I'm sitting in a pair of towels at the moment, waiting to dry off and then start rummaging through my closet for tonight's outfit. Kinky, I know. We're going to a house party this year instead of a bar or club. It'll be cheaper, which I can't complain about being unemployed and slightly poor lately.
For the time being, a Toronto Star photo album about New Year's celebrations, here.
Thinking ahead to the new year, I am actually planning to make some resolutions of sorts. I'm thinking of them as more of a lifestyle change than a resolutions.
I need to eat better. Losing weight will be a nice bonus, but generally, I need to eat healthier than I do. The first year of grad school threw me a bit and I ate quite poorly, much to my detriment. I will still eat the odd frozen, instant or fast meal, just not regularly during the week.
I need to get outside more. I spend waaaaaay to much time in front of my computer. Thesis work being the exception, since it needs to be done, but I really should get out more. I used to be such an outdoorsy person, and as the years have passed I don't go camping or wandering nearly as much as I used too. Time to change that.
I need to take a little more care about what I wear. I've been reading too many plus fashion blogs lately, and they've really inspired me to be a little more fashion conscious. I'm also going to be doing a bit more schmoozing in the upcoming months for possible employment post-graduation, so looking a bit more business would be good. I can do that very well, especially while I was employed at an art gallery a while back, but since I've gone fully into student mode recently, the T-shirts are out in force.
I need to clean, purge and finish. I have come to a point in my degree and life in general that I need to seriously consider moving for work. I love Toronto dearly, but the market is a bit saturated in my general field, so either looking at options in other cities is now something to really consider. I don't drive (distinct lack of a license take's care of that), so my options are limited to cities that have really good public transit systems. I do speak French quite well, so government gigs and anything in Montreal are good options. With all this in mind, I need to take stock of the material possessions in my life and get rid of a lot of them. Moving is a right pain, and the less stuff the better. I have packed and moved an entire two-bedroom apartment almost entirely by myself, so if I can reduce the box count, that would be great.
I also just need to keep my place cleaner at any given time, this apartment is a mess.
There. They are out in the open, for all to see. Let's see what happens.
Time to go dancing. Catch you in the new year.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
My day.
Most of today equaled:
*moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!"
When I got home I worked out what the hell was poking me all day.
Damn it. Gotta repair this bra, again!
At the tree is up!
For those of you that may be wondering why the extension cord is going to the other direction from the plug directly behind the tree, that's the AC wall in our apartment, and the landlord turns off the power to that wall during the winter. Utilities are included, so I guess they want to control unwanted power drains. We can't access our balconies due to construction still anyways, so the tree is good there.
*moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!" *moves, "ow!"
At the tree is up!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Getting close to Christmas...
We're only a week off. Not quite finished shopping this year.. or organized for that matter. Lordy...
It's Christmas at the archive! Note the tree decorations that include "COLD" stickers, mini clamshell boxes and mini maps wrapped in Mylar.
I've been to two of the three holiday parties being hosted by various departments of the Archive, and the third is coming up this Tuesday. I have very grand intentions of making cookies for it, and haven't quite decided on what specifically yet. I'm torn between the classic shortbread recipe that I have, a new recipe for eggnog sugar cookies I recently found or the Lemongrass ginger cookies I made for a visit with a baby a while back. I think it'll depend on what ingredients I have and how little I have to get. The eggnog sugar cookies may win as a result.
And now a quick complaint. It's a bit boring, but tough.
I recently broke my own rule about never ordering Torrid clothes online and purchased four articles of clothes from them. I thought long and hard on a new early winter coat, a cardigan, a tank top and a sheer top before taking the plunge and purchasing them. This is where the issues began.
Against my better judgement, I trusted the size chart that Torrid has on their website. I have purchased clothes from them in person while in Buffalo occasionally, and am almost always a size 1. Despite this, their size chart dictates that the size I need to accommodate my chest is a size 3. So, I purchased all three items in a size 3.
Now, one of the reasons I normally don't purchase things online from Torrid is that their shipping to Canada is horrendous. This is something I have never understood, since I can order things from Asos, a British company that sends things to Canada FREE of charge. I grant you that I can't track Asos purchases, but they arrive in a remarkably timely fashion without costing me an extra $40 in shipping fees. I managed to catch a sale with Torrid and more or less negated the cost of the shipping with the discounts I received on the clothes, while still actually paying the $40 shipping costs. Also, because these clothes are purchased outside the country, I need to pay duties and customs on them when they arrive in Canada. I'm used to that, and I usually avoid them by not purchasing things made outside of Canada.
Moving on. I received my package from Torrid and was fairly excited since I was now hoping to wear some of my new clothes to a party I was going to that night. I gleefully opened the package to then discover that every single thing I had ordered was far too big. The coat was big enough to have the entire front button panel cut off and it would still be too big. The tank top might have gotten me through a pregnancy it was so big, and the sheer top could have been taken in so much that the excess fabric could have been reattached to make a dress out of it. I measured and remeasured myself multiple times to ensure I had the right numbers before ordering. My chest is about 49" at the fullest (eg, exactly where they tell you to measure yourself), and according to Torrid, that makes me roughly a 3. HOW THE FUCK DO THE SIZE 1 CLOTHES FIT ME THEN?! What planet are they on that they can't even measure their own fucking products properly?!
Naturally I was a little upset by this. I packed everything back in the box, minus the sheer top since that was clearance item, and called their customer service in a few days to start the exchange process. This included making me pay to ship the clothes back to them. I also had to pay for the clothes I was receiving in exchange. I would not get a refund for the first round of clothes until the ones I sent back had arrived at Torrid. I don't have any complaints about that aspect, since it would seem quite fair. I do however, have complaints about the fact that, according to Canada Post, Torrid received said clothes 5 days ago, and have yet to give me a refund on my credit card. I'm going to give them until this upcoming Wednesday, which will be one week from date of receival, and then I plan to swear at them.
I also asked them if they could possibly write "exchange" somewhere on the box, since that's what it was, so I wouldn't get charged duties by Canada customs again for articles I already technically own. Apparently it "was beyond their jurisdiction" to simply write the word "exchange" on the box. Really. I got lucky and wasn't charged duties again, maybe because the stuff I sent back said "exchange" on it in huge letters.
I received the new, properly sized pieces in the mail on Saturday, and I am happy with them. The cardigan is really cute now that it fits, and the coat is just roomy enough to have a bulky sweater underneath it for an extra layer and still be comfy. I've asked my sister to see if she can look at the sheer top and salvage it for me, since I couldn't return it. The three pieces of clothing I bought have cost me and extra $120 in shipping and customs to receive. Fuck.
I will never order from their website again. They should consider themselves lucky if I even remotely consider purchasing from their stores in person ever again.
Time to move on to more Christmas-y stuff, like baking.
It's Christmas at the archive! Note the tree decorations that include "COLD" stickers, mini clamshell boxes and mini maps wrapped in Mylar.
I've been to two of the three holiday parties being hosted by various departments of the Archive, and the third is coming up this Tuesday. I have very grand intentions of making cookies for it, and haven't quite decided on what specifically yet. I'm torn between the classic shortbread recipe that I have, a new recipe for eggnog sugar cookies I recently found or the Lemongrass ginger cookies I made for a visit with a baby a while back. I think it'll depend on what ingredients I have and how little I have to get. The eggnog sugar cookies may win as a result.
And now a quick complaint. It's a bit boring, but tough.
I recently broke my own rule about never ordering Torrid clothes online and purchased four articles of clothes from them. I thought long and hard on a new early winter coat, a cardigan, a tank top and a sheer top before taking the plunge and purchasing them. This is where the issues began.
Against my better judgement, I trusted the size chart that Torrid has on their website. I have purchased clothes from them in person while in Buffalo occasionally, and am almost always a size 1. Despite this, their size chart dictates that the size I need to accommodate my chest is a size 3. So, I purchased all three items in a size 3.
The sheer, blue top I ordered is no longer on the site, but here's the other three pieces.
Now, one of the reasons I normally don't purchase things online from Torrid is that their shipping to Canada is horrendous. This is something I have never understood, since I can order things from Asos, a British company that sends things to Canada FREE of charge. I grant you that I can't track Asos purchases, but they arrive in a remarkably timely fashion without costing me an extra $40 in shipping fees. I managed to catch a sale with Torrid and more or less negated the cost of the shipping with the discounts I received on the clothes, while still actually paying the $40 shipping costs. Also, because these clothes are purchased outside the country, I need to pay duties and customs on them when they arrive in Canada. I'm used to that, and I usually avoid them by not purchasing things made outside of Canada.
Moving on. I received my package from Torrid and was fairly excited since I was now hoping to wear some of my new clothes to a party I was going to that night. I gleefully opened the package to then discover that every single thing I had ordered was far too big. The coat was big enough to have the entire front button panel cut off and it would still be too big. The tank top might have gotten me through a pregnancy it was so big, and the sheer top could have been taken in so much that the excess fabric could have been reattached to make a dress out of it. I measured and remeasured myself multiple times to ensure I had the right numbers before ordering. My chest is about 49" at the fullest (eg, exactly where they tell you to measure yourself), and according to Torrid, that makes me roughly a 3. HOW THE FUCK DO THE SIZE 1 CLOTHES FIT ME THEN?! What planet are they on that they can't even measure their own fucking products properly?!
WTF TORRID?!
Naturally I was a little upset by this. I packed everything back in the box, minus the sheer top since that was clearance item, and called their customer service in a few days to start the exchange process. This included making me pay to ship the clothes back to them. I also had to pay for the clothes I was receiving in exchange. I would not get a refund for the first round of clothes until the ones I sent back had arrived at Torrid. I don't have any complaints about that aspect, since it would seem quite fair. I do however, have complaints about the fact that, according to Canada Post, Torrid received said clothes 5 days ago, and have yet to give me a refund on my credit card. I'm going to give them until this upcoming Wednesday, which will be one week from date of receival, and then I plan to swear at them.
I also asked them if they could possibly write "exchange" somewhere on the box, since that's what it was, so I wouldn't get charged duties by Canada customs again for articles I already technically own. Apparently it "was beyond their jurisdiction" to simply write the word "exchange" on the box. Really. I got lucky and wasn't charged duties again, maybe because the stuff I sent back said "exchange" on it in huge letters.
I received the new, properly sized pieces in the mail on Saturday, and I am happy with them. The cardigan is really cute now that it fits, and the coat is just roomy enough to have a bulky sweater underneath it for an extra layer and still be comfy. I've asked my sister to see if she can look at the sheer top and salvage it for me, since I couldn't return it. The three pieces of clothing I bought have cost me and extra $120 in shipping and customs to receive. Fuck.
I will never order from their website again. They should consider themselves lucky if I even remotely consider purchasing from their stores in person ever again.
Time to move on to more Christmas-y stuff, like baking.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Finally a break
I'm finished class for the year. I'm on Christmas break until the 9th of January. Thank God.
So a quick apology for the lack of posting due to the above reasoning. I had quite a few projects due in the last week or so of class and an exam at 8am Monday morning last week. I did actually manage to cook every now and again, but I wasn't going to post until class was over. So here we go!
One of the last things I actually cooked and not insta-dinnered while I was studying was Pork Chops à la Grand-Mère. It was a multi-layered process, but I think it came out quite well. The spare chop was surprisingly edible the next day, and the spare potatoes made a great fry up later as a study dinner. This is another Canadian Living special.
Cover and bake in 425°F (220°C) oven until potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Uncover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
At least I can clean this place up now.
So a quick apology for the lack of posting due to the above reasoning. I had quite a few projects due in the last week or so of class and an exam at 8am Monday morning last week. I did actually manage to cook every now and again, but I wasn't going to post until class was over. So here we go!
One of the last things I actually cooked and not insta-dinnered while I was studying was Pork Chops à la Grand-Mère. It was a multi-layered process, but I think it came out quite well. The spare chop was surprisingly edible the next day, and the spare potatoes made a great fry up later as a study dinner. This is another Canadian Living special.
Pork Chops à la Grand-Mère (serves 4)
By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen
Ingredients
4 (about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick) bone-in pork loin centre-cut chops
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each of salt and pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 lb (907 g) onions, about 5
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) white wine vinegar
2 lb (907 g) peeled Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
3/4 cup (175 mL) sodium-reduced chicken broth
3/4 tsp (4 mL) each of salt and pepper
3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 lb (907 g) onions, about 5
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) white wine vinegar
2 lb (907 g) peeled Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
3/4 cup (175 mL) sodium-reduced chicken broth
Preparation:
Sprinkle chops with 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, brown chops, about 6 minutes. Transfer to plate. Drain any fat from pan.
In food processor with slicing blade, cut onions into 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick slices. In same skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat; cook onions, parsley, sugar and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the remaining salt and pepper, stirring often, until onions are golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
Meanwhile, in food processor, slice potatoes. In 12-cup (3 L) casserole, toss potatoes with thyme and remaining oil, salt and pepper. Pour broth over top. Place pork chops and any juices on potatoes; cover with onions.
In food processor with slicing blade, cut onions into 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick slices. In same skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat; cook onions, parsley, sugar and 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of the remaining salt and pepper, stirring often, until onions are golden, about 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
Meanwhile, in food processor, slice potatoes. In 12-cup (3 L) casserole, toss potatoes with thyme and remaining oil, salt and pepper. Pour broth over top. Place pork chops and any juices on potatoes; cover with onions.
Cover and bake in 425°F (220°C) oven until potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Uncover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
This was the fry up I did later! I just fried the potatoes a bit and had some scrambled eggs on the side.
So yummy!
I'm doing something quite different this year by way of being active in the blog world. I decided to join a card swap. I found this one through Craftzine, being organized by the lovely Vane Broussard of Brooklyn Bride. We gave her our info by a certain date and she sent out a group of addresses for us to send homemade Christmas cards to. I was the lone Canadian in my group, which had a Brit and five Americans including Vane. Kirsa's card was sent out almost a week and half ago to make it in time for Christmas, but here's a picture of the rest of them before I send them off tomorrow!
You may notice that the picture is of the reverse of the postcards I made. That's because I don't want the recipients to see the cards prior to receiving them. I'll post pictures of the finished card after Christmas, along with the ones I receive from the group!
Otherwise, I'm working on Christmas gifts at the moment. I am so disorganized this year, I barely have anything! I've gotten gifts for my sister and roommate, and that's about it. Threadless and Etsy saved me there in both cases. I'm planning on doing a run to Outer Layer here in Toronto for my Mom soon, my Dad however will be the hard one. As per usual. With any luck the presents that I ordered for myself from Society6 and Torrid will be arriving soon.
In other news, we're going to New York City! Again! We found a good deal on a bus ride and the hostels still have some space for early January, so hopefully we can take advantage of it soon and head out for the New Year. I already have a list of restaurants and food carts I want to go to!
Monday, November 21, 2011
I promised myself that I wouldn't do anything for my blog post until I had finished my thesis proposal draft. Since it's now as finished as it's going to get, posting time!
It was quite the week for food and alcohol in this house. My buddy Rob was kind enough to get myself and the roomie free tickets to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo this past weekend. Sadly, at the last minute neither he, or my roomie could go (Booo). So, fortunately, last minute, two of my classmates were able to go in their place. We had a lot of wine, scotch, cheese, ice wine and I had managed to get this lovely Salmon with apple slaw and Asia noodle dish as a main course. Sooooo tasty.
Food Network was sponsoring a chef's stage at the expo, and since we were there on the Thursday, we lucked out and saw a Q&A period with Chuck Hughes. Sadly, he'd just been taken off of The Next Iron Chef after losing at Battle Tofu. He's still got his own show, his two restaurants, and is really cute.So, screw Iron Chef.
Chuck was awesome and hung around for almost an hour after the presentation to sign autographs and take pictures, all with a smile. We decided to all go up at once and only have one picture taken since he was kinda getting tired by the time we got to him.
Also, we totally dorked out at a free photobooth. There are two more of these, the girls have them. We are such nerds.
On Saturday the roommate was able to come to Improv Toronto's Fast Food Dining event at McDonald's. Dinners were asked to wear formal or semi-formal attire and provide a table cloth, fine dishware and flatware and wine glasses that waiters would set up on the tables while you ordered your food, you then gave your food to them to serve you. I will say that they needed a bit more organization once they arrived. My friends and I ended up setting up our own table since the waiters ended up being stretched a bit thin between the two floors of the Bloor street McDonald's. None the less, it was fun, and entertaining to eat a Big Mac with a knife and fork.
So, all in all a good weekend. Hopefully that will bolster me through my last two weeks of class.
It was quite the week for food and alcohol in this house. My buddy Rob was kind enough to get myself and the roomie free tickets to the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo this past weekend. Sadly, at the last minute neither he, or my roomie could go (Booo). So, fortunately, last minute, two of my classmates were able to go in their place. We had a lot of wine, scotch, cheese, ice wine and I had managed to get this lovely Salmon with apple slaw and Asia noodle dish as a main course. Sooooo tasty.
I have no idea what the sauce was, but it was awesome.
Eeeeeeeeeee!!! Chuck Hughes! Also: Fucking tofu! Photo taken by Melodie's iPhone. Damn he's tall.
Chuck was awesome and hung around for almost an hour after the presentation to sign autographs and take pictures, all with a smile. We decided to all go up at once and only have one picture taken since he was kinda getting tired by the time we got to him.
Also, we totally dorked out at a free photobooth. There are two more of these, the girls have them. We are such nerds.
On Saturday the roommate was able to come to Improv Toronto's Fast Food Dining event at McDonald's. Dinners were asked to wear formal or semi-formal attire and provide a table cloth, fine dishware and flatware and wine glasses that waiters would set up on the tables while you ordered your food, you then gave your food to them to serve you. I will say that they needed a bit more organization once they arrived. My friends and I ended up setting up our own table since the waiters ended up being stretched a bit thin between the two floors of the Bloor street McDonald's. None the less, it was fun, and entertaining to eat a Big Mac with a knife and fork.
So, all in all a good weekend. Hopefully that will bolster me through my last two weeks of class.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Wishlists...
I should not be allowed to browse shopping sites. I never buy anything, but this e-window shopping is taking up way to much of my time. I have found some pretty things though...
Ikea's definitely the most dangerous site, especially around November when they release their Holiday items! While I'm not a huge fan of stereotypical Swedish design, I love Ikea's Christmas stuff. I usually wait until the new year to buy it, it's on sale. I may not be able to wait this year though...
Top to bottom, left to right:
Godis Glasses, 6 pack for $4.99. They're a bit Christmasey, but the design could be year long in a cabin theme!
Yrsno garland, assorted designs, $0.79. My mom sometimes buys garlands like these and uses them as decorative ribbon on presents, and if they're this cheap, I might too! They are totally recyclable as well.
Yrsno wreath: $16.99 (each). I'm on the fence of these ones. I'm worried they look a litte too plastic and fake, and I'm well aware they are plastic and fake. Sometime metallics look expensive and classy. I may have to inspect these closely in the store.
Slom bottle with topper, $2.99. A water bottle for dinners or entertaining? A pretty centrepiece? Both?
Yrsno hanging decorations, glass birds, 2 pack for $7.99. Cute!
Yrsno reindeer decoration, 4 pack for $2.99. Given my affinity for moose, these guys aren't far off.
Strala white forest lighting decoration, $29.99. Holy crap these are gorgeous. They would look fabulous along a window sill on a cool winter's eve. I'd need 12 of them to spread the length of our living room windows, but a minor setback in the greater scheme of things.
And a puppy. With a Gun.
Torrid has got some nice stuff at the moment. I do sometimes go to their stores if I'm near one in the states. Their shipping to Canada sucks the bag however, so I'm a bit timid about ordering online form them again. The first time I ordered something from them the products were great but it cost $35 to ship a T-shirt and set of magnets. Yep. I'd imagine if I got something like that wonderful vintage inspired dress, the shipping wouldn't seem as bad since the dress already costs about $120.
Stop Staring! Tiffany Black full dress, $120.50.
Black feather print beaded tank top, $28.50.
Black allover lace blazer, $64.50.
Teal jacquard pocket dress with belt, $68.50.
New Look is something I've come to discovered recently through some clothes blogging. I have yet to order anything from them, but it looks like they've got some nice stuff. I think I have finally worked out what my size is in the UK, so one less problem there.
Floral printer dress, $27.60 (CAD equivalent).
Feather print top, $24.25 (CAD equivalent).
Crossover platform ankle boots, $47.30 (CAD equivalent).
Top to bottom, left to right:
Godis Glasses, 6 pack for $4.99. They're a bit Christmasey, but the design could be year long in a cabin theme!
Yrsno garland, assorted designs, $0.79. My mom sometimes buys garlands like these and uses them as decorative ribbon on presents, and if they're this cheap, I might too! They are totally recyclable as well.
Yrsno wreath: $16.99 (each). I'm on the fence of these ones. I'm worried they look a litte too plastic and fake, and I'm well aware they are plastic and fake. Sometime metallics look expensive and classy. I may have to inspect these closely in the store.
Slom bottle with topper, $2.99. A water bottle for dinners or entertaining? A pretty centrepiece? Both?
Yrsno hanging decorations, glass birds, 2 pack for $7.99. Cute!
Yrsno reindeer decoration, 4 pack for $2.99. Given my affinity for moose, these guys aren't far off.
Strala white forest lighting decoration, $29.99. Holy crap these are gorgeous. They would look fabulous along a window sill on a cool winter's eve. I'd need 12 of them to spread the length of our living room windows, but a minor setback in the greater scheme of things.
Bahahahahahahahahahaha. My roommate's agreed to having this in our living room. It may not go with the decor, but who cares. I love Society 6. Affordable art for all!
Stop Staring! Tiffany Black full dress, $120.50.
Black feather print beaded tank top, $28.50.
Black allover lace blazer, $64.50.
Teal jacquard pocket dress with belt, $68.50.
Floral printer dress, $27.60 (CAD equivalent).
Feather print top, $24.25 (CAD equivalent).
Crossover platform ankle boots, $47.30 (CAD equivalent).
Monday, November 14, 2011
Chicken stir-fry or sorts.
It was one of those night where I had a variety of stuff in the fridge, none of which was really enough to make a recipe I already had. Time to MacGyver it! I loosely followed a recipe from a Canadian Eat Right: Quick & Healthy Family Meals for Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry that I really like, mostly using the sauce and technique for making the dish, but I used chicken and a lot more vegetables.
Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced gingerroot
1/2 cup of frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup - 2/3 cup of sliced mushrooms
large handful of spinach (can be omitted, wasn't great in the finished dish)
thinly sliced green onions
1/2 package of rice noodle.
-In a large bowl of boiling water, submerge the rice noodles. Add some more boiling water about half way through the cooking process for the stir-fry, and then ignore them.
-In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of water, oyster sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
-Slice chicken into small 1 inch pieces and mix with hoisin sauce in bowl. Set aside.
-In frying pan, over medium high heat, heat half the vegetable oil. Cook the chicken until no longer pink inside. Remove from pan unto plate.
-Add remaining oil to pan and stir-fry mushrooms, garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Cover and then steam for 2 minutes.
-Add peas and spinach, if using, and stir. Return chicken and any juices, and add oyster sauce. Mix well and cook until slightly thickened, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Drain rice noodles in a colander, and rinse in cool water so they can be handled. Ensure the noodles are soft to the touch and taste. Place in the frying pan and mix well.
-Garnish with green onions and serve!
Doesn't it look good though? The recipe in general worked out really well, but I found the spinach was a little too bitter, so I probably wouldn't use it again for this. It did make up for how much time I had to spend working on my literature survey and 3 presentations I have to give this upcoming week. All by Tuesday night. Weehee. I may be eating a fair bit of take-out and instant stuff due to lack of time for the next few days.
Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp minced gingerroot
1/2 cup of frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup - 2/3 cup of sliced mushrooms
large handful of spinach (can be omitted, wasn't great in the finished dish)
thinly sliced green onions
1/2 package of rice noodle.
-In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of water, oyster sauce and cornstarch. Set aside.
-Slice chicken into small 1 inch pieces and mix with hoisin sauce in bowl. Set aside.
-In frying pan, over medium high heat, heat half the vegetable oil. Cook the chicken until no longer pink inside. Remove from pan unto plate.
-Add remaining oil to pan and stir-fry mushrooms, garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Cover and then steam for 2 minutes.
-Add peas and spinach, if using, and stir. Return chicken and any juices, and add oyster sauce. Mix well and cook until slightly thickened, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Drain rice noodles in a colander, and rinse in cool water so they can be handled. Ensure the noodles are soft to the touch and taste. Place in the frying pan and mix well.
-Garnish with green onions and serve!
Working away at the computer, as per usual these days.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
An Esty kitchen
I'm writing my thesis proposal while wandering through Etsy for accessories to my dream vintage, cabin-inspired kitchen. This site is dangerous.
A chicken Recipe box! I like chickens, although I'm trying to be quiet about it so everyone I know doesn't buy me chicken stuff. Choice pieces, not crazy chicken lady. My recipe collection wouldn't even remotely fit, so maybe a general "stuff" box.
Everyone needs a cookie tin or two. This just happens to be nautical as well. I'd probably line with parchment paper or something before I put any actual food in it, but a minor thing.
Yep. But they are cute!
I know it says that this is a decorative tile, so I could hang it on a wall. How about a trivet? Maybe? Either way, it's pretty awesome.
I love having canisters on the counter to hold the most frequently used baking and cooking ingredients. That being said, nine times out of ten, vintage ones are labeled. That can be nice, but most of them have a 'coffee' label. I hate coffee and don't have it in my kitchen. This set isn't labeled, and a has a lovely floral design on it. Win, win!
This is one of my favorite finds so far. Its got great colour and its still in great shape. A good centerpiece, or on an open shelf maybe?
This is a little different. I have a great appreciation for the subversive. Also, this piece has the added bonus of being a functioning clock. It's not cabin-y, and only so vintage, but it's funny. It would go perfectly in a kitchen, dining area that already has a sign that says "Free your inner psychopath."
Sigh.... back to thesis work.
This is a little different. I have a great appreciation for the subversive. Also, this piece has the added bonus of being a functioning clock. It's not cabin-y, and only so vintage, but it's funny. It would go perfectly in a kitchen, dining area that already has a sign that says "Free your inner psychopath."
Sigh.... back to thesis work.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
A lazy afternoon
So instead of reading for my literature survey like a good little grad student, I'm going through fashion, vintage and food blogs. Procrastination level high. Maybe I'll go to the library this afternoon to redeem myself. Maybe not.
I think I've discovered one of my old classmates in the blogosphere, specifically in 'Round Raglan Road. It's a young lady named Alison Little, and by the looks of it she's the same one that I went to elementary and high school with. I wonder if she'd remember "conversational wookie" from the Italy trip. None the less, she's as fabulous as ever blogging about plus fashion and life in general.
I've been addicted to Solanah for a while now over at Vintage Vixen. I really admire her ability to go all out with Vintage wears and truly rock them all. Like myself she's got a figure that suit the (better) tailoring of yesteryear... I'm a few sizes to big for most of it but c'est la vie. Thanks to her many, many links I have been able to find some plus sized vintage to drool over as well. I also just discovered Diary of a Vintage Girl and the lovely and charming Fleur de Guerre through Vintage Vixen. Next time I'm in London or Washington, I'm stalking them both for vintage. That doesn't sound creepy does it?
I spend well too much time on Canadian Living and Apartment Therapy. Enough said.
I think I've discovered one of my old classmates in the blogosphere, specifically in 'Round Raglan Road. It's a young lady named Alison Little, and by the looks of it she's the same one that I went to elementary and high school with. I wonder if she'd remember "conversational wookie" from the Italy trip. None the less, she's as fabulous as ever blogging about plus fashion and life in general.
I've been addicted to Solanah for a while now over at Vintage Vixen. I really admire her ability to go all out with Vintage wears and truly rock them all. Like myself she's got a figure that suit the (better) tailoring of yesteryear... I'm a few sizes to big for most of it but c'est la vie. Thanks to her many, many links I have been able to find some plus sized vintage to drool over as well. I also just discovered Diary of a Vintage Girl and the lovely and charming Fleur de Guerre through Vintage Vixen. Next time I'm in London or Washington, I'm stalking them both for vintage. That doesn't sound creepy does it?
I spend well too much time on Canadian Living and Apartment Therapy. Enough said.
Pft. Like I need a reason.
I think my next cookie project should be this one. I've had Mexican Wedding Cakes a lot, and my Mom's recipe is pretty awesome. I found this one on the Kitchn website. Fall baking anyone?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Halloween and an archive update!
Yeah, it's a been a while since I have posted on here. So a bullet point update is in order.
-The PhotoHistory XV symposium was last weekend in Rochester, New York, and a bunch of us did some planning and managed to get down for it. We had a great time and caught some very interesting lectures. One of my favorites was about the cameras that were on the top of Mount Everest in 1954 when the summit was first, fully climbed. It was great to see Team Rochester as well, and a good, drunken time was had by all.
-I've been working at the Archives of Ontario for a few weeks now as part of my Master's program, and I'm having a fabulous time. I've ding so much stuff and generally making some of my fellow students a bit jealous about it. Most importantly, I think I've sussed out my plan for my thesis, which had been a niggley thing for the past few weeks. Once I've got a solid body of work decided upon, I will further post my idea here!
-Halloween. This year was a D.I.Y.O.D.S. (Do it your own damn self) and thrift store special. My classmates hosted a party and my roommate and I went along for some house party and Wreckroom action. My roommate spent almost a year pulling together pieces from Craigslist and Value Village to create her own Shera costume. The best part was a hideous gold dress she butchered for parts to create the headdress, insignia, belt and armbands. I was inspired by one of Meg Allan Coles's old Decor it Yourself videos for Threadbanger, I had decided to go as Melanie Daniels from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and had managed to find a skirt and retro-ish jacket in tweed, in my size (that's the miracle part of this) from Value Village. I picked up some fake birds from Micheal's and Dollarama, and attached them to the jacket, skirt and my hair. I added a bandage to my head to show the last scene in the movie when she's been attacked and is being taken to the hospital. I also managed to put some peck and scratch marks on my legs, chest and face to complete the look. I only had one casualty over the course of the evening, about an hour into our time at Wreckroom I found a trampled foam bird on the ground. Other than that, I was really proud of the costume.
Back to work, back to school and hopefully some food along the way.
-The PhotoHistory XV symposium was last weekend in Rochester, New York, and a bunch of us did some planning and managed to get down for it. We had a great time and caught some very interesting lectures. One of my favorites was about the cameras that were on the top of Mount Everest in 1954 when the summit was first, fully climbed. It was great to see Team Rochester as well, and a good, drunken time was had by all.
-I've been working at the Archives of Ontario for a few weeks now as part of my Master's program, and I'm having a fabulous time. I've ding so much stuff and generally making some of my fellow students a bit jealous about it. Most importantly, I think I've sussed out my plan for my thesis, which had been a niggley thing for the past few weeks. Once I've got a solid body of work decided upon, I will further post my idea here!
-Halloween. This year was a D.I.Y.O.D.S. (Do it your own damn self) and thrift store special. My classmates hosted a party and my roommate and I went along for some house party and Wreckroom action. My roommate spent almost a year pulling together pieces from Craigslist and Value Village to create her own Shera costume. The best part was a hideous gold dress she butchered for parts to create the headdress, insignia, belt and armbands. I was inspired by one of Meg Allan Coles's old Decor it Yourself videos for Threadbanger, I had decided to go as Melanie Daniels from Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, and had managed to find a skirt and retro-ish jacket in tweed, in my size (that's the miracle part of this) from Value Village. I picked up some fake birds from Micheal's and Dollarama, and attached them to the jacket, skirt and my hair. I added a bandage to my head to show the last scene in the movie when she's been attacked and is being taken to the hospital. I also managed to put some peck and scratch marks on my legs, chest and face to complete the look. I only had one casualty over the course of the evening, about an hour into our time at Wreckroom I found a trampled foam bird on the ground. Other than that, I was really proud of the costume.
Back to work, back to school and hopefully some food along the way.
Monday, October 10, 2011
A varied week
It has been an interesting week in the Casa del Raglan, filled with a fair amount of food, almost none of which I managed to document the entire way through. With every recipe I make, I am filled with enthusiasm and take pictures of the process as I go along, but as the dish gets near the end I forget to take pictures or get too busy with the cooking itself. This week is a tribute to some of those dishes. I did manage to have one recipe that's documented the entire way through, and one recipe that I have pictures of the finished product, not the making of.
This was an amazing recipe I found for Curried Pork Burgers on the Canadian Living website. I've never had the best luck with burger recipes, and the fresh coriander had me worried since I find it tastes awful at the best of times. However, this recipe was quite a winner, and the burgers were amazing!
This was a case of getting distracted by the meal, since once the burgers were finished grilling on my roommate's Foreman Grill, I was wanted to eat the burger immediately rather than take pictures of it getting cold. It was worth not taking pictures, this recipe is amazing!! Go try it! NOW!!
These were french fries that I made to go with a panko crusted baked fish filet for fish n' chips. The fish itself may not have been the best choice (Tilapia, a.k.a. tasteless), but the dish in general was quite good. This was pretty much the only picture I took of that adventure, the breading of the fish being really messy and not camera friendly.
I was quite proud of this. My Mom has a not-so-secret family recipe for Rigatoni, which I ate throughout my childhood and loved. I attempted to make it years ago and failed, miserably. I ended up throwing two thirds of the casserole out, it was that bad. I had bee a bit skittish in attempting to try it again until recently, when I was able to summon the courage to try it again due to a) Italian pork sausages being sale at my local grocery store, and b) I called my Mom to clarify some things about my copy of the recipe. I'm glad I did, since it worked beautifully this time and tasted just like I remember. It was a bit time consuming to make and required my attention most of the time, so picture taking was forgotten about most of the time. It also resulted in many oil burns on my hand since I was paying too much attention to the camera while taking pictures instead of the cooking pork sausages. Thanks to my years of working in a grocery store kitchen, I didn't feel those burns after about five minutes, and they haven't left any marks.
This was a dinner/lunch leftover recipe for my mid week slump. It's pretty much Kraft Dinner with hotdogs and green onions. I boiled the hotdogs while boiling the pasta and threw the green onions in after I mixed the cheese sauce in. I like to leave the kd covered for five minutes before serving since it thickens up the sauce a bit. All it needs is some ketchup and you have the most Canadian dish ever.
This is the more-or-less fully documented meal! I pulled out my Nova Scotia Cooking Recipe book and made two recipes; the herbed biscuits that I made last year and posted about here, and the Bubbly Bake. The biscuits were great as usual, and I was fairly pleased with the bake as it went along. The sauce tasted amazing as it was being made, but I'm not sure what happened during the baking. My roommate is more knowledgeable about seafood than I am, and said that wine will give scallops a very sharp taste, which explains the strong aftertaste the scallops had when finished. I used cooking wine since we had run out of real wine, but I'm wondering if I try this again with real wine it might be better, and with a nice wine... I hope so, because if I can get rid of the sharp taste this bake was awesome!
Bubbly Bake
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb scallops
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
1/3 cup 18% cream
1/3 cup white wine
salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Rinse scallops and set aside.
In saucepan, melt butter, and saute green onions and mushrooms until onions become transparent.
Add flour and mix thoroughly; add cream and stir until sauce has thickened.
Add wine, salt and pepper, stirring until completely blended.
Add scallops and pour into a 1 1/2 quart (1.5 L) casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes.
Bubbly Bake
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb scallops
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp flour
1/3 cup 18% cream
1/3 cup white wine
salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Rinse scallops and set aside.
In saucepan, melt butter, and saute green onions and mushrooms until onions become transparent.
Add flour and mix thoroughly; add cream and stir until sauce has thickened.
Add wine, salt and pepper, stirring until completely blended.
Add scallops and pour into a 1 1/2 quart (1.5 L) casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs.
Bake in preheated 350F oven for 25 minutes.
The biscuits were great for soaking up the sauce!
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