I miss Chinese food from NY and while you can find really good Chinese food here in PdX, I never want to pay for it. This is a good way to use leftover rice and even if you **** if up, it is still tasty. You will need:
Ingredients:
Leftover rice. We always use medium grain sticky rice which actually sucks for this. Use Jasmine of long grain and your results will probably be better than mine.
Oil (Some kind of veggie and a touch of sesame oil)
Ginger, grated
Garlic, minced
(Scallions perhaps? Slice and set the white part aside from the green)
Meat (if you want; slice it super thin and small; if you are using shrimp, be prepared to take them out of the pan and set them aside so they dont overcook and get nasty)
(Cornstarch: add this to meat you stirfry to keep it tender and thicken sauces. optional)
Soy sauce (duh)
Something sticky/sweet. I use this molassas based teriyaki sauce but have used pineapple juice or maple syrup (a bit) in a pinch
frozen "asian" veggies
Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger and garlic and stir till fragrant over mediumish heat. Add white parts of scallions and fry for a little bit of time.
Add meat and cook till done. Remove to other plate if you feed like dirtying another plate.
Add a bit more oil. Add rice, breaking it up with your hands best you can. Pour on soy sauce and mix around so that the sauce distributes evenly. Add the sticky stuff and stir as well.
Add frozen veggies, stir till incorporated and cover till veggies ae heated through. Eat.
Obviously if you wanted to, you could add fresh veggies right after the meat is cooked through, then do the rice...but buying veggies in small amounts for stiry fry is annoying. Though it is probably a good way to utilize veggie scraps.
Use a metal spoon to make it so you can scrape the bottom of the pan without killing stuff.
is it aunthentic? No. is it tasty? Yeah. Sticky chinese inspired rice. YUM.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Army Strong
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is a stupid saying.
Yesterday my husband swore into the United States Army. We stood there and watched him standd at attention, waiting for the CO to come in, watced him continue to stand there, unsmiling, as the CO addressed us, speaking highly about the four men that stood before him, saying that us being there was a testament to how much of an impact these men had. Chris had the most people there. Two of the guys had no one there. I wonder if they felt like crap.
At 3:45 this morning, I woke up. I stare at the clock and wonder why it isn't later, feeling strangely awake. Light is starting to seep through the blinds. A few minutes later the cats make some kind of horrific yowling sound and I yell at them, forgetting that its too damn early to be yelling but too scared at the moment to care. I get up to see what the hell was the problem, finding cat throw up in the sala and poop on the floor. Awesome. I clean it up and conclude that some kind of animal must have been out in the parking lot. Other cats outside the window are the only thing that evoke that kind of reaction from my usually docile cats. All of this happens before 4.
4:00 am is when Chris will get his wake up call. He'll be given a few minutes to wash up, get ready and then have to go down to eat. He has to be down in the caf to eat by a certain time or he'll get in trouble. After breakfast that will probably include coffee he won't like, he'll get on a shuttle and head to the airport with the other people heading to Jackson today. Plane leaves at 6AM. He probably set his clock early. He probably woke up at 3:45.
I lie in bed, and the cray thoughts run into my head, the ones where people break into your house in the middle of the night and kill you and I keep thinking maybe the cats will make that horrible sound again but I pass out eventually because I'm tired and I can. Sopi and I wake up, yellow sunlight gleaming. She nurses for a bit, trying to shake off the last bit of sleepiness before she sits up in bed. "Poppa?"
"Poppa's not here, baby."
"Go yes sir school." She pauses for a moment. "Take bus yes sir school?"
"Yeah." I don't tell her that he's taking a plane. I don't want her to be jealous. Jealous of waking up early and going to bootcamp. It would just seem stupid.
Probably in Chicago now, trying to grab lunch, maybe a mag and a free second. Joking with his "team leader." Looking for a bathroom. Reading. Sitting the way he does, thinking about good coffee, no beer for ten weeks, smiling, saying 'son of a fuck," thinking about us.
How much more fond can the heart grow?
Yesterday my husband swore into the United States Army. We stood there and watched him standd at attention, waiting for the CO to come in, watced him continue to stand there, unsmiling, as the CO addressed us, speaking highly about the four men that stood before him, saying that us being there was a testament to how much of an impact these men had. Chris had the most people there. Two of the guys had no one there. I wonder if they felt like crap.
At 3:45 this morning, I woke up. I stare at the clock and wonder why it isn't later, feeling strangely awake. Light is starting to seep through the blinds. A few minutes later the cats make some kind of horrific yowling sound and I yell at them, forgetting that its too damn early to be yelling but too scared at the moment to care. I get up to see what the hell was the problem, finding cat throw up in the sala and poop on the floor. Awesome. I clean it up and conclude that some kind of animal must have been out in the parking lot. Other cats outside the window are the only thing that evoke that kind of reaction from my usually docile cats. All of this happens before 4.
4:00 am is when Chris will get his wake up call. He'll be given a few minutes to wash up, get ready and then have to go down to eat. He has to be down in the caf to eat by a certain time or he'll get in trouble. After breakfast that will probably include coffee he won't like, he'll get on a shuttle and head to the airport with the other people heading to Jackson today. Plane leaves at 6AM. He probably set his clock early. He probably woke up at 3:45.
I lie in bed, and the cray thoughts run into my head, the ones where people break into your house in the middle of the night and kill you and I keep thinking maybe the cats will make that horrible sound again but I pass out eventually because I'm tired and I can. Sopi and I wake up, yellow sunlight gleaming. She nurses for a bit, trying to shake off the last bit of sleepiness before she sits up in bed. "Poppa?"
"Poppa's not here, baby."
"Go yes sir school." She pauses for a moment. "Take bus yes sir school?"
"Yeah." I don't tell her that he's taking a plane. I don't want her to be jealous. Jealous of waking up early and going to bootcamp. It would just seem stupid.
Probably in Chicago now, trying to grab lunch, maybe a mag and a free second. Joking with his "team leader." Looking for a bathroom. Reading. Sitting the way he does, thinking about good coffee, no beer for ten weeks, smiling, saying 'son of a fuck," thinking about us.
How much more fond can the heart grow?
Friday, April 24, 2009
Dewey Dei
Tristan Tarwater's Dewey Decimal Section:
280 Christian denominations & sects
Tristan Tarwater = 089901401831058 = 089+901+401+831+058 = 2280
Class:
200 Religion
Contains:
The Bible and other religious texts, books about the general philosophy and theory of religion.
What it says about you:
You don't mind thinking about the unknown or other very big ideas. You will never feel like your work is finished. The 200-series is dominated by Christian topics, so you may feel like you're constantly surrounded by Christians.
Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com
This is oddly true.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
How to Cook for Hungry Nerds. Or Your Fam: Pork Roast
I figured today was as good a day as any to post a quick, non-sensical recipe.
Food is very important. It is the fuel that feeds our bodies, it is the thing we (usually) sit down to enjoy. It is a simple pleasure, a reason to get together.
I love to cook. One of my favorite parts of gaming is making food for my friends and hanging out before we break out character sheets or dice. I also love cooking for my family, small that it is, planning meals for dinner and making leftovers for next days lunch.
Here is a quick, easy recipe for Pork Roast. Leftovers can be slathered in barbeque sauce or used for taco/burrito fodder. Heck, even a crusty baguette and some lettuce could round out a ridiculously filling lunch. Here goes.
Pork Shoulder Roast: to be prepared the night before for best results
1 pork shoulder roast, about 3-4 lbs. These are generally cheaper than pork chops and other pork roasts and have a good amount of fat.
1-2 head of garlic, a nice big one. You can add more garlic if you like.
About....10 green olives, with pimientos (the red thing in the middle?)
Coriander..a Tablespoon?
Salt: 2 teaspoons? (I never neasure, these are all rough estimates)
Dried Oregano, about 2 tsp-1 T
Paprika, 1 tsp
Olive Oil
1 Lemon, cut in half
Liquid (this can be broth, water, beer...wine?)
You will need a cutting board, a knife for chopping stuff, a knife for poking holes in meat, a dutch oven, a bowl and a spoon.
Mince the garlic, getting it as fine as you can. If you have a mortar and pestle, just use it instead, seriously. Place garlic in bowl.
Mince olives, as fine as you can. Add to garlic.
Add oregano, coriander, paprika, salt and a good glug of olive oil to the bowl. Mix it up.
Poke holes in pork roast with a knife (note: pork shoulders usually have one side that is like a little blanket of fat. This will be the top and should not have holes poked into it), making x's. Make them bigger with your finger and then stuff the garlic-olive-etc mixture into the holes, trying to get the chunks within the meat. Once all holes are filled and all mixture is used, rub your yucky, porky hands all over the thing, including the "top." Squirt the lemon juice all over it.
Wash your nasty hands.
Cover and let sit in a fridge overnight or on a counter for like, a few hours (all the herbs and salt will keep your pork roast from being a germ factory, so don't freak out Though I always make mine the night before). A few days would make it even better.
The day of eating, about 4 hours before when you want to eat it, throw roast into a cold oven, and turn it up to 325 F. In a few hours, your house will smell delicious. let cook at least 3 hours, till meat comes off easily with a fork. Serve with rice and beans, if you're a crazy latin like me, as well as a few lemon wedges.
This isn't a true traditional Puerto Rican pork roast but dude, I write about elves in my spare time. So what?
Food is very important. It is the fuel that feeds our bodies, it is the thing we (usually) sit down to enjoy. It is a simple pleasure, a reason to get together.
I love to cook. One of my favorite parts of gaming is making food for my friends and hanging out before we break out character sheets or dice. I also love cooking for my family, small that it is, planning meals for dinner and making leftovers for next days lunch.
Here is a quick, easy recipe for Pork Roast. Leftovers can be slathered in barbeque sauce or used for taco/burrito fodder. Heck, even a crusty baguette and some lettuce could round out a ridiculously filling lunch. Here goes.
Pork Shoulder Roast: to be prepared the night before for best results
1 pork shoulder roast, about 3-4 lbs. These are generally cheaper than pork chops and other pork roasts and have a good amount of fat.
1-2 head of garlic, a nice big one. You can add more garlic if you like.
About....10 green olives, with pimientos (the red thing in the middle?)
Coriander..a Tablespoon?
Salt: 2 teaspoons? (I never neasure, these are all rough estimates)
Dried Oregano, about 2 tsp-1 T
Paprika, 1 tsp
Olive Oil
1 Lemon, cut in half
Liquid (this can be broth, water, beer...wine?)
You will need a cutting board, a knife for chopping stuff, a knife for poking holes in meat, a dutch oven, a bowl and a spoon.
Mince the garlic, getting it as fine as you can. If you have a mortar and pestle, just use it instead, seriously. Place garlic in bowl.
Mince olives, as fine as you can. Add to garlic.
Add oregano, coriander, paprika, salt and a good glug of olive oil to the bowl. Mix it up.
Poke holes in pork roast with a knife (note: pork shoulders usually have one side that is like a little blanket of fat. This will be the top and should not have holes poked into it), making x's. Make them bigger with your finger and then stuff the garlic-olive-etc mixture into the holes, trying to get the chunks within the meat. Once all holes are filled and all mixture is used, rub your yucky, porky hands all over the thing, including the "top." Squirt the lemon juice all over it.
Wash your nasty hands.
Cover and let sit in a fridge overnight or on a counter for like, a few hours (all the herbs and salt will keep your pork roast from being a germ factory, so don't freak out Though I always make mine the night before). A few days would make it even better.
The day of eating, about 4 hours before when you want to eat it, throw roast into a cold oven, and turn it up to 325 F. In a few hours, your house will smell delicious. let cook at least 3 hours, till meat comes off easily with a fork. Serve with rice and beans, if you're a crazy latin like me, as well as a few lemon wedges.
This isn't a true traditional Puerto Rican pork roast but dude, I write about elves in my spare time. So what?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Book Bound
For those of you who don't know, I like to write. Stories. I have been writing stories for a very long time and have wanted to be a writer for a very long time. However, it wasn't until very recently that I started showing my work to anyone besides my husband.
I also love to read. I have been reading since I was three, devouring any book I could get my hands on and wrap my brain around. I've always been a...skilled(?) reader, reading well above my grade level and able to read quickly to boot, devouring books left and right. My favorite books have always been myths, fantasy, history (mostly if it has to do with different cultures, the more in depth the better) and auto/biography. My favorite book growing up was "The Egypt Game," by Zilpha Keatly Schnieder. I must have read it quite a few times and would probably read it again if I had it on hand. That book opened the part of my brain that creates things and everything else i've read after that has kept that door open for the most part.
I also just love books. When I read books, I take care not to damage their spines, pulling the pages apart enough for me to read them, not bending the pages down to mark my place. I like the feel of pages, the look of them, the smell of paper. Journals entice me (though I hate lined ones). Possibility lays exposed on every page, a place for me to spill out my brain upon. Sanctuary, relief, in the form of pressed paper pulp.
When I was in college for the first time, I dabbled in book binding. I learned a few stitches, took a tutorial. Later, bought a stab binding kit. Folded construction paper into little books that can stand up. Scrawled in some, stared at others, trying to muster thoughts worthy of their pages.
Now I'm older, and I've been writing more. A lot more. I've been showing it off and I've been proud of it and I want to show it to more people. i want to be a writer to more than me and my circle of friends. So I plan on combining my mild bibliophilia with sme action.
I'm taking a book binding class in May. I am going to continue writing. And when i am done, I am going to print it out, and edit the crap out of it and make it as perfect as I can. Then I am going to bind it myself and offer it up to people.
This is my goal. This is what I am drawn to. This is what I am going to do.
Books, I love them. Hopefully, other people will love mine.
I also love to read. I have been reading since I was three, devouring any book I could get my hands on and wrap my brain around. I've always been a...skilled(?) reader, reading well above my grade level and able to read quickly to boot, devouring books left and right. My favorite books have always been myths, fantasy, history (mostly if it has to do with different cultures, the more in depth the better) and auto/biography. My favorite book growing up was "The Egypt Game," by Zilpha Keatly Schnieder. I must have read it quite a few times and would probably read it again if I had it on hand. That book opened the part of my brain that creates things and everything else i've read after that has kept that door open for the most part.
I also just love books. When I read books, I take care not to damage their spines, pulling the pages apart enough for me to read them, not bending the pages down to mark my place. I like the feel of pages, the look of them, the smell of paper. Journals entice me (though I hate lined ones). Possibility lays exposed on every page, a place for me to spill out my brain upon. Sanctuary, relief, in the form of pressed paper pulp.
When I was in college for the first time, I dabbled in book binding. I learned a few stitches, took a tutorial. Later, bought a stab binding kit. Folded construction paper into little books that can stand up. Scrawled in some, stared at others, trying to muster thoughts worthy of their pages.
Now I'm older, and I've been writing more. A lot more. I've been showing it off and I've been proud of it and I want to show it to more people. i want to be a writer to more than me and my circle of friends. So I plan on combining my mild bibliophilia with sme action.
I'm taking a book binding class in May. I am going to continue writing. And when i am done, I am going to print it out, and edit the crap out of it and make it as perfect as I can. Then I am going to bind it myself and offer it up to people.
This is my goal. This is what I am drawn to. This is what I am going to do.
Books, I love them. Hopefully, other people will love mine.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Weeks
So, Chris and I are fairly certain we have found a place we want to live in Augusta, GA. Looking over the specs for rent and square footage, it makes our place seem...well...like a shit hole? Whenever we go to oher people's houses and come home, Sophia cries. As soon as we pull into the drive, "NO! Don't like it! Big house!" Yeah, even Sopi thinks it's time for a change of scenery.
What's kind of funny about it is that Chris and I were so intent on living at WT, wanting to leave our old 2-BR. I felt a little sad when we left that place to move the 500 yards to WT. It was where I spent a lot of my pregnancy, and well, I was pregnant at the time so I am sure hormones had something to do with it. And now, the sooner we get the hell out of here, the better. The building is old and wired shittily, the neighbors suck, the location is isolating, the plumbing is a problem...granted, I am glad that we have a place to stay, though you might not believe it. A lot of people are losing their jobs and their homes and Chris' isn't threatened in the least. But what can I say? We want something more? Something family friendly? Because that is what we are, us three (plus the cats). A family.
Chris is shipping out in exactly 2 months. We have quite a bit to do.
What's kind of funny about it is that Chris and I were so intent on living at WT, wanting to leave our old 2-BR. I felt a little sad when we left that place to move the 500 yards to WT. It was where I spent a lot of my pregnancy, and well, I was pregnant at the time so I am sure hormones had something to do with it. And now, the sooner we get the hell out of here, the better. The building is old and wired shittily, the neighbors suck, the location is isolating, the plumbing is a problem...granted, I am glad that we have a place to stay, though you might not believe it. A lot of people are losing their jobs and their homes and Chris' isn't threatened in the least. But what can I say? We want something more? Something family friendly? Because that is what we are, us three (plus the cats). A family.
Chris is shipping out in exactly 2 months. We have quite a bit to do.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Did I gain a lvl? A prestige class? Or lose something?
So, in addition to being a wife, mom, gamer, cook, writer and anything else I am forgetting, I am going to be a: Army Wife.
Yep, as of Monday, my husband has enlisted in the United States Army. That means ALL of lives will be nutty. But yeah.
Also, I baked bread today. Yep, in addition to trying to find places to live in Augusta, GA, I also made whole wheat bread.
I think I get 50 xp for that.
Yep, as of Monday, my husband has enlisted in the United States Army. That means ALL of lives will be nutty. But yeah.
Also, I baked bread today. Yep, in addition to trying to find places to live in Augusta, GA, I also made whole wheat bread.
I think I get 50 xp for that.
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