Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Question of the day.
You know what I dislike? People who announce that they're sick and then proceed to rub their hands all over my desk.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Nearly vanquished.
I've only picked up 10 ants today, and there are no discernible trails left. Finally, I can vacuum the corpses from the baseboards and use the mop handle to run a soggy paper towel between the fridge and the cabinet.
The tally so far:
* The spray chemicals, while highly effective, are noxious to humans and therefore not a great options. I will continue to boycott these as long as possible.
* The Raid baits in the teal box don't work. The box touts it contains *two* kinds of food for the ants. Neither of which the ants like, apparently. It's really expensive to boot, at nearly $6 for four.
* The MaxAttack baits in the red box are awesome. The ants love this stuff and die reasonably quickly. They are inexpensive, at about $2 for four.
* The Ortho Ant-B-Gon traps don't work, according to my pals. Good thing, too, as they are on the pricey side.
* The Raid outdoor stakes may or may not be working. They are not too expensive, at about $9 for six. They live outside, so I'm not too concerned about them.
* The tube bait is going back to the store. I don't like the idea of leaving open bait indoors.
* The clear containers of liquid bait looked incredibly cool. It's a pity they don't actually lure the ants inside, because it would be neat to see drowned ants *inside* the container. They are expensive, at about $5 for four. I bet they don't work.
The tally so far:
* The spray chemicals, while highly effective, are noxious to humans and therefore not a great options. I will continue to boycott these as long as possible.
* The Raid baits in the teal box don't work. The box touts it contains *two* kinds of food for the ants. Neither of which the ants like, apparently. It's really expensive to boot, at nearly $6 for four.
* The MaxAttack baits in the red box are awesome. The ants love this stuff and die reasonably quickly. They are inexpensive, at about $2 for four.
* The Ortho Ant-B-Gon traps don't work, according to my pals. Good thing, too, as they are on the pricey side.
* The Raid outdoor stakes may or may not be working. They are not too expensive, at about $9 for six. They live outside, so I'm not too concerned about them.
* The tube bait is going back to the store. I don't like the idea of leaving open bait indoors.
* The clear containers of liquid bait looked incredibly cool. It's a pity they don't actually lure the ants inside, because it would be neat to see drowned ants *inside* the container. They are expensive, at about $5 for four. I bet they don't work.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The ants must die, or why I dislike Woody Allen.
The ants have returned. They are the resilient Argentine variety, the kind with no natural predators except humans. Right now I've got 15 bait stations scattered around my kitchen, a bottle of Windex on standby, and I've taken to walking around the kitchen on paper towels so I can squash the little vermin with my toe when necessary. I spent an hour last night scrubbing down the baseboards with said Windex.
The ants responded by creating an even bigger path from the patio door to the refrigerator, swarming four of the bait stations, and stepping around the rest. I hope this means some of the bait took. I know from experience the sprays are a highly effective neurotoxin, both to the ants and to humans. I'd rather not use them.
I also know from experience that homemade remedies involving honey bait and borax poison do not work. Why? Because Argentine ants are not attracted by sugar. Given sugar, they will swarm it, for sure. They will also swarm water, Windex, Orange-Glo, Pine-Sol, diluted dish soap, bait stations, dead wasps, their newly fallen siblings, dust bunnies, and refrigerators.
The last case happened when I was in grad school. The fridge was particularly old, and the ants particularly mutant. One rainy day, the ants decided to swarm the fridge but none of the food on the counter. The fridge had old seals and so the ants got in. The resulting scene resembled http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Minard.png if you turn the image on its side, picture the freezer on the skinny side on top, and the band made entirely of well-chilled ants.
I spent days shaking the frozen corpses off the peas.
Anyways, the movie "Antz" is all about the survival of the current ant colony thanks to Woody Allen's ant character's neuroses. Forget that. I wish the entire colony would die off and leave my kitchen alone.
The ants responded by creating an even bigger path from the patio door to the refrigerator, swarming four of the bait stations, and stepping around the rest. I hope this means some of the bait took. I know from experience the sprays are a highly effective neurotoxin, both to the ants and to humans. I'd rather not use them.
I also know from experience that homemade remedies involving honey bait and borax poison do not work. Why? Because Argentine ants are not attracted by sugar. Given sugar, they will swarm it, for sure. They will also swarm water, Windex, Orange-Glo, Pine-Sol, diluted dish soap, bait stations, dead wasps, their newly fallen siblings, dust bunnies, and refrigerators.
The last case happened when I was in grad school. The fridge was particularly old, and the ants particularly mutant. One rainy day, the ants decided to swarm the fridge but none of the food on the counter. The fridge had old seals and so the ants got in. The resulting scene resembled http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Minard.png if you turn the image on its side, picture the freezer on the skinny side on top, and the band made entirely of well-chilled ants.
I spent days shaking the frozen corpses off the peas.
Anyways, the movie "Antz" is all about the survival of the current ant colony thanks to Woody Allen's ant character's neuroses. Forget that. I wish the entire colony would die off and leave my kitchen alone.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Bummed out
They've stopped making Robitussin Cough and Cold liqui-gels.
I am extremely bummed out about this. They were my drug...uh, pharmaceutical...of choice. They were the only thing that worked. Boy howdy, did they work. They sealed up the sniffles and stopped the coughs all in one go, without the nasty taste of cough syrup. They were definitely worth putting my name on that hit list they demand at the pharmacy counter.
Mucinex-D doesn't contain the same active ingredient. It's got pseudophedrine and an expectorant, which is not what I want. I'll hawk a big loogie some other time. I just need to get rid of the coughs (or rather, I will later this week).
So I had to settle for Advil Cold & Sinus (for the pseudophedrine) and a separate bottle of Robitussin Cough Gels (for the cough suppressant). Although it's not the same, I still would have beaten down any meth-head in the parking lot for my pseudophedrine. I need it more than they do.
I am extremely bummed out about this. They were my drug...uh, pharmaceutical...of choice. They were the only thing that worked. Boy howdy, did they work. They sealed up the sniffles and stopped the coughs all in one go, without the nasty taste of cough syrup. They were definitely worth putting my name on that hit list they demand at the pharmacy counter.
Mucinex-D doesn't contain the same active ingredient. It's got pseudophedrine and an expectorant, which is not what I want. I'll hawk a big loogie some other time. I just need to get rid of the coughs (or rather, I will later this week).
So I had to settle for Advil Cold & Sinus (for the pseudophedrine) and a separate bottle of Robitussin Cough Gels (for the cough suppressant). Although it's not the same, I still would have beaten down any meth-head in the parking lot for my pseudophedrine. I need it more than they do.
Friday, January 04, 2008
And for goodness' sake peel the ginger
The skin is nasty to eat. At least wash it before you use it. You don't know where it's been and who else handled it before you, so why would you toss it in the pot as is like the guys on TV do?
Criminy.
Criminy.
Why they're all ripoffs of Cook's Illustrated.
Or, why I post no Chinese recipes.
The Cook's recipes are by far the clearest and easiest to use. Because things are spelled out so well, it's easy to see where you can substitute different ingredients, even if it's not called for.
I don't make stuffed tomatoes or cookies every day, you know. But you would be disappointed with my recipes for Chinese dishes. Case in point:
Braised Chinese Mustard Greens
1 bag Chinese mustard greens (gai choy) (1 bag is the minimum unit they'll sell me)
1 piece (not the entire thing, but enough so the cashier doesn't think you're cheap) ginger, peeled and sliced (Or chunked. The point is no mincing and no paper-thin slices.)
water to cover bottom of pot
dash salt
1. Trim and wash the mustard greens.
2. Find a pot big enough for the greens. Cover the bottom with water and add the salt and ginger. Boil the water.
3. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the greens and cover. Cook until done.
I mean really, there's not much to it.
The Cook's recipes are by far the clearest and easiest to use. Because things are spelled out so well, it's easy to see where you can substitute different ingredients, even if it's not called for.
I don't make stuffed tomatoes or cookies every day, you know. But you would be disappointed with my recipes for Chinese dishes. Case in point:
Braised Chinese Mustard Greens
1 bag Chinese mustard greens (gai choy) (1 bag is the minimum unit they'll sell me)
1 piece (not the entire thing, but enough so the cashier doesn't think you're cheap) ginger, peeled and sliced (Or chunked. The point is no mincing and no paper-thin slices.)
water to cover bottom of pot
dash salt
1. Trim and wash the mustard greens.
2. Find a pot big enough for the greens. Cover the bottom with water and add the salt and ginger. Boil the water.
3. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the greens and cover. Cook until done.
I mean really, there's not much to it.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe.
1 dry pint cherry tomatoes
4 oz goat cheese (most of a TJ log)
6 kalamata olives, rinsed and chopped
1 tbl capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
drizzle of olive oil
1. Mix the cheese, olives, capers, and parsley. Add enough oil so the mixture holds together.
2. Take the tops off the cherry tomatoes and scoop out their guts. For me, this involved a really small spoon and getting up to my elbows in tomato guts.
3. Spoon the cheese into the tomatoes. I wound up using only half the cheese.
Pros:
* This recipe would be tastier if I had 2 tablespoons olive tapenade, as specified in the original recipe, on hand instead of the capers and olives.
* The cheese is nice on toast.
Cons:
* I thought it could use more olive and less caper. That's what I get for running out of olives.
* I detected a "fishy" taste, which was confirmed by one other person.
* Another person couldn't detect the fishiness, but thought the goat cheese rather strong.
* Gutting a dry pint of cherry tomatoes is surprisingly hard work. Miniature bell peppers would be a better choice as they have a more assertive flavor. However, you'd need to add a squeeze of lemon to the cheese to add a hit of acidity.
1 dry pint cherry tomatoes
4 oz goat cheese (most of a TJ log)
6 kalamata olives, rinsed and chopped
1 tbl capers, rinsed and chopped
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
drizzle of olive oil
1. Mix the cheese, olives, capers, and parsley. Add enough oil so the mixture holds together.
2. Take the tops off the cherry tomatoes and scoop out their guts. For me, this involved a really small spoon and getting up to my elbows in tomato guts.
3. Spoon the cheese into the tomatoes. I wound up using only half the cheese.
Pros:
* This recipe would be tastier if I had 2 tablespoons olive tapenade, as specified in the original recipe, on hand instead of the capers and olives.
* The cheese is nice on toast.
Cons:
* I thought it could use more olive and less caper. That's what I get for running out of olives.
* I detected a "fishy" taste, which was confirmed by one other person.
* Another person couldn't detect the fishiness, but thought the goat cheese rather strong.
* Gutting a dry pint of cherry tomatoes is surprisingly hard work. Miniature bell peppers would be a better choice as they have a more assertive flavor. However, you'd need to add a squeeze of lemon to the cheese to add a hit of acidity.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Baked egg with tomato.
Adapted from Mark Bittman's NYTimes recipe.
Baked Egg with Tomato
1 egg
tops of 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
dash olive oil, salt, pepper
1. Oil the dish. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Line the dish with the cherry tomato tops.
3. Salt and pepper the tomatoes.
4. Crack the egg over the tomatoes.
5. Bake, uncovered, for at least 12 minutes. The egg doesn't look done, but believe me, it is. It gets a rubbery layer over the top if you let it go too long. The good news is despite the layer, the yolk turns out almost perfect, which is tough to do in a frying pan. At least it's tough for me.
Note: make sure you use an adorable dish that looks like a tomato. It will take your mind off the fact that you're eating a gazillion cherry tomato tops instead of a proper slice of tomato.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Gingerbread Cookies
Adapted from the recipe on the back of my molasses bottle. This recipe results in cookies that are fairly toothsome. They're not crisp, nor are they soft. If you roll them out fairly thin they start to resemble soft ginger snaps. If you roll them out on the thicker side, they can be a little bit difficult to bite into. However, the result is still not sturdy enough for gingerbread houses.
Well, I like them anyway. They have a black licorice flavor that is not too sweet. If you like sweet, they will take well to icing without becoming overly sweet.
0.75 c each dark molasses, light brown sugar (packed), and butter (1.5 sticks)
1 egg
3 2/3 c flour
1 tbl ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp each allspice and baking soda
1. Boil the molasses, sugar, and butter on medium heat. While the mixture cools, measure and blend the dry ingredients.
2. Add the beaten egg to the molasses mixture. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined.
3. Wrap and chill the dough at least 1 hour.
4. My dough needed additional massaging to become pliable and cohesive enough to roll. Roll it out 1/8" to 1/4" thick and go nuts with the cookie cutter.
5. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes, until the edges start to brown. That is, they turn browner than the dough already is.
Makes 32 large bears, 12 large stars, 15 small stars, and one round splodge.
Well, I like them anyway. They have a black licorice flavor that is not too sweet. If you like sweet, they will take well to icing without becoming overly sweet.
0.75 c each dark molasses, light brown sugar (packed), and butter (1.5 sticks)
1 egg
3 2/3 c flour
1 tbl ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp each allspice and baking soda
1. Boil the molasses, sugar, and butter on medium heat. While the mixture cools, measure and blend the dry ingredients.
2. Add the beaten egg to the molasses mixture. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until well combined.
3. Wrap and chill the dough at least 1 hour.
4. My dough needed additional massaging to become pliable and cohesive enough to roll. Roll it out 1/8" to 1/4" thick and go nuts with the cookie cutter.
5. Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes, until the edges start to brown. That is, they turn browner than the dough already is.
Makes 32 large bears, 12 large stars, 15 small stars, and one round splodge.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Mmm...
Cheese lasagna freezes beautifully. Sliced portions reheat to an unattractive puddle of sauce, noodles, and cheese, but then, all lasagna does that, except for the comercially made ones. It tastes just fine. If you're hungry enough, it really doesn't matter what it looks like, now, does it?
Here's my recipe. It comes courtesy of Cook's Illustrated. Note the emphasis on where I shop.
Cheese Lasagna (billed as Simple Cheese Lasagna, but I never ever go for complicated recipes)
15 oz ricotta cheese = 1 tub from Trader Joe's.
1.25 c grated parmesan cheese. I use preshredded.
0.5 c basil, minced
1 egg, beaten
0.5 tsp each salt, pepper
2 jars marinara sauce. I use the no-salt added kind from TJ.
12 no-boil lasagna noodles. Thank goodness TJ started carrying these.
1 lb shredded mozzarella = 1 bag preshredded.
1. Set oven to 375F with rack in the middle.
2. Mix ricotta, 1 c parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper until it forms a squidgy mass.
3. First layer: 0.25 c sauce in your 9x13 baking dish, then 3 noodles, then 1 spoon of ricotta onto each noodle. Smoosh out the cheese over the noodle. Scatter 1/4 of the mozzarella over everything.
4. Second and third layers: 1.5 c sauce, 3 noodles, 1 spoon ricotta smooshed on each noodle, 1/4 of the mozzarella. This uses up all the ricotta.
5. Fourth layer: noodles first, then rest of the sauce, then last of the mozzarella, then last of the parmesan.
6. Oil a sheet of foil and use to cover the pan tightly. Bake, covered, 15 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake 25 minutes more.
8. Let sit a few minutes then eat.
Here's my recipe. It comes courtesy of Cook's Illustrated. Note the emphasis on where I shop.
Cheese Lasagna (billed as Simple Cheese Lasagna, but I never ever go for complicated recipes)
15 oz ricotta cheese = 1 tub from Trader Joe's.
1.25 c grated parmesan cheese. I use preshredded.
0.5 c basil, minced
1 egg, beaten
0.5 tsp each salt, pepper
2 jars marinara sauce. I use the no-salt added kind from TJ.
12 no-boil lasagna noodles. Thank goodness TJ started carrying these.
1 lb shredded mozzarella = 1 bag preshredded.
1. Set oven to 375F with rack in the middle.
2. Mix ricotta, 1 c parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper until it forms a squidgy mass.
3. First layer: 0.25 c sauce in your 9x13 baking dish, then 3 noodles, then 1 spoon of ricotta onto each noodle. Smoosh out the cheese over the noodle. Scatter 1/4 of the mozzarella over everything.
4. Second and third layers: 1.5 c sauce, 3 noodles, 1 spoon ricotta smooshed on each noodle, 1/4 of the mozzarella. This uses up all the ricotta.
5. Fourth layer: noodles first, then rest of the sauce, then last of the mozzarella, then last of the parmesan.
6. Oil a sheet of foil and use to cover the pan tightly. Bake, covered, 15 minutes.
7. Uncover and bake 25 minutes more.
8. Let sit a few minutes then eat.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Weekend recap.
The long-rise, no-knead bread has a nice crust but a dense interior which is not to my liking. After reading Cook's Illustrated revision of the NY Times no-knead recipe, I think the dense interior could be rectified with a little kneading, a hotter baking method, more yeast, and a warmer rise cycle. I won't be revisiting this, because I abhor kneading (why else would I go for a no-knead recipe), don't have a Dutch oven suitable for the hotter baking method, and am unwilling to crank up the heat anywhere in my kitchen for a warmer rise.
I did not bake the gingerbread after all. Instead, I went for a modification of the gingerbread cookie recipe printed on the back of the molasses bottle. Instead of 1/4 tsp nutmeg, I used 1/2 tsp allspice, because I refuse to buy yet another bottle of rarely-used spice. Also, I used butter instead of margarine, because margarine is evil. I like the cookies and hope the stars stay fresh until C's birthday on Sunday. I don't know if other people will like the cookies. I used the dark molasses, which gives the cookies a Black Vine licorice flavor. I like Black Vines, but not everybody does. Also, the cookies must remain uniced. After spending the time to massage the dough into something more pliable, I didn't feel like making and applying a glaze.
In the non-baking department, I also made braised Chinese mustard greens. Mostly because I needed a vegetable and those were on sale.
My fridge is wonky and I don't know how to fix it. The main cabin is the correct temperature. However, all of the drawers are at or below freezing temperature. Cranking up the temperature using the little buttons causes everything to get warmer, so much so that the main cabin approaches an unsafe temperature. In the meantime, the drawers stay a good five degrees colder. Sigh.
I did not bake the gingerbread after all. Instead, I went for a modification of the gingerbread cookie recipe printed on the back of the molasses bottle. Instead of 1/4 tsp nutmeg, I used 1/2 tsp allspice, because I refuse to buy yet another bottle of rarely-used spice. Also, I used butter instead of margarine, because margarine is evil. I like the cookies and hope the stars stay fresh until C's birthday on Sunday. I don't know if other people will like the cookies. I used the dark molasses, which gives the cookies a Black Vine licorice flavor. I like Black Vines, but not everybody does. Also, the cookies must remain uniced. After spending the time to massage the dough into something more pliable, I didn't feel like making and applying a glaze.
In the non-baking department, I also made braised Chinese mustard greens. Mostly because I needed a vegetable and those were on sale.
My fridge is wonky and I don't know how to fix it. The main cabin is the correct temperature. However, all of the drawers are at or below freezing temperature. Cranking up the temperature using the little buttons causes everything to get warmer, so much so that the main cabin approaches an unsafe temperature. In the meantime, the drawers stay a good five degrees colder. Sigh.
But will it insure accurate service?
I started a subscription to the Wall Street Journal a couple weeks ago because it's required reading for my next class. Normally I prefer to read my news online and I strongly prefer not to have to pay for access, which is why I didn't have a subscription earlier.
In Saturday's paper my delivery man included a card asking for his annual tip. I've never known anybody who tips their delivery man, partly because I know very few people who actually get a newspaper delivered.
I don't know what the protocol is. A couple bucks? What if you've only been getting the paper a couple weeks, and only intend to for another quarter?
And what if during those couple of weeks, I haven't actually received my own newspaper? On the days when I received the WSJ, I received my neighbors'. Or rather, somebody in my neighborhood. I didn't actually go to their houses to try to swap the papers, because the odds were good that 1) they weren't home and 2) they hadn't received my paper. It's not like I can call the WSJ to complain, as they have no control over the delivery man.
Over the weekend, I received both the WSJ and the Mercury News. This is baffling because I never ordered the Mercury News. The MN doesn't have address labels so I don't know if I'm getting a neighbor's paper or a surplus. It's not like I can call the MN to complain, because they probably don't know I'm receiving their paper in the first place.
Today, I got the MN only. This is a pity, because I really only want the WSJ.
I could send in the card with a note, but then, I might as well ask the delivery man to put more dents in my garage door while he's at it.
In Saturday's paper my delivery man included a card asking for his annual tip. I've never known anybody who tips their delivery man, partly because I know very few people who actually get a newspaper delivered.
I don't know what the protocol is. A couple bucks? What if you've only been getting the paper a couple weeks, and only intend to for another quarter?
And what if during those couple of weeks, I haven't actually received my own newspaper? On the days when I received the WSJ, I received my neighbors'. Or rather, somebody in my neighborhood. I didn't actually go to their houses to try to swap the papers, because the odds were good that 1) they weren't home and 2) they hadn't received my paper. It's not like I can call the WSJ to complain, as they have no control over the delivery man.
Over the weekend, I received both the WSJ and the Mercury News. This is baffling because I never ordered the Mercury News. The MN doesn't have address labels so I don't know if I'm getting a neighbor's paper or a surplus. It's not like I can call the MN to complain, because they probably don't know I'm receiving their paper in the first place.
Today, I got the MN only. This is a pity, because I really only want the WSJ.
I could send in the card with a note, but then, I might as well ask the delivery man to put more dents in my garage door while he's at it.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Question of the day.
Dear Guy In the Next Cube,
Would you like a lozenge? You've been clearing your throat and sniffling for the last hour.
Would you like a lozenge? You've been clearing your throat and sniffling for the last hour.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Weekend Recap
* Tried two new-to-me Korean places, both fabulous. One makes its own tofu, the other has fantastic fried chicken. No more Popeye's for me. The combination of fried chicken and pickled daikon is fantastic--the vinegar cuts through the oil nicely.
* Nice surprise with the buttermilk pancakes. Turns out I really did have two cups of buttermilk left over from the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. I prefer a runnier batter, though. The pancakes are wonderfully thick, but I prefer a thinner pancake, and one that cooks a little faster so as to make heat management a little easier.
* The cheese lasagna was blissfully easy and tasty. The most difficult part was mincing the entire pack of basil, 2/3 of which went into an ice cube tray into the freezer. The resulting lasagna was full of hot molten cheese and bubbly rich tomato sauce punctuated by fragrant basil bits.
* No bread this weekend. There wasn't enough time given the long rise required and the fact that I had a week's worth of pancakes made up already.
* No gingerbread mix, boo-hoo. Everyone else loves this mix as much as I do.
* Chinese broccoli for the first time in a quarter. It looks tough but is an exciting prospect nevertheless.
Next weekend: gingerbread and bread (hopefully). If eggplants are cheap, eggplant pasta. If not, will consider Pasta Puttanesca, assuming I locate the recipe and have the energy to mince an entire pack of parsley.
* Nice surprise with the buttermilk pancakes. Turns out I really did have two cups of buttermilk left over from the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. I prefer a runnier batter, though. The pancakes are wonderfully thick, but I prefer a thinner pancake, and one that cooks a little faster so as to make heat management a little easier.
* The cheese lasagna was blissfully easy and tasty. The most difficult part was mincing the entire pack of basil, 2/3 of which went into an ice cube tray into the freezer. The resulting lasagna was full of hot molten cheese and bubbly rich tomato sauce punctuated by fragrant basil bits.
* No bread this weekend. There wasn't enough time given the long rise required and the fact that I had a week's worth of pancakes made up already.
* No gingerbread mix, boo-hoo. Everyone else loves this mix as much as I do.
* Chinese broccoli for the first time in a quarter. It looks tough but is an exciting prospect nevertheless.
Next weekend: gingerbread and bread (hopefully). If eggplants are cheap, eggplant pasta. If not, will consider Pasta Puttanesca, assuming I locate the recipe and have the energy to mince an entire pack of parsley.
Post Office 5, Me 1
I don't understand how I'm supposed to buy stamps. Obviously I'm missing something.
They took out the vending machine in this building, instructing us to purchase stamps at the ATM. Like hell I'm paying the ATM stamp service fee.
To purchase online, you need a printer. Presumably you'd need special paper. I'd imagine you can have the stamps shipped to you too. Like hell I'm buying a printer, toner, and special paper, or waiting for my stamps.
The post office with the special package machine that takes credit cards normally dispenses stamps, except for when I actually want to buy stamps. In the same post office, there were two cash machines. One was out of order, the other was not accepting bills of any sort. Like hell I have $8.20 in loose change on me.
The other post office closer to my house has two cash machines and no package machine. One refused to take any bills. The other would take only my crispest bills. Or rather, bill. The first $5 went in all right, but it refused to acknowledge any subsequent bills. And it would not dispense more than $5 in change, so a $20 was out of the question. Like hell I'm buying two books of stamps, even if the machine let me (which it didn't).
I suppose I could return during operating hours. But they open after I get to work and close before they leave. The only branch that's open on Saturday is about 5 miles out of the way. Like hell I'm dashing out of work just to buy stamps.
So there you have it. The solution was to have enough cash on hand to pay for my groceries, thereby breaking the $20s into $10 or smaller, and using a $10 in the machine that only accepts one bill at a time. Because like hell it's going to accept *two* crisp $5s.
They took out the vending machine in this building, instructing us to purchase stamps at the ATM. Like hell I'm paying the ATM stamp service fee.
To purchase online, you need a printer. Presumably you'd need special paper. I'd imagine you can have the stamps shipped to you too. Like hell I'm buying a printer, toner, and special paper, or waiting for my stamps.
The post office with the special package machine that takes credit cards normally dispenses stamps, except for when I actually want to buy stamps. In the same post office, there were two cash machines. One was out of order, the other was not accepting bills of any sort. Like hell I have $8.20 in loose change on me.
The other post office closer to my house has two cash machines and no package machine. One refused to take any bills. The other would take only my crispest bills. Or rather, bill. The first $5 went in all right, but it refused to acknowledge any subsequent bills. And it would not dispense more than $5 in change, so a $20 was out of the question. Like hell I'm buying two books of stamps, even if the machine let me (which it didn't).
I suppose I could return during operating hours. But they open after I get to work and close before they leave. The only branch that's open on Saturday is about 5 miles out of the way. Like hell I'm dashing out of work just to buy stamps.
So there you have it. The solution was to have enough cash on hand to pay for my groceries, thereby breaking the $20s into $10 or smaller, and using a $10 in the machine that only accepts one bill at a time. Because like hell it's going to accept *two* crisp $5s.
Friday, November 30, 2007
TGIF. Question of the day.
Stuff I want to cook this weekend:
* simple cheese lasagna
* bread (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2007/11/28/easy-slow-rise-no-knead-light-wheat-or-white-bread/)
* french toast made from aforementioned bread
* Chinese greens (it's been a while since I've eaten those)
* gingerbread cookies (mix is fine)
* something with phyllo dough to use up the roll that's left over
* buttermilk pancakes
How will I be able to eat all of that?
* simple cheese lasagna
* bread (http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2007/11/28/easy-slow-rise-no-knead-light-wheat-or-white-bread/)
* french toast made from aforementioned bread
* Chinese greens (it's been a while since I've eaten those)
* gingerbread cookies (mix is fine)
* something with phyllo dough to use up the roll that's left over
* buttermilk pancakes
How will I be able to eat all of that?
Monday, November 26, 2007
Stuffed.
Everything turned out delicious. The verdict?
Turkey: buying kosher results in a moist bird, but salty leftovers. A leave-in probe thermometer is a great investment. Get one now.
Cranberry sauce: 1 bag berries boiled with 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp zest, and with 2 tsp triple sec stirred in after cooking. A hit, and surprisingly fresh-tasting given that there was no orange juice involved.
Buttermilk mashed potatoes: buttermilk gives a nice tang, but makes for watery leftovers.
Green beans: surprisingly, doesn't need oil. Sliced almonds were a welcome addition.
Pie: Trader Joe's crust from the frozen case was a little thick for my liking, but shattered satisfyingly on first slice. The apples took an awfully long time to slice up.
Turkey: buying kosher results in a moist bird, but salty leftovers. A leave-in probe thermometer is a great investment. Get one now.
Cranberry sauce: 1 bag berries boiled with 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp zest, and with 2 tsp triple sec stirred in after cooking. A hit, and surprisingly fresh-tasting given that there was no orange juice involved.
Buttermilk mashed potatoes: buttermilk gives a nice tang, but makes for watery leftovers.
Green beans: surprisingly, doesn't need oil. Sliced almonds were a welcome addition.
Pie: Trader Joe's crust from the frozen case was a little thick for my liking, but shattered satisfyingly on first slice. The apples took an awfully long time to slice up.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Doing it right this time.
It's week two of living in my new cubicle. I still believe I am facing the wrong direction, even though it is technically facing the same way as my old cube. The reason is my old cube faced the window (not that you could actually see out the window), whereas my new one does not. The new one is significantly warmer than the old one and has far more interesting neighbors.
I am determined to setup this cube right. This meant scrubbing down all horizontal (and most vertical) surfaces with disinfecting wipes. Also, this has meant setting up the books properly on shelves and not hiding stuff behind cabinet doors wherever permissible. And acquiring hanging folders, so papers remain properly sorted.
The Lego set shall live on an open shelf, not on the desk proper. The desk shall remain as clear as possible. I'm hoping there's enough space in the overhead cabinet to leave my toothbrush in a non-disgusting spot.
Annoyingly enough, one cabinet is not hospitable to standard sized hanging folders. It may fit legal sized, assuming I can find some.
Food shall remain on the desk. It shall not be hidden amongst the books. If it were in the overhead cabinet, it would warm up because of the lights.
I still have not figured out how to hang up the plaques without killing anybody. Will have to check the neighbors' cubes when they go home.
And I never thought I would ever find this line of discussion particularly facsinating.
I am determined to setup this cube right. This meant scrubbing down all horizontal (and most vertical) surfaces with disinfecting wipes. Also, this has meant setting up the books properly on shelves and not hiding stuff behind cabinet doors wherever permissible. And acquiring hanging folders, so papers remain properly sorted.
The Lego set shall live on an open shelf, not on the desk proper. The desk shall remain as clear as possible. I'm hoping there's enough space in the overhead cabinet to leave my toothbrush in a non-disgusting spot.
Annoyingly enough, one cabinet is not hospitable to standard sized hanging folders. It may fit legal sized, assuming I can find some.
Food shall remain on the desk. It shall not be hidden amongst the books. If it were in the overhead cabinet, it would warm up because of the lights.
I still have not figured out how to hang up the plaques without killing anybody. Will have to check the neighbors' cubes when they go home.
And I never thought I would ever find this line of discussion particularly facsinating.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Can't wait! Ramblings from a rumbling tummy.
For the first time in two years, I'm actually having a real Thanksgiving, hopefully one as enjoyable as six years ago when we had an all-girls dinner. The negotiations class is all but done--all that needs to be done is to print out the project writeup, reformat the diary, and read the last articles and case. The marketing class is also all but done--all that needs to be done is present the project and read three more articles for the final.
No accounting project to stress over.
No management paper to stress over.
No marketing project to stress over.
Only one final. You either know it or you don't.
So I get to cook a lovely meal for three dear friends. Two girls and a guy who's recovering from Lasik surgery, so it's almost an all-girls dinner. I'm truly excited about the prospect of cooking a full menu.
No accounting project to stress over.
No management paper to stress over.
No marketing project to stress over.
Only one final. You either know it or you don't.
So I get to cook a lovely meal for three dear friends. Two girls and a guy who's recovering from Lasik surgery, so it's almost an all-girls dinner. I'm truly excited about the prospect of cooking a full menu.
- green salad (from a bag of course)
- either mango-shrimp or potato salad (C's secret recipe)
- roast turkey breast (hope there's enough meat; Trader Joe's didn't sell the full breast)
- cranberry-orange sauce (orange = triple sec, not juice)
- buttermilk mashed potatoes
- green beans
- corn
- pumpkin pie (C's secret recipe)
- apple-cranberry pie
I am debating whether to make the sauce as is, or do a cranberry-orange relish with the addition of triple sec. After all, I was rather proud of myself for finding the triple sec, so I might as well use it. I am secretly hoping B will bring cranberry juice just so we can have a mixer.
As for green beans and corn...I wonder if there is anything else that should be done with them besides a little dab of butter. Green bean casserole is evil and unhealthy anyways.
Also, there is no bread. I figure we don't need it, what with the potatoes and pie and the fact that there are only four of us.
It sounds like a lot, but the more I think about it, the more I realize the most involved dish will be the pie.
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