My Way, No. 12

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— I was extremely busy this past week and could not find the time to blog. So, I will try to let you know some of the things I’ve been up to. But, before we get into all of that, I wanted to express my deepest appreciation to the late Martin Luther King, Jr. and his family. I, like so many others, would have never had the opportunities that have come my way without them. I believe MLK’s legacy has been felt across all of the nations. So, today, we honor that legacy. It encourages one to stand up for what one believes in. Common men and women have sometimes had as great an impact on society as royalty and world leaders (if not greater, in some instances, perhaps).

— From the Arizona Jewish Post, I thought this was a very thoughtful MLK, Jr. Day article.

— You know I love food and often write up all sorts of food-related tidbits on this blog. On this MLK, Jr. Day, I thought it would be cool to showcase a few chefs and recipes from the US and Britain (as you know, I adore British culture & food). Speaking of Britain, have you ever seen the television show Chef? I do not recall when it ran because many times we (the US) receive British programming much later than the original air dates. Perhaps it was from the 90’s…it was such a fab and funny show. I’m sure it’s in some sort of digital format, so check it out if you get the chance.

Avocado Tacos & Brown Butter Roasted Tomato Pasta by Latrice Fowler, African-American Chefs Shine in Atlanta, Black America Cooks, The Top Black Chefs Around the World, 3 Black Vegan Chefs You Should Know. From Britain: Mustard, Bacon, and Caramelised Onion Scones & Pea, Courgette, and Parmesan Rosti w/ Tangy Tomato Dressing by Ainsley Harriot, Spicy Curry Carrot Chutney by Jo Wesley and Avril Rogers, Pancetta Wrapped Scallops w/ Quince and Pear by Patrick Williams, Chai-Spiced Ginger and Date Tea Loaf by Kimberley Wilson, Pumpkin and Sunflower Seeds Savoury Biscuits by Enwezor, Lamb, Yam, and Butternut Squash Soup by Lenny Henry, Nice and Spicy Thai Chicken Salad (Larb Gai) & Vegetarian Nut Roast Pie w/ Cranberries by Lorraine Pascale, Citrus and Pomegranate Salad w/ Chili Honey Dressing & Lime and Cranberry Bread and Butter Pudding by Levi Roots.

— Also from Britain: Is the Media Industry Sufficiently Diverse?

— Have you ever been under a time crunch and forced to go to places and do things you would rather not? That’s how last week was for me. Sometimes, my whereabouts/locations can make things difficult. I managed to make the Minimalist Entryway Organizer I wrote about. Instead of bungee cords and a wood frame, I went for a solid wood plaque and elastic. I attached the elastic with a staple gun and drilled a hole in the back for hanging. Such a practical idea for your keys, glasses, etc.:

Also, I’m making a shelf, so I stained a cedar board (after power sanding) with a mixture of coffee and black tea (as I wrote about in my post on The Many Uses of Food Powders). I used soybean oil for finishing, but I’m sure you could use any fixed drying oil (like linseed, hemp, walnut, or sunflower). Super easy and inexpensive. The lighting wasn’t great, so I do not think the pic (before and after) does it justice. It’s a rich caramel color — turned out beautifully:

— I had to pick up a few items for my mom and snapped a couple of cute DIY craft pics:

These DIY’s were made by the store staff. The ‘button letter’ would be totally fun in a child’s room. Or, if you have a more eclectic decor, you could probably make it work in any setting (possibly changing up the color scheme). First initials for couples would be a neat idea.

— What have I been eating this past week? Well, I made a few more of the Detox Drinks with a repeat of the Grapefruit-Cado. I forgot to mention that anytime the recipes call for juice, I use whole fruit. It was such a busy week that I didn’t get a chance to make granola bars. Luckily, I found some organic store-bought ones that were wickedly reduced in price. SQUEAL DEAL! They saved me! I always like to carry some sort of snack bar with me when I go out (so I don’t grab at the nearest candy protein bar in a vending machine, haha). And, I had a couple for snacks in place of my (of late) usual nuts, figs, oatmeal & honey, or za’atar roasted chickpeas. I’ve found the chickpeas curb my cravings for sweets (as you know, I have a sweet tooth). I did have time to whip up a quick cream of roasted garlic and white asparagus soup (with olive oil roux & skim milk, finished with a little extra-virgin and chiles):

And, the Sicilian Roasted Potatoes I made for Christmas have made an appearance 4 or 5 times now. Perhaps I will take a pic soon. I’ve started using a mix of baby Yukons and sweet potatoes. Really quite delicious. As I had a lot of running around to do, I made a batch of egg sandwich fillers. I reheat them in the oven or on the stove, but I suppose you could use the micro (not too long, they might get rubbery). I just used leftover veggies and cooked them in oval rings to fit my homemade bagels. I start them on the stove top and then give them a hit under the broiler:

1) Spinach, Red Bell, White Asparagus, Garlic 2) Kale, Black Olive, Red Onion 3) Broccoli, Feta, Chile (just a little bit of cheese, and my body seemed to handle it OK) 4) Marinated & Grilled Artichokes, Capers, Tomatoes.
Other than that, I began to have a few heavier meals starting with a yummy hamburger (on a bagel, of course 😉 ) and a side of healthy Brussels and smashed baby Yukons bubble and squeak.

— I love to collect tea tins, so I was excited when my fave step-uncle brought me back this Burapa Bird’s Nest Beverage from his trip to Malaysia:

— I was inspired by this Pitaya Breakfast Bowl to purchase dragon fruit for the first time. Wonderful! I consumed some raw and threw the rest in the freezer for smoothies:

— Remember the DIY Silk Scarf Kaftan I posted? Well, here’s a DIY Kimono Cape along the same lines. While running errands for my mom, I saw someone with a gorgeous kimono fabric. You can make this piece with just a couple of scarves, needle & thread, though. Also, make sure to check out the link from this blog post on how to dye shoes.

— From organization to DIY suds: 8 Laundry Room Hacks, Tips, and Ideas.

Take care! See you next time!

My Way, No. 8

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Why do people have to tempt you??? I was all set to keep my cheese fast going through Christmas, until I saw these Cranberry-Sage Goat Cheese Crostini. Now, I’m like…um, excuse me, I’m making these! I have been reading this PNW farmer’s blog for a while and really like it. Even though I am a suburbia girl through and through, I have a bit of farm-envy. It’s nice to be able to go the farmer’s markets, get CSA’s, etc., but how awesome must it be if you are the producer and CSA?!

— So, I said in a recent ‘My Way’ post that I was disappointed about not being involved in the joint Jewish Federation-Salvation Army Thanksgiving turkey carving this year. I really missed seeing my cohorts from the past few years. Well, thankfully I was blessed to catch up for the Christmas carving. Many new faces this year including this fab restaurant staff who worked with lightning speed:

This year will be the first year the public meal will be served at the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, instead of the Tucson Convention Center. Usually only the Thanksgiving meal is held there, as the church holds a Christmas service. The Convention Center is remodeling their kitchen this year, though.

— I have been really enjoying the bagel recipe I recently posted! I have made a few batches now. I like to get 6 smaller bagels each batch, and I usually add just a touch more honey/palm sugar. I wanted to make sandwich petite baguettes this past week, and then an idea struck me: how about using the bagel recipe and shaping it like baguette? My reasoning for this cheat came because of my love for the brevity of this recipe: you let the yeast activate for a few minutes, give it a good whirl/knead in the food processor, let it rest for 3 minutes, cut your portions, shape it, allow 10 minutes for it to rise, boil 30 seconds on each side, bake 20 minutes, and you’re done. So, in an hour or so (maybe less), you can have fresh bread. Much shorter than my baguette or Italian bread recipes. Well, I tried it and loved it. I cut the dough into 4 portions, shaped it like a log (kind of tapered at the ends), and made a few slits across the top. I boiled them just like a bagel, too. I thought they might take longer, but they were done in the same amount of time. Again, I baked them in a cast iron pan on the top rack. The first one I used right away for a dairy & fried Hanukkah meal of cream of roasted garlic and crimini mushroom soup and fried eggplant sandwich. I had an artichoke heart that needed to be used (I had only eaten the leaves), so I made a spread with it and some light mayo, and added just tomato, lettuce, and red onion. I didn’t toast the bread, just left it as is, and it was fab. SO good! I used skim milk for the soup, but didn’t know if I would like it. It was fine, though, and I couldn’t tell the difference from a higher fat milk. I have thought about making the bagel/baguettes as gifts now, as they’re so easy:

— Animals are so fascinating, aren’t they? Check out this story about birds that ‘Heard Tornadoes Coming and Fled One Day Ahead.’ Amazing. And…take a look at these totally cute cheetah cubs. They are SO precious!

— Are you having any cocktails this Holiday season? If so, check out a few of these simple DIY recipes: Homemade Grenadine, Homemade Tonic Water, 10 Homemade Liqueurs. Also, here’s a few festive drinks that look like they would hit the spot: Blackberry & Sage Champagne Cocktail, Pomegranate Christmas Cocktail, Christmas Grasshopper with Candy Canes, 25 Holiday Cocktails.

— If you are going to be baking up a storm or using your oven much for the Holidays, I thought I would link you to some recipes for Homemade Oven Cleaners.

— Lastly, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, so here are a couple of Trending Dress ideas. I saw on another site that black and gold is in. Black is a no-go for me, so I guess it’ll have to be gold, lol. Not including the pic at the top, the 6th one down is my fave (even though it’s black 😉 ).

I will probably not post anything else until after Christmas, so I hope you have a lovely Holiday and will see you next time!

Recipe: New York-Style Bagels

I have been wanting to make bagels for a month or so, but I kept putting it off. I realized why: I didn’t really love the recipe I had. I cannot remember where I obtained it, but I guess it didn’t meet my expectations. Growing up in New York, you have your fair share of great bagels. So, I tend to compare everything to that (perhaps unfairly). A bagel maker in New York told me that the NY water makes a difference in the end product. Well, being miles away from that water (and in the desert, no less), I set about finding another recipe that would satisfy me. The first one I tested turned out to be a winner! Yay! I wanted a basic whole wheat bagel (NY-style) and found this:

NYer Whole Wheat Bagel

The recipe calls for raw sugar, but I subbed a mixture of brown palm sugar and dark honey. *As a side note, from what I’ve been reading, palm sugar has a lower glycemic index/load, so it might be helpful for those needing to watch their sugars. Honey, of course, is very high. I’ll have to do a little more research on it, though.* I shortcut the mixing by using my food processor. It really speeds things up! I also use a large spatula to flip my bagels (in the boiling water) instead of tongs, and I find it works just fine. The recipe divides the dough into 4 portions and the bagels are huge! I think you could easily get 5 very large bagels, or 6 if you wanted a smaller size. Most good quality bagels you purchase are at least a dollar or more for 1…So, for 3 cups of flour (and a few other ingredients), I think 4-6 bagels is a great value.

As I was only making a test batch of 4, I used cast iron pans instead of a baking sheet. I put them on the top rack (so the bottoms wouldn’t brown too quickly) and baked them for the minimum allotted time. They were dense, chewy, and bagel-ish, as they should be (to me, anyway). I think the reason I didn’t care for my previous recipe was that it lacked the bagel-ish texture I love. It was more like a loaf of bread would be, just shaped like a bagel. I decided to use a few different toppings, along with a plain one: sesame, oats, and teff. Sesame and Asiago Cheese are my faves, after that, maybe Everything bagels. I’m still fasting from full-fat cheese, so I used my non-fat homemade yogurt cheese on the plain bagel (pic). As I said, the bagel was so big, so I didn’t eat anything else for the rest of the day, haha. * Also as a side…In school, I had to host a lecture on nutrition/fitness, so I chose the topic of portion control. I included a slideshow called ‘Portion Distortion’ that takes a look at how portion sizes have increased over the years. It’s really eye-opening. If you’re interested, here’s the link: Portion Distortion Go to the slideshow PDF’s at the bottom of the page.*

These were quite easy to make (especially using a food processor), so I think they would make a great Holiday gift. Mini bagels would also be a fab idea. Adding a batch or two of homemade cream cheese would make it even more perfect. Or, perhaps hummus or another spread if dairy is not an option. Check it out and see what you think!

My Favorite Places: Cafe Passé, Tucson, AZ

One of my fave hangouts in Tucson, Arizona. Cafe Passé has a unique, quirky, eclectic vibe that makes you want to stay for awhile. And, they don’t mind if you do! I can’t wait for the next Oktoberfest. The owner’s parents come from Germany and dish up some tasty treats.