Monthly Archives: June 2014

Lasagne of Desperation

I made lasagne today. I kind of winged it, but mostly followed the recipe for Italian-American lasagne. from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. And, the photos I took (and will take) today will, largely, show back up in that post, which is sadly lacking in fun photos. However, you probably want to know what constitutes “Lasagne of Desperation.”

No problem! I’ll explain. First, your fridge needs to look at least a bit like this:

Then you have to be about ready to scream because you’ve never been a good cook when comes to greens that aren’t kale, spinach, and swiss chard.

Then you reach into the above fridge and grab whatever greens that aren’t the above that come readily to hand. You do this because you almost forgot you were going to make a veggie lasagne.… Continue reading →

Gardening 2014

I’ve started a bit of gardening again. Previously, I’ve done kind of a lot of container gardening, but I’ve been pretty clear that it’s more for the joy I find in growing things than any sort of self-sufficiency. This is pretty good, because sometimes I only get three tiny tomatoes.

But I’ve taken to gardening on a larger scale. Sort of. I got a plot in a community garden near-ish my home. And then I promptly agreed to share it with a new friend, John. John promptly filled his half of the plot with tomatoes, peppers and basil.

My half of the plot promptly got a couple of mustard greens. And the sage cut back dramatically. But it still basically looks like this:

My friend Toni has sent me some seeds, as a gift.… Continue reading →

A Permanent Marker Will Make Your Parties More Eco-Friendly.

Seriously. And, in the long run, a marker is far cheaper than purchasing a gazillion disposable cups over the course of a lifetime.

What you need

  1. Sufficient glasses for all your guests.
  2. A permanent marker that contrasts with your beverage. (So it can be easily seen.)
  3. Alcohol in some form. Rubbing alcohol is what I normally use, but I’ve used hand sanitizer in a pinch. Vodka also works. Whatever.
  4. A cloth to apply the alcohol with.
  5. A BSides Chicago 2014 badge, or other bottle opener.

What to do

If you’re having a small shindig, just give each guest the marker and a glass as they arrive. Have them write their name or some sort of identifier on their glass. The only rule is that it must be on unmarked surfaces.… Continue reading →

First attempt at smoked almonds.

I think smoked almonds are my favorite “healthful snack.” They’re high on the list if they aren’t number one. Their major drawback, as far as I’m concerned, is that they can be too salty and not smokey enough.

So, when Bill got me a smoker for Christmas, almonds were one of the first things I wanted to try out. I didn’t consider whether raw almonds are cheaper (though I assume they should be since there’s less processing to be done), or anything similar.

Monday, I tried them out. Like almost any kitchen(-related) appliance, the smoker came with directions and recipes. The smoked nuts recipe was nearly useless. It said to smoke them for an hour. No suggestion on kind of flavor. If I wanted them salted, I could either shake them with salt after, or soak them in salted water “a few minutes.”… Continue reading →