Month: June 2012

Double Trouble

Sadie1 Comment

What do you know about Hartford, Connecticut?  My answer is: not much.  Which is interesting because that is where I am spending the summer.  I got a great summer internship in Hartford, so I had the fun task of finding a place to live for 10 weeks.  I hate apartment hunting, I seem to do it too often.  This is my 6th apartment since college, which doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but I had my five year college reunion this year.  That means I average less than a year in each apartment (not to mention a few stretches at the parents house between places).  At this point I can move with the best of them.

Pack the apartment? easy.

Cancel my utilities and start the new utilities?  no problem.

Deal with the cabel guy(s)? with pleasure.

Forward my mail? duh.

Change addresses for everything important? no sweat.

Hand over the old keys and get the new keys? ok.

Corral my brothers to do the heavy lifting and UHaul driving?  I’m going to need back up:

Dark Chocolate Cookies with Espresso

From Martha

Yields about 2 dozen (maybe less)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbs espresso powder
  • 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (4 oz to melt, and 4 oz to chop)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Sift together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt), and set aside.
  3. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add eggs and vanilla.
  4. Add espresso powder to melted chocolate and combine with wet mixture.  Make sure the chocolate is not too warm because it will cook the eggs.  Combine slowly and keep mixing to avoid this problem.  Slowly add in dry mixture.  Finally, fold in chopped chocolate.
  5. Spoon dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Remove cookies and allow to cool.

I’ve concluded that there is no such thing as an “easy move,” and my brothers will be in bad mood reguardless of the baked goods provided.  But these are certainly a step in the right direction and a much needed shot of sugar/chocolate/energy, during a long day of moving.

Do you have any good tricks or advice to make a move easier?

Ramen Noodle Salad

Carrie1 Comment

Here is a great recipe for a crowd. It’s quick and easy but will definitely be the hit of your next picnic. It can also hold up in the heat so it’s great for your next outdoor soirée.

Ramen Noodle Salad

Salad Base
1 pkg broccoli slaw
1 bunch scallions chopped
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 pkgs ramen beef noodles (crumbled)

Sauce
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 pkg seasoning from ramen noodles

Mix ingredients for salad base together in a bowl. Mix ingredients for sauce in another bowl. Combine salad and sauce. Best to let the flavors mingle for at least an hour before serving.

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South, But Not Too South

Sadie2 Comments

When I was stopping at Cracker Barrel for lunch on my way out of Virginia (a tradition for me) I saw a shirt that said something to the effect of: Virginia: South but not too South.  An interesting concept.  Virginia is indeed below the Mason-Dixon line, but it would be inaccurate to lump it in with many of the states below it.  It is pretty diverse as a state with some serious and important urban areas near DC, then some western wilderness if you will, and my neck of the woods which is pleasant and residential and beachy out towards Virginia Beach.

There is, however, one difference I noticed when I moved there that has to be a Southern thing.  The salads.  I grew up with the concept of a salad being mostly composed of greens, plus a few accessories.  I have learned that greens (lettuce, that is), is not even a required ingredient in southern salads.  There are salads of many varieties that don’t involve lettuce at all: cucumber, chicken, potato, pasta, bean, tuna…  I’ve heard of and experienced some of these variations in the past, but have not experienced the pervasive nature of these dishes until moving to the south.  They are everywhere you look!

I’m torn because though there are some nutritious aspects to these dishes, I’m pretty sure that they remove a lot of the healthy benefits of the green salad.   I’m not so thrilled with the abundance of dressing and starch if I’m looking for a light option.

But as the saying goes: If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!  Below is pretty healthy version of a bean salad that was actually passed along to me by a nutritionist I’ve seen in the past.  Don’t quote me on the nutritional facts, but with the lighter dressing and several healthy components, it’s hard to go wrong!  It’s a great side dish for a backyard barbecue!

Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 15 oz. can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 cup corn (frozen niblets is easiest)
  • 1 chopped bell pepper
  • 10 chopped cherry tomatoes
  • parsley to garnish
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Method

  1. Wisk together vinegar, oil, garlic, lemon juice, and sugar.
  2. Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, bell pepper.  Toss with dressing.  Garnish with parsley, and add salt and pepper to taste.

PS- My favorite summer commercial.  I can’t get enough of it!