty tasty, though I don't think it requires the pasta. I think it would be equally good served with (but not tossed with) rice. I also think I'd add some white beans to add protein, so it's a complete meal. I'll definitely be making this one again.</span></b></div></div></div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-90009865943306125292010-02-23T20:35:00.003-05:002010-02-23T20:46:20.818-05:00More Vegetarian Adventures: Spanish White Beans with SpinachDespite having a fridge that still has leftovers in it (2 servings of the pasta e fagioli left and quite a bit of chili left--I see a Mexican lasagna in my future--plus 2 more servings of roasted curried cauliflower and a bunch of baby carrots), I came across a recipe at epicurious that looked really tasty and really wanted to try it out. It looked like it had a good blend of flavors and looked pretty easy. So, the recipe can be found at <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spanish-White-Beans-with-Spinach-356051">epicurious</a>, or you can read what I did here. I modified the recipe very slightly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />1 large onion, coarsely chopped (2 cups)<br />1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Kristin's note, I think this could be upped to 3/4 cup or 1 cup</span>)<br />1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil<br />4 garlic cloves, minced<br />1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce)<br />3 (15.5-ounce cans) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">a slight increase from the 38 ounces total the original recipe calls for</span>)<br />1 cup water<br />2 (10-ounces) bags spinach, tough stems removed<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br />Cook onion and sun-dried tomatoes in 1/4 cup oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a 5- to 6-qt pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute.<br />Stir in beans, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and add the spinach in batches, stirring between each batch, to allow the spinach to wilt just a little before adding the next batch. After all the spinach has been added, cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.<br /><br />As expected, this tasted WONDEFUL. I think that there were a LOT of beans--maybe too many. Next time I do this, I may only use ~30 ounces (i.e. 2 cans). Also, 20 ounces of spinach takes up a LOT of space in the pot. In order to get around this, I added the spinach in batches, allowing the spinach to wilt slightly before adding any more spinach. This recipe lends itself nicely to making only a half-recipe. If you do that, I still recommend using the full 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika, it adds a nice depth to the flavor.kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-64484391115924583652010-02-21T17:19:00.004-05:002010-02-21T18:07:23.127-05:00Vegetarian Dinner: Vickie Howell's Vegetarian "Beef" ChiliI follow crafter and music-lover <a href="http://twitter.com/vickiehowell">Vickie Howell</a> on Twitter and I regularly read <a href="http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>. About a month ago, she posted a recipe for a vegetarian "beef" chili that uses the <a href="http://morningstarfarms.com/product_detail.aspx?family=366&id=324">Morningstar Farms Grillers meat substitute</a>. Though I was a vegetarian for quite awhile (maybe sometime I'll post about why I went back to eating meat in moderation, but not now), I've always been slightly afraid of meat substitutes. Over the years, I've come to really appreciate <a href="http://morningstarfarms.com/product_detail.aspx?family=365&id=321">Morningstar Farms' Chik Patties</a>, but I've never tried their meal starters. This recipe intrigued me. It is a familiar, comforting food using ingredients I've never used before. Though I'm cutting and pasting the recipe here, I strongly recommend you visit Vickie's website, especially if you're into knitting or crochet, and/or are interested in crafts for children. The recipe was originally posted on <a href="http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/2010/01/super-yummy-vegetarian-beef-crockpot.html">this post</a> on her blog. I tweaked a few things (very minor, like using Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes instead of Rotel), my as-made recipe is below. I served it with a little shredded 4-cheese Mexican cheese over a homemade biscuit (I use the America's Test Kitchen "Mile-High Biscuits" recipe) and with roasted cauliflower on the side. I love that I'm going to have leftovers!!!!<br /><br /><b>Ingredients</b><div>1 bag Morningstar Farms Grillers ("beef" crumbles)<br />2 ~14 oz. cans diced tomatoes (if you can find them with chiles, you should use that<br />1 15.5 oz. can black beans, drained<br />1 15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained<br />1 11 oz can corn (I use the Green Giant Niblets)<br />1 6 oz. can tomato paste<br />1 Mayan onion, chopped<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />1/4 cup ketchup<br />1/4 cup red wine (I used a Côtes du Rhône wine)<br />2 tsp cumin, plus a little more<br />2 Tbsp chili powder, plus a little more<br />1/2 Tbsp dried basil<br />1 Tbsp dried oregano, plus a little more<br />Pinch of Salt</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>In a slow-cooker, add garlic, chopped onion and bag of Crumblers. Cover with a layer of chili powder and sprinkle in cumin, oregano, and basil. Stir.</div><div>Add tomatoes, beans, and corn, including the liquid in the tomatoes and corn. Add tomato paste, wine, and ketchup. Stir.</div><div>Add a pinch of salt and a couple more shakes of cumin, chili powder and oregano.</div><div>Let cook on low for ~7 hours. Stir occasionally (if you're home), and add more spices, wine or ketchup to taste, if desired. Serve with shredded cheese and/or a starch of your choice.<br /></div>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-74240331499902122182010-02-17T19:44:00.002-05:002010-02-17T20:05:28.153-05:00What I Ate Tonight: A Take on Pasta E FagioliNow that Lent's officially started, one thing I've "given up" for Lent is meat. In doing this, I hoped to in part try out some recipes I've had for awhile and never tried, and also pick up some new recipes. One of the former category of recipes was something I found on <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/">Epicurious</a> (I think) ages ago for a pasta e fagioli "soup" that was originally printed in Bon Appetit magazine in July, 1990. I've only ever had pasta e fagioli at places like Olive Garden, so I don't really know anything about traditional preparations, but the recipe as I found it seemed like it wouldn't be much of a soup or even a stew, but a sauce. Also, when I copied the recipe, I noted that some commenters on it said that they would add any of the following: 1 lb. of browned bulk sausage, and/or 16 oz. of hot water or broth. So the recipe I made is below, where it's an addition to the original recipe, I've noted it:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />olive oil<br />1 medium onion, chopped (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">my addition</span>)<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 16-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped (reserve liquid)<br />2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley<br />pinch of red pepper flakes (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">my addition</span>)<br />1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled<br />1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled<br />1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed & drained<br />Salt and pepper<br />8 ounces ditalini pasta freshly cooked (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I used ditalini, they recommended elbow macaroni</span>)<br />16 ounces vegetable broth (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">my addition based on the commenter recommendation</span>)<br />Grated Parmesan <p><span style="font-style: italic;">Directions</span><br />Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until the onions start to turn translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add parsley, basil and oregano and simmer until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon. After about 10 minutes, I added half of the broth, as the tomato mixture was starting to look like it needed liquid to simmer some more. Once the tomatoes are soft (about 15 minutes of simmering), add reserved tomato liquid, broth, and beans and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place pasta in bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour sauce over and toss thoroughly. Serve, passing Parmesan separately.</p><p>This turned out really tasty, if not quite as "soupy" as I expected. I think even 8 ounces of noodles is too much--next time I make this, I'm going to use only 4 ounces. It definitely would have been tasty with some bulk hot Italian sausage, or vegetarian substitute, but as I had no vegetarian sausage substitute on hand, I did without. I think it may have also benefited from a smidge more tomato, either via some tomato sauce added to the simmer, or a few extra whole peeled tomatoes (and their juices).<br /></p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-71958059136470671272010-02-14T17:45:00.004-05:002010-02-14T18:44:55.077-05:00What's for Dinner: Chicken CacciatoreSo, on Twitter, one of the people I follow, <a href="http://twitter.com/wombat5277">@Wombat5277</a>, posted this past weekend that he made some slow-cooker chicken cacciatore. I'm always a sucker for slow-cooker recipes, so I was intrigued. His recipe seemed pretty easy:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sauce</span><br />2 cans of diced tomatoes<br />5 garlic cloves<br />salt<br />pepper<br />1/2 cup white wine<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br />Cut up an onion, layer it on the bottom of the slow cooker. Put ~2 lb. chicken into slow cooker over the onion, then pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours.<br /><br />I built a little bit on his recipe, this is what I made:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />Onion<br />Mushrooms<br />Garlic (to taste)<br />6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed<br />2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes<br />1/2 cup dry white wine<br />1/2 tsp oregano<br />1/2 tsp red pepper flakes<br />1 tsp <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyspastasprinkle.html">Penzeys pasta sprinkle</a><br />salt (to taste)<br />pepper (to taste)<br />4 Tbsp tomato paste (I use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mutti-Italian-Tomato-Paste-Concentrate/dp/B000G66N4U">concentrated tomato paste</a> that comes from a tube)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br />Sautee chopped onion with mushrooms (I used 5 oz. of shitake mushrooms, chopped) and a few cloves of minced garlic in ~1 Tbsp of butter, until just brown. Transfer to bottom of crockpot. Layer chicken on top of mixture, put in a couple whole cloves of garlic (optional). In separate bowl, mix other ingredients, then pour mixture over the chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice or pasta.<br /><br />I was pretty pleased with how this turned out. Once Lent is over, this will probably be added to my stock recipes for weekends.kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-18224962209105335712010-01-10T18:56:00.003-05:002010-01-10T18:56:45.185-05:00What I've Been Reading: The Wheel of TimeI just finished reading "The Gathering Storm," the 12th book in The Wheel of Time series. I approached this book with a bit of apprehension. On the one hand, Robert Jordan had set up such an intenese world, would it be possible for a different author to take the reins and keep the world in tact? On the other, before reading The Gathering Storm, I went through and re-read every book in The Wheel of Time series (starting with New Spring, a prequel, and then the entire series proper--it took almost a year, what with work and real life getting in the way), and there was a lot to dislike in the series--in some ways, it felt stagnant.<br /><br />Between reading Knife of Dreams (the 11th book in the series) and The Gathering Storm, I read "Mists of Avalon" as a part of the Sword and Laser online book club. Never having read any Arthurian legends before, I was (slightly) startled to look back at The Wheel of Time series and see all the parallels (some very direct and obvious, down to the names of characters). The 12th book surprised me from this perspective, though, as there weren't as many storylines that paralleled the Arthur stories as I've noted in past books. <br /><br />I won't go into too many plot detailes here--I don't know how many people here actually read the books or would care about spoilers. I will say that I was surprised by some of the turns this book took. I was also (happily) surprised that this book felt like it brought me back to the wonder I felt when reading The Eye of the World (the first book in the series). I think this book breathed new life into the series. I was sucked into the book pretty quickly (something I can't say for books 9-11), and though there was a slow spot (for me) about 1/3 of the way in, I got through that fairly quickly and the rest of the book went by and left me hungering for more (I finished this book in about 3 weeks, which is very quick for me).<br /><br />My favorite storyline in the series has definitely become the Egwene storyline. This book didn't dissapoint with that. Though I used to enjoy the Perrin/wolf storyline, over the last few books (and including this one), I have become bored with him. I also really liked where the Mat storyline was going, though this book felt like it was a bit of a slowdown for him...his story hasn't gotten to where I expected it would, yet, and seems to be taking its time now.<br /><br />Next up for me is a quick "candy" read (actually I'll be listening to it from Audible), Hell Hole, a book in the John Ceepak series by Chris Grabenstein.kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-5249888731413160172009-11-17T20:05:00.002-05:002009-11-17T20:14:38.374-05:00Flipping a CoinI'm fairly limited in terms of the exercises I can do for cardio when I go to the gym, so in an effort to keep my workouts "fresh," I do a sequence of coin-flips:<br />1) Workout, yes (heads) or no (tails)? This only really is in question if I'm hurting (ankle or otherwise) or I've done a hard workout the day before<br />2) Hard (heads) or easy (tails)? If I've done a hard workout the day before AND I flip heads for #1, then it's guaranteed to be an easy day, no coin flip really needed<br />3) If "hard" in #2, heads is for speed intervals, tails is for hill intervals (done on a Cybex Eagle elliptical trainer)<br />4) If "easy" in #2, heads is for elliptical, tails is for the exercise bicycle (which may be combined with arm bike and/or rowing machine)<br />By flipping a coin, I can take out my personal biases, which would always be to do some form of elliptical, since I used to love running so much.<br /><br />Sometimes, the coin-flip technique doesn't work. Today was one of those days. I got to the gym and though the coin-flips had come out for "easy" and "exercise bike," there were no bikes free when I got there. Plus, I was running late. In the spirit of just getting moving, I hopped onto one of the free elliptical trainers and just did a flat course, trying to keep HR low. I did better with that today than I did yesterday:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">duration:</span> 15 minutes (cardio, I lifted for an hour afterwards)<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">average HR:</span> 150<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">max HR:</span> 156<br /><br />I'm glad I went to the gym, though right now I feel like my body is getting mad at me. My ankle has started twinging more often (which it had pretty much stopped doing as of the middle of last week), and, in addition to being in a cast for my thumb, I'm also dealing with a flare-up of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinthitis">labyrinthitis</a>. Since my workout tomorrow will be in the morning, I've already flipped the coin...it came out "easy bike." But, if I wake up and my ankle is flaring, I'm going to skip. A day off probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, anyway.kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-62109079136480609342009-11-16T18:15:00.003-05:002009-11-16T18:26:48.524-05:00Sweating in a CastI sprained my thumb (again) about a week ago, slipping down my stairs and bending my thumb backwards as I tried to catch myself. I went to the doc because my thumb would wake me up, rolling on it or something in my sleep, and he put me into a cast for 4 weeks. I still can't decide if he put me in plaster because he doesn't trust me with something removable, or because of the added protection it gives, owing to my Ehlers-Danlos, or for some other reason. Given how many times I've been in a cast, I thought it was funny he still had to give me the "lecture" on keeping it clean and dry. I wonder if "keeping it dry" precludes me from exercising (and thus sweating) in it. For the moment, I'm assuming it doesn't, as I've been way off the consistent workout wagon for awhile and have been trying to get back on...<br /><br />...which is what leads me to this post today. Given that I'm not really training for anything (let's be honest, what could I actually compete in?), and don't really have a "goal" in mind (though I'd like to drop a few pounds that crept up on me...good timing, with the holidays right around the corner, eh?), I figure the best way to keep me honest about the workouts and such is to record them here, for everybody who reads this blog to see.<br /><br />So, without further ado, today's workout was an "easy" cardio day (trying to keep heart rate below 152). I did an hour (plus a 4 minute cooldown) on the <a href="http://club.octanefitness.com/products/series_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=18&ITEM_TYPE=S">Octane Fitness elliptical</a> at my gym. I've found that it mimics the running motion I miss so much these days, better than most. I also love how at the end of your workout, it says "You have been fueled by Octane." I didn't go quite as easy as I'd hoped, here were the stats:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">duration</span>: 1 hour<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">average HR</span>: 153<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">max HR</span>: 160<br /><br />I'm a bit concerned that my ankle is disliking my workouts, as it felt fine during the workout but was sore when I got home. I'm going to have to keep an eye on things and continue icing and elevating as I can, if I want to keep up with the workouts. It probably goes without saying, but until the cast comes off, I can't do the rowing machine or anything. Tomorrow is a "workout with Brian" day, hopefully work won't get in my way there (as it has so often lately, as has my ankle). I'll flip a coin tomorrow to figure out my workout, and post it up.kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-4492892037193342562009-05-06T12:08:00.003-04:002009-05-06T12:19:05.960-04:00Amazon's Kindle DX<p>So Amazon today announced the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-DX-Amazons-Wireless-Generation/dp/B0015TCML0/ref=amb_link_84277971_5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=gateway-center-column&pf_rd_r=0F08D2ZB9NG51D4310H2&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=476565871&pf_rd_i=507846">Kindle DX</a>, a larger version of their Kindle e-reader. I don't know what to make of it. I own a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Generation/dp/B00154JDAI/ref=amb_link_84222151_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=hero-quick-promo&pf_rd_r=1NHCGJY675012PG7D14Y&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=476388111&pf_rd_i=B0015TCML0">Kindle 2</a>, and I cannot honestly say that there is anything that I use the Kindle 2 to do that I could do better on the DX.<br /><br />The main differences in the DX from the K2 are:<br />more on-board memory (3.3 GB vs. 2 GB)<br />bigger screen (9.7" vs 6") -- and corresponding larger hardware size<br />native PDF support<br />auto-rotating screen<br /><br />The DX seems to be aimed at the college crowd as well as the crowd that reads periodicals (especially newspapers) on their Kindle. I have finished school (for the time being?) and do not regularly read any newspaper (thus I do not subscribe to any on my Kindle 2).<br /><br />I don't know, for regular books, I think I'd probably find the Kindle DX annoying. The Kindle 2 screen size means that with the default font size, I feel like I'm reading a normal page in a book. I think having more lines of text on the screen would be almost distracting to me. To combat this, one could of course increase the font size on the display, but I also do not like reading bigger print. I do not have any reason for this other than that it's a personal preference.<br /><br />The physical size difference wouldn't impact me much. I read books in a variety of ways: on my Kindle 2, on my PDA (Dell Axim x51v until the iPod dies and then I'm likely getting an iPod Touch), and in audio form. My Kindle 2 mostly stays at home on my nightstand or in the bathroom. If I'm on the go and reading, I'm either reading something on the PDA or listening to an audiobook (I did an accounting recently, I have 117 audiobooks). When I travel, my Kindle 2 comes with me, naturally, though I don't typically carry it around day-to-day. I have done so on occassion, as it's the perfect size to fit into my day-to-day bag (an <a href="http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/messenger/messenger-classic/classic-ballistic-messenger">extra small Timbuk2 messenger bag</a>). The Kindle DX wouldn't fit in there. I don't know how many people would carry either device around day-to-day, though I imagine that those who carry around briefcases or laptop bags probalby wouldn't notice the difference, either way. I would.<br /><br />So, taking a look at one market for the DX, how would college students use it? When I was in college, I ended up buying many textbooks new through Amazon at cheaper prices than I could get them used at the college bookstore. When I was done with them, I'd either keep them or sell them back and then go out at the end of the term with my book buyback money. The Kindle DX probably will help save money in the initial purchase but removes the sell-back ability. I can tell you without a doubt that my introductory stats book was useless, and even with a Kindle DX, I'd want to get rid of it.<br /><br />That all said, my physics textbooks were often rather thick (stupid loooooooooong equations and proofs) and I probably would have appreiciated the ease on my back. Then again, I got hit by cars twice while in college. If that happened with a Kindle DX and it was damaged, I'd have to replace the hardware to get my books back, which wasn't the case with the standard books. Same thing for more "typical" things like losing it or spilling beverages on it. A minor issue, but one that becomes major (and expensive) if it happens to you.<br /><br />Of course, there's also a problem with the Kindle and DRM if you ever get your Amazon account suspended. A <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/15/if-you-lose-your-ama.html">story</a> related to this was in a lot of the blogs recently, and I would be quite pissed if I bought a piece of expensive hardware that was effectively useless if that happened. But that gripe holds for the Kindle 2 as much as the DX.<br /><br />Then we get to the newspaper crowd. I do not know anyone my age that reads the newspaper. Granted, I hang out with some people who are disturbingly out of touch with what's happening in the world. However, I also hang out with people who do what I do, and get their news from various websites (newspaper websites, BBC, etc), news aggregators (including <a href="http://news.google.com/">news.google.com</a>), and of course, Jon Stewart. I read somewhere recently that the <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10230969-1.html">majority of Kindle owners were over 40</a>. I'm not. So maybe this newspaper feature will appeal to that crowd (who I think does read the newspaper), but I don't think anybody my age will care.<br /><br />At $489, the Kindle DX a bit pricier than the $359 Kindle 2. For the way that I use my Kindle, and the way I read books in general, I can't see people my age actually buying it. <a href="http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/">Dwight Silverman</a> (on Twitter, <a href="http://twitter.com/dsilverman">@dsilverman</a>) has said he thinks this is a pre-emptive manevuer by Amazon to combat an Apple tablet or e-reader. Maybe that's the case. <a href="http://gartenblog.net/">Michael Gartenberg</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/Gartenberg">@Gartenberg</a> on Twitter) has said that the larger screen and better layout control of the DX would make him recommend the DX over the Kindle 2 to someone who doesn't own one (I hope he writes up his impressions/thoughts and posts them to his personal site or to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/">Engadget</a>, I look forward to hearing more of his thoughts on it). Personally, if I didn't have a Kindle 2 now, I still think I'd buy the Kindle 2, not the DX. I think a lot of people my age would. But, in the end, I guess we'll see.</p>kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-62363801051233057722009-03-24T19:14:00.002-04:002009-03-24T19:25:31.753-04:00Updates and FlashbacksFirst the update I promised right before my satellite launched and haven't gotten to until now: I most likely have classical-type Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I got the letter right before Christmas, but between my hand surgery, the holiday, and then way too much going on getting ready for launch, I forgot to post it here. The vascular type of EDS was ruled out with the skin biopsy, and the genetic doc believes I have the classical type. While not surprising, this is of course still a relief to know for certain. <br /><br />Speaking of my hand surgery, I had a follow-up with my surgeon on Monday. My surgery was on December 5th, and while in many ways my hand is much improved, it's still not right. I still have pain on the inside of my hand, right where the pinkie meets the hand. I guess we're attributing this to the volar plate issues that the MRI showed, but it doesn't help when it still hurts. Of course, one thing that makes it hurt more is keeping my hand in a "closed" position (like how it would be when holding a fork or doing cross-stitch or writing long-hand), and the splint my doc had the PT make for me keeps my hand in a mostly-closed position.<br /><br />The splint is a lumbrical bar splint and is intended to keep my pinkie from catching/locking as I extend it, which is the other problem I still seem to have. It's hard to understand what's making it catch or stall when I extend it, because with passive motion, my finger/hand seems normal, but with active motion, it's definitely there. The catching causes more generalized pain in my 5th MCP joint, which is also contributing to some of my issues.<br /><br />Anyway, my doc thinks that my best option at this point may be another surgery (that would be number 11 overall and number 4 on the hand for those playing at home). I didn't ask for a lot of details, since I'm not sure it's the right choice for me, but it sounded like he wanted to basically splice the tendon that goes to my pinkie into the tendon that goes into my other fingers. For a lot of reasons, this sounds like a bad idea to me, and he's not wild about it, either. He has referred me to a doc at the Curtis National Hand Center for a second opinion and a second set of eyes.<br /><br />The last time this type of thing happened was with my ankle. My surgeon thought I needed a sub-talar fusion, and wanted me to go to Baltimore to one of the top surgeons for a second opinion. I went up to that doctor and he recommended the more limiting triple arthrodesis, which I eventually underwent. I really don't know that I'm ready for another surgery right now. I always figured surgery number 11 would be the one to take the hardware out of my ankle but at the same time, I want to be done with one joint before moving onto the next. I guess I'll have to see what the guy at the Hand Center says. *Fingers crossed*kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-16521458203767502842009-02-08T21:49:00.002-05:002009-02-08T21:52:03.260-05:00Hmmmm...I'll be writing more this week, but figured I'd share this, it made me chuckle a bit. Walked into a stall in the ladies room at a restaurant yesterday and as I locked the door, saw this sign:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kristin.seidelmann-owners.com/fofc/no_paper.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 614px; height: 461px;" src="http://kristin.seidelmann-owners.com/fofc/no_paper.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Then, I looked at the toilet:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://kristin.seidelmann-owners.com/fofc/no_paper2.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 614px; height: 461px;" src="http://kristin.seidelmann-owners.com/fofc/no_paper2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I couldn't help but wonder if that trash can had toilet paper in it that would normally go in the toilet...<br /><br />I used the next stall over, it didn't have any signs on it about putting paper in it. Alas, where would photos like this be without camera phones? ;)kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-38057207491355808732008-12-31T21:07:00.003-05:002008-12-31T21:20:37.285-05:00Goals For The New YearI'm not really big on making resolutions. Not that I'm perfect, far from it, but I do have some goals I'd like to stick with this year.<br /><br />1) <span style="font-style: italic;">Go to the gym at least 5 days a week</span>. This wouldn't normally be on the list, but this month (December) has been so hectic, I feel like I've gotten off of my normal schedule, and I really need to make the effort in January to get back to normal. Of course, with a launch in February, this might be difficult to really get back to "normal" until mid-March, but hey, that's why it's a goal, right?<br /><br />2) <span style="font-style: italic;">Have more patience with people</span>. Since moving out of the College Park area and into Northern Virginia, I've found that there are a lot of dumb people in the world. There are a lot more in the real world than there are on a college campus. I need to be more patient with people in general. Not everybody needs to have their driver's license revoked because they're going 45 mph in the slow lane. Not every large family in the grocery store is being purely evil when they block you and your cart from going through an aisle. Maybe they just don't know they're being very obtrusive.<br /><br />3) <span style="font-style: italic;">Relax a bit more</span>. I used to meditate regularly, and I'd like to get back to that. Maybe I'll do some yoga, or at least some gentle stretching, either in the morning or at night. I have a feeling that this goal might help with goal #2.<br /><br />4) <span style="font-style: italic;">Post my pictures onto eHarmony and do something with it</span>. I guess this is self-explanatory. I didn't find "the one" in college, but I'm more than ready to get back onto the dating scene.<br /><br />5) <span style="font-style: italic;">Figure out why even after surgery in December, my hand still hurts--and either come to terms with the pain or finally make it all go away</span>. This is my biggest goal, as right now, it frustrates me on a daily basis. I know I'm only 3.5 weeks post-op, and that I need to give it time, but at the same point, I'm finding things that hurt before surgery still hurt now, and maybe it's just because of the Ehlers-Danlos and I need to accept it. But at this point in my life, I'm already fairly limited in the things I can do, and if I can reduce further limitations, that would be wonderful.<br /><br />6) <span style="font-style: italic;">Drink more tea and water</span>. I've actually been doing this for the last 2 months or so, but I want to keep it up. The only times I seem to have soda now is when I'm drinking mixed drinks. I'd like to keep it that way, tea and water are better for me than soda. I doubt I'll be giving up my coffee, but after my 20 oz. cup in the morning, I think I can move to tea and water.<br /><br />7) <span style="font-style: italic;">Take more photos</span>. I have one camera that's my "in-between" step between a digital point-and-shoot and a DSLR, and I really should be shooting more than I am. Other than when I go out sailing, my camera is neglected more than it should be. I have thoughts on getting a LX3, and between that and my Olympus, I should be shooting more.<br /><br />So that's that. If I remember, I'll try to post in early February and see how these things are going. :)kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8382807.post-15564916282194529042008-12-28T19:40:00.003-05:002008-12-28T19:43:19.030-05:00Another Baked Pasta RecipeIn my <a href="http://gimpygal.blogspot.com/2008/12/recipe-time-generic-pasta-bake.html">previous post</a>, I alluded to a recipe I made tonight that turned out quite nicely. I had a half pound of pasta sitting around, and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. I thought about a pasta bake, but I wanted something a bit heartier. This is what I came up with:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baked Pasta with Ricotta</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ingredients</span><br />1/2 lb pasta (elbows or cavatappi)<br />1 onion, chopped<br />1 green pepper, chopped<br />3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />1 clove garlic, minced<br />1 package mushrooms (I used a 4 oz pkg of mixed fancy mushrooms) -- not canned<br />15 oz. can tomato sauce<br />1/2 of 15 oz. tub of ricotta cheese<br />1 cup shredded mozarella<br />salt<br />pepper<br />basil (I used dried--if desired)<br />oregano (I used dried--if desired)<br />thyme (I used dried--if desired)<br />olive oil (for keeping noodles from sticking)<br />butter (for saute pan)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Directions</span><br />Preheat oven to 375 F. In large pot, cook pasta (remember to follow <a href="http://www.skilletdoux.com/2006/02/the_ten_command.html">The Ten Commandments of Dry Pasta</a>).<br />While pasta is cooking, saute mushrooms, onion, green pepper, and thinly sliced garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste, and some dried basil, thyme, and oregano if desired.<br />When pasta is cooked al dente, drain, then return to pot (off heat), drizzle a little olive oil into the pasta.<br />Add the tomato sauce and minced garlic to the noodles, stir so all noodles are coated.<br />Add the vegetable mixture to the noodles, stir so well combined.<br />Add the ricotta to the noodle and veggie mixture, stir so well combined.<br />(Note, at this point, you could eat this and have a great meal!)<br />Dump mixture into a 11"x7" pan and bake in preheated oven, covered, for 20-25 minutes.<br />Stir/redistribute pasta when it comes out, cover with shredded mozarella, and put back into oven for 10 minutes (until mozarella melts).<br />Serve. :) I've found that it's easier to cut if you let it cool a little bit.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy! I know I did. ;)kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00231506194793708086noreply@blogger.com0