as you might remember, i don't cook. but i just discovered something i can do to keep myself fed that takes place right in my own kitchen. gather a bunch of foods you like and throw them in a slow cooker for 6 hours with a couple of cans of cream of anything soup. you can make 5 quarts of sustenance at a time. ingenious. it was all very confusing to me at first. why would i put food into the same container the salon uses to simmer wax? i'm sure there's a frauier way of going about it but for the culinarily challenged like myself it's like a miracle. do you ever get crock-potty? are there super good recipes or rules i should follow?
26 October 2010
crock pottery
as you might remember, i don't cook. but i just discovered something i can do to keep myself fed that takes place right in my own kitchen. gather a bunch of foods you like and throw them in a slow cooker for 6 hours with a couple of cans of cream of anything soup. you can make 5 quarts of sustenance at a time. ingenious. it was all very confusing to me at first. why would i put food into the same container the salon uses to simmer wax? i'm sure there's a frauier way of going about it but for the culinarily challenged like myself it's like a miracle. do you ever get crock-potty? are there super good recipes or rules i should follow?
22 October 2010
there is no 'y' in mucus
and isn't that sunny way to begin my first post in a long while???
well, what can i say? the trials of sterling cooper draper pryce are over. glorious summer has turned into a damp fall. i have my first seriously-bad-shit-will-happen if i don't meet it deadline coming down the pike. i had my first anxiety dream about that deadline over the weekend. and the exercise regimen that i planned to start this fall still hasn't started yet and it is three weeks into october. this is the perfect time to fall under the influence of the rhinovirus, with its attendant fuzzy-headedness and sense of lost possibility, right? and fall under its influence i did on monday.
now four days later, i am sitting in bed, having beaten the bastardly virus back, contemplating the fact that tomorrow i will get dressed in real clothes and venture to my office for the first time since monday night, i realize that i have learned something in all my years of cold-catching, about how to have and recover from a cold. i'm actually kind of a master at it. i have developed, over lo these many years, a system. a strategy. a plan of attack.
so, here, in this brief post, in honor of the beginning of yet another cold and flu season, are my frau tips for getting through the worst of it. i have to go to bed soon (see below) so i'll make it short. trust that all of this advice has been rigorously tested over years of cold-catching--and while little of this advice will be new to you, i believe i have now come to the point where i can discern verifiably good suggestions that will diminish your discomfort from stuff people tell you do so that you will feel better even though none of it really works.
one caveat: none of my advice will make up for your ill-advised decision to keep getting showered and dressed and braving traffic to go to work even on the worst day of your cold. sick days were made for this, people. stay home, get the laptop, plug in the extra long cord, and accept that you are not doing anyone any favors by going to work and sneezing on them. i understand that you have stuff to do and not all employers are as understanding as universities about this stuff, but do your best to try and stay at home. it will save you time and improve your productivity and that of others in the long run. even though watching hulu for 9 hours straight may not make you feel particularly productive...
oh and if you aren't sick yet, go get a flu shot. really. go get one.
without further adieu, the things you should do:
1. FLUIDS. the doctors tell you to drink fluids and i know you try. but, seriously, people, this is one of the few things that i have learned MEASURABLY REDUCES THE DURATION OF YOUR MISERY. but, when i say, drink fluids, i mean swill, swallow, gulp, rinse and repeat. we are talking about so much water that your pee will be colorless. and you will spend most of your time peeing. you know what, though? it is real. it works. my advice for how to drink all that water? get a big glass (measure out how much fluid it holds) and do not get out of bed without filling it up again. if you're lucky, you can get a really fascinating drink-to-pee rhythm going that convinces you that you can actually feel your liver going into overdrive.
2. lay off the caffeine and the booze. really, it is sad. because you feel so awful that going without caffeine seems like you're being kicked by God when you're already down. do it, though. drink a cup of black tea every few hours to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay but don't drink coffee. and although a little booze can help you fall asleep, stay away from the regular doses. if you must drink either caffeine or alcohol, you must consume at least two 8 oz glasses of water for every cocktail or cup of coffee.
3. eat early, eat often, and eat colorful things. this generally means little if any processed food and a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit. again, not rocket science. you've heard it before. but do it. don't just eat ramen or campbell's tomato soup. drag yourself out to whole foods, get a huge container of various salady things, and eat that WITH your soup. also, eat bready things. this is not the time to eschew the carbs.
4. one word, people. one unpronounceable word. GUAIFENESIN. this stuff thins your mucus. and, when it all comes down to it, mucus is your friend. it is the reason you are drinking all that water. from my not unimpressive research, i have learned that mucus is the stuff that flushes out all those terrible virus bugs. THAT'S WHY YOUR BODY MAKES IT!!!! so, you don't want less mucus, you want more. and LOTS more. this medicine helps you make it. it is like magic!!!! so, go to the drug store and buy lots of it! in big doses! and for God's sake, buy generic. it'll be right next to the boxes of Mucinex (grossest commercials of all time, by the way). take the maximum dosage of this stuff every day. this plus tylenol will help alleviate the worst symptoms while encouraging your immune system to do its thing.
5. neti pot. you've heard of it. you've seen it on oprah. now, you are hearing it from frau. this is the thing that is worth the trouble it takes to learn how to use it. go to cvs and buy this thing. use it twice a day when you're sick. it will help you breathe easier (after you get the hang of it). the salt water will make the burning red pain around your nose better. and it will help you prevent sinus infections, which can be the worst legacy of a bad cold. here is a youtube video (not for the faint of heart) about how to use one.
6. mario badescu's healing cream, available here, is the best weapon against ouchy nose or whatever you call it. it makes all the pain go away and the redness. it is amazing.
7. finally, SLEEP. do whatever you have to do to get 8 hours of real sleep at night. this can be difficult when you're sick so take the sleepy medicine stuff (i use this); have a hot toddy (herbal tea, honey, and whiskey); prop the pillows up so you can sleep without exacerbating your stuffed sinuses. get the room temperature right--no air blowing on your head. and try to sleep properly.
well, that's it, really. remember, mucus is your friend. make mucus not war. visualize whirled mucus, etc. etc. etc.
well, what can i say? the trials of sterling cooper draper pryce are over. glorious summer has turned into a damp fall. i have my first seriously-bad-shit-will-happen if i don't meet it deadline coming down the pike. i had my first anxiety dream about that deadline over the weekend. and the exercise regimen that i planned to start this fall still hasn't started yet and it is three weeks into october. this is the perfect time to fall under the influence of the rhinovirus, with its attendant fuzzy-headedness and sense of lost possibility, right? and fall under its influence i did on monday.
now four days later, i am sitting in bed, having beaten the bastardly virus back, contemplating the fact that tomorrow i will get dressed in real clothes and venture to my office for the first time since monday night, i realize that i have learned something in all my years of cold-catching, about how to have and recover from a cold. i'm actually kind of a master at it. i have developed, over lo these many years, a system. a strategy. a plan of attack.
so, here, in this brief post, in honor of the beginning of yet another cold and flu season, are my frau tips for getting through the worst of it. i have to go to bed soon (see below) so i'll make it short. trust that all of this advice has been rigorously tested over years of cold-catching--and while little of this advice will be new to you, i believe i have now come to the point where i can discern verifiably good suggestions that will diminish your discomfort from stuff people tell you do so that you will feel better even though none of it really works.
one caveat: none of my advice will make up for your ill-advised decision to keep getting showered and dressed and braving traffic to go to work even on the worst day of your cold. sick days were made for this, people. stay home, get the laptop, plug in the extra long cord, and accept that you are not doing anyone any favors by going to work and sneezing on them. i understand that you have stuff to do and not all employers are as understanding as universities about this stuff, but do your best to try and stay at home. it will save you time and improve your productivity and that of others in the long run. even though watching hulu for 9 hours straight may not make you feel particularly productive...
oh and if you aren't sick yet, go get a flu shot. really. go get one.
without further adieu, the things you should do:
1. FLUIDS. the doctors tell you to drink fluids and i know you try. but, seriously, people, this is one of the few things that i have learned MEASURABLY REDUCES THE DURATION OF YOUR MISERY. but, when i say, drink fluids, i mean swill, swallow, gulp, rinse and repeat. we are talking about so much water that your pee will be colorless. and you will spend most of your time peeing. you know what, though? it is real. it works. my advice for how to drink all that water? get a big glass (measure out how much fluid it holds) and do not get out of bed without filling it up again. if you're lucky, you can get a really fascinating drink-to-pee rhythm going that convinces you that you can actually feel your liver going into overdrive.
2. lay off the caffeine and the booze. really, it is sad. because you feel so awful that going without caffeine seems like you're being kicked by God when you're already down. do it, though. drink a cup of black tea every few hours to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay but don't drink coffee. and although a little booze can help you fall asleep, stay away from the regular doses. if you must drink either caffeine or alcohol, you must consume at least two 8 oz glasses of water for every cocktail or cup of coffee.
3. eat early, eat often, and eat colorful things. this generally means little if any processed food and a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit. again, not rocket science. you've heard it before. but do it. don't just eat ramen or campbell's tomato soup. drag yourself out to whole foods, get a huge container of various salady things, and eat that WITH your soup. also, eat bready things. this is not the time to eschew the carbs.
4. one word, people. one unpronounceable word. GUAIFENESIN. this stuff thins your mucus. and, when it all comes down to it, mucus is your friend. it is the reason you are drinking all that water. from my not unimpressive research, i have learned that mucus is the stuff that flushes out all those terrible virus bugs. THAT'S WHY YOUR BODY MAKES IT!!!! so, you don't want less mucus, you want more. and LOTS more. this medicine helps you make it. it is like magic!!!! so, go to the drug store and buy lots of it! in big doses! and for God's sake, buy generic. it'll be right next to the boxes of Mucinex (grossest commercials of all time, by the way). take the maximum dosage of this stuff every day. this plus tylenol will help alleviate the worst symptoms while encouraging your immune system to do its thing.
5. neti pot. you've heard of it. you've seen it on oprah. now, you are hearing it from frau. this is the thing that is worth the trouble it takes to learn how to use it. go to cvs and buy this thing. use it twice a day when you're sick. it will help you breathe easier (after you get the hang of it). the salt water will make the burning red pain around your nose better. and it will help you prevent sinus infections, which can be the worst legacy of a bad cold. here is a youtube video (not for the faint of heart) about how to use one.
6. mario badescu's healing cream, available here, is the best weapon against ouchy nose or whatever you call it. it makes all the pain go away and the redness. it is amazing.
7. finally, SLEEP. do whatever you have to do to get 8 hours of real sleep at night. this can be difficult when you're sick so take the sleepy medicine stuff (i use this); have a hot toddy (herbal tea, honey, and whiskey); prop the pillows up so you can sleep without exacerbating your stuffed sinuses. get the room temperature right--no air blowing on your head. and try to sleep properly.
well, that's it, really. remember, mucus is your friend. make mucus not war. visualize whirled mucus, etc. etc. etc.
09 September 2010
25 July 2010
super duper summer salad
my husband can cook. not me. today he asked me what I wanted and I told him something with french lentils. here is the recipe he made...it is fantastic. it combines some really interesting flavors I normally wouldn't put together.
the original recipe was from cooks illustrated but john made enough alterations (because I forgot stuff at the store) that I don't feel uncomfortable reproducing the recipe as he made it.
1 c. french lentils - picked over and cleaned
1/2 small onion
1 small carrot - peeled and cut in half
1 med. rib of celery - cut into thirds
1/2 tsp. table salt
1 and a 1/2 tbsp. of dry sherry
1/2 tbsp. vinegar
3 tbsp. of a spicy brown or whole grain mustard
1 tbsp. caraway seeds, lightly crushed (this is the amazing secret ingredient)
2 med. cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
4 radishes, diced (this is the second key ingredient)
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
1. bring first 4 ingredients plus 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. boil for 5 min. reduce heat; simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape (approx. 30 min).
2. meanwhile, mix vinegar, sherry, mustard, caraway seeds, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in small bowl. slowly whisk in the oil to make a vinaigrette; set aside.
3. drain lentils and discard the vegetables. add warm lentils to vinaigrette; toss to coat. cool to room temperature. stir in radish and parsley. serve.
the incredibly infuriating egg
you may have noticed many of my posts are about eggs - how can you tell they are fresh? how do you poach them? and today -
how the hell do you peel hard-boiled eggs without ripping them apart? (please imagine that I wrote this in caps because I'm super frustrated...but I hate all caps so I refrained.)
I decided to make deviled eggs for my mad men gathering this evening. they are such an amazing appie but absolutely a pain in the butt to make. most frustrating - spending 40 minutes hunched over the sink peeling them.
I cooked two dozen eggs. I did not have a single egg pristine after peeling - all of them got pitted and scarred.
I read stuff on the internet about how to best peel an egg and nothing seemed to help. frau what do I do to master this incredibly annoying task? currently I tap the egg on each end with a spoon and try to peel them underwater in a bowl. it is not a good approach.
21 July 2010
mad men appies
yes we all know a mad men party needs good cocktails, but what are some good vintage 60s hors d'oeuvres to serve with said old skool cocktails? I'm looking for something a bit more refined than chex mix, but I'll do it.
01 July 2010
hosting
frau -
can you give some guidance on hosting - dos and don'ts and maybe (and most importantly) ways to juggle cooking and hosting? when we have parties in the summer much of the cooking is done on the grill but an equal amount of prep work is done in the kitchen along with mixing drinks etc.
john ends up spending the entire first 2 hours of the party constantly making pitchers of drinks and working on odds and ends - then he doesn't get to talk to anyone....I mean who the hell wants to be in our cramped kitchen instead of sitting on the lake? not me.
what are the most important things to remember when being a good host?
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