sad, part II.

ugh, today was natasha's funeral. without being too much of a downer, I will leave it as the ceremony was a beautiful tribute to an amazing person. one of her friends played the guitar and sang this song - I think it was the perfect song for the moment and reminded me of how much I love jimmy eat world.

I know in my heart Natasha is in a better place.

RIP.



I leave you with a picture and the music.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pQo9OQlIB8

thanksgiving and the aftermath

yesterday was thanksgiving! my favorite holiday of the year - it's all about being with friends and family and enjoying a good meal. nothing more, nothing less.

as we've done many times in the past, we went to the gill's home in pasadena to celebrate. our family was in charge of desserts and I decided to make a pumpkin cheesecake with dulce de leche sauce. recipe is courtesy of epicurious.com but, as usual, I made my own twist. for the crust, I bought crispy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from trader joe's - I could have done without the chocolate, but TJ's doesn't sell just plain oatmeal cookies and I didn't want to go to two stores.

I need to work on my presentation skills...it doesn't look to appetizing, but it was - I promise! I started to make the swirly design with the caramel and it didn't look good, so I just spread it around.
















Crust

• 1 1/2 cups ground gingersnap cookies (or oatmeal)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 1can solid pack pumpkin
• 9 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon (about) purchased caramel sauce (subbed for homemade dulce de leche sauce)
• 1 tbsp flour

Preparation

For Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind ground cookies in processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.

For Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Transfer 3/4 cup mixture to small bowl; cover tightly and refrigerate to use for topping. Add pumpkin, 4 tablespoons whipping cream, ground cinnamon and ground allspice to mixture in large bowl and beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Pour filling into crust (filling will almost fill pan). Bake until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around cake pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

Bring remaining 3/4 cup cream cheese mixture to room temperature. Add remaining 5 tablespoons whipping cream to cream cheese mixture and stir to combine. Press down firmly on edges of cheesecake to even thickness. Pour cream cheese mixture over cheesecake, spreading evenly. Spoon caramel sauce in lines over cream cheese mixture. Using tip of knife, swirl caramel sauce into cream cheese mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Release pan sides from cheesecake.

hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!

sad.

we found out yesterday that a good family friend's daughter passed away early saturday morning. it was her 18th birthday.

apparently, she was in a friend's car and both of them had had too much to drink. her friend lost control of the car, and natasha was ejected...her friend has a broken arm. :/

why do we always think we are invincible and nothing bad can happen? I'm guilty of this too, but feel it less as I get older (and I suppose wiser).

my heart goes out to natasha's family - I remember babysitting her when she was little. I always loved to play with her, she was like a younger sister to me. I hadn't seen her in a few years, but our moms are very close so I would get updates here and there.

I hope natasha is in a better place and I hope her family, especially her mom, find the strength to go on - I'm not a mother so I can only imagine what it would feel like to lose a child. it's something I hope to never experience.

cocktail party

we had a cocktail party last night with some friends as we had way too much alcohol leftover from the wedding - we had a blast! unfortunately, I forgot to take out the camera and take pictures...I really need to be better about documenting these things. alas, my words and random website photos will have to suffice.

the cocktail menu:

wine
champagne
vodka

I bought tonic, 7-up, some fizzy pink lemonade stuff from trader joe's, and mango martini mix from the grocery store. oh, and the requisite limes.

the appetizer menu:

hummus and various veggies
feta and carmelized onions in phyllo cups (available in the frozen section at trader joe's)
melon wrapped prosciutto on toothpicks
mini marinated buffalo mozzarella and pearl tomatos - cut both ingredients in half and stick on toothpicks
artichoke cheesebread (courtesy of marthastewart.com)

1 sourdough baguette (10 ounces)

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

2 jars (6 1/2 ounces each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve baguette lengthwise; scoop out center with your fingers, and tear into small pieces. Set bread shells aside. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread pieces and garlic; cook until bread is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine browned bread, sour cream, cheddar, Monterey Jack, artichoke hearts, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; stir together.
Spoon mixture into reserved bread shells; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until browned on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before cutting into serving pieces. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

smoked salmon on chips (also courtesy of marthastewart.com)

Makes 24

• 24 thick-cut potato chips, (preferably olive-oil flavor)
• 8 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• Fresh dill, for garnish

Directions

Lay potato chips on a large platter or baking sheet.
Cut smoked salmon into 24 pieces (approximately the size of the potato chips).Top chips with smoked salmon. Evenly divide sour cream, placing a small dollop on each of the smoked-salmon chips. Top each chip with a sprig of fresh dill.

"grown up" pigs in a blanket (these were really good, thanks kate!)

• 1 pkg TJ's chicken sausage, any flavor, sliced.
• 1 pkg frozen phyllo sheets, thawed
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

Heat oven to 375. Brush 3 phyllo sheets with melted butter, cut each sheet into 5 strips. Place sausage slice onto end of each strip and fold corner over to form a triangle. Separate and continue until all strips are used. Place on greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. For dip, combine mustard, honey, and ginger.

and for dessert, I bought cheesecake bites and mini chocolate-covered ice cream squares in cappuccino flavor. the ice cream squares were to die for. both are available at trader joe's in the frozen section.

the party was fun, but now I'm exhausted.

Soup Season Part Deux

not sure what came over me this weekend, but I was a cooking machine! two soups (see tortilla soup yesterday) and 4 dozen cookies later, I feel pretty productive. yet now I remember why I don't cook too often, besides being unmotivated, of course.

1. I make a mess - like dropping an entire egg on the kitchen floor.

2. I can't seem to read directions - like mistaking 3.5 cups for 3.5 ounces. who does that? oh, that's right, me. 4 grocery store trips later, we have lunch and dinner planned for a good part of the upcoming week.

for the soup, I subbed the paprika for italian seasoning since I didn't have any paprika on hand, and bought frozen cooked shrimp from trader joe's - after it defrosted, I just threw it in with the soup. I also omitted the hot sauce just because.

roasted red pepper bisque with shrimp and romano cheese (from epicurious.com)
















ingredients:

• 5 large red bell peppers
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
• Hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 16 large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
  

Preparation:

Char red bell peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers. Cut 1 pepper into matchstick-size strips and set aside. Coarsely chop remaining 4 peppers. Combine chopped peppers and stock in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until peppers are very tender, about 5 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to saucepan. Mix in paprika and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover bell pepper strips and soup separately and refrigerate.) Whisk in cream and pecorino Romano cheese. Season to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add reserved bell pepper strips and shrimp and sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide shrimp mixture among 4 bowls.
Rewarm soup; ladle around shrimp mixture. Sprinkle basil over and serve.

no joke, these cookies are always a hit. a bit of a pain to make, but they are really good.

chocolate peanut butter surprise cookies (courtesy of marthastewart.com)

Ingredients
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions


Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and 1 cup light-brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully combined between each addition. Add vanilla, and beat to combine. Gradually add dry ingredients, and mix on low speed until fully combined. Remove from mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpats (nonstick French baking mats) or parchment paper. In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir together peanut butter and remaining 1/4 cup light-brown sugar. Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the center of each cookie. Fill thumbprint with 1 teaspoon peanut-butter mixture. Top with a second scoop of dough, and carefully mold dough to cover "surprise." Bake until firm, about 12 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks.


I also did some research on vietnam for our trip - I'm really drawn to this tour. not only is it a good overview of the country, but we would be doing some volunteer work as well. one of our original discussions about our upcoming trip was to do some volunteer work somewhere, so this would be perfect. hopefully the dates work.

Trek, Kayak and Lend a Hand – 11 days

Overview:
This itinerary is a perfect combination of trekking in the highlands of Sapa, kayaking amongst the stunning limestone mountains at Halong Bay, exploring the architecturally and historically rich cities of Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City while also spending some time lending a hand at some Community Projects that are supported by Buffalo Tours. This trip offers a balance of cultural insights, physical activity and a community service component, set amongst some of Vietnam’s most stunning landscape scenery. From the vibrant city of Hanoi we travel by comfortable overnight train to the hillside retreat of Sapa in the country’s North, near the border of China. Sapa is home to many of North Vietnam and South West China’s minority groups and we spend the next three days on a remote trek through settlements and picturesque villages where we have time to observe the local lifestyles of these unique cultures as well as an opportunity to donate a much needed water buffalo. We also visit Hoa Binh Thanh Xuan Village where Orange Agent affected children are cared for and spend some time getting to know the children and helping out where possible. From the mountainous region of Sapa we travel East towards Halong Bay where we begin our cruise through a maze of limestone islets. The next two days is spent cruising and kayaking through the pristine emerald waters and limestone formations before returning to Hanoi. After a night enjoying local cuisine and a water puppet show, we continue south to Hue and explore its ancient citadel. We take in the picturesque World Heritage town of Hoi An and visit a nearby orphanage and charity run school for street children where we get involved in worthwhile activities to help the children. Finally we move on to Ho Chi Minh City, where our journey concludes.


I was also on a mad hunt for some travel clothes, but all I could seem to find were moo-moos that an 85 year old would wear. never fear, a few choice keywords on google later, I found this great website with a decent selection of stylish, but practical, clothes. they also donate a portion of purchases to a handful of charities - you get to decide which one. from http://www.en-day.com/, I bought the following:

kimono top with dri-release in green:
















flight skirt/dress with dri-release in black and gray. it can be worn as a skirt, dress, or top - yippee!
























overall, a pretty productive weekend.

Soup Season

It's getting a little chilly in southern CA (yes, mid-60's is chilly) so I decided to make some soup today. this one is a keeper!

as with most online recipes, I usually read the reviews to see what to change, add, etc. I boiled some chicken in the broth, added some frozen roasted corn from trader joe's, subbed cilantro for the chives, and bought cilantro and lime tortilla chips.

cream of tortilla soup (courtesy of epicurious.com) - excuse the ghetto bowl, we have yet to unwrap all of our new dishes.

ingredients

• 2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
• 1/2 cup (1/2 stick) butter1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1 1/2 cups crushed unsalted tortilla chips
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• Crushed unsalted tortilla chips

preparation

Bring chicken broth to boil in small saucepan over medium heat.
Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon chopped tomato and 2 tablespoon chives for garnish. Add remaining tomato, chives and 1 1/2 cups tortilla chips to saucepan and sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over and stir mixture for 2 minutes.
Stir chicken broth into tortilla mixture. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat. Stir in whipping cream. Add grated Jack and cheddar cheese and stir mixture until cheese is melted and well blended. Add chili powder and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Rewarm soup over low heat, stirring frequently.) Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle each with some of reserved tomato and chives and crushed tortilla chips and serve.

I also had the opportunity to use our new knives - these are fantastic and I highly recommend. Pure Komachi stainless-steel knife set. the blue one is to cut fish, orange for bread, pink for meat, and green for veggies. they were purchased at amazon.com

australia, here we come!

I've finally had a chance to work on our sabbatical a bit this week.

the "master plan" is to take a two week cruise around new zealand and then head to australia for 3 weeks or so. the semi-frustrating part is figuring out where to go and how to stay somewhat on budget. I can easily see blowing a nice chunk of money in australia since the AUD won't take us very far. two areas which I loved when I visited in 2005 were fraser island and the whitsundays, so I want to take S back and show him. After our obligatory stop in sydney, hopefully we'll head down to kangaroo island...after seeing pictures, I think you can see why:

KI is also known to have amazing wildlife, including kangaroos in the wild, penguins, and seals. from what I've read, it's also fairly unspoiled, which is a nice change of pace for once.

after KI, we'll head up to the east coast and make our way to the great barrier reef. stops along the way are fraser island - unfortunately, I missed going to lake mckenzie and want to kick myself for not doing it. hopefully I will redeem myself this time. again, just looking at the picture makes all stresses go away. apparently, it has some of the most amazing sand on planet earth.

our last stop in australia will probably be the whitsunday islands. a group of 74 islands, they are just south of the main portion of the great barrier reef. I was pretty unimpressed with the great barrier reef in general - I found it to be too touristy, but a 3 day cruise on a boat around the islands sounds fantastic to me. one of the islands in the whitsundays, whitehaven, is named one of the top 10 beaches in the world. hmmm...I don't know why.

I'm also really hoping we can make a stop in byron bay and noosa, but time and money will determine if that's feasible.