Love and Food in Big D

Always Test Drive the Car

2011-08-06T00:44:00.000-07:00

That's right... always, always test drive the car. In this case, test drive the relationship by living together. And let me tell you... test drive has been very trying. At times it has been good, at times bad, at times indifferent to where I can let things go. But, it has mostly been bad. No, not bad... sad. It's been sad.
The boy and I are so different it's not even funny. I don't even want to get into details, it's just sad & disappointing. I'm not that disappointed for myself, just disappointed I've introduced him to my parents and my dad really likes him. I need to stop introducing these boys you know lol. After my mother heads back to Oman (she's visiting and staying with us now), I think I feel a solo holiday or a holiday with a friend coming on. I know it's only been over 2 months and my mom being here is really straining, but it's been really revealing too. All things happen for a reason.

Indeed, The Great One!

2011-06-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Great One Cookie Company . 3111-B Monticello Avenue, Dallas . 214.219.3111

Since the boy and I have moved in together in suburbia, let's just say the "adjustment phase" is still in the picture. Albeit, almost on its way out. So when a former client of mine told me about a new sweet haunt in my former neighbourhood Uptown, I yelped "SWeeeeet!" I could use a cookie at a time like this (but I'm not settling for Nestle Toll House). So, I drove down and parked in front of the "Great One Cookie Company." Firstly, let me start off by saying, from the outside it's the cutest, quaint little shop. Then you walk in and are greeted by an almost creamy interior with a blown up image of mouth-watering cookies on one wall, and heavy glass jars with delectable cookies in the showcase. I met with Pam, the owner of the store and we chatted for a bit. I asked her why cookies out of all things, and she said she just followed a dream (which is something that always instantly inspires me). So, then came the big decision of which cookie to get. I settled on chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia with cranberries and oatmeal raisin. This is what I loved- Pam went to the back and got fresh cookies, not from the jars in the showcase. Somehow I made it home without ruining the surprise... I had decided this was going to be a slow, enjoyable process. The cookies are huge and heaping, so I broke all 3 into half and popped them in the micro for 6 seconds. These are the most decadent and amazing cookies, worthy enough to replace cake (on some occasions). This is certainly NOT your average cookie. Each cookie also had the slightest dash of salt mixed in with a great sweet cookie. All I can say is thank God I don't live in Uptown anymore, cause I would be in trouble.

A Shot of Love

2011-03-20T19:10:00.000-07:00

Miggity has been stressed out to the T with the never-ending combo of school and work. And of course I've had to listen to the whining. So, I decided enough is enough. It's time to get him out of the house doing something he would consider fun. I figured since I cannot change the school/work scenario for him, and nothing I say helps, I could look out for his needs and give him what he wasn't giving himself. So, i dragged him to the indoor gun range. We shot with a rifle and a pistol. I was so scared and nervous to pull the trigger on my first shot; mainly because I was handling THIS THING. Totally overwhelming. Miggity had a blast and he has some serious skills (or shall i say skillz lol). He zoned in on one part of the paper zombie target and went to town. I was really impressed. After that he almost seemed more himself for a bit. Everyone needs to clear their head once in a while.

A Non-V-Day Person's V-Day

2011-02-17T20:33:00.000-08:00

Confused yet? I'm a non Valentine's-day person. I think it's a hyped up occasion. But, when Miggity made an effort to make it special, it was special! Sunflowers, card, and the most wonderful meal at Neighbourhood services bar&grill on preston/royal. He ate the chick fri pot pie (which was DELICIOUS in my opinion) and I ate the short rib pot roast (pretty good as well) and the crown went to the dessert... which was their version of the ding-dong. Funny name, serious serious cake! Everything was made in-house and I just can't stop raving about it. Too bad I didn't have my massive camera lol. It was a special day, and it felt nice being treated on this day. And what's even better is that Miggity picked a restaurant that I had always wanted to try (not sure how he knew!), and it was totally NOT filled with couples. Yes, yes, of course I had something for him- a card and a vintage washed t-shirt (it was red in colour and said "Bazooka gum." Everyone was happy lol.

A Project to Bond Over

2011-01-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

In my pushy attempt to make Miggity as driven as I am with money and work matters, I emailed his website www.markfixesstuff.com to my clients. And sure enough, a few of them wanted some things done, but I was only able to actually get him to do one project lol. So, here is the result of what we did a few weekends back. We spent a whole saturday sweating over building two wonderful work tables. Sure it could have taken half the time, but I learned a few things about darling Miggity- he is not very organized and professional in how he does these projects. But it was so much fun to be doing something productive together and he'd get paid for it. A good way to spend a Saturday every now and then.

A Bittersweet Christmas

2011-01-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas sucked. I had my chum, i was super hormonal (aka emotional with mood swings) and I hated what miggity gave me (or was trying to). I wasn't a happy kid.
But there were some parts that were fun... the lunch meal we both had. We attempted to make corn tortillas from scratch and everything else for the Surf 'n' Turn Fajitas.
We shopped the day before and it was lots of fun gathering everything in the frenzy of the holidays. But even better was going to "The Church" on Sunday with Leah, Mike, Miggity and moi. LOTS of fun! great music, great people watching, and no crazy crowds. Best of all- $5 to get in and free diet coke for me!
Miggity and I also squeezed in a short day trip to the german town Muenster near Gainseville. It was so much fun! We ate at a german restaurant, drove unknown roads to get close to the massive windmill farm, ate chicken peppers from Bayer's bakery, devoured a german chocolate cake, saw the courthouse in Gainseville, and took some random pics.
This week off form work has been DIVINE. So divine, that I think God might indeed grant my wishes of getting laid off on Monday lol. Welcome 2011.

Gifts for the food lover!

2010-12-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

Got a foodie in the family? Here is a compilation of great links for buying everything kitchen-related; from cooking books to cookware to real gourmet food!
www.williams-sonoma.com
www.foodzie.com
www.crateandbarrel.com
www.chefscatalog.com
www.dealdeluca.com
www.surlatable.com
www.amazon.com
www.copperpans.com
www.borders.com
www.harryanddavid.com
www.kitchenaid.com
http://shop.marthastewart.com

Lemon-Cranberry Bundt Goodness!

2010-11-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

For Thanksgiving I made this special cake that may not have looked as pretty from the outside (because my glazing skills suck), but it was the most delicious lemon cake I have had! The recipe is from Food Network, but I made some modifications of course.
And I made cupcakes from the left overs.

For the cake:
* 3 1/4 sticks unsalted butter- room temperature
* 3 cups cake flour
* large handful of dried cranberries
* 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
* 6 tablespoons whole milk
* 4 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Syrup and Glaze:
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Prepare the cake: Butter and flour a 10-cup fluted Bundt pan.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Whisk the milk, whole eggs and yolks, and vanilla in a medium bowl; set aside.
Whisk the 3 cups flour, the remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar, the lemon zest, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the 3 1/4 sticks butter and beat with a mixer on low speed until moistened. Add half of the milk mixture, increase the speed to medium and beat 1 minute. Add the remaining milk mixture in two batches, beating between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again, about 30 seconds.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.

Make the syrup when there are 10 mins. left for the cake-- Dissolve the 1/4 cup granulated sugar in 1/2 cup lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat. Remove the cake from the oven, poke the surface all over with a skewer and pour the syrup on top. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a parchment-lined rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit overnight.

When ready to serve, whisk the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice- nuke in microwave quick until smooth. Spoon over the cake.

Vintage 1969 Ritz

2010-11-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

I don't know why, but this makes me smile :-)

Excuse the Absence

2010-11-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it's been an ungodly length of time since I've written (not like anyone is waiting anxiously, but oh well lol). Have I ever mentioned that I actually have this blog as a testament to Miggity and my relationship in general and love for food... and just possibly giving everyone access to this blog in our wedding invitations lol. Ok, ok so I'm jumping ahead. It hasn't been rosy in these 2 months though. I had a 5-day breakup right before my 30th birthday. Gave Miggity a damn-near ultimatum without wording it in that manner and am dutifully pursuing us finding a place and moving in together in Spring 2011. Enough of the driving back and forth, aimlessly wandering through life while he lives with his mother and I live alone with Sweetness. What's the point? I would say my 30th b'day just made me want to get more serious about certain things in my life. Decisions need to be made. We need to grow up. And since Miggity wasn't going to rock the boat, i sure as hell did. I am glad to say, after 5 days, he said he thought he lost me this time. Good. He could have. He heard me out and said he's all on-board for moving in in Spring 2011.
Other than that things have been good. I've been dabbling in some cooking and made some delicious semi-homemade Biryani the other night. I chopped up onions, chillies, tomatoes and added some tomato paste and garlic paste to the already ready rice. The result was delicious! Miggity enjoyed it too. I told him, "I love cooking for you." He said, "Good, 'cause I love eating." Although, i still don't see myself cooking a lot through the week. I'd rather eat!

A Great Semi-Homemade Marinara

2010-09-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Want to make a marinara sauce that is half the work but still tastes like it's made from scratch? Here's what you need...
Ingredients:
Jar of Barilla Marinara Sauce from the store
diced garlic
fresh basil
fresh rosemary
chicken broth
1/4 t0 1/2 tsp. sugar (depending on how much sauce you want to make)
jalapeno cut up (with seeds)
olive oil

Heat pan. Add a tiny bit of oil and add diced garlic & jalapenos. Let is cook for a minute and add the marinara sauce (it will splatter if the oil is hot, so be careful). Stir. Then add sugar, chicken broth, basil and rosemary. Stir between adding each ingredient. Let it simmer on slow for about 15-20 mins. Add more chicken broth if needed. Enjoy!

I Left My Heart in Oregon

2010-09-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

I don't even know how to put into words how wonderful our Oregon trip was. Well, lol, let me start with the 2 tough days I guess. The first two days I had some kind of anger brewing in me; some kind of discomfort and irritability. Miggity was controlling and so negative about Portland. He hated it, and that hurt me, because I had worked my ass off for this holiday. And here he was ruining it. Plus, I felt I couldn't take my jolly old time clicking 1800 photos of one thing. Finally, on the second day as we drove to the coast along beautiful 101, I came to my limit when he instructed me YET AGAIN on where to turn. I sharply told him, "You telling me what to do all the time is really wearing on me." After, that seems like he snapped into position and followed cue. He was a lot more easy to be around. And then by the time we reached Astoria, the lovely Victorian town, I was needing a break... just an hour or so walking on my own. So, I cried and asked him if I hurt his feelings by wanting this time to myself. He was wonderful about it, and said he was fine about our separate adventures for a couple of hours. So, I walked away with my camera clicking all the beautiful Victorians, and he drove off to see the Goonies houses. We came back around the same time (in an hour or so) and magically, I felt like all my negativity and bitchiness was gone. Everything just felt great after that... amazing, how you can "give love" only when you've given yourself what you need. And I gave myself exactly what I needed and then was able to open my heart again to Miggity. We had the most fantastic, adventurous and thrilling time. What I loved about travelling with him was that besides the city part, we both sought the same things- hiking, learning, discovering, observing, eating cheap & authentic! And we ATE the most awesome food... from damn good Dim Sum in Chinatown to the best cheap-yet-gourmet pizza and seriously fresh seafood! We both fell in love with Astoria and the winding forests. I've looked at the pictures and cried, only because I wish that time could be repeated. And it was so great having the one I love next to me every night and morning- sharing that time with him. Now, it feels lonely again. He'll be busy and I'll be yearning for when we can live together. Maybe retire in Astoria? :-) I know... it's a dream. But sometimes dreams come true.

Gooooaaallllll!!!

2010-08-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

Miggity got a job with Raytheon!! We are both soooo excited (I think I am most excited here though lol). And this will make the trip to Oregon even more wonderful. Just the security and peace of mind will be awesome.

Interview, Copelands & Cake

2010-08-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Miggity and I went shopping (really shopping) for the first time and he bought a nice shirt, tie and belt (all chosen by moi!) for his interview Tuesday.
And Tuesday came. His interview with Raytheon has been in the making for a while now, and from what I could tell, it went really well. I also met him for lunch and got to see him in the new tie and new shirt. He looked so good! :-) And the pink definitely worked. I think I can get the engineer to veer a little on the colourful side every now and then. Miggity had brought me a little surprise... leftover chocolate cake from our friend's b'day a few days back and fed me a couple of bites. We went to Copelands for a most wonderful Shrimp Etouffe meal (really good!) and went back to the car to finish gorging on the cake. It was just such a wonderful lunch. I really enjoy this once in a blue moon treat when he drives down to Southlake. So, all in all, it was a big day. And I think there was a "moment" in couple-dom when we went shopping and he was relying on me to pick out something suitable to wear. It felt good to feel needed you know :-)

The Promise of the Mountains...

2010-08-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

SO, after months of fantasizing, I finally (and very confidently, within a couple of minutes) booked my solo ticket to Oregon, for my fantastic solo holiday... as a declaration of my independence and "I can't keep waiting for the right people to join me" attitude. Miggity was extremely busy with doing home repair projects for his friend's house, so I had probably chatted with him for 15 mins. that week. After about 2 days (and everyone else finding out first through facebook), I tell him, "Oh, so I finally booked my ticket to Oregon." When we finally had a few minutes in private to sit and chat he said he felt a bit like a girl 'cause he felt almost offended that I didn't even ask him if he wanted to come, even knowing well that he couldn't afford it. In my head I was thinking, WHAT? Robot Man is showing some feeling? is that feelings I see hiding behind his statement? To which I apologized, but next thing I knew, I was running to computer looking for dates and telling him I can pay for half his ticket and he won't need to pay for room, car and attractions. And the next day, I booked his ticket.
Done. Miggity is coming. This could be a maker or breaker for the relationship, because we need to see what we are like together for more than 5 hours, and just by ourselves, not a bunch of friends with us. Agreed, it's still not a realistic picture because it's a new place with so many distractions, but still. I am hoping it'll revitalize something. Although, relationships 1.5 years old shouldn't need that really. But, oh well, stranger things have happened.

A Whole Lotta Torta!

2010-08-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

It was one of those evenings where my appetite was faded in the background thanks to all the adrenalin from the day's rush projects. I knew I had to eat something though. So, I drive down Greenville and see this seafoam colour brick eatery with Tacos/Tortas in the window. I walk in and place my order for a torta platter- chicken torta with fries for $5.99. I love the mural on the wall... not spectacular, but still telling of the artistry probably encouraged in the family who owns the joint. Slightly dirty on the surfaces, but the colours, big case of baked Mexican pastries and the catholic figurines tell me it's pretty darn authentic (ya, let's not forget the man behind the counter). The food arrives very quickly and I our the green salsa in the sandwich. I take a bite. The bread has that perfect combination of toasted/fried on top... it's not blobby in the center. The chicken is tender, seasoned perfectly. The sandwich also has a layer of beans spread on the bread. It is HEAVENLY. The absolute best torta I have tried. Hands down. The fries were pretty good, not sure if they were fresh or not, but pretty good.
The man behind the counter is in the family of owners. He was very welcoming and it kinda felt nice sitting, watching TV I couldn't understand and quietly enjoying my dinner.

Brunching at Hully&Mo

2010-07-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

Hully&Mo . 2800 Routh St, Dallas . 214 954 0203

Let me just say as I am getting older (and wiser), I am really starting to appreciate Sundays. I've normally disliked this day of the week because of the dreaded work day... not any more though. I'm relishing Sundays for it's opportunities to catch up with friends and eat in a fairly low commitment time span. BRUNCH. That perfect meal. And Hully&Mo on Routh St. gave me just that... a delicious, good quality, reasonably-priced brunch food. I ordered the french toast and breakfast tacos. The place was fairly masculine for obvious reasons (Brett Hull and Mike Modano's eatery), but it was surprisingly NOT crowded. My only qualm was the tables were a bit high for me lol. I'm talking 4 tables were occupied in the whole place. Very strange for brunch in this part of town. Anyway, my friends and I enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Three people ate and had a beverage for about $40.00. Definitely heading back there for another divine Sunday!

Other Options to Lighting for Food Photography

2010-07-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

I am on a crazy hunt for 2 lighting setups-
1. a lighting setup that is easy to use and move and can mimic daylight for under $400
2. a lighting setup that is portable, a bit more heavy duty for under $700
Maybe the $400 and $700 options won't be that different, but let's see
I have found various solutions from other folks' blogs and hope to add more and more. Feel free to make comments and add links if you'll come across more options.

This is The Lowell Ego Lights solution (under $400) from http://steamykitchen.com

This is the Lowell Tota lights with umbrellas solution (under $400) from http://www.laraferroni.com/2010/02/05/mailbag-budget-lighting-options/
And she has some great articles by the way!

For the Non-Gardener

2010-07-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

So, I am definitely NOT of the "gardener variety." Yet, Miggity will give me tiny blossoms or herbs every now and then, and I can't help but feel a warm glow inside.
He gave this to me today... all potted in this perfectly rustic pot. So, I took a photograph and added some personal notes and emailed it to him. To make it extra special, I added a verse from a love poem I could most relate to.
I love thee,
As the glad bird loves
The freedom of its wing,
On which delightedly it moves
In wildest wandering (by Eliza Acton)

Parker County Peach Festival 2010

2010-07-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Great fried food. Great peaches. Enough said.

Hungry for Festival Food

2010-07-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Miggity and I went to the Weatherford Peach Festival today and fantastized about chowing down fried foods the last 10 mins. of the drive there. We were so hungry. The fried mushrooms were ok. The peach ice-cream was ok. But the hot dogs (fried) was amazing. Of course we bought some peaches and totally relished the festival atmosphere till sweating wasn't fun anymore (yes, I could see the droplets on me, which is unusual). Here are some pics from the fair...

Get in the Zone...

2010-07-10T19:54:00.000-07:00

While my mom was here recently, I took the chance to try and "back off" from the Miggity-me relationship a bit... thinking I would actually be able to do it since I had some support at home you know. What happened instead? The usual. Passive-aggressive me backed off for a week and couldn't stand the distance any longer, so I called him over and went for a drink. Then while in the car told him he really needs to prove to me that "IF" 10 years from now our family is in a position where we need to do what it takes, how would I know he'd step up and do what needs to be done? Seeing him not have a f/t job the entire time I've known him, what guarantee do I have that THIS is not who has become? The guy that mows his lawn, fixes his car and collects unemployment.
So, 2-3 days later, he goes into Auto Zone and gets called for an interview. Fills out paperwork, gets the job, but doesn't go in for the saturday training necessary to start working. He told me how Auto Zone kinda sucked his soul out and how he couldn't bring himself to take any more steps with that job... because there is no career there.
I accepted his decision. I appreciated that he went as far as he could. After all, I don't want him to despise me. I just wanted some indication that he'll do what it takes... or do as much as he can. This was a big step in the relationship for me I think. I'm glad he even did as much as he did. We are now enjoying relaxed freedom again since my mom left. I kinda miss her, but enjoy being able to spend time with Miggity again.

A Day of Food Styling & Food Photography

2010-07-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I attended my very first full day one-on-one (totally awesome) food styling and food photography workshop with Paul Schiefer in Dallas (also starring Molly Donohue and Stephen Smith). I learned a whole bunch of things I had always wanted to learn... how to do daylight-style lighting inside a studio, how to recreate soft/golden images that give that feeling of warmth and how those perfect splash photos are taken! I took some quick photos to show the kind of lighting set-ups Paul demonstrated.

Lighting for daylight style food photography & the result:

Lighting for soft/warm style food photography & the result (camera was on the right of the table):

Father's Day Surprise

2010-06-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

It was Friday and I had gone to visit Miggity at his mom's house. I enter and get greeted by the clawing dogs (as always) and then Miggity asks me, "So, what are you doing Sunday? Wanna go to my dad's cookout?" It didn't occur to me then that it was Father's Day on Sunday. He said his brother and his dad would be there. Sure, I'll come (in my head thinking "REALLY? I finally get to meet your father and brother who live in Dallas after 1.5 years of dating you? It's high time you jerk. Of course I want to go to this cookout). So I did. Miggity is a carbon copy of his dad. So, now I already know what he is going to look like when he is 50 lol. His brother was not there. The food was good.. everyone was very welcoming and I had a good time chatting with the women.
I don't think anyone considered "the introduction" a big deal. But it's an important step for me, and it made me happy.
Oh, and for the first time we went out with his mom and some colleagues Friday night to Gloria's. I had some dessert and the ladies danced a little. It was nice to be out "without really being out." It was more like just hanging out and watching, which wasn't bad you know. Miggity is dance-shy, so I gave him company at the table.

First Visit with My Mother

2010-06-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

So Miggity made a good impression on my mother. He brought yellow flowers (which I had mentioned that he needed to get something), but the surprising part was that he wore the kurta she had stitched for him and sent a few months earlier AND he brought me those very $4.00 Milano cookies which he had refused to buy about a week before, which had in-turned spawned off my break-up with him for 1.5 days. Oh well, so we've been trying to get a little time together here and there, but it's usually in the presence of my mother now. We manage to go see a movie together and it was a longer movie than anticipated. He needed to be at some autoparts store by 11PM (the only one that's open that late) and he rushes out, then drives like a maniac, then decides he is not going to make it, so he gets fucking huffed up with ME. NOW who's passive aggressive? Oh, did I mention I paid my own ticket. He'll pay $40 and $50 for golf and $100 for stupid car parts, but he doesn't ever offer to pay for me. Isn't that shitty?!
So he drops me at the door and when I look at him non-verbally saying, "aren't you coming in or aren't we getting ice-cream or anything? this is it?" He blurts out "What's that look for? I still have to clean up the house for tomorrow and patch up a ceiling hole." So, golf, shitty cars, take precedence over a JOB, getting a job and our relationship. I have got to learn how to stick by my guns. I know we have to forgive and all that bullshit, but his priorities are so fuckin out of order.

First Getaway Of Sorts

2010-05-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

I had a good talk with Miggity; concluding that I will really leave if he doesn't get his shit together soon. I am hoping I lit a fire under his butt, but who knows? I told him I'm sick of the all talk and no action. I said I REALLY need to see some initiative and action from him... some solid steps to make his job and money situation different. I will be ordering a couple of CD's for better communication in relationships for myself. He asked me for some guidance in better professional networking/marketing skills and I am helping him with that. We still decided to go for our first half day getaway trip to Thurber, Texas (a little ghost town on I-20, near Stephenville).
We left early around 8:30AM Saturday and the drive was great... the scenery really did change after a certain point and it become obvious we were in what's called "hill country." We did the little exploring thing... drove through dirt roads, looked at tourist structures, looked at the views. It was wonderful! Thurber was not much... but there was some historic preservation. Remains of an old miner's house, a catholic church the immigrants used, a train car and such. We also drive through another small quaint town called "Gordon." I loved the old brick on the buildings. Each of these small towns had the basics- a feed and grocery store, a hardware store, doctor's office, and such. I asked some locals about a good BBQ place and they pointed us to Natty Flat Smokehouse. Let me just say, both of us being so fond of food, we loved it! I am not a big fan of BBQ but this was awesome! We both had chopped beef brisket sandwiches. The cookie and fudge brownie was also delicious. It was a tourist trap totally worth the hype. Below are some pics. I look forward to our next adventure :-)

Another Shot

2010-05-20T07:14:00.001-07:00

SO I couldn't bear it with the harsh words we were exchanging... it killed me to do that and get that "go away already" response from him. So, we talked it out. He's going to step up his game. And I've told him that I can't put more into this than he does... it has to be equal. There has to be an equal effort... in finding work, trying new approaches to find work, in trying new ways to reduce the negativity (for him) and passivity (for me). Hopefully there will be more action this time.

The $4 Cookies and The End of It

2010-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

It's the $4 bag of cookies that he refused to buy for me is what pushed me over the edge. If someone at age 30 hesitates about a bag of $4 cookies, and has done very little to change his money situation, then it's pretty certain that I may be settling in for big heartbreak later. I've dilly-dallied enough and I finally broke it off last night in an email. It was an honest email. It wouldn't have worked. What a fuckin miserable shame, but I'd rather go through this now. And sadly this isn't even one of those "attempts," it's me really walking away from a wonderful guy, who maybe just wasn't on the same page as me.

The Best Tapas

2010-05-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Lumi Empanada & Dumpling Kitchen . 3407 Mckinney Ave, Dallas, TX . (214) 979-2424

So, I finally paid a visit to Lumi on Mckinney Ave... and as the title of the blog says... they were the BEST creative, tasty tapas I've had. I didn't make it inside the eatery; my friend and I sat outside on their patio, so I can't really comment on the interiors. But the outside patio was cozy. The wooden chairs could use some padding, but it wasn't terrible. My friend ordered the Mango Martini and I ordered Rose's Ginger Limeade. Both were delicious. And it took us a while to decide on drinks because the rest of the cocktail menu had some interesting options. The food menu had a lot of pork items, so we stuck to the non-pork ones (since I don't eat the swine). We ordered the shrimp jalapeno eggrolls and coconut chicken curry dumplings (pan seared). Each dish came with the dipping sauce. The eggrolls had a perfect whole shrimp in it with the tail sticking out. Pick it up with the tail, dip in the jalapeno sauce and dive it into your mouth. The sauce was slightly sweet with a definite kick to it. And it blended perfectly with the shrimp in the eggroll. Then arrived the dumplings. The dumpling itself was very good. Perfectly pan-seared. For the accompanying sauce, I have one word... OMFG! It was ridiculously good. Probably the best fusion Asian coconut curry I've had... ever! And I am Indian, with lots of Southeast Asian friends, so that says a lot. So, save up some money and go splurge at Lumi. Tapas were between $8-$12 and drinks were $8-ish.

Creative, Simple and Stylish

2010-05-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

Tillman's Roadhouse . 324 W 7th St, Dallas, TX 75208 . 214 942 0988

Have you seen that new magazine "Garden & Gun?" That's what Tillman's Roadhouse is. Except it's a restaurant with great food and not a magazine lol. I had tried the Trio of Fries there once before, but had never eaten a full meal. The chandeliers, heavy baroque chic damask curtains mingled with beautiful wood and large screen broadcasting black and white classics, makes for a visual feast. Then comes the service... very good. Then comes the food... excellent. We ordered the quesedillas for starters and they were fluffy and crispy with shreds of beef that melts in the mouth. My boyfriend ordered the Venison Frito Pie for his main meal and I ordered the Airplane Chicken for mine. His actually arrived with a bag of Frito chips and the meat was minced, the sauce and seasonings a bit salty, but very flavourful. The sauce was tomato-based and the whole dish went really really well together. Nothing was out of place in that dish. My roasted chicken sat over an onion-potato cake. The cake was delicious, a bit on the salty side, but the fried crispy part and the softer potato center made up for it. The chicken was crazy succulent! The only damper on this visit was the acoustics... I like loud places, but seemed like everyone talked louder and it echoed. We sat squeezed inbetween 2 young couples who were clearly newly dating and there was this "pressure" to keep up the conversation lol. But other than that, it was well worth it. One appetizer, two dishes and tax/tip later... $58.00. I will be trying the desserts next time.

Coconut Cake... soft, tender, like it should be!

2010-04-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Miggity's 30th birthday this past Saturday and of course, I indulged in some cake baking. The coconut cake recipe was from the Williams Sonoma "Cake" book. The cake was great... but DO NOT use the vanilla buttercream recipe. The technique (though probably authentic) is a disaster for today's day and age. Luckily, I did back it up with fresh vanilla buttercream with a recipe more suited for us today. Enjoy.

Cake: 2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk (you can add a bit extra if you want since this is really light)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup shredded coconut
Vanilla Buttercream Icing: 3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 round cake pans with parchment.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and set aside.
In another bowl, combine coconut milk and vanilla essence and set aside.
Using a mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar till mixture is pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one by one. Add dry mixture in 3 batches to this on medium-low, alternating with coconut milk mixture in 2 batches (Start with dry and end with dry and beat until just combined).
Pour batter into pans and stick in for 25 minutes.
For the frosting, beat together sugar and butter for 3 minutes. Add vanilla essence and whipping cream for one more minute. Voila!

It's Cake Time!

2010-04-25T07:31:00.001-07:00

I tried to put together a few things to celebrate Miggity's 30th b'day this past Saturday. I found a great looking shirt at Kohl's and then I had reservations for dinner at Tillman's Roadhouse in Oak Cliff. I also toiled on a lovely coconut cake from scratch for 2 hours before we left for dinner. So, the food at Tillman's was awesome. Creative, tasty and simple. You can read an in-depth review on my food blog (www.dfwfoodies.blogspot.com). Though the food was great, the acoustics made everyone's voices resound and super loud. We were also squeezed between two couples newly dating and felt the pressure to keep up with their chattering lol. However, it was still good and we rushed back home to finish up the vanilla buttercream for the cake. Some of our friends came over with board games in hand. We played pink the donkey (which was fun) and a new board game. And then comes the cake... it was good. I usually never like the first time I eat my own cake. But since I am writing this the next day, I can honestly say, it was good 'cause I just ate two slices! :-) It wasn't as rich with icing or flavour of coconut, so I think I can go heavier on both next time. But, it certainly had the pinnings of a good coconut cake. Then we all stepped out for a half hour and went to Trinity Hall for Miggity's free yearly drink courtesy of Dave and Spencer. We came back tired and Miggity said he'd sleep over. But 5 minutes into getting into bed he looks over and pouts and says, "I'm sorry baby, the cars are driving me crazy." Of course, my heart broke a bit 'cause he never stays over. And after all that effort, it would have been nice to get some together time in return. What is it about falling asleep next to someone you care about? Maybe it's the quiet hum of safety and security that women like when the man sleeps over. It sure isn't some huge declaration of love because it's not like people snuggle the entire time! And we certainly are not snugglers. So, he left and I went back to bed and a few tears came rolling down. But it wasn't accompanied with the rush of intense emotions. It was more subtle, and so much nicer really lol. Anyway, so on that note, here is the cake (recipe from Williams Sonoma "Cake" book).
DO NOT use the vanilla buttercream recipe in it... it was a disaster.

Cake: 2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut milk (you can add a bit extra if you want since this is really light)
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup shredded coconut
Vanilla Buttercream Icing: 3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 round cake pans with parchment.
Mix flour, salt, baking powder and set aside.
In another bowl, combine coconut milk and vanilla essence and set aside.
Using a mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar till mixture is pale and fluffy.
Add eggs one by one. Add dry mixture in 3 batches to this on medium-low, alternating with coconut milk mixture in 2 batches (Start with dry and end with dry and beat until just combined).
Pour batter into pans and stick in for 25 minutes.
For the frosting, beat together sugar and butter for 3 minutes. Add vanilla essence and whipping cream for one more minute. Voila!

Food Warms the Soul... Surprise Surprise!

2010-04-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

I've been a little stressed out with work and the most recent advancement of me putting my notice in in a couple of days... another change. It will be fine, but it will be work again. And uncertainty again. And some fear. But, there is also lots of positive in the air. Lots of energy that has been fairly constant, which is a good thing. But my frustrations with Miggity have not faded. I keep bringing up the "no job, living with mother" topic and it's starting to cause obvious distance on my part. And I know it hurts his feelings at some level. I feel bad. But, I don't know how else to bring it up, and how to ignore it. Anyway, today I went over to his mom's to spend some time with him. Sunday is usually a slightly blue day for me because the loneliness hits harder for some reason. We took a nice walk and noticed things in nature. And got back and ate some food he had prepared. It was a slow roast chicken with some peppers and bread. There was something comforting about sitting on the wooden stools, eating at the kitchen table with him by my side. Enjoying a mouthful of delicious food he had cooked. And then some ice-cream. Maybe it warmed my soul because it was Easter and I felt a bit down. This filled that longing for a feeling of family. And now it's back to a long week.

Ever Eaten a Megafruit?

2010-03-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

Everytime I go to the grocery store I look for new snacky, healthy edibles I can take to work. I land up getting the same things... dried cranberries, almonds and yoghurt pretzels. Then I came across a client who wanted packaging design for his new product- Megafruits. Move over dried cranberries... here come Lychee, Mangosteen and Baby Pineapple. The megafruits are delicious! (i'm not just saying that because I did the packaging design lol). I enjoyed the exotic and interesting flavours. The baby pineapple being my favourite, really packs a punch! And it's healthy. You've got to get your hands on these goodies. Available soon on Amazon.
Visit their site at http://http://www.megafruitventures.com

The Pendulum Swings from Side to Side

2010-03-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

Miggity's not the one for me. Maybe he is. Oh, ok, he is. Nah, he's not.
I'm tired, missing my family, and questioning when Miggity will stop talking and walk the walk. Get a job. Get out of mother's house. Enough said.
I am also hungry now.

A Grand Finale

2010-02-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Zaguan Cafe & Bakery . 2604 Oak Lawn Dr., Dallas . 214 219 8393

I had been wanting to check out Zaguan for the longest time considering it's been on Oak Lawn for so long, probably means it has decent grub. So, my boyfriend and I decide to refer to the Holy Grail (Entertainment coupon book) and utilize the buy one get one free coupon for our Sunday brunch meal. Some nice heavy wood, narrow wood doors open the way at the cafe. The atmosphere had a very bossa nova, sunny, casual vibe... which I LOVE. I love the yellow, sparkling blue tiles that decorated the walls. We decided to sit outside since it was quite packed inside. We took the longest time to decide what to eat... since we weren't Latin food experts, everything looked interesting and semi-tasty. I settled for the garlic, butter, salt Tilapia and Miggity got the Pabellon (with chicken). I've got to say, the fish was cooked perfect and the crust was the perfect crust. It was very flavourful, but a little too buttery for me. Regardless, it was a tasty meal. The rice was a good compliment. I need to remember to get the massive serving of raw vegetables that come with it. Miggity's dish was fairly good. I'm not a big fan of cooked plantains, but he loved them. The shredded chicken was floating in a tomato-based sauce, which was quite tasty. The black beans were delicious. For a buy one get one free, totally worth it. But I wouldn't have been too excited if I had to pay $12 for each dish. I was dying to get through the meal, only because I was dreaming of the bakery counter and all its inhabitants on the inside of the cafe. After what seemed like forever, we walked back in and I decided on the Charlotte Dulce (a layered cake) and the chocolate croissant. With coupon, the meal and desserts (tax and tip) came to about $22 bucks. We sat in the car and opened the brown bags to try the desserts. The croissant was AMAZING. I said it needed to be heated a bit. Then we dipped into the cake. Let me just say, it was out of this world! No kidding. It had crispy sliced almonds on top and there was a distinct flavour of almond and vanilla in the cake. It was kinda moist, kinda complicated, and completely delectable. Miggity was sweet enough to let me enjoy most of the cake because he said So, the food wasn't anything to rave about... it was average I'd say, flavourful but uncomplicated like most Latin food. The bakery, however, has a new patron.

Love Plus Food Indeed!

2010-02-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

So, I had told Miggity I really didn't have a huge inclination towards celebrating V-day. But he said we should at least do something to mark the day. Which I was pleasantly surprised to hear and easily agreed to. He suggested cooking a fancy meal.
But I need to divulge a detail before I go into detail about the meal. I had a handmade card for him with some sweet words in it including "I Love You Snuggly" (another nickname). He held me and said, "So I have something to say to you on Valentine's Day... I think I love you." To which I giggled and said "you think? what is that, fake?" LOL/...I think it made it easier on him too 'cause he seemed a bit awkward saying it. However, I said it meant a lot to me. Now, the food :-) We decided upon Parmesan Chicken without the parmesan. He basically did all the work... gutted the chicken, made the marinara from scratch and breaded the chicken breasts with a mixture of bread crumbs, flour, italian herbs and egg. We bought some ciabatta bread from Whole Foods. The meal was DELICIOUS!! Probably the best breaded chicken anything I have had... and the bread was awesome too. The marinara was a bit acid-y but I think that was because we used tomato paste out of a can mixed with real tomatoes. Next time we could avoid the paste. So, I was floored at how delicious it was... and easy! I think I'll have to try a baked version myself next time.

Happy One Year!

2010-02-09T20:48:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, Feb. 2nd was our one year! Despite my on and off doubts and questions whether Miggity is indeed my ideal mate, I enjoyed the one year milestone. We weren't supposed to meet that day since he had school, but he called me and came over... a bouquet of lovely flowers at my doorstep, Carlos V chocolates (yeahhhh!!) and Mexican cookies. I was so touched and very surprised. This was quite the expression coming from him. Flowers?? really? yeah, I was definitely surprised. And thank God they weren't roses... I truly enjoyed them. And it's the 9th today and they are still very much alive.
We went to eat some pho but were really too tired to truly enjoy it.
On Friday I gave him what I had made. An ugly doll :-) That's right. And he's hung it in his car... I will post a pic later.
So, I don't know whether this is it... there are poignant points of debate on both sides of the answers. For now, I'll enjoy the flowers.

Pound Cake Love

2010-01-31T19:26:00.000-08:00

I made this pound cake at 9PM on a weekday... it was a fairly stressful day!! It's totally acceptable lol
the cake was just perfect... however, I would be interested in learning if cake flour would have made it softer in texture. This cake though was really good... a bit dense, but I tend to enjoy my pound cake that way (it soaks the milk real well then and the cake doesn't fall apart when dipped).
Pound Cake Recipe:
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Mix dry ingredients and keep aside. Melt butter. Mix butter, dry mixture, and egg (little by little) in a mixer. Add milk in two portions. Add vanilla essence. Don't over-mix. Pour batter into a loaf pan or bundt pan. Bake at 325° for about 1 hour. Test with a fork.

Passiveness is my Big Weakness

2010-01-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

Mind is playing on and on about something. It starts to build. Maybe it can be conquered and it will be forgotten. But it doesn't. Instead, it comes out in some passive way. Yeah, know anyone like that? (I raise my hand and vote for myself). Miggity had started to get real crabby lately; negative about mostly everything. If I brought up an interesting idea, the first thing he'd say is why it couldn't be done. And thus, started what resulted in a passive break up attempt. I had decided after some weeks of letting this slowly build up, that I need to break up with Miggity, so I can find someone less negative and more suitable to my level of risk-taking in life (with new opportunities that is). Plus there was a damn picnic and he flaked on me while I went to discuss about real estate. He chose a picnic over real estate. So, I called him the next day and asked him to drop by. He came over Monday night. I asked him, "So what do you think if I told you let's just try and be friends?" I started to tell him why when he said, "You can do whatever you want if that's what you want, but why did you let it bottle up... why didn't you just talk to me about it?" Next thing I knew I was crying because I felt like a fool, and felt bad that I might have hurt his feelings. We had a good chat and are still together of course. Being communicative ON-TIME has always been a challenge for me. I try to "deal with frustrations" as if it's supposed to be something we need to endure/tolerate. Miggity was wonderful in how he handled me and the situation. Thank God for his ever-so-logical and clear manner. Does this mean he is my clear, bright beacon in the fog? :-)

Great Tortillas at D J's Express Taco

2010-01-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

D J's Express Taco . 16601 Addison Rd # 102, Addison, TX 75001 . (972) 733-1887

I can tell D J's Express Taco either makes their tortillas in-house or buys them locally from a Mexican kitchen. Either way, the lunch plates are worth the splurge. The meat is not as seasoned as I'd like, but still has a good flavour to it. Most plates are between $6-$8, which makes it reasonable for a weekly meal, but definitely not the everyday taquiera kind. The beans and rice that came with the meal were standard-good. The salsa was more watery and tasted like a great citrusy summer salsa. Overall, tax and tip set me back $7.50 for 2 soft tacos, beans and rice.

Take it Away Norma!

2010-01-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

Norma's Cafe . 17721 N. Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75287 . (972) 380-8646

What's better than eating a greasy diner breakfast? Eating a greasy diner lunch of course! I haven't eaten at the original Norma's in OakCliff, but sucked myself into a heaping lunch at their North Dallas location since I was in the area. Exactly what I expected from a diner-- cool black/white photos of Dallas hang on the walls, waitresses that are older than mom and won't ever address you without the word "honey," diner seats upholstered in the Texas flag. Since this branch is fairly new it had nice concrete floors and was pretty darn clean overall. As we settled in, the waitress brought out a basket with one hot buttered roll and a delicious cornbread muffin. Mark ordered sweet ice tea, Chicken Fried Chicken with turnip and corn, and I got the classic hamburger with fries. The meals arrived and my burger had a double patty (double excitement!). The burger was excellent. The fries tasted a bit Ore-Ida(ish), but still quite good. Mark's chicken fried chicken was super. The batter was well flavoured, thick and crispy. And the chicken inside was cooked, not over-cooked. I can't comment on the veggies as I didn't try them. All in all, we left with a total of $20.00 less in the wallet, and an inch more on the waist. But hey, everyone needs a treat now and then.

Craving... Rosemary Potatoes

2009-12-30T07:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the simplest foods make the most delicious and comforting companions... but then, when have potatoes ever not been comforting? It was freezing outside and all I could think about was rosemary potatoes from Cafe Brazil. So, my boyfriend and I cooked some up.

1 potato cut into small pieces
a healthy sprig of rosemary
salt to taste
pepper
cayenne pepper
olive oil
Preheat oven to 375. Cut up the potatoes. In a shallow baking dish add potatoes, spices and mix well with olive oil. Bake for 20-25 mins. (do a poke and check of course)

Chicken Tikka Masala... out of a jar!

2009-12-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the Chicken Tikka Masala I made semi-homemade style. Thanks to Pathak's Tikka Sauce, this was a breeze. I found it at the Uptown Walmart out of all places... but at $4 (incl. tax) I think it's still steep. Maybe the Indian store will have it cheaper.

I jar of Tikka sauce
1 lb. chicken breast cut in small cubes
1 small onion diced
1 full chilli
Fry onions for 5 minutes till brown, then remove and keep aside. Brown chicken till you feel it's cooked well. Add onions, chilli and full jar of sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve hot with rice or bread!

Trece Gets the Boot

2009-12-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

Trece . 4513 Travis Street, Dallas . 214.780.1900

I got a free dinner offer in my email from Trece in Uptown so I made reservations for two. The ambience was Uptown "cheap-nice" meaning it looks like it's nice, but everything is actually cheaply made in terms of furniture and table mats etc. But still, the lighting made it all... doesn't it usually? The dinner room is packed on a Monday and we wonder if it's because of the free offer. There was a fixed menu and we could order an appetizer and an entree each. I don't remember the fancy names of the appetizers, but we got chicken enchiladas and chicken tacos I think. Both were lacking in flavour. I thought the tangy/sweet salsa was a different approach, but Miggity thought it was lame. For our main dish we ordered the Vegetarian Chille Relleno (stuffed with spinach) and Fish Tacos. I liked the creativity of the stuffed relleno because it's spinach instead of the usual beef or cheese. Plus it had a really well fried crust that really did it for me. Miggity's fish tacos were more like Gordon's fish sticks stuffed poorly in some Tia Rosa tortillas. We also ordered dessert- flan and a chocolate whoppie pie like something something. The flan was probably the best part of the meal. The whoopie pie thing left me speechless (not in a good or bad way, in a clueless way). The service was slow and all in all, the food was gringo-ized bad Mexican. They gave us two bills- one showing the original cost and one showing the discounted cost. The original bill was $73 and the discounted was $25. I'm glad we didn't have to pay for this at full price.

A Treasure

2009-12-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

So the day before Miggity was going to leave for New Orleans, he came over and I got my Christmas present :-) It is the most beautiful art deco watch I have seen. It is also the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me. Just when I thought my heart was headed for doomland, he pops this treasure in my hands. It's an Elgin watch made in Elgin, Illinois in the 1920s.

We went to eat at Trece (a mexican restaurant) in Uptown after that because we had a free meal offer. The food was pretty lame. The ambience was nice, but more a "cheap" cover-up kinda nice. It wasn't nice nice. However, Miggity and I agreed there was something to be said for making reservations and having to be somewhere together, then sitting across one another eating a meal and sharing conversation. Just then I told him he had lucked out because I was going to suggest we take a break from being together. Of course, I quickly was told that those type f conversations need to be had behind closed doors. I noticed it didn't ruin his demeanor towards me though, and we went to see Highland Park Christmas lights after that. When we got home I told him the truth- I was scared that he'd break my heart because we don't feel the same way about eachother. His response, "So what if I'm right behind you?" I asked him to explain to me again why he wouldn't ask me to come with him. We talked and the most important thing he said which I need to remember is, "You are the most important person in my life." Merry Christmas Mili and next time please turn down the mental noise. At the same time, congratulations for speaking your mind in a timely manner.

Doubts

2009-12-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

He is driving to New Orleans with his mom and brother for Christmas and did not ask me to come. I talked to him about it, he danced around it... and it's haunting me. We are not on the same page. All that "checking in" every couple of months was pointless. Sounds like heartache is around the corner.

Talking About Love

2009-12-14T19:47:00.000-08:00

So, I got back from Houston Sunday, and felt blue and fairly down. Of course, type of disposition always calls for reassurance. So, since I had been pondering for a while whether Miggity felt feelings of love for me or not, I had decided THIS was the ripe time to ask. I first asked him about whether culture or religion mattered to him in a long term relationship (since this was the other thing that was bothering me). And I got the response I expected, "not really, why do you ask." I dodged the question why do you ask twice because I figured it was obvious why I was asking. And if it wasn't, I think it probably became obvious once I blurted the next few lines... "How do you feel about me? Do you think you love me yet? Because you know I can admit it now that I love you." And just like that, without the fireworks and without the music, just plainly it streamed out. Not exactly as I had planned, but what ever goes according to plan anyway? It was kinda dark in the room, but I saw his mouth turn into a smile, maybe even with a hint of "awww" in it. He said that on paper it all looks great, it's all perfect, but he feels he is blocking himself from feeling his feelings fully because he afraid of getting hurt again. I told him that if he hasn't felt it by now, it's probably not going to happen. He said, he's pretty sure it will. Then I asked him what love meant to him. And he said something so simple yet profound, that once again it left me pleasantly surprised. He said, "for me love is when I am willing to be miserable for someone else... when I'll put someone else and their needs before mine."
And just like that, I was praying that I'd get to be that someone. That sounds like a wonderful kind of love. I told him I needed to know all this 'cause I was looking out for myself. To which he said, "I'm looking out for you too." I am not sure what this meant, but it sounded soothing and comforting. Oh, did I mention I fed him kheema I had cooked before all this? :-)

An Oily, but Yummy Feasting

2009-12-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

I cannot tell you how many times I have directly, indirectly and in 20 other ways tried to push the subject of moving in with Miggity. Ever since I went down to Houston during Thanksgiving and had Papa over last weekend, I am finding it even harder to face living alone. Unfortunately, Miggity does not give in to my emotions (or fortunately, because it's probably better to wait till he's on better financial/work ground as well). So, besides that, the update- Leah, Martin, Miggity, Papa and I went to eat at this family style Pakistani restaurant called Al-Markaz. It was wonderful! Papa now knows about Miggity's existence and even gave him a hug before leaving. He is worried and cautious, for obvious reasons, but since Miggity has no bad habits like Heath, I am sure that time will resolve the concerns. So, what did we eat at this oily feast? lol
Kadhai Murgh, Lamb Biryani, Bihari Kebab, Seekh Kebab, Butter Chicken and Chicken Boti. I KNOW! I was especially impressed by the Kadhai Murgh... it had distinct flavours, not the generic Indo-Pak flavour. I'm left with yearning for family, and yearning for more oily food.

Martin's Big & Soft Ginger Cookies

2009-11-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

So i'm glad to announce despite my absence from blogging, there is not much to report. My love life has been really good... is really good. The usual deep pondering questions surface in my mind every now and then (the most recent being how important is our difference in religions and such beliefs), but I can't help but rule all that out because Miggity possesses a lot of other qualities that matter. So, the updates?
He broke my heart over something he said, then put it back together with the most genuine and caring consideration; we attended a wedding; he got his Christmas present already (i contributed 50% towards his gun which we got from Cabela's this past weekend); we finally found a TV show we watch together (KyleXY lol i know i know)...
so things are good. We've been enjoying food as usual of course. We haven't prepared anything special together lately, but we have taken nibbles at eateries lately.
Martin (my friend) baked some ridiculously good soft chewy ginger cookies lately that I shared with Miggity and his mom.

Here is the recipe (originally taken from Better Homes&Garden Ultimate Cookie Book):
Ingredients:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

State Fair of TX... Fried Fare!

2009-10-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

SO the State Fair of TX 2009 has come and gone. I didn't taste everything of course, but as much as I could. And here is the verdict-
Best Tasting fried food- Green Goblins (cherry pepper, jalapeno, chicken on a stick)
Most Creative & Tasty fried food- Fried Peaches n Cream
Best Dessert- Fried Peaches n Cream
Most Interesting Meat- Fried Alligator

Fried Peaches n Cream

Funnel Cake

Green Goblin

Birthday, BBQ, Bar Food and Cake Overload

2009-10-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

So, thank God my faith in Miggity was restored Thursday, because Friday was my birthday. And it was wonderful :-) I met Miggity in the afternoon and we headed into downtown and ate at Dr. Bell's BBQ. A quirky but clean interior with metal aluminum chairs and aluminum lights. Miggity ordered a chopped beef sandwich and I ordered the shredded beef tacos. I found it really good. The homemade BBQ sauce was peppery and a bit sweet/spicy. Not over sweet and thick like supermarket BBQ sauces. This was much better.
Straight after that came Tres leches cake from Fiesta. This was followed by 2 hours of Kyle XY (our new favourite couple activity). Later that night his friends came over (with more cake from Eatzi's JoJo got) and we went across to Victor Tango's- ate, drank and got merry! The bar food was eclectic, but not especially good. The drinks were good. And I got a lovely 3-tier pastry stand from Crate & Barrel from Barbara, Dave and Mike. It was just a wonderful day... and Miggity was wonderful as usual.
Miggity bought my a non-serrated knife for my birthday (I had predicted he'd get me that :-P The next day we finished off by going to the Meyerson to listen/watch the Dallas Symphony Orchestra play Romeo & Juliet. It was just wonderful. Of course there was cake being eaten at regular intervals. I swear I'm almost sick from the overload.

The Appetite Killer

2009-10-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

I had a miserable, sad and upsetting event that happened with Miggity around Monday (my memory fails me now). We were having a phone conversation about how I'm planning on repairing my credit and it went to how I still want to do our joint venture of flipping a house in Oak Cliff in the next 12 months. It finally somehow landed up with Miggity saying something very close to 'I wouldn't marry someone with bad credit.' (P.S.- I have terrible credit due to someone else's bullshit). Two seconds later I was sobbing blurting out "sometimes people get married because they love eachother... i'm sorry, I can't talk now." Then I hung up. And cried for a day and a half. He sent a text message saying 'i'm sorry i hurt your feelings. goodnight.'My appetite was GONE. i barely ate for 2 days. I finally sent him a text message saying I needed to talk to him. He came over Thursday. He explained and at some point held my face in his hands and said the most genuine words. He even said when he heard my voice breakdown over the phone, he almost teared up because he felt so bad. I missed him. Come Thursday, my appetite was back in full swing. Cake and all.

Bonding Over The Fair

2009-10-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

Miggity , Barbara and I had some wine at my place Friday night. The group had planned to go to the Fair early Saturday; so after Barbara left, Miggity suggested he spend the night! We stayed up a bit more and talked and then watched some TV. The excitement brewing about the fair... it was just wonderful! :-)
It was nice that he wasn't preoccupied about his schedule the next day. Fair day arrived and we walked and ate, and walked and ate. This was my best fair experience ever!
And he was very patient with me doing my photo taking deal...
So, here are my ratings for the food- from everything I tried, the most creative goes to FRIED PEACHES N CREAM. They were like this great tasting surprise... nice fried crust with a great peach inside and it wasn't too greasy from the inside. Best "normal" Tasting food goes to the GREEN GOBLINS; these were cherry peppers (tasted like pickled jalapenos), chicken fried on a stick (like a corn dog). I also tried CORNY DOGS which were pretty good. I liked the crispier ones that tasted less corn-breadish. The FUNNEL CAKE was not one of my favourites. The FRIED ICECREAM was pretty damn good. The FRIED ALLIGATOR was almost like chicken but a bit more rubbery, and a little too welldone (or wellfried).
Fried PeachesNCream and Joanna

Funnel Cake

Green Goblin

We got back home, totally exhausted, after having walked probably 4 miles in crowds for about 4 hours. We unwinded by watching like 4 straight episodes of Kyle XY. So, my urge to tell him "I love you" has been bubbling to the surface again these past couple of weeks. Of course, I still don't have the balls to say it. So, instead I reel him into a cute conversation... I wanted to know how he felt when he first met me. He told me there are still times NOW that he gets that "nervous excitement" when he's coming to my place. How cute is that? :-)

Just a Reminder

2009-10-13T20:05:00.000-07:00

I like to do a periodical "check in" with Miggity to see if we are on the same page in the relationship (since he is not very expressive). He likes to speak through actions, and that is great. But being a chick, a like the whole package... verbal and through actions. Every now and then I also like to let him know how much he means to me. I am hoping in time, he might pick up this trait :-P
Soooo, I couldn't help but share the most recent expression of my love (yeah, I use that word).

Email to Miggity: (Oct 12, 2009)
hey.. it's kinda late and i'm about to get into bed, but wanted to email you and share something with you. i have herpes. ok ok i'm kidding
when you said i could come over this evening (since i had told you i was going stir crazy) i realized yet again just how lucky i am to have you in my life.
you may be stubborn (maybe even a bit chilly) sometimes (haha), but most times you are a wonderful, sweet and kind man.
every now and then i'll be walking past the fridge and i'll stop a second to look at our photo and i can't help but smile and think how much better my life has become by you being in it. i know we share something special... i guess i just had the urge to spill some of that to you, even though you probably know all this.
and while i am totally tearing up writing this email, i know you probably won't utter a word or respond in any way lol... neverthless, i do hope that you feel warm and fuzzy at least while reading this email :-)
have a great week...
toodles!

Email in response from Miggity:
Hepes joke...NOT funny
The rest was really sweet though :) It's like 12 degrees in the office, and I'm dying with my sweater on, but at least I *feel* warm cuz of the email. I dont think this building has heat, only cold AC.
Have a wonderful day at work.

Miggity's Famous Fish Tacos

2009-10-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

These are the easiest, quickest, and most delicious fish tacos ever!

wonderful tilapia filet seasoned well

yumm!!

Miggity's Famous Fish Tacos
tilapia filets
zatarain's blackened seasoning
jalapenos
lime
avacado
salt to taste
corn tortillas
Put some oil into a pan and get it nice and hot.
Put the seasoned filet into the pan and lightly pan fry on both sides.
For the guac, cut the avacado and jalapeno. Mix it all and add a pinch of salt and lots of lime.
Heat tortillas; taco all the stuffing in and enjoy!

Miggity's Famous Fish Tacos

2009-10-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

Miggity made these a couple of weeks ago after we came back from a run. Two tilapia filets, a bottle of Zatarain's blackened seasoning, 2 avacados, 1 jalapeno, 2 limes, and 1 packet of corn tortillas from Fiesta came to less than $15!!
This was the result-- the most ridiculously delicious and fresh fish tacos, rightfully named Miggity's Famous Fish Tacos. I have been cooking this for myself since I saw him do it. And best of all, it takes 15 mins. from start to finish.

wonderful tilapia filet seasoned well

yumm!!

tilapia filets
zatarain's blackened seasoning
jalapenos
lime
avacado
salt to taste
corn tortillas
Put some oil into a pan and get it nice and hot. Put the seasoned filet into the pan and lightly pan fry on both sides. For the guac, cut the avacado and jalapeno.
Mix it all and add a pinch of salt and lots of lime.
Heat tortillas; taco all the stuffing in and enjoy!

Great Find: Ramsey's Tikka Masala video

2009-10-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Short and sweet video to a super easy tikka masala sauce. This can be added to chicken, potatoes/cauliflower, whatever else you fancy.
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/cookalong-live/cookalong-live-the-series/week-6/how-to-make-tikka-masala_p_1.html

The Best Night-In

2009-10-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

This Friday Miggity and I stayed in. I got him hooked on Peep Show; only the most hilarious British comedy series ever! We watched Towelhead after that. And somewhere between all that made the best oatmeal raisin cookies from scratch.

The Best Night-In OaTmEaL CoOkIeS
0.833 cups flour
1 egg
2/3 cup oatmeal
1/3 stick of butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 teasp. vanilla extract
1/3 teasp. salt
1/3 cinnammon powder
2/3 teasp. baking soda
handful of chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350degrees.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixer.
3. Combine egg, vanilla extract and mix well.
4. Add butter and mix well.
5. Drop heaping ice-cream scoops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (no need to butter/flour the paper)
-Bake for 10-12 minutes only!

Creme Brulee: A Tender Love

2009-09-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Bob's Steak & Chop House, Grapevine . 1255 South Main Street, Grapevine . (817)481-5555

I can talk about the well done Filet Mignon I had, but I won't. Instead, I want to dish about the creme brulee (literally translates to burnt cream in French). My colleague raved about it and so a couple of them ordered it. I decided to try some once it arrived. Like most perfect creme brulee's, this one came in its own little wonder dish. You know, the little white porcelain dish with those wonderful ridges on the side. The creme brulee looked like it had a perfect caramelized flambe crust. With a couple of taps of my spoon I broke into the top and scooped some crust along with its creamy counterpart. It was heavenly. Too bad I was sitting with colleagues, otherwise I would have uttered some Elaine sounds at the table. The custard was not too heavy, not too sweet... just perfect. The fried calamari and creamed spinach appetizers were good. Nothing to write home about, but good. I am not a big steak eater, so I can't really rate it. Overall, the service was good and the ambiance was great. I could see myself trying all their in-house made desserts as to go entrees over time!

The Gesture

2009-09-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

Miggity's mom's b'day was this past Saturday. I decided to bake a cake and take it over. That's right. It was a "I want to do something nice for her, perhaps, open some lines of communication" kind of gesture. I figured I care so much about Miggity and see this being something long term, why not try to break the ice a bit with the mother. I realize Miggity is so un-interfering, that I'd probably have to do my own legwork here. I made a tres leches cake (same Alton Brown recipe) and I believe it turned out really good. Infact, i can vouch for that 'cause I made a mini loaf for myself from the same batter :-P Anyway, his mother seemed to appreciate the gesture very much. And I hope Miggity did too.

Buying a Cutting Board

2009-09-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend recently enlightened me on the joys of using an end grain wood cutting board for vegetables and meats. It's great for several reasons- it saves your knives!
A serrated knife (knife with a jagged-edged blade) will start to get blunt a lot quicker on a glass cutting board or some other surface like that. Plus now I get to appreciate the beauty of the wood and the detailed grain instead of a boring piece of glass or plastic. Here are some more points to keep in mind:
1. Wood boards are more resistant to bacteria than normal glass/plastic cutting boards
2. Proper "seasoning" of the board needs to be done prior to usage... douse it in vegetable oil on both sides and let it all soak in. Apply a few coats, allowing to completely soak in between each application. The oil makes it resistant to letting liquids from veggies sink in.
3. You can land up spending anywhere from $10 to $150+ on a good wood cutting board. Decide what you can afford and how thick you want it. The more expensive ones come as thick as 3"
4. It can be cleaned after use by wiping with a soft cloth, or sprayed with 4 parts water to 1 part 5% vinegar mixture, or soap and water. Though, you'll have to season again after that.
5. It will need seasoning regularly based on how often you use it.
6. Mark "V" and "M" on each side of the board- one for veggies and one for meats.
I found the best information on this site- http:////whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm

My beautiful new wood cutting board (bought from Ross for under $12!)

Maple edge grain 20" x 15" 1.75" www.overstock.com ($46.99)

Teak board 12" in diam x 2" www.surlatable.com ($60.00)

Boos cherry wood grain board 12" x 12" x 3" www.williams-sonoma.com ($119.95)

The Cutting Board

2009-09-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

I feel like feeding Miggity good homemade food is like an instant relationship boost for us for that day. Almost like it makes him peppier and he'll say or do something unusually special towards me. Remember the revelation, "So my mother knows you exist" over the Shepherd's Pie dinner? I felt the food-love co-relation came to surface again on Thursday this week.
He ate some kheema since I had made since he hadn't eaten dinner. Then we went to go buy Leah's presents at Ross/Target. While at Ross he got quite thrilled by the abundance of wood cutting boards at thrifty prices. We were in a discussion about using the right knife and cutting board; of course this is all new information to me. I learned my tempered glass cutting board is rated "A" (Awful) for knives. We reached the checkout and he said, "I'm going to get you a wood cutting board." Of course my instant obvious uncomfortable response was, "No No you don't need to do that." And he responded, "Come on, let me get you the cutting board, it's only $10 bucks." I told him I was not good at receiving gifts and he said I should get used to it, besides, it would be good practice.
I gave in. And then my eyes started watering!! Over a cutting board!! LOL
Actually, they started watering over the gesture and thought that he really wanted to get me something that could be valuable to me and my new adventures in cooking.
So, here is my new 1" thick end grain cutting board...

Things you should know about wood cutting boards:
1. They are more resistant to bacteria than normal glass/plastic cutting boards
2. Proper "seasoning" of the board needs to be done prior to usage... douse it in vegetable oil on both sides and let it all soak in. Apply a few coats, allowing to completely soak in between each application. The oil makes it resistant to letting liquids from veggies sink in.
3. You can land up spending anywhere from $10 to $150+ on a good wood cutting board. Decide what you can afford and how thick you want it. The more expensive ones come as thick as 3"
4. It can be cleaned after use by wiping with a soft cloth, or sprayed with 4 parts water to 1 part 5% vinegar mixture, or soap and water. Though, you'll have to season again after that.
5. It will need seasoning regularly based on how often you use it.
I found the best information on this site- http:////whatscookingamerica.net/CuttingBoards/AllAbout.htm

Dirty Blondies

2009-09-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

4 oz butter, softened
1 c firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 extra large egg, room temperature
2 tblsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c unsalted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tblsp oil
1. Heat oven with rack to 350 degrees.
2. Put foil in a 8x8 square pan and butter it wel. I like to sprinkle some flour too.
3. beat butter in a mixer till light and fluffy about 2 mins. Add sugar and cream for another 2 mins.
4. Beat eggs in and add vanilla extract in a different bowl keep aside.
5. Sift all dry ingredients and start adding to the mixture. Add butter mixture then some dry mixture. Do this in three parts. Use spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure mixture is mixed well.
6. Add nuts and chocolate chips to the mixture.
7. Pour into baking dish and bake for about 30 mins.
(When you do the toothpick test, it should come out clean)

Sukha Chicken Curry

2009-09-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sukha (meaning dry) chicken curry is a quick, easy way to make that wonderful Indian chicken curry, except, it's without the typical gravy.

1 lb. boneless chicken cut in small pieces
1 big chopped onion
1 big tomato diced
chillies
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. haldi (tumeric)
1/2 tsp. pathak's chicken tikka marinade (or any chicken masala)
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
couple of bay leaves
pepper to sprinkle
1 tsp. salt
3 cups water
Fry onions in a large saucepan till almost transparent. Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, all dry spices, chillies and tomatoes. Fry for few more minutes.
Add chicken and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on medium-low.

Breakup Brownies

2009-09-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

I used Paula Deen's brownie recipe found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/maggies-decadent-brownies-recipe/index.html
But what REALLY added the chill was the peppermint frosting!
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add butter in mixer- mix for a minute till fluffy. Add all other ingredients one by one and mix till a good buttercream consistency is found. I had a brainwave while writing this recipe... add some orange liqueur to it!

Kheema Matar

2009-09-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 onions chopped
3 serrano peppers chopped
1/2 can of peas
1 can of diced tomatoes
fresh cilantro cut up
sprig of rosemary cut up
1.5 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. salt
olive oil
In a large saucepan saute onions on medium-high heat till brown 10-15 mins. Mix often to avoid sticking to pan. Reduce heat to low-medium and saute until dark brown 15-20 mins. Use 2 tbsp water to deglaze if onions are sticking to pan.
Add ground beef, ginger, garlic and chilies. Cook for 10 mins. Then add tomatoes. Cook maybe another 10-15 mins. till meat is browned well.
Reduce heat to low-medium and add cut cilantro, rosemary, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook for 15 mins or so. Check and mix every now and then.
Add peas. Cook covered for another 15 mins. or so till meat is fully cooked.
Serve with fresh cilantro and lime spritzed on top.

Curried Scrambled Eggs

2009-09-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

(good for two)
4 large eggs
1 medium chopped onion
1 large diced tomato
1 chilli- slit (we used Indian chillies, but you could use any kind)
fresh rosemary
fresh cilantro
pinch of haldi (tumeric powder)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
salt to taste
olive oil
Add olive oil to pan and cook onions on medium till they just start to brown. Add the tomatoes, chilli, tumeric and cumin. Cook for a minute and add rosemary and cilantro. Cook for another minute.
Whisk eggs separately and add to pan. Cook the scramble mixture till eggs are still slightly loose. Cooking it too much will dry out the dish.

Our First Fight

2009-09-06T22:35:00.000-07:00

I guess I ought to go into details. It was Friday and I was agitated. Not sure about what. But I landed up throwing a bit of a tantrum because everyone was going to the Londoner pub in Addison and I can't stand that place. It's the worst fake fake Irish bar there is around here (kinda like off off (way) off broadway lol). I had already called Miggity twice to discuss plans. I called him a third time and said, "I'm just going to stay in today." To which he said all irritated, "Whatever." And click went the phone. He did call 10 mins. after that and said, "Can I convince you into coming?"
How could this wonderful, "great" guy HANG UP on me? hang up on any woman? Not a very mature, gentleman thing to do. I did join everyone later at Blue Goose restaurant.
And I was still upset and mad. We did put that behind us as the evening progressed.
Next morning I went on the trail and did 6 miles. Such a mind clearing activity.
While I had the conflict itself and hated the "fight," I loved the fact that it cleared up the fog from my glasses a bit. It somewhat snapped me out of my love haze. This is a normal guy with more good qualities and principles than the average guy. He is however, just a guy. And just human. I realized I had invested SO much in him lately that my world was getting centered around him. The 6 miles reminded me that I enjoy some things solo and I need to continue doing those things. I need to spend time alone and do the things that I love. I got snapped back into reality through a fight!
I will call this one The Liberating Fight.

Sukha Chicken Curry

2009-09-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sukha (meaning dry) chicken curry is a quick, easy way to make that wonderful Indian chicken curry, except, it's without the typical gravy. So, Miggity's school has started again, which means we are kinda getting back to our weekend only schedule. I admit, I miss him. However, that does mean I have more chicken curry to eat :-P

Sukha Chicken Curry
1 lb. boneless chicken cut in small pieces
1 big chopped onion
1 big tomato diced
chillies
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. haldi (tumeric)
1/2 tsp. pathak's chicken tikka marinade (or any chicken masala)
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste
couple of bay leaves
pepper to sprinkle
1 tsp. salt
3 cups water
Fry onions in a large saucepan till almost transparent. Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, all dry spices, chillies and tomatoes. Fry for few more minutes.
Add chicken and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes on medium-low.

Not so much a Goldmine

2009-08-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

Goldmine Family Restaurant, Garland . 3127 South 1st Street, Garland . (972) 840-1337

Who doesn't love a nice, greasy diner? Goldmine definitely scores high on the fried scale. When I saw the onion rings my jaw dropped and I instantly salivated. Unfortunately, not quite the same when I tasted it. The batter lacked salt. Plain and simple. I don't eat too much salt, but I do know when it's too little. Same story with the coating on the fried chicken breast. Although, it was cooked to perfection. I finished the entire sandwich because it went well with the bread and layer of mayonnaise. My friend ordered the omlette filled with everything and a side of hash browns and biscuits. He was very happy with his order. It fulfilled his desire for greasy, tasty food. I tried the biscuits. They were a beautiful shade of ecru mixed with sand, they were large, and had a delicate dusting of flour. Beautiful! As far as taste... ehh, kinda dry and flavourless. Maybe because I was comparing it to Church's ridiculously good biscuits. The bill came to $16.00 + tip. If I'm craving diner food I'll just head to the closest Denny's. Last Words... Service (on the slower side), Cleanliness (average diner like), Closest hospital (3 miles).

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

2009-08-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

July was crunch time at work. We were getting prepared for the big trade show in Atlanta. I was psyched because I was going for nine days to be part of this awesome experience. Once I was there, by day two I was exhausted, in a defeated sort of way... and I missed Miggity. I really, really missed Miggity. I called him that second night and broke down. He was gentle and supportive. And by the end of the conversation, I felt empowered to get up and run on the treadmill and sweat off the emotions. The trip got significantly better and I landed up having a good time. And on day 7, Miggity tells me over the phone he's going through Mili withdrawal :-) That was the first time ever he had been that blatantly verbally expressive. I kept thinking, wow, did HE say that? I didn't know he could!!
He picked me up from the airport and from that day we saw eachother for the next 5 days in a row! He said, "I have decided I am going to be more expressive about things from now". That distance did us good. It shifted the relationship into third gear. And it has turned out to be the Summer of Bliss. Ahh... Love is Grand.
He has also cooked for me since then. Pan-fried chicken and vegetables. And it was delicious.
We have had plenty of meals together these past two months. Today's was particularly delicious. We used my ex in-laws recipe. Miggity made a couple of variations and did most of the work.
We ate this with Orowheat 12 grain bread.

Curried Chicken Salad
3 lbs. chicken diced/cubed - pan cooked
1 cup celery
red onion chopped (generous amount)
1/2 cup miracle whip
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
(no salt needed)

Pan cook chicken. Mix whip and spices. Then add all the ingredients and mix. Eat with bread and enjoy!

Tamales El Salvadorean Style

2009-08-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

La Salvadorena, McKinney . 1103 S Mcdonald St, McKinney . (972) 542-1506

I got my first taste of El Salvadorean food in this cozy, homey kitchenette type of joint. I hesitate to call it "restaurant" because, well, it didn't feel like one. It really did feel like what could be your friend's mom's kitchen. Let me just say I love the lime colour on the exterior of the building. Mark ordered some tamales and papusas for us. Tamales are basically steamed burritos and are eaten as a breakfast meal or anytime meal. This particular one was wrapped in a banana leaf. The tamale batter itself is primarily corn. As I poked and broke into the tamale, I saw the chicken mixture which was steaming hot. There was something intriguing and intimate about this... the act of breaking into the tamale to uncover the steaming treasure. I enjoyed this. After tasting it, it felt like I was eating a comfort food because of the warm, semi-soft texture. But, being Indian and enjoying strong flavoured foods, I felt my tamale lacked punch and flavour. I know it was authentic, and probably a damn good tamale, but I don't know if it's something I would crave later. In short, I could probably make it through life without tamales. Now the boy who brought me there, is a different story :-) Then came the papusa which is a stuffed bread of sorts. It looked like the equivalent of the South Indian dish "uttapam." The papusa was interesting in terms of texture. But again, left me wanting more flavour. I would be interested in ordering the same items at a different El Salvadorean eatery.

Porto and Paciugo

2009-06-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Porto Forward
A 60-something year old man bought me a $50 bottle of port. Every time I play the happening in my head, it leaves me with this wonderful feeling about life and its surprises. However, if I tell you the details, it will lose its charm. The 20 year Sandeman Tawny Port was a beautiful, glistening shade of brown and orange. The taste was smooth with a strong flavour of what I would imagine could have been cognac and brandy. Cheers!

The Simplest, Sweetest Moment
Miggity and I remained social this past weekend. Finally on Sunday, we chose to slow down and share some 'us' time. We ran errands, watched TV, did the act, but the best part for me was sharing gelato inside the Uptown Paciugo. What is it about such simple pleasures that makes one forget? It was a fusion of warm, fuzzy feelings of childhood mixed with the blissful feelings of bonding with someone I cared about. If I could translate my cup of mixed berry and chocolate chip cookie dough gelato into feelings, that's what I felt like at that moment. Note to self: If I need to feel loved, take Miggity to Paciugo and get a double dose!

Home Ties

2009-06-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

Miggity called me today to share something that had happened, relating to his family, that had left him feeling pissed off. He chose to call me. ME. That felt good- knowing that he feels he can call me for things like that. And that he actually did. These things are important to the growth of a relationship; it shows there is a trust that exists (well, i'm blogging about it, but at least I'm not being detailed lol). And the more I get to know him, the more I come to respect him. I look up to him. Wow. Yeah. I actually look up to him. I don't think I've ever said that of anyone I've been involved with. He's a self-made kinda man. He has strong beliefs about being self sufficient, working hard, creating one's own destiny. He's fiercely independent.
He said that while growing up, he chose not to take the obvious road most kids in his place would have taken. It appears like he didn't have much of an identity crisis despite the circumstances in his childhood.
I reflected on my identity crisis. Ouch. Lol. It was very challenging for me to carve my own identity, where I maintained my Indian roots, but also incorporated strong American values (equality, self-reliance, a healthy selfishness). Thank God that crisis is over! Phew!
Now I KNOW that I don't need to think that hard about what the correct formula is, to get the result of equal parts Indian and American. That's because there is no correct formula. I made my own. It's called "TWIL." Take What I Like about being Indian and Take What I Like about being American. And after eating the Kheema Matar I cooked this evening, I concur that I am taking the Indian cuisine. The family recipes will live on.

Kheema Matar
2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 onions chopped
3 serrano peppers chopped
1/2 can of peas
1 can of diced tomatoes
fresh cilantro cut up
sprig of rosemary cut up
1.5 tbsp. minced ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. salt
olive oil
In a large saucepan saute onions on medium-high heat till brown 10-15 mins. Mix often to avoid sticking to pan. Reduce heat to low-medium and saute until dark brown 15-20 mins. Use 2 tbsp water to deglaze if onions are sticking to pan.
Add ground beef, ginger, garlic and chilies. Cook for 10 mins. Then add tomatoes. Cook maybe another 10-15 mins. till meat is browned well.
Reduce heat to low-medium and add cut cilantro, rosemary, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook for 15 mins or so. Check and mix every now and then.
Add peas. Cook covered for another 15 mins. or so till meat is fully cooked.
Serve with fresh cilantro and lime spritzed on top.

A Blackberry Muffin Morning

2009-06-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

I was awoken at 5AM from a bad dream involving spiders and snakes. Not nice. I remained trying to sleep or at least give my body a little more rest. But then at 6:30AM I heard a crew of Mexican construction workers start moving around the outside of the house. Soon one of them was knocking on the door; then Sweetness goes ballistic, and next thing I know I am having to move my car to a different spot so they can drag their truck in. After moving my car, I came back in and the very loud sounds of hammering on the roof started. They were putting down new shingles. I said to hell with all this, I am making muffins!
And so, on this very early morning, I baked Blackberry Muffins that turned out quite good.

Here's the recipe:
fresh blackberries
1/4 cup butter
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
little less than 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla essence
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixer. Melt butter in a pan and add milk and eggs to it. Put wet ingredients in the mixer now and start adding dry mixture to it in small portions. Let it mix to a good, even consistency. Add blackberries and fold in the mixture. Put batter in a buttered and floured 12-cup muffin pan (no need for baking cups). Bake for 25 minutes.

Breakup Brownies

2009-06-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

One of Miggity's close buddies broke up with his girlfriend. I made what I call "Breakup Brownies." Just the right amount of sweet, salty and cool. That translates to chocolate, salted cashews, semi-sweet chocolate chips and peppermint icing.
DIVINE!

I used Paula Deen's brownie recipe found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/maggies-decadent-brownies-recipe/index.html
But what REALLY added the chill was the peppermint frosting!
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 tablespoon milk
* 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add butter in mixer- mix for a minute till fluffy. Add all other ingredients one by one and mix till a good buttercream consistency is found. I had a brainwave while writing this recipe... add some orange liqueur to it!

Do you want some whipped cream?

2009-06-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

NOOOO.... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OF COURSE I DON'T WANT ANY WHIPPED CREAM!!!! WHO ARE YOU? IS THIS YOUR DIRTY DOUBLE LIFE? ARE WE IN HELL???
These are just some of the demure thoughts blaring through my head as Miggity's neighbour asks me, "Do you want some whipped cream?" to which Miggity then turns around and asks me in the most nonchalant manner, "Do you want some whipped cream?" The whipped cream was being sprayed on an ex strippers butt, who was sprawled in the middle of a room naked, with some other also naked woman, in her 40s, licking it off. A room which already has other people, some dressed, some not, but all very casually conversing and casually viewing the woman-on-woman action interspersed with some penis grabbing as well.
Let me back up. No pun intended.
Miggity tells me about this party his neighbour throws once a year where everyone gets nude and there is streaking in the neighbourhood. I was very curious. So I went along to the party. This is what I expected: A late 20s, early 30s crowd of free loving people that go for a run, naked. Like playing naked soccer in college.
This is what I really got: A gathering of married bikers in their 40s, some 50s, all swingers, engaging in foreplay (licking, grabbing, slapping, kissing), while others sat around casually talking and looking at the action happening right there. There was also a naked (completely naked) bike ride, which I think was the least bothersome part honestly. It was the orgy like atmosphere and activity that was unsettling. But you want to know what was MOST unsettling?
The fact that Miggity sat there completely unaffected. Completely non-reactive. Like as if he was one of the them. Like as if he had this sexual, double life I had no idea about.
As I sat there uttering the words 'Wow" every 5 minutes, I also felt the stabbing pain of my heart breaking.
Maybe when Miggity and I got intimate, only "I" felt like it was love. Maybe only '"I" felt anything at all.
My heart was breaking because I felt betrayed. I thought we felt the same way. I thought we had similar ideals and values.
I had dealt with enough sexual abnormalities and dysfunction with my ex-husband. I have had enough pain for years. How could I have been this stupid to trust someone again?

We went back to Miggity's house and I asked him loud and clear if he engaged in any of that, if he believed in any of that.
He said no. He said his non-reaction was actually his stress reaction. We talked quite a bit.
But I had reached my dark place. I got really quiet. I had regressed. Regressed back to the painful times in the marriage. I suppose being in that environment and "feeling" like Miggity betrayed me was a trigger for me to all the times my ex-husband betrayed me.

This evening it became clear to me. I realize I was replaying an old tape. Miggity didn't betray me. I trust him. I trust that he is who he shows and says he is. He is still a great guy. And I am still falling in love with him. I guess it's a nice reminder that while I may be open-minded, some things feel wrong and some things feel right. And that's how I ought to draw my boundaries in times when I am uncertain. Because sometimes what one "thinks" doesn't have much to do with it. It's about what it makes one "feel" like. Miggity makes me feel good. Swinger parties make me feel bad. Enough said.

I still managed to bake some delicious cashew chocolate blondies. I have aptly renamed these-- 'Dirty Blondies.'
Recipe: http://www.ishotthechef.com/2009/04/15/blondies-have-more-fun/
I made the following changes: added dark brown sugar instead of light; omitted the white chocolate; added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder; added some semi-sweet chocolate chips; added 1/2 tablespoon of oil.
Now THIS, I will have with some whipped cream :-)

It's not cooking if it's not Meat!

2009-06-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Just when I had made a personal decision NOT to harass the poor boy anymore about how he feels or anything along those lines, there is suddenly progress! How does this happen? Maybe because I decided to "let go." I am practicing living life with the flow, in the moment; not being so focused on the past or future. I'm listening to my Eckhart Tolle CD's again and reading some John Selby works on quieting the mind.
Amazing how it works. I felt like I was entertaining too much mental noise; playing old tapes in my head. Practicing living in the moment brings a different level of consciousness into my life. I am able to relax more. And since I am giving off a more relaxed energy, it probably helps the opposite person relax too.
So, Miggity and I met Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. I know!!!!

I invited him over for Shepherds Pie Sunday since I was cooking a whole bunch for myself for the week. I used Alton Brown's recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sherperds-pie-recipe2/index.html
But I made the following changes:
1. I added a pinch of kashmiri chilli powder to mashed potatoes
2. I subtracted a full teaspoon of the butter amount he suggested for the mashed potatoes
3. Omitted the Worcestershire sauce and added light soya sauce instead
4. Used extra lean ground beef (85%)
5. Turned the oven on broil setting for the last 10 mins. to brown the potatoes (miggity's idea)

The house was filled with the most lovely aroma. And the food was delicious! We ate this with Challah sliced bread from Whole Foods, which had a soft but hearty texture, and a sweet, wholesome flavour to it. Miggity said the it was better than Trinity Hall or anything he had eaten in UK. QUITE the compliment. I like a man that can pay such a hefty compliment and prove its authenticity by taking two loaded servings :-)

While he was still eating he blurted out, "So my mom knows you exist."
With the coolest, most natural and unfrazzled demeanor he continued, "That's a pretty big step since I usually tell my mom things the week of."
SON OF A BITCH. I ought to cook meat more often lol.
Point Noted: Expect the most significant conversations to take place over dinner. And make sure there is meat involved (none of that Boca crap).
With a desperately-trying-to-look-just-as-cool demeanor, I responded, "Wow, that's pretty cool. That's quite a step." Only I knew the freakin' cartwheels I was doing inside. I'm such a sucker :-)

High Octane Passion vs. Low Octane Passion

2009-05-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman classic today, "Indiscreet;" I love the scene where Ingrid Bergman has just found out that Cary Grant is a single man and not married (and unable to get a divorce) like he had stated. In an downpour of tears, she says "How dare he make love to me when he's not a married man." Then she storms into her boudoir and slams the door. Dramatic? Sure. But I see it as passion. It's passion that makes me feel alive. I'll listen to Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet and tear up. I get moved easily, by life, and love.
I've been struggling with completely letting myself go with the boy. I want to call him just to hear his voice. I want to see him just because I miss him. I want him to stay over just because it feels good to be in the arms of someone I really want to be with. But, I hold back.
I hold back because it might suffocate or freak him out. I hold back because he is a lot more "toned down" (using his terminology). He doesn't express his feelings in a manner that I am familiar with-- the little things that would signal to me that I am in his thoughts is kinda missing. Probably not missing altogether. He is very thoughtful and considerate. Just a different type of thoughtful and considerate. And I love that. It's just taking me some getting used to.
In another pathetic attempt to have a conversation about this, I brought it up last night. He listened. Like he always does. Not a big participant though.
I've gotten various explainations from him as to why he is this "toned down"-- first he had mentioned that it concerns him that this might be a rebound relationship for me due to my recent divorce, and so, he doesn't want to put himself out there too much. I have also gotten that this is just how he is. I have also gotten that the previous breakup has made him more cautious.

How did it get from this nice, casual, fun getting-to-know-eachother-thing to this more complicated thing (for me at least)? I know how. Because I am falling in love. And if I didn't hold myself back, I would have been in love by now. I have no shame in admitting...I am pretty damn nuts about him. Toned down or not, he is a special breed :-)

And all this holding back, is actually doing a world of good for me. It's teaching me to slow down. It's teaching me to enjoy time by myself and cultivate my life. MY life. So, while I bitch and complain about how I don't know how he feels and how I can't read him; I appreciate whoever he is. It's just a learning process while I "really get" to know this breed. The Bull.

So, while I had this inner dialogue in my head today, of what i call high octane passion vs. low octane passion, I baked Alton Brown's Tres Leches cake, which turned out heavenly. Let the milk soak in overnight in the fridge. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/tres-leche-cake-recipe/index.html

An Indian Affair

2009-05-23T06:46:00.000-07:00

Iravat, Plano . 240 Legacy Dr., Plano . (972) 517-8200

Before I entered Iravat, I was pissed at their audacity to use anything besides the usual "Taj" or "Curry House" as a name. Mainly because, being Indian, I had no freakin' idea what Iravat meant. However, upon entering, I became nostalgic from the aroma. The ambience was bistro-like but with more of a dinner flair. The tomato-based chutney was a great start as a condiment for the papads. I wasn't too find of the mind or tamarind chutneys.
We ordered four main dishes- ginger chicken, butter chicken, lamb vindaloo and malai kofta. Naan and rice came with the dishes. Each dish arrived on a chula (little tabletop cooker). After being served enormous portions in most restaurants, the tiny kadai on a tiny chula tickled me. But the food was well portioned nevertheless.
The malai kofta was without doubt my favourite. It had the right amount of crunch and texture, leaving no question of the rich nuts that go into cooking it. The butter chicken and lamb vindaloo were too whitewashed for my taste. The ginger chicken was a good addition, but I wasn't there to eat Indian-Chinese.
It's quite unusual for me to be one of the last two people eating; nevertheless, that is a clear indication I was pleased. The bill was split four ways- $15 including tax and tip for each. Slightly on the steeper side for the overall quality of food. So, best Indian meal out there? No. A decent first introduction to Indian food for your white friends? Yes.
Oh, and Iravat is the name of a mythological character from the Mahabharata (thanks Google).

Saved by the...

2009-05-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

Danielita's Mexican Restaurant, Arlington . 1105 E Pioneer Pkwy, Arlington . (817) 274-1204

The moment of truth in any Mexican restaurant happens exactly when the salsa and chips arrive at the table. One look at the chips and I doubted how good they could be. After tasting, my doubts were right on. They tasted more like regular chips rather than homemade, which is unfortunate. The salsa, on the other hand, had a more pleasing effect on me because it had a spicy kick to it, and still maintained the other flavours to balance out the spice. It was neither too watery, nor too chunky. But it was overall, average. For our main dish, my friend ordered enchiladas verde and I ordered the beef chille relleno. The food arrived in good timing, but alas, tasted average. The chille relleno lacked any outstanding flavour. It just didn't pop. The bean soup I got with my dish was probably the saving grace. It had good flavour. The enchiladas were very basic; nothing out of the ordinary. The restaurant itself was toned down in terms of ambience, like the food. The dining room was large and furnished with casual beachwood tables and chairs. I did enjoy the service, nevertheless, which was timed well, and polite. Damages for two with tax and tip- under $20.
But wait, there's more.
On our way out, I noticed the tray of sweets at the register. The waitress confirmed they were made on site. I picked the milk toffee topped with pecans. I took a bite and stood still. Very still. I was taken back to my childhood- to the Indian toffee sweets our maid used to make. Danielita's milk toffee will melt in your mouth. Let me just say, I will drive 26 miles each way, just for this $1.25 treat.
And you thought this whole review would be gloomy!

Sunburn and Curried Scrambled Eggs

2009-05-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

It is a challenge to get the boy to stay the night over. I've done a fair bit of analyzing as to why and here's what I came up with- maybe he doesn't want to get too attached too quickly. Maybe he doesn't want me to get too attached too quickly. Maybe he just likes sleeping in his own bed. Or most likely, he just doesn't feel like it and there is no deeper reason behind it.

So, when he said he'd rather stay over at my place this past Saturday, I was pleasantly shocked. He had a perfectly logical reason for this though- people really were driving like shit at 1:30AM. Sadly he had the most ghastly uncomfortable sunburn all over his back and chose to sleep on the sofa. This was out of consideration so as not to wake me up with all his moving. I get it. So he may not throw this romantic orchestration displaying his emotions, but I see glimmers of his affection every now and then. Quite honestly, the sheer simplicity of it makes me smile. Lessons I can learn here: Empty my mind; don't think too much. Pace. Savour.

And savour is exactly what I did Sunday morning. We made Curried Scrambled Eggs and the recipe is worthy enough to be published. We enjoyed this with rosemary bread from Central Market.

Curried Scrambled Eggs
(good for two)
4 large eggs
1 medium chopped onion
1 large diced tomato
1 chilli- slit (we used Indian chillies, but you could use any kind)
fresh rosemary
fresh cilantro
pinch of haldi (tumeric powder)
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
salt to taste
olive oil
Add olive oil to pan and cook onions on medium till they just start to brown. Add the tomatoes, chilli, tumeric and cumin. Cook for a minute and add rosemary and cilantro. Cook for another minute.
Whisk eggs separately and add to pan. Cook the scramble mixture till eggs are still slightly loose. Cooking it too much will dry out the dish.

Then the Food...

2009-05-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't really call myself domesticated. The last time I lived alone was in 2006. I guess I've grown up a lot in the past three years. Now that I'm living on my own again, I am MUCH more comfortable being alone. I believe I've finally made that cross-over in life where the 20s are almost out (which means, the hell years must be almost over lol).

Anyway, so where does the food come in? I asked my mother's friend to teach me how to bake a killer chocolate cake in October 2008 when I was in Oman for a break. Little did I know that when I'd get back I'd ask for a divorce. So, I never got to bake that cake for my former husband. So what's the next best thing? Well, bake it for Miggity! So it had been only 2 months I had known him. Big deal. So, I baked a killer test cake. Then, on the day of his birthday surprise, I baked a killer chocolate over chocolate cake. Honestly, probably the best chocolate cake I've ever had. Here's the Ina Garten recipe I used: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html

Miggity and I have formed this synergy over food. I know all this makes it sound like this huge overly romantic relationship, but it's not. It's quite simple. And it has boundaries in terms of space. Nevertheless, he (and my best friend Leah) have put the blood back into my life. And if the boy and I happen to fall out, there will ALWAYS be cake!

First, the Love...

2009-05-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

Last year measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale of Love. It was beyond devastating. After a sad and bad divorce, I decided early this year to get back in the game. Luckily, I had a fellow Cocteau Twin in Fort Worth with whom I shared many parallels in life, also wanting to get back in the game. So, this was going to be an "experiment" for us. She told me about www.okcupid.com (no, they are not paying me). I went on some dates. Kinda enjoyed the attention, the 50 questions, the mild anxiety when the bill arrives. Then I met Mr. Love, aka Miggity. Uptown Albertsons parking lot. February 2, 2009. Coming out of a beat up red truck. He sat in my car and without any delay, started running a mile a minute in conversation. For once I could say, I met a great guy and he talks... a lot. How do I turn that down?