Easter

So today was both the most depressing and also the most joyous Easter I can remember.

Source: osmar01 on
freeimages.com.

Let's start with the easy one. When Chadwick & I went looking for a church a few years ago, high on my "must-have" list was that the worship service had to be joy-filled. I was tired (and still am) of churches that have a joyless, lifeless worship service that may as well be a funeral. If that's your cup of tea, great, but it's not mine.

We were successful at finding a church that's filled with joy, by the way, and today the church was especially so, and for that I am thankful.

But it was also very sad today. Sundays have just been hard for the past six weeks, and are likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. I've been warned that holidays will be extra-hard, but honestly? We've never been holiday people. It's not like today was our anniversary. It was just sad, like every other Sunday has been, and I only take special note because, as I said, it was the most depressing Easter I can remember.

Also, I made these for the Easter brunch at church, and they were a huge hit. You should make some. (The person I was sitting with for breakfast, when I described the steps: "But how did you get them to stay rolled up?" Me: "I don't know.")

He is risen, indeed.

All A-Buzz

I first heard about the benefits of local honey from friends when Chad & I moved to Austin a couple of years ago. Chad has asthma and a nice collection of allergies, and we had been warned that both would worsen when we moved here. However, that admonition was frequently coupled with the suggestion to eat local honey to build up immunity.

When this nice young man gave me
permission to take pictures for my
blog, neither one of us knew it would
be months before I finally got round
to using them.

As fate would have it, it's a strong part of the Austin ethos to buy local; the Keep Austin Weird thing began in the face of nationwide chains descending on Austin, as a way to encourage people to support local businesses. It took me a while to come round to the idea that yes, some things are worth paying more for, and I eventually went to the farmer's market and came home with some Round Rock Honey.

Now, because I'd read so many things about local/raw honey, like how you should be able to tell the difference, and how it tastes so amazing, that I was bound to be a bit let down. And I was, kinda. I didn't leap with happiness at how much better the very local version (Round Rock is about 18 miles from my house on the freeway, and even closer as the crow flies) of honey was than the stuff I can buy at the store that might come from 200 miles away (I was buying Texas honey already). But, I thought, at least it might protect Chad from allergies.

I don't remember how
much honey this was;
three pounds, maybe?

When I went to do some investigating, I found plenty of sources that talk about the benefits of honey for allergies (see here, here, and here), although the ones that aren't sites for honey companies agree that the available evidence is anecdotal. I have to say that Chad hasn't had any notable problems with allergies since we've been here, which might be attributable to the change of location-- Lubbock has dry air and regular dirt storms that aggravate even the soundest of lungs, whereas Austin has a lot more humidity and no flying dirt. And when Chad does complain about the climate, it's that he's too hot, not that he can't breathe.

However! We liked the Round Rock Honey enough to buy it again, and I do like the idea of buying local. The more small businesses that are operating, the better; every town would be exactly the same if not for the local businesses. And finally, I'm wanting to have a go at replacing the white sugar in our diet with honey, in the hopes that the non-processed sugar will be marginally better for us. So for all those reasons, I'm planning to head to the farmer's market tomorrow for another industrial-sized keg of honey.

Do you eat honey? Do you prefer the local varieties, or is that less important to you?

Homeade Ade

I've been scouring the web for a good recipe for sports drinks (like Gatorade). As with so many other things, I'm a little bit fussy about my homemade-ness (although my standards went down after two weeks of searching): I wanted something that could be stored as a powder, not as a liquid, so that eliminated a lot of really good recipes that called for orange juice as a base. I was also hoping to find something that did not call for having Kool-ade or Tang or a similar prepared powder for flavour, because that adds in preservatives and artificial colours. Finally, budget ruled all. I wanted something cheaper than buying a massive container of Gatorade powder, which is what I've always done in the past (and it's not terribly expensive, btw; here in Austin, you can get 24 quarts' worth of powder for about $8); if I'm going to make something at home, by golly, it has to be cheaper than buying it at the store.

Nutrition facts, as
calculated by SparkPeople.

I found a delightful website called Sports Girls Play that had a recipe that was similar enough to all the others I had seen, and also had an analysis of the ingredients, the nutrients, and a short spiel about Gatorade itself (see that post here). I tried it as written first, but the saltiness was a bit overwhelming to someone who's used to the sweetness of Gatorade. I added a couple more tablespoons of sugar to get this recipe:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp Morton Lite Salt
1 pkg Flavor-Aid (or any drink powder; use the amount called for to make two quarts)

The recipe calls for Kool-Ade, but the Flavor-Aid is much, much cheaper: I bought a 12-pack for 92¢, compared to Kool-Ade at $1 for five (and any powdered drink mix that you like will work). I mixed it up in my former Gatorade container and use one tablespoon of mix per 8 oz water, which is the amount also recommended on the Gatorade package--the actual recipe on the site calls for mixing it up into two quarts of water straight away, which I don't want to do. Also, using one tablespoon per 8 ounces of water makes it taste fine, but it does mean that I'll end up getting more than two quarts' use out of the batch. I'm totally cool with that.

For excessive sweating,
this by itself is not quite
enough. Source.

For sweaty bicycle trips home in the 90-100° weather, I up the ratio of powder to water just a bit. As a runner in a sweaty climate, I live in fear of hyponatremia, and I'll risk going overboard on the sodium a bit to make sure I'm not going underboard.

On the budget side, after I added up the cost of ingredients and divided by the number of servings, I came up to 8¢ per serving for the Gatorade powder, and 2.7¢ per serving for this recipe. Obviously that will vary a bit depending on what the prices in your part of the world are like. In the end, I got two out of three of my criteria, so I'm calling that a success.

Do you use sports drinks at all? What kind do you like?

G is for Goat Cheese

Today's guest blogger is Jordan (also known as TARDIS girl), another fellow consultant at the Undergraduate Writing Center, co-founder of Frenzied Novelists, and all-around fun person. Jordan and I have been friends ever since we were at a random meeting in January of 2011. She saw me and said, "Hey, aren't we in class together?" I said, "Yeah. Is that a TARDIS on your backpack?" We really didn't have much choice about being friends after that. Jordan blogs at The Kitchen Klutz.

TARDIS girl, here, ladies and gentlemen. I have a confession. I am a goat cheese addict. Despite its high price, I buy about 8 oz every week and use it in a variety of dishes. Goat cheese has a multitude of uses. Eat it alone, in a quiche, in a pasta, on a salad -- it’s the perfect accompaniment to so many things. Here is an adapted version of a Giada de Laurentiis recipe, the recipe to which I owe my addiction and my unreasonable grocery bill.

Source: Slightlynorth on flickr.

Goat Cheese Toasts

3 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz goat cheese (Montchevre brand)
4 oz cream cheese
Parsley, thyme, and oregano to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Crostini or bagel crisps, about 36

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor. Spread over crostini and let your addiction begin.


Find more goat cheese-related recipes at The Kitchen Klutz.

Cheers!

C is for Cooking in a Co-op

Since I'm doing Script Frenzy and regular life in addition to the A to Z Challenge, I put out a desperate friendly call for guest bloggers incessantly a few times on Facebook & Twitter. My fellow Undergraduate Writing Center consultant Natalie was the first to respond. Natalie blogs at The First Kitchen and at Longhorn Confidential. Photos in this post (except the first) are Natalie's own.

Source.

About a week after I moved into Avalon Co-op, I came home from school at 9 p.m. I had been on campus for twelve hours, running between study groups and work and meetings. I was exhausted and cranky and starving, so after I dropped off my bike, I went straight to the kitchen. When I opened up the fridge, there was a plate of spaghetti, freshly baked bread, and steamed broccoli in front of me, covered in plastic wrap and labeled "NATALIE."

That was the first time I realized how incredible cooperative living really is. Like most people, I didn’t really know what to expect out of co-op housing when I moved in. All I really knew was that I would be sharing living quarters with 24 other people, which sounded simultaneously exciting and horrifying.

I didn’t expect to find a community of some of the most incredible people on the planet--people who I may never have met if I didn’t live at Avalon. People who are friendly, considerate, and genuinely caring; people who are dedicated to making the house not only function but flourish. People who love to have fun, but also respect my space and time when I need it. People who leave a plate of food in the fridge for me when I come home from a long day.

Living in a coop is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world, and most people I know would benefit from spending a few months as a housemate. Besides all of the obvious benefits--inexpensive rent, great people, shared responsibilities--it's an incredibly sustainable way to live (so much so that Mayor Lee Leffingwell and the Austin City Council recently endorsed cooperative living).

If you're interested in living in a co-op, check out ICC, College Houses, or one of the several independent co-operatives around Austin. And if you ever find yourself cooking for 24 other people, here's a great recipe for sweet potato black bean chili (this is also a great recipe to make in big batches and freeze, if your house is a little smaller than mine).

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

4 tbsp. olive oil

4 onions, diced

4 carrots, diced

10 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp. cumin

1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder

4 28-oz. cans of diced tomatoes

8 cups of water or stock

6 cups of dried black beans, soaked overnight then cooked

8 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

4 lbs. sweet potatoes, diced

2 cups cilantro, chopped

2 tbsp. kosher salt

Juice of four limes

Heat the oil in a large pot, then saute the onions, carrots, and garlic. Add the spices and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, stock, black beans, and chipotle peppers. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and salt, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 30-40 minutes. Add the lime juice and cilantro last. Serve with cheese, tortilla chips, or salsa.

One-Person Chocolaty Snack

The land of learning is upon us once more! All my FB friends from across the country (and Britain, too) have been talking First Day of School for about three weeks; Texas students return today; I'll be back on Wednesday. The lucky ones who still have a week or two to go are also staring down the start line. All that to say, back to some collegiate blogging and other fun stuff.

I make my cake in this mug.

This recipe I'm about to share with you comes from the University of Texas student paper, The Daily Texan. Now, I make fun of this paper from time to time, because some of the content makes me wonder what the writers were smoking, but then I wonder that about pretty much every newspaper, so that's nothing new. Case in point: The same issue of the paper that had this and other dorm-friendly (but mostly unhealthy) recipes also had tips on beating the Freshman 15. To be fair, though, while it sounds like a student paper, it can also be seen that these young journalists are learning their craft. Some articles are downright outstanding.

Diversion over! So, if you're a chocoholic like me and are likely to eat a whole cake in one go, this is a great recipe to use instead. If your kids can be trusted to stir, this might be a good weekend or rainy day project (or science project, if you homeschool). If you just don't want to share your cake with others, it's also a good one.

Microwave Molten Lava Cake

In a mug that will hold more than 1 1/2 cups, mix together:

3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbsp sugar (or Splenda, or whatever floats your boat)
1 Tbsp flour

Make a well in the middle, and add:

3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (I use unsweetened applesauce)
3 Tbsp egg whites or 1 large separated egg (I use the whole egg and cut back on the applesauce)
1/4 tsp vanilla

Stir for two minutes. Sprinkle chopped chocolate bar bits and/or chocolate chips on top of the batter, concentrated in the center. Microwave for two and a half minutes; the batter should solidify a bit and pull away from the sides of the mug. If not, put it back in for 10-second intervals until it's done. Allow to cool and enjoy!

What other desserts could be improved by making them single-serving size in a mug?

A Cure for the Summer Heat

In a frenzy of holiday-weekend madness and another-job-rejection depression, I talked Chad into buying some fudgesicles last week. They're pretty much my favourite icy treat ever. Of course, having bought and inhaled them, I promptly wanted more. I didn't really want the trek to the store, though, especially given the likelihood of the fudgesicles melting on the way home, plus the equal likelihood of me buying more than I intended while there. And then my shoulder angel turned up and reminded me, "You have a recipe for those."

Yes. Yes, I do. A few years ago I was in a Once A Month Cooking craze, and during that time I found a HUGE database of recipes, compiled by mums who wanted to feed their kids homemade food but were constrained by budgets and limited time. There was great stuff on there, and I saved all the ones that sounded good, including this recipe for Magic Mix (which is good for lots of things, btw, not just fudgesicles; that may be a post for another day):

4 c nonfat dry milk powder
1 c flour
½ c vegetable oil


Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until it looks like cornmeal. Keep mix tightly covered and store in freezer (or refrigerator). This recipe makes 10 servings. ½ c cornstarch and ¼ c oil can be used instead of the flour and ½ c oil.

When I went looking to see if I could still find the website to appropriately credit the geniuses who shared this with me, I was unsuccessful. I did, however, find an alternate recipe for Magic Mix:

2 1/3 C. Non instant Powdered Milk
1 C. All Purpose Flour
1 C. Real Margarine (not spread) or Butter, at room temperature


Combine dry milk, flour and margarine/butter into a large bowl and mix with electric mixer until it looks like corn meal. Keep mix tightly covered in the refrigerator, it will stay good up to 2 months.

Popsicle molds + ice cube tray of
soon-to-be fudgesicles. I stood my
molds on end because I had an
irrational fear that they would leak. 

So I promptly mixed some up, then launched into the fudgesicle recipe:

½ c sugar
2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 t vanilla
2 c Magic mix


In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in the Magic Mix and water. Cook and constantly stir over medium heat until the mixture bubbles. Stir in vanilla and beat mixture until smooth. Pour mixture into 3-ounce paper cups. Place a wooden popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze until firm. Popsicle can be stored in a plastic bag in the freezer. To eat, peel off the paper cup. Recipe makes 8 fudgesicles.

I thought this one looked like Darth
Vader's helmet. Then I took a bite out
of it and it really looked like Darth
Vader's helmet.

I tried some of the cooked mix when I switched spoons for filling my popsicle molds, and Wow. It was like hot cocoa had solidified itself into a thick chocolate sauce. Also, the recipe may say it makes eight paper-cup-sized treats, but I filled my four molds and still had enough mix to entirely fill an ice-cube tray.

And the result? Cool, creamy chocolate goodness. However. I will definitely try the alternative recipe for Magic Mix, just to see if I like it better. Also, the fudgesicles are a bit too sweet, and I've (finally!) reached an age where enough is enough as far as sugar is concerned. So, on my next go-round, I'll reduce the sugar as well. Your mileage may vary. Also, if you're doing the ice-cube-tray thing, use sturdy toothpicks.

This would be a fun project with school-aged kids, btw, if there are any mums out there who are having a mid-summer crisis with bored children. When I was a kid, I used to think that every mum but my own was making popsicles with their kids, but now I've come to believe that my mother is probably not alone in her reluctance. :)

Have you ever made your own fudgesicles? Popsicles? Other frozen delights?