My Adventures in Cooking: Mixed-Rub Ribs

So, it's been a hot minute since I updated.  In my defense, I've been very busy.  Working 30 hours a week, going through finals (I got A's in both Remote Sensing and GIS though, yay!), and working on my thesis is no cakewalk.

But tomorrow is Memorial Day, and since I have no soldiers to cook for, I decided I'd make myself a festal (pair of) meal(s) to cheer myself up.

First, be awed by my incredible thriftiness:

 

But wait - there's more -

So, when was the last time YOU saved $15.42 on your groceries?!

 I got peaches for $0.88 a pound, and a "personal" watermelon for $1.88.  I'm excited for them...will probably have them for dinner since I'm so full.  But more of that later.

 This is my secret wing sauce.  I'm still perfecting the recipe.  Once it's perfect I may share it, but it's not perfect yet, and I won't share it til it is!!

 All that meat for $5!!  I love sales!

 Mmm...yum!

 I decided to try mixing a dry rub and a "wet" one, to see what it would taste like.  So this is a little bit of my wing sauce.

 My dry rub.  This one is a secret that is coming with me to my grave!

 Yeah...that bit was a little gross.  But I covered it with foil and put it in the oven for 3 hours at 300F.

 I love wings.

 I LOVE wings!

 Also, marinating in separate bags is awesome, because you only have to cook a little at a time.  How perfect?

 My new favorite Brussels sprouts recipe.

 So there weren't as many sprouts left in the bag as I thought (and a couple had bugs, ew), so I had to add a little something.

 Luckily, I had some asparagus I'd forgotten about, so I chopped half of it up and threw it in too.

 It tastes SO good - but it's SO messy!!!

 Is that awesome or what?

 I mean really, how do you get better than that?

 Oh yeah, once it's cooked.  Mmm...so delicious!

 Mashed potato time!

 I love this mixer - and it cost me TEN DOLLARS!  I've paid more than that for a roast!

 Most invaluable tip to new cooks: clean up as you go along!  It makes SUCH a difference.

 Now, is that a tender cocoon of awesomeness or what?!

 Getting it out of the pan and onto the plate was pretty nerve-wracking, but I managed it.

 Look.  At.  That.

 Mmm...so delicious.  SO delicious!

 Asparagus was great in this recipe, I gotta add it again.

 ...there are no words.

 Except for "mmmmmmmMMMMmmmmmMMMMmmmmm"!!!

 It all fell off the bones!  So I removed them from the plate.

 Those bones are picked clean.

 This was so rich and so fatty I had to start drinking diluted lemonade just to cut the fat.  Finally, I understand what they're always talking about on Chopped!

 Pretty much says it all.

So...after all that, guess what I'm going to do?  Goodnight!

What day is it again?

So...this has been a very...interesting...month.

I don't know where I'm going to be next year and it's upsetting me.  But right now I have to focus on finals and just get them done, and done right.  Once that's over, I can get back to the future.

I have one final tonight - an online one - and I'm going to campus to do it in the library.  For one thing, I need the exercise, for another thing I have a really bad habit of getting distracted and I don't want to risk that during a final - even though I get super distracted in libraries too.  People watching is fun, but I'm hoping since it's finals week they'll be less interesting to watch.

Quite proud of my grocery shopping exploits this morning though.  Went to Sam's Club first, got egg rolls for my lunches, a 10 lb sack of potatoes (for $2.50!!!), organic baby carrots, and asparagus all for the bargain price of $20.42.

Then I stopped by Trader Joe's and got crushed garlic and frozen blueberries for $4.76 - the crushed garlic is for egg-fried rice, mashed potatoes and my garlic Brussels sprouts recipe.

Last stop was Ralph's, where between sales and some "valued shopper" coupons they mail me every so often, I was able to get frozen peas, frozen carrots, a pint of ice cream, toilet paper, chicken, two cans of chickpeas, orange juice, bacon, breakfast burritos, organic parsley, green onions, and two cartons of yoghurt for $24.00.  The chicken was another one of those Foster Farms' Picnic Packs - 4.5 lbs for $3.11!  How can you resist that? 

The last time I got a Picnic Pack I made sriracha chicken, but it's SO hot I'm not doing that again, so this time I made orange chicken.  Well, I'm making it right now - still bubbling away merrily on the stove.

I was really good though - I got home, unpacked my groceries, put the bags back in my car, checked the mail (nothing - but hey, no bills!), and then threw the chicken and the orange juice in my favorite large pot along with some whole allspice.  Cut up the bacon, fried it, put it in the pot too, and left that while I started boiling lentils, rinsed some chickpeas, chopped up onion and green onion, and put the parsley to soak.  Chickpeas, half the lentils, all the onion went into a large glass bowl.  The other half of the lentils I'm going to save for biryani, or maybe curry.  Picked the parsley (which I HATE, by the way), chopped it, and added it to the chickpea salad.  Had the salad for lunch, and now I'm just waiting for the chicken to be done so I can cool it and put in the fridge before I head out to take that online exam.

And, ALL my dishes are washed - I cleaned up as I went along.  Go me!

Disordered State of Mind

I've always thought that the state of your living space reflects the state of your mind.  For weeks now, my apartment has been an unholy mess.  Coincidentally, my mind has been an unholy mess too.  So I've tidied up my apartment some and opened the windows to let some air in.

But I haven't time to write now...two essays and a powerpoint are my goal for this weekend, being that one of the essays and the powerpoint are due Monday.

Yeesh.

Yum!

Well.  It has been quite a long time since I updated this! 

I've just been so busy - trying to get TAMU stuff done, trying to get my thesis done, trying to get the SAA's all organized.  I'll do an SAA post later.  Right now is just a quick update to show the awesome lunch I got for myself!

 First, I just want to know if there is a better smell in the entire world than onions frying in butter.  Because I don't think any one of you will be able to come up with one!

 The steak was a NY steak, normally $15, but on sale for $5.  I couldn't pass that up.  You can never ever pass that sort of deal up!!!

 And the finished product!  Does that look delicious or what?  I poured most of the deglazing sauce over the broccoli and peas - they tasted SO good!

 A better view of the finished product.  I'm so glad my mommy taught me to cook.  I really lucked out in the parent department.

 I only ate half the steak (gotta fill up on veggies if I'm ever going to lose weight) so tonight I'll bake a potato, microwave the steak with some veggies and have myself an INCREDIBLE dinner. 

I do love food!

But I can't write anymore - I have a bunch of projects to do, a paper to write, a to-do list to make up (I need to get to the bank tomorrow so I can get cash for a ticket for this banquet all CLASC club presidents are politely requested to attend :coughrequestmyasscough:), and a doctor's appointment to make. 

Onward and upward, right?

What a week!

And it's only Monday.

On Wednesday I got some very bad news - that US Fish and Wildlife don't keep the records necessary for me to do the semester projects I planned.  So I need to figure out two new semester projects ASAP...ugh.  I'm planning on examining water levels and vegetation at Lake Mead for remote sensing (I need to download imagery to see the viability of that, but I've been so busy I'll do that tonight after class and tomorrow before class)...and was thinking some kind of criminal hotspot thing for GIS since Long Beach has a really good crime log on the internet.

On Thursday I got some VERY wonderful news - I got accepted to Texas A&M for my PhD!!!!  I am SO excited, and overwhelmed.  I don't need to finish my MA before I go, but I need to finish it soon, because I can't start my PhD work without having my MA signed, sealed, and delivered.  So once the conference is over I'm going to have to kick into overdrive between my classes (read: semester projects) and my thesis.

So that's super exciting!

I have spent this whole weekend fussing about my poster - my plan was to find this paper that Dr. Fraser Neiman recommended to me at the last conference, and adjust my statistical analysis on it, but I couldn't find the title of the paper (or his email address) so I spent ages on JSTOR and EBSCO searching keywords and found a paper that I THOUGHT was it, but turned out not to be.  So I gave that up and just did a poster based on the two lots of data collection I've done so far.  I really wish Dr. Lipo would email me back about those sites he wants me to add into my research design, because I really can't write up a research design if I don't have one of the puzzle pieces, can I?  Of course, he's preparing for the SAAs too - the book he wrote with Dr. Hunt about Easter Island (it's called The Statues that Walked) won an award and I imagine he'll have to give a speech or something.

I finally finished it last night, got Jake to check it for me, and prettied it up this morning.  I walked to campus so that I could print it at the geography lab (for the bargain price of $30) - but their printer was broken. 
So I went to the campus copy center (where it would've cost about $45) - but THEIR printer doesn't print 36"X48"...
So I walked to FedEX and ordered it there and it cost NINETY-FIVE DOLLARS!!  I am definitely claiming it as a conference cost, and they had better refund me.  It is NOT my fault that Geography can't keep their printer working, and it IS their fault, so CSULB, I'm putting you on notice - I want that covered in my travel reimbursement!
(Getting reimbursed for travel costs is such a pain in the ass.  But I'm beyond broke so I'm going to push and push and push until I get everything I can back.)

I got home and spent over an hour on the phone making sure the bank knows I'm going to Memphis this week, and that both my debit and credit card will work when I get there.  I've been assured that my cards (both of them) have been "travel-flagged" and will work for the entire state of Tennessee for those dates I'll be out there.

Around 2 pm I got a call from Fedex saying my poster is ready (at least they're prompt, you gotta give them that), so I schlepped out there again, picked it up, and came home, only to find out that neither of my suitcases are 3 feet long, so I'm going to have to fold my precious poster in half and then roll it up like that so it'll fit.  So. Frustrating. 
Fortunately the poster tube I got is extendable (thank you Aaron Brothers Art & Framing!! I LOVE that store so much!) so I can squish it down to fit in the suitcase with my folded & rolled poster.  I really need to start packing, but I don't even know what I'm going to wear.  I think I need to do laundry tomorrow, but I'd need quarters...blaaaah maybe I'll just wear dresses the whole time.

Anyway I need to go lie down before class.  I'm exhausted.  Please let class be easy tonight!!!!!

Monday, bloody Monday

So today has royally sucked.

Yesterday was lovely, I relaxed, had a great meal, talked the family...at 8 pm I decided the weekend was officially over and started working on my homework.  Now I have been working on this assignment since last Monday, and the damn thing was still not done.  I managed to figure out most of it, and then the problem was, every time I tried to zoom in to see enough detail to mark the exact center of the parks, ArcMap would crash and shut down.

Finally, at one o clock in the morning I said screw it, did it at a coarse scale, finished the assignment and turned it in at two am.  I'm not sure what she'll think about the scale, but I can't do the assignment if ArcMap won't stay open.  And I included all the shenanigans ArcMap pulled in my writeup, so it's not like I'm trying to hide it or anything.

I got up this morning, once again not feeling well, but I manged to pull myself together enough to be showered, fed, and out the door to go grocery shopping at 11 am.  Sam's Club was unusually empty (very pleasant) but so many people got in my way I was inches away from throwing my five pound sack of potatoes at some of them.  Also, there were only three registers open, so I was standing in line, frustrated and bored, but then my luck changed a little and a woman opened a new register and motioned to me to be the first in line.  So that was nice.

I got to Ralph's and man I must've had a sign pinned on my back saying, "Annoy Me" because about seven million people got in my way, or stood stock still in the middle of the aisles (with their carts at right angles), etc etc...it was awful.  Fortunately, they're doing this new crazy "cost cutter" thing so I got everything I needed at just a little over my target cost of $21.  But considering I had to buy trash bags and a new lightbulb, $26 isn't bad at all for a week's groceries.

The lightbulb was fun - last night I was sitting at my computer, struggling mightily with my GIS homework, and suddenly I was plunged into complete darkness.  Turns out, a year and a half of being the primary light in my apartment was too much for the lamp by my desk and the bulb gave out.  So I swapped bulbs with my bedside lamp, continued on with my evening, and now I have the new one which I still have to put in. 

I finally got home, unpacked my groceries, trotted the bags back to my car, and turned on the Benfica game, only to find out we were down 1-0 to Sporting.  Lame.  So I go and do my laundry, come back, eat lunch, do all my dishes, and still we haven't scored (although Artur made some AMAZING saves, I tell you what).  I went downstairs to put my clothes in the tumble dryers and something had happened in the washing machine I'd put my blue and green clothes in, because they were in the exact same bundle I'd shoved them into the machine as, and the top was a little wet, the bottom soaking wet, and the middle dry as a bone.  The wettest (and presumably, cleanest) pieces were my towel and four pairs of jeans/capris, so I tumbled those along with the contents of the other washer, which had worked properly, and took the rest of my blue/green clothes upstairs and hand-washed the lot and hung them in my closet. 

Let me tell you, I HATE doing hand-washing.  And I had to clean out my sink first, which I like even less, and I had to clean it again when I thoughtlessly did my undies first instead of my shirts.  Anyway, everything is washed again (and I'm glad I did, because you will not believe how filthy that water was after washing my shirts) and hung up in my closet with my fan aimed directly at them.

Right before my dryer timer went off, Benfica lost to Sporting (SUPER lame!  And apparently their one goal was questionable?  I missed it, so I don't know.), so I'm really glad at least my tumble-dried clothes were reasonably dry.  The towel was a bit damp so it's hanging off my shower rod, and my  jeans are hanging off my closet doors, just to make sure they're really dry.  The rest of it is on my bed because I don't feel like doing it exactly this second.

Then I took out the trash and now I'm sitting here, updating my blog, delaying the inevitable sorting and putting away of my "dry" clothes, and all the other crap I have to do before I go to class. 

They say a woman's work is never done...and I say that sucks!!

Happy Easter to All!

So here is my amazing Easter post!  I say amazing, because I got to "be" with my family today, despite the fact we're 2,500 miles apart.  

This past Thursday I got a package from Mom: she prewarned me that everything IN the bag was for Easter morning, and everything OUT of the bag was for right away.  One of the things "for right away" was the adorable chick with Easter ears on the right.  The bunny and duck I got last year :)

She also sent me a TON of candy, which I am so so so so so excited about!  If you'll look at the bottom left you'll see a ziploc bag looking thing which is a bag of CHOCOLATE BABIES - which you will recognize if you are a fan of All of a Kind Family... I wish I had a copy to read while I ate them!  Maybe I can find one on Amazon, and hold off on the babies until I get it...

All of my goodies came in this awesome reusable grocery bag.  I LOVE these things - my mommy is awesome!

Mom gave me some lovely Easter eggs (with candy in them), so I'm using the eggs as decoration.  The piggy bank was from my Valentines' box from Mom, and standing next to him you can see the lovely china rabbit she included in the Easter box.

She also gave me a sign for my door - luckily there was a hole in it already, so I just threw in a thumbtack, and hung up my awesome plaque.

She knows I write notes and lists all the time, and now I have this awesome pad that lives on my fridge - and it's so cute!  "Only great minds can afford a simple style."  I like it!

I always, always, ALWAYS double-line my pans now.  Saves me SO much trouble.  Also, I love Pam.  I started using nonstick cooking spray my sophomore year of undergrad, and left a can at Mom's once over the summer (I rarely cook at home, so she inherited all my foodstuffs when I came back from a semester), and she got addicted to it too.  I pass this tip on to all new/aspiring chefs: USE NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY!! 

I had to go all over town to find lamb that wasn't the teeniest little chop that wouldn't even fill up Thumbelina.  I'm not even joking.  Thankfully, Whole Foods stepped up to the plate (that store is to me like what an addict walking into a cave full of crack cocaine in Mexico might feel), and I am beyond proud I walked out of there with only two pounds of lamb and a pound of Brussels sprouts.

This is fresh picked rosemary from my garden of potted plants outside my front door...rosemary, mint, chocolate mint, and a pineapple that seems determined to die.  At least the rosemary and mint are growing well!

Once again: USE NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY!  It's my mom's recipe - you cut slits here and there in the lamb, and shove (part or all) of a clove of garlic in each slit with some rosemary.  And rub with olive oil before putting it in the pan.

I tried a new recipe for pan-fried Brussels sprouts, and cut them in half on Mom's recommendation.  I never cook them by myself, and it never occurred to me that there might be something living inside each sprout...definitely cut them all in half as I washed them and checked them for lil critters.  I didn't find any, although there was a little bit of marking on the outside of one or two sprouts, but I just peeled the outside leaves off and they were clean underneath.

Mashed potatoes.  They are my holiday dish, dammit, and I don't care what you say!!

I was frying the garlic, onions, and waiting for it to be time to put the sprouts in.

Mashed potatoes boiling, sprouts done, was just waiting for the lamb to be ready to take it out of the oven.

Here's the cooked lamb!  I could've given it a few more minutes, but it might have hardened, so I'm glad I took it out when I did.

I got to be with my family while I was cooking thanks to the wonder that is Skype!

My dinnerplate!!  Lamb, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, corn, roast potato and mashed potatoes, that's how I roll.

I got to be at the table with my family.   I can't even begin to explain just how much that means to me.  You either understand it or you don't.

Once I finished eating, I put all my stuff in the fridge and talked to Mom and Lidia for over an hour while Dad took a nap.  Then I took a nap...yay naps!  I love naps.  What is the point of life without naps?  But seriously, it was the most wonderful afternoon, being a part of my family again, even though I'm physically apart from them.

 I hate doing dishes.  I really, really, really hate doing dishes.  But I don't have a dishwasher, so they must be done.  And now most of mine are.  Just the big pot and its lid left, and I need everything else to dry first so I can put it away and free up space on the drying rack.

Are those the most awesome fridge contents ever?  I think those are the most awesome fridge contents ever.  Particularly because they're in MY fridge. 

Oh, so full.  I want to eat more...but I am SO full.  I can't nap again, so I think I'll curl up with a book.  After all, it is a holiday!

Happy Easter, everybody!!