ideas/goals/objectives

well this list is embarrassing. here are some things i would like to learn. yes some things on the list i maybe too old for, too young for, too busy for, too lazy for, too slow for, too untalented for. (i couldn't figure out how to write that grammatically correct--grammar fail)

photography
cooking
knitting
guitar
calligraphy
driving stick
surfing
spanish
paddle boarding
rock climbing
hiking
skateboarding
yoga



this is a photo composition from an art gallery i used to work at. (i use the word work loosely.) the artist is adam lewis smith, despite me thinking of him as a mediocre person (to be fair, who isn't though), some of his compositions are exceptional. this one i like very much.

potato, onion, veggie burger love

needed to feed me and pickle and have pretty close to no food in the apt. this was simple and delicious.

4 small russett potatoes (thinly sliced)
.5 white onion
pinch of cayenne pepper
vegetable oil (don't be stingy)
1 tsp of minced garlic
salt and pepper (shoop, shoop ba doop)

veggie patty (defrosted- cut up and added at end)
4 big flour tortillas

i put all top ingredients in skillet and cooked on high heat for about 12 min. put veggie burger for about a minute. served on warmed up tortillas with tapatio and ketchup.

so so so good. but,

when i do it all over again, i will put the onion in a few minutes after the potatoes.

amatuer photographer, amatuer cook

so... a few days ago i tried a couple recipes found on veggiebelly. i figured a blog post was necessary to document all the mistakes that were made.

http://www.veggiebelly.com/2009/09/ricotta-stuffed-tomatoes.html




stuffed tomatoes...need i say more, delicious! only mistake was only making 12.


http://www.veggiebelly.com/2008/10/pasta-with-seven-vegetable-sauce-curing-a-canned-food-obsession.html


seven veggie pasta

call me crazy but when i looked at that picture i did not realize i would be making the sauce.... i know amateur mistake. but what can i say, my mom raised me to believe that sauce came from a jar. also silly ol' me didn't realize i would need a blender to puree the cooked vegetables. do not ask me how i thought the vegetables would turn into a sauce, i suppose i thought some magic was involved.

so i set out to the store to buy ingredients and holy cow pine nuts are expensive. so i opted for the almond substitute that my recipe suggested (mistake numero uno). while i was cooking i realized this was going to be a lot of food. so i told dill pickle to invite some hungry former marines over (mistake numero dos). not that i don't enjoy the company of pickles entourage, but when you are experimenting in the kitchen, and it is almost certain that things will go terribly wrong, it is best to not have witnesses.

so, food is bought, guests have confirmed. i begin cooking around 3:oopm (keep in mind dinner sched. for 8:00pm), mostly because i was bored and because there was a lot of dicing in order. that was mistake numero tres. if something takes 5 hrs to make, it probably isn't worth it.

after tomatoes are stuffed with the heavenly concoction that is ricotta, pesto, corn, and garlic. i put those in the fridge and set to work on the pasta. that was when i realized that i needed a blender/ food processor and magic or positive thinking were not going to puree my veggies. pickle suggested to just have a chunky sauce. i pictured a stew atop penne noodles, and since that vision grossed me out, i told him he would have to find me a blender. he went to target and bought one. 20 dollars for blender+ 25 dollars on ingredients= a meal that better be worth 45 dollars

final product, not so great. kind of tasteless. but my awesome apt full of marines ate it up like it was the greatest thing to come out of le cordon bleu. i stole the pictures from the veggie belly website so you can see her polished version. i didn't think about it at the time, but my next culinary experiment will be photographed.

over and out.