So in this part of the saga, I will relate the story of renewing that prequal letter from our bank. It is a story with twists and turns with emotional ups and downs. Our troubles that began here may yet haunt us later, but as there is nothing we can do about it, not sure what we can do to mitigate it. Anyways, we begin the story with us contacting the bank to renew our prequal letter.
Our bank guy is a very nice man and when hubby called him to tell him we've found a place we would like to make a bid on but our prequal letter has just expired, he set forth to expediently send us a renewed prequal letter. It should be no big deal, in our minds, because we were able get one just 3 months earlier. Boy were we wrong!
I get home and hubby calls me to tell me that we can't get a prequal letter because they can't get his credit score. Not that the score was low or anything, just that they can't find it or get it. We came home and tried to obtain it ourselves, but it wasn't available for us either. Hubby tried calling the credit agencies, who were nothing but nasty and unhelpful saying things like, "I can see your score, it's right here in front of me. If you can't get to it, that's not our problem." He called a mortgage broker who advised putting him on my credit cards and going shopping. We got some advice from a credit repair person that our bank guy happened to know, but we didn't need credit repair.
We were very confused and got no real answers, just speculation and things to try. At this point, we figured there was no way we were getting the house. Now, our first priority was getting the credit stuff fixed. As per the mortgage broker's advice, I put my hubby on all my cards and when they came, we went shopping. After a big day of shopping, we came home and found a prequal letter from the bank sitting in our mailbox. Now, we were thoroughly confused.
Hubby calls the bank and the guy we were dealing with was also confused. He says he tried to run our numbers through the program a few times to get us a prequal letter but there was no indication to him that any of them went through but apparently one attempt did. In any case, he didn't say we couldn't use it. Before sending this unexpected letter to the listing agent, hubby goes online to check for his score. Maybe the shopping worked?
It did! There it was, sitting on the screen! Still, we had no idea what happened to make it go away or if the shopping was what brought it back. Still nervous that this could happen again when we apply for a loan, we sent the prequal letter to the agent and contacted our real estate lawyer.
The sellers agreed to sell us the house at our bid price and sent over the bid contract for our lawyer to fill out. The lawyer told us we needed to get the house inspection done before we can move forward. Hubby's boss recommended an inspector and an appointment was made. Thus ends the prequal letter chapter and begins the house inspection chapter!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
iPad 2
When the first iPad came out, my hubby was excited. He wanted one, and for a whole year we joked about getting him one but never did. It was too expensive and we had enough electronics to keep us occupied. Still, I must admit that it had definite appeal. We didn't get one because I just couldn't justify buying something so expensive when we really didn't need it. As far as I could tell, it would have been mostly a toy. I never considered getting one myself because I figured I'm pretty happy without one and really don't need one. So, as we were still in recovery from wedding and Christmas expenses, we never seriously considered getting an iPad.
Then the iPad 2 came out. Again my hubby was drooling and dreaming. Our finances were looking healthier, but it was still too expensive. My attitude had not changed towards it either. It was still nothing more than a really, super expensive toy. I just could not justify spending this much money all at once on something that seemed so frivolous to me.
Then my coworker caved and bought an iPad 2. He brought it to work and every so often, would run over to me and our boss and excitedly show us something it could do. That was when I really fell in love with it. Financial conservatism be damned! I want one! I really, really wanted one!
After checking our accounts and calculating that hubby and I could, indeed afford one each if we remained frugal for the rest of the year, I decided to take the plunge. I went to hubby and said, "Let's go get them!" Hubby first looked at me a bit incredulously. After all, I'd been saying no to a lot of frivolous spending for a good loooong time. He didn't hesitate long, however, before looking up the locations of Apple stores we can check out.
So we went to the Apple store that day and made our purchase. For a few days, I was embarrassed that we had caved and tried to hide the device or refrain from telling anyone what we had done. It was like a dirty secret and I was ashamed. Eventually, I realized it was silly to be acting this way and hid it no longer. What a wonderful feeling it was to be able to talk about the iPad with other iPad owners! We haven't been iPad 2 owners for long, but here are my impressions so far:
- They're purty!
- Love the multitasking feature!
- Lotsa games look great on them and some are free
- I downloaded a free finance app and have been tracking our expenses there. So far, it's been good to have
- It's also an e-reader, which is great because getting new books doesn't take up actual space in our apartment!
- Unlike the iPhone, you can actually type on the touch keyboard, which is perfect for emailing
- Google Maps is a hundred times better on the iPad than on my very old iPhone
- It has made me impatient and frustrated when using my out-dated iPhone
- My recipe application is so much easier to read off the iPad. No more squinting at my iPhone to find out what the next step or ingredient is in a recipe
- Web browsing on the iPad is better than it ever was on my iPhone
- Did I mention the games?
- Am thinking of getting a stylus to use with a sketch/note-taking app so I can draw/write directly onto my iPad. Saves paper!
- You can actually remote into a desktop PC and do work while away from work, which is only handy if you're a workaholic
- You can show people your photos and they'll look nice on the screen!
That's all I have so far. There's lots more that can be done. It's all about downloading/using the right app. So really, yes it's a toy, but it's not just a toy. It can be a personal organizer, a video blogging device, an e-reader, note-taker, task manager, GPS, research tool, music player, video player and so more all at once. Cool, right?
Then the iPad 2 came out. Again my hubby was drooling and dreaming. Our finances were looking healthier, but it was still too expensive. My attitude had not changed towards it either. It was still nothing more than a really, super expensive toy. I just could not justify spending this much money all at once on something that seemed so frivolous to me.
Then my coworker caved and bought an iPad 2. He brought it to work and every so often, would run over to me and our boss and excitedly show us something it could do. That was when I really fell in love with it. Financial conservatism be damned! I want one! I really, really wanted one!
After checking our accounts and calculating that hubby and I could, indeed afford one each if we remained frugal for the rest of the year, I decided to take the plunge. I went to hubby and said, "Let's go get them!" Hubby first looked at me a bit incredulously. After all, I'd been saying no to a lot of frivolous spending for a good loooong time. He didn't hesitate long, however, before looking up the locations of Apple stores we can check out.
So we went to the Apple store that day and made our purchase. For a few days, I was embarrassed that we had caved and tried to hide the device or refrain from telling anyone what we had done. It was like a dirty secret and I was ashamed. Eventually, I realized it was silly to be acting this way and hid it no longer. What a wonderful feeling it was to be able to talk about the iPad with other iPad owners! We haven't been iPad 2 owners for long, but here are my impressions so far:
- They're purty!
- Love the multitasking feature!
- Lotsa games look great on them and some are free
- I downloaded a free finance app and have been tracking our expenses there. So far, it's been good to have
- It's also an e-reader, which is great because getting new books doesn't take up actual space in our apartment!
- Unlike the iPhone, you can actually type on the touch keyboard, which is perfect for emailing
- Google Maps is a hundred times better on the iPad than on my very old iPhone
- It has made me impatient and frustrated when using my out-dated iPhone
- My recipe application is so much easier to read off the iPad. No more squinting at my iPhone to find out what the next step or ingredient is in a recipe
- Web browsing on the iPad is better than it ever was on my iPhone
- Did I mention the games?
- Am thinking of getting a stylus to use with a sketch/note-taking app so I can draw/write directly onto my iPad. Saves paper!
- You can actually remote into a desktop PC and do work while away from work, which is only handy if you're a workaholic
- You can show people your photos and they'll look nice on the screen!
That's all I have so far. There's lots more that can be done. It's all about downloading/using the right app. So really, yes it's a toy, but it's not just a toy. It can be a personal organizer, a video blogging device, an e-reader, note-taker, task manager, GPS, research tool, music player, video player and so more all at once. Cool, right?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Watering your plants
I have a black thumb. Every plant I have ever tried to keep alive has somehow died at my hands. Currently, I am struggling to keep alive two little moss terrariums at my desk and a little mini bamboo stalk at home.
One of the big mistakes I repeatedly make is either over-watering or forgetting to water my plants. I over-watered my moss terrariums and they've started turning yellow. I forgot to water my bamboo and the leaves started to dry up and fall off. Going forward, I can either shore up my memory buckets and find a better way figure out my watering schedule per plant, or set up reminders somewhere.
The other option is to set up a kind of hands-off irrigation operation. I found some really cool ways to water your plants without having to remember to check on them every day:
http://tipnut.com/garden-irrigation/
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/07/how_to_create_a_simple_housepl.html
http://radmegan.blogspot.com/2011/02/coke-bottle-watering-globes.html
The buried clay pot method outlined in the first link seems good for outdoor gardens and the other two sound like they would be good for houseplants. Currently, I don't have an outdoor garden nor do I have any glass bottles I can use as a watering globe. The cotton wicking method is appealing to me though. I could definitely try that with my bamboo.
One of the big mistakes I repeatedly make is either over-watering or forgetting to water my plants. I over-watered my moss terrariums and they've started turning yellow. I forgot to water my bamboo and the leaves started to dry up and fall off. Going forward, I can either shore up my memory buckets and find a better way figure out my watering schedule per plant, or set up reminders somewhere.
The other option is to set up a kind of hands-off irrigation operation. I found some really cool ways to water your plants without having to remember to check on them every day:
http://tipnut.com/garden-irrigation/
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2009/07/how_to_create_a_simple_housepl.html
http://radmegan.blogspot.com/2011/02/coke-bottle-watering-globes.html
The buried clay pot method outlined in the first link seems good for outdoor gardens and the other two sound like they would be good for houseplants. Currently, I don't have an outdoor garden nor do I have any glass bottles I can use as a watering globe. The cotton wicking method is appealing to me though. I could definitely try that with my bamboo.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
DOT issues new rules to airlines
Sometimes, you read the news and you think this world sucks and is going down the drain. Then there are times when a sliver of light shines through and makes you go, "Yes!" Today, I saw a sliver of light in this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20/passenger.rights/?hpt=Sbin
Air travel has become, in many ways, a punishing experience with little or no sympathy offered from the airlines or their staff. I understand that grumpy, grouchy people are difficult to deal with, but people are grumpy and grouchy because the airlines are trying to treat them like farm animals on a factory farm. Where's the human kindness, the empathy and compassion? How can airlines pretend to be non-evil if they think it's okay to leave passengers on a tarmac for over 2 hours without food, water, working bathrooms or medical attention? The fact that an official regulation is needed to force airlines to treat us with basic human decency is pretty outrageous.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/04/20/passenger.rights/?hpt=Sbin
Air travel has become, in many ways, a punishing experience with little or no sympathy offered from the airlines or their staff. I understand that grumpy, grouchy people are difficult to deal with, but people are grumpy and grouchy because the airlines are trying to treat them like farm animals on a factory farm. Where's the human kindness, the empathy and compassion? How can airlines pretend to be non-evil if they think it's okay to leave passengers on a tarmac for over 2 hours without food, water, working bathrooms or medical attention? The fact that an official regulation is needed to force airlines to treat us with basic human decency is pretty outrageous.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Hunting for a home, part 1
So late last year, my hubby and I started house-hunting. We really didn't know what we were doing and got lots of advice from different people, many of which conflicted. The running theme of everyone's experiences was that buying real estate in NYC sucks.
We started hunting late last year and then stopped because the market was totally dead during the winter. Throughout the fall and winter we were hoping to buy a condo next door that had gone up for sale. The couple that owned the condo was getting a divorce and supposedly, selling the condo was part of their settlement. The condo was big enough for a family just starting out and it was sunny. In the end, I think a big reason we both really liked it was because we didn't want to leave the neighborhood we already lived in. Moving next door would mean we stay in our comfort zone and the move itself would be more convenient.
In any case, we made our first bid 10 percent below asking price. According to the selling agent, it was a terribly lowball bid and the sellers were very unhappy and wanted to throw our offer away and wait for another one. The agent claims that she talked them into making a counteroffer by explaining to them that we're negotiating and this is how it's done. So they moved their price lower by almost nothing percentage-wise, which in turn irritated us. Hubby really wanted to move quickly and buy the place. He was willing to offer them the asking price if need be. I originally was very excited, but as time passed, I became less enthusiastic about the place and after each interaction with the selling agent, the less I wanted to negotiate with them. Anyways, so our next number was much higher to show that we were willing to move. They moved almost nothing again. Seeing as they have no had any other bids, I convinced hubby to wait a month before making our next bid. If there was no competition, they either had to sell to us at the price we're offering or not sell at all. I thought it was unreasonable of them to expect that someone would just walk in and immediately buy the place at their asking price. The selling agent conveyed that despite the fact that the couple had only moved their number lower by almost nothing, percentage-wise, they were pissed because they felt like we were trying to get them to sell for "way below market value." It seemed to me that they were pissed all the time and were pissed at us a lot because they had no other offer and didn't like ours. Anyways, we made our last and final bid and our number was again much higher than the previous number. We don't hear a reply for a long time and when the selling agent finally called us back, it turns out that they decided not to sell it.
The story, as far as we can glean from the selling agent, was that the husband wanted to sell it but the wife didn't. So despite all the fighting between me and my hubby on the negotiation process, it was possible the wife put it on the market to please the husband, but never intended to follow through with a sale. The selling agent hinted at them fighting a great deal throughout the process and often mentioned how the husband would be angry at how low our number was no matter how high we moved it. This made me angry because I felt like if they wanted the asking price, they should have just said from the start, "no negotiation" or something to that effect instead of throwing a temper tantrum every time we gave a new number that wasn't their asking price. I was unhappy with the couple because I really felt like they jerked us around and that we really had no chance of getting the place.
Meanwhile, the condo upstairs also went on sale for a much higher price, which was immediately reduced a week later by a sizable amount. We considered briefly buying the upstairs one, but the charm of possibly living in the building next door has been mostly lost. The one we bid on was pulled from the market, probably because the wife was more than happy to keep the place, and the one above is still trying to sell, even at the reduced price.
So then I found a small house a little farther away from Manhattan. Yes, the commute would have been longer, but the neighborhood, I think, is nicer and the schools are better. Plus, it's a small house! It's not a condo where you have to worry about how your exercise routine might irritate the neighbors downstairs. You don't have to worry about your building-mates messing up the common areas or have stuff on their terrace overhang and block the view on your terrace. Of course, having a house also means you have to do your own snow removal and all the maintenance. Still, it would be nice to have a house.
So anyways, we went to see this house and although I rather liked it, my hubby was only okay with it. He said there was too little living room and too much dining room. Also, there was no back yard, which I didn't really like. The good thing was that it came with a much-coveted garage. Parking is a real pain in NYC. Overall, it was a pretty nice house. The agent that showed us around sounded like she thought we'd be in pretty decent standing since I mentioned we were already prequalified. She said that the owner had previously accepted an offer but it fell through when the buyer could not secure a loan. In the end, we decided not to bid on this house.
A few days later, another house came on the market. This house had everything we were looking for. Apparently, it appealed to many others as well because when we went to see it 4 days after it was listed, 3 or 4 other prospective buyers had already seen it and there were more viewings scheduled after us. There was definitely a lot of excitement around this house! After checking out the place, we fell in love with it. It had a back yard, a garage, a front porch and a furnished basement. It's a small, modest house, only 2 blocks away from the subway station and a block way from a decently sized supermarket. The schools are good and the area is quiet.
Considering all the interest in the house, we were worried about getting into a bidding war, but decided that we'll try for it and if we don't get there, there is bound to be another house in NYC for us. When hubby called the agent to make a bid, it turns out that there was already a bid on the house. Hubby made a competing bid for slightly higher, promising at least 20% down payment and mentioned we were prequalified. Apparently, the agent said that puts us in better standing because the other bid wasn't going to put as much down and did not have a prequal letter. He asked us to send him our prequal letter, but unfortunately for us, it had just expired.
So we sent in our old one and started the process of renewing it. This led us to a great deal of misery, excitement and confusion. I think I'll leave that part of the saga for my next post on hunting for a home.
We started hunting late last year and then stopped because the market was totally dead during the winter. Throughout the fall and winter we were hoping to buy a condo next door that had gone up for sale. The couple that owned the condo was getting a divorce and supposedly, selling the condo was part of their settlement. The condo was big enough for a family just starting out and it was sunny. In the end, I think a big reason we both really liked it was because we didn't want to leave the neighborhood we already lived in. Moving next door would mean we stay in our comfort zone and the move itself would be more convenient.
In any case, we made our first bid 10 percent below asking price. According to the selling agent, it was a terribly lowball bid and the sellers were very unhappy and wanted to throw our offer away and wait for another one. The agent claims that she talked them into making a counteroffer by explaining to them that we're negotiating and this is how it's done. So they moved their price lower by almost nothing percentage-wise, which in turn irritated us. Hubby really wanted to move quickly and buy the place. He was willing to offer them the asking price if need be. I originally was very excited, but as time passed, I became less enthusiastic about the place and after each interaction with the selling agent, the less I wanted to negotiate with them. Anyways, so our next number was much higher to show that we were willing to move. They moved almost nothing again. Seeing as they have no had any other bids, I convinced hubby to wait a month before making our next bid. If there was no competition, they either had to sell to us at the price we're offering or not sell at all. I thought it was unreasonable of them to expect that someone would just walk in and immediately buy the place at their asking price. The selling agent conveyed that despite the fact that the couple had only moved their number lower by almost nothing, percentage-wise, they were pissed because they felt like we were trying to get them to sell for "way below market value." It seemed to me that they were pissed all the time and were pissed at us a lot because they had no other offer and didn't like ours. Anyways, we made our last and final bid and our number was again much higher than the previous number. We don't hear a reply for a long time and when the selling agent finally called us back, it turns out that they decided not to sell it.
The story, as far as we can glean from the selling agent, was that the husband wanted to sell it but the wife didn't. So despite all the fighting between me and my hubby on the negotiation process, it was possible the wife put it on the market to please the husband, but never intended to follow through with a sale. The selling agent hinted at them fighting a great deal throughout the process and often mentioned how the husband would be angry at how low our number was no matter how high we moved it. This made me angry because I felt like if they wanted the asking price, they should have just said from the start, "no negotiation" or something to that effect instead of throwing a temper tantrum every time we gave a new number that wasn't their asking price. I was unhappy with the couple because I really felt like they jerked us around and that we really had no chance of getting the place.
Meanwhile, the condo upstairs also went on sale for a much higher price, which was immediately reduced a week later by a sizable amount. We considered briefly buying the upstairs one, but the charm of possibly living in the building next door has been mostly lost. The one we bid on was pulled from the market, probably because the wife was more than happy to keep the place, and the one above is still trying to sell, even at the reduced price.
So then I found a small house a little farther away from Manhattan. Yes, the commute would have been longer, but the neighborhood, I think, is nicer and the schools are better. Plus, it's a small house! It's not a condo where you have to worry about how your exercise routine might irritate the neighbors downstairs. You don't have to worry about your building-mates messing up the common areas or have stuff on their terrace overhang and block the view on your terrace. Of course, having a house also means you have to do your own snow removal and all the maintenance. Still, it would be nice to have a house.
So anyways, we went to see this house and although I rather liked it, my hubby was only okay with it. He said there was too little living room and too much dining room. Also, there was no back yard, which I didn't really like. The good thing was that it came with a much-coveted garage. Parking is a real pain in NYC. Overall, it was a pretty nice house. The agent that showed us around sounded like she thought we'd be in pretty decent standing since I mentioned we were already prequalified. She said that the owner had previously accepted an offer but it fell through when the buyer could not secure a loan. In the end, we decided not to bid on this house.
A few days later, another house came on the market. This house had everything we were looking for. Apparently, it appealed to many others as well because when we went to see it 4 days after it was listed, 3 or 4 other prospective buyers had already seen it and there were more viewings scheduled after us. There was definitely a lot of excitement around this house! After checking out the place, we fell in love with it. It had a back yard, a garage, a front porch and a furnished basement. It's a small, modest house, only 2 blocks away from the subway station and a block way from a decently sized supermarket. The schools are good and the area is quiet.
Considering all the interest in the house, we were worried about getting into a bidding war, but decided that we'll try for it and if we don't get there, there is bound to be another house in NYC for us. When hubby called the agent to make a bid, it turns out that there was already a bid on the house. Hubby made a competing bid for slightly higher, promising at least 20% down payment and mentioned we were prequalified. Apparently, the agent said that puts us in better standing because the other bid wasn't going to put as much down and did not have a prequal letter. He asked us to send him our prequal letter, but unfortunately for us, it had just expired.
So we sent in our old one and started the process of renewing it. This led us to a great deal of misery, excitement and confusion. I think I'll leave that part of the saga for my next post on hunting for a home.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The slow road towards change in diet
I do believe that certain things are bad for you to eat. Things like processed food, fast food and frozen food, for instance, are known to have lots of sugar, salt, preservatives and things that just aren't good for your health. Over the years, I have made a conscious effort to eat healthier. Many of my efforts didn't last but there are a few things that have stuck.
One of the things that stuck is giving up soda. Soda no longer has any hold on me. I never crave it, even if it is sitting in front of me in a vain effort to tempt me. I'll drink it if it's there and there is nothing else to drink, but I don't generally enjoy soda. So even after a taste of its fizzy sweetness, reminding me of how I loved savoring its cold, bursting bubbles on my tongue as a child, I don't have the urge to have more. I just don't miss it and when I do have it, I don't enjoy it all that much.
The same goes for candy. I don't mean chocolate because I consider chocolate to be its own food group. I mean gum, hard candy, gummy candies, licorice candies and the like. We have some in the house, but I almost never indulge. If I do pop one in the mouth, it's usually not because I really wanted it or craved it. I can't even say, when I do have one in my mouth, that I really enjoy it anymore either. I loved candy as a child and I still generally like candy, but I don't really care to have it. I might pop a lemonhead for the sake of nostalgia, but to buy a box would be a waste because I would never finish it.
Fast food was a bit more difficult to give up. I remember when I stopped going to McDonald's and really didn't miss it until 3 months later. At the 3 month mark, I had serious cravings for McDonald's food. I tried to resist but eventually did give in and bought a Big Mac. After the very first bite, I realized that McDonald's will never be able to satisfy my burger cravings ever again. For you see I had, by then, experienced some really awesome, juicy, heavy, flavorful burgers partnered with fresh vegetables and homemade buns. Fast food burgers just taste like flavorless cardboard after that. I still liked the "special sauce" but it was no longer worth it to me to buy a burger just for the sauce. The fries, on the other hand, are a different story.
Yes, I still eat lots of fries. I don't eat much fast food fries since I pretty much never go to fast food restaurants anymore, but I still love fries at restaurants. I know they're really bad for you. I console myself by saying that I don't eat them every day, but I sure do love 'em!
Fries are not my only weakness and I have given up on eating other foods that are considered bad for you. Today, I try to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle, which has been hard at times. The truth is, it's been a long road to get to this point. My relationship to food is partly tied to my relationship to my body image. It is also a psychological relationship. When I am stressed or unhappy, I often crave "naughty" foods because it makes me feel like I'm being decadent. I guess in order to consistently choose the healthier or principled option, I have to keep reminding myself why I should choose to eat the way I do. Every time we are faced with a choice to eat this or that is a juncture in the road. At the moment, one choice does not make much of a difference, but if you look at the long view, you see that all those choices add up to a very distinct direction. For me, vegetarianism feels right and I plan to continue down that path.
One of the things that stuck is giving up soda. Soda no longer has any hold on me. I never crave it, even if it is sitting in front of me in a vain effort to tempt me. I'll drink it if it's there and there is nothing else to drink, but I don't generally enjoy soda. So even after a taste of its fizzy sweetness, reminding me of how I loved savoring its cold, bursting bubbles on my tongue as a child, I don't have the urge to have more. I just don't miss it and when I do have it, I don't enjoy it all that much.
The same goes for candy. I don't mean chocolate because I consider chocolate to be its own food group. I mean gum, hard candy, gummy candies, licorice candies and the like. We have some in the house, but I almost never indulge. If I do pop one in the mouth, it's usually not because I really wanted it or craved it. I can't even say, when I do have one in my mouth, that I really enjoy it anymore either. I loved candy as a child and I still generally like candy, but I don't really care to have it. I might pop a lemonhead for the sake of nostalgia, but to buy a box would be a waste because I would never finish it.
Fast food was a bit more difficult to give up. I remember when I stopped going to McDonald's and really didn't miss it until 3 months later. At the 3 month mark, I had serious cravings for McDonald's food. I tried to resist but eventually did give in and bought a Big Mac. After the very first bite, I realized that McDonald's will never be able to satisfy my burger cravings ever again. For you see I had, by then, experienced some really awesome, juicy, heavy, flavorful burgers partnered with fresh vegetables and homemade buns. Fast food burgers just taste like flavorless cardboard after that. I still liked the "special sauce" but it was no longer worth it to me to buy a burger just for the sauce. The fries, on the other hand, are a different story.
Yes, I still eat lots of fries. I don't eat much fast food fries since I pretty much never go to fast food restaurants anymore, but I still love fries at restaurants. I know they're really bad for you. I console myself by saying that I don't eat them every day, but I sure do love 'em!
Fries are not my only weakness and I have given up on eating other foods that are considered bad for you. Today, I try to maintain a vegetarian lifestyle, which has been hard at times. The truth is, it's been a long road to get to this point. My relationship to food is partly tied to my relationship to my body image. It is also a psychological relationship. When I am stressed or unhappy, I often crave "naughty" foods because it makes me feel like I'm being decadent. I guess in order to consistently choose the healthier or principled option, I have to keep reminding myself why I should choose to eat the way I do. Every time we are faced with a choice to eat this or that is a juncture in the road. At the moment, one choice does not make much of a difference, but if you look at the long view, you see that all those choices add up to a very distinct direction. For me, vegetarianism feels right and I plan to continue down that path.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Buttermilk with juice
I recently discovered that I like drinking cultured buttermilk. The rich, tangy flavor will often hit a spot that no other drink can hit. However, it's a rather thick drink and I can't have more than a few sips at a time. Sometimes, I also want to jazz it up a bit.
Enter fruit juice! I may have mentioned before that, but before, I only added just a little bit of juice. Last night, I mixed 1/3 Welch's white grape juice (very sweet stuff!) to 2/3 culture buttermilk, and it was delicious! The grape juice is super sweet and the buttermilk is thick and tangy. Mixing them together yields a sweet and tangy, gulp-able substance to delight in. I love it!
Enter fruit juice! I may have mentioned before that, but before, I only added just a little bit of juice. Last night, I mixed 1/3 Welch's white grape juice (very sweet stuff!) to 2/3 culture buttermilk, and it was delicious! The grape juice is super sweet and the buttermilk is thick and tangy. Mixing them together yields a sweet and tangy, gulp-able substance to delight in. I love it!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Spice rack
In our household, we have a lot of spices. They're a great way to add flavor to anything without adding tons of salt and butter. I use them extensively in my leftover veggies soups and I love making my own chai. Recently, I bought a small jar of a spice blend by Sugar Mountain Herbs in Sugarloaf, upstate NY. It was called butter herbs because the recommended use was to mix it with butter to make the butter more flavorful without adding salt. It was heavenly! I enjoy using it in cream cheese, soups, omelets and a whole variety of savory foods. Anyways, with all the cooking and baking projects, we have a lot of spices.
Storing spices in a way that keeps them out of the way, yet easily reachable has been a bit of a dilemma. I have never been a fan of those turntable shelves and I am too lazy to spend time and effort to install a magnetic spice organizer. I just want to be able to buy a spice and put it somewhere.
That's why I was very happy to see the Spice Stack Rack:
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/super-spicestack?id=175&sku=18558
If you look closely at the picture, you can even label what spices are in each drawer. I actually really like this organizer but it looks like it's made of plastic, which makes me wonder about its durability. Anyways, we have no need for it now. We're hoping to move soon and I am keeping an eye out for things we could use to better organize our new home.
Storing spices in a way that keeps them out of the way, yet easily reachable has been a bit of a dilemma. I have never been a fan of those turntable shelves and I am too lazy to spend time and effort to install a magnetic spice organizer. I just want to be able to buy a spice and put it somewhere.
That's why I was very happy to see the Spice Stack Rack:
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/super-spicestack?id=175&sku=18558
If you look closely at the picture, you can even label what spices are in each drawer. I actually really like this organizer but it looks like it's made of plastic, which makes me wonder about its durability. Anyways, we have no need for it now. We're hoping to move soon and I am keeping an eye out for things we could use to better organize our new home.
Friday, April 8, 2011
What a week of food costs
I found a neat link that showcases families around the world with how much they pay for a week's worth of food and how much food they get. Each family is shown in a photo with their week's worth of groceries displayed in front.
http://www.ireallylikefood.com/744873689/culture-shock-the-rising-cost-of-food/?ref=xn
http://www.ireallylikefood.com/744873689/culture-shock-the-rising-cost-of-food/?ref=xn
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Rising price of food
This year, food prices are going up. You may have already noticed that you are getting less food for the same money. The cheapest foods are still the most unhealthy, such as soda, chips and Spam. That continues to leave the lowest income earners with fewer healthy choices. It's not a pretty picture and there appears to be no sign that food prices will be going back down anytime soon.
The truth is, as much as I hate to see rising food prices, I think this is actually good for me personally. I eat too much and have gained quite a bit of weight these past few years. If food prices go up and I end up eating less, then I'll end up losing some this excess weight. Not necessarily a bad thing since I'm not starving, just dieting. Lol!
Aside from that, rising food prices are bad. It's particularly bleak for people who are barely able to afford food in the first place. As the situation worsens, food riots will occur. Until extreme weather stops destroying our food crops all over the world, I'm not seeing food prices going back down. Like I said before, it's not a pretty picture.
The truth is, as much as I hate to see rising food prices, I think this is actually good for me personally. I eat too much and have gained quite a bit of weight these past few years. If food prices go up and I end up eating less, then I'll end up losing some this excess weight. Not necessarily a bad thing since I'm not starving, just dieting. Lol!
Aside from that, rising food prices are bad. It's particularly bleak for people who are barely able to afford food in the first place. As the situation worsens, food riots will occur. Until extreme weather stops destroying our food crops all over the world, I'm not seeing food prices going back down. Like I said before, it's not a pretty picture.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Mushroom mug
This is the COOLEST, BESTEST mug EVER!
http://www.japanesegiftmarket.com/Decole-MushroomMug.aspx
http://www.japanesegiftmarket.com/Decole-MushroomMug.aspx
Food containers
I can't get enough of hunting for a good food container. The obsession started with the whole BPA craze, when people wanted to stop using plastic. So originally, I purchased containers to replace our plastic ones. As I explored and purchased more containers, I realized that I enjoyed using my new containers much more than I ever did with plastic containers. Sure, plastic is less breakable and lighter, but there is just something satisfying about putting food in a glass or ceramic or metal jar. The solidness and weight of my containers make me feel sure that I have a quality, long-lasting item in my home. Also, I have no more problems with staining and pocking when storing tomato sauce!
My very first non-plastic container obsession were the glass containers from Anchor Hocking:
http://www.anchorhocking.com/prodd_4963_cat_300_bake_n_store_2_cup.html
I liked them because they came with glass lids, so there was no plastic or plastic coating touching my food. I also liked them because they are oven and freezer safe. I really wanted to be able to freeze foods without plastic. Unfortunately, my Anchor Hocking containers were not airtight, which means the food would get freezer burn in the freezer.
Then I went on the hunt for non-plastic, airtight containers because freezer burn is caused by dehydration and exposure to air. In my search, I came across Sanctus Mundo:
http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?prod_name=Watertight+Food+Storage+Containers&pf_id=SANCTUSSTEELRND&dept_id=4800&s_id=0&
Sanctus Mundo containers are made of stainless steel and currently, the rims of the metal lids are lined with silicone to make them airtight. The ones I bought years ago were lined with rubber, which eventually dries out and doesn't last as long as silicone. Although silicone is not natural, I'm willing to use it if it lasts a really long time. The Sanctus Mundo containers are probably my most oft used containers. Not only do I used them to store food at home, I also use them to bring lunch to work. Because they are airtight, I never have to worry about food liquids leaking into my bag. Thus far, they have been extremely durable, standing up to my carelessly rough treatment without so much as a dent to show for it. They are freezer safe and supposedly, they (without the lids) can be used on the stove and in the oven. I've never used them on a stove or oven, but I might try that one day. Still it would be nice if they were also microwaveable.
So my next obsession pointed back to glass containers. This time, I fell in love with Pyrex:
http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-12-Piece-Glass-Serve-Store/dp/B002PEVOR2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1300373585&sr=8-4
Actually, I've always loved Pyrex, but the particular set I fell in love with came with both plastic and glass lids. Like the Anchor Hocking containers, they are freezer and oven safe. Also like the Anchor Hocking containers, they are not airtight. What I like about the the Pyrex set I got is the price, size and shape. They are also not as heavy as the Anchor Hocking containers. Lately, I've been reaching for my Pyrex containers a lot to bake desserts, roast garlic and store leftovers.
However, I still need a good freezer container. The only freezer safe, airtight containers I have are Sanctus Mundo containers. Unfortunately, I only have a few and they are already in use ferrying my lunches to and from work. That means I have to get more. Luckily, I found out that there is a store called The Green Depot in the Village that sells them. I haven't tried them out in the freezer yet, but rest assured, it is on my list of things to try!
In the end, my favorite food containers are my Pyrex set with the plastic and glass lids, and the Sanctus Mundo containers. Currently, I'm considering obtaining some hermetically sealed glass containers, but I'm not sure if I'll get them yet. I have a good amount of food containers now and I feel like I should stay away from getting more until I figure out exactly what my current needs are. It's hard not to get all excited when I hear a rave review about a food container. I just love that stuff!
My very first non-plastic container obsession were the glass containers from Anchor Hocking:
http://www.anchorhocking.com/prodd_4963_cat_300_bake_n_store_2_cup.html
I liked them because they came with glass lids, so there was no plastic or plastic coating touching my food. I also liked them because they are oven and freezer safe. I really wanted to be able to freeze foods without plastic. Unfortunately, my Anchor Hocking containers were not airtight, which means the food would get freezer burn in the freezer.
Then I went on the hunt for non-plastic, airtight containers because freezer burn is caused by dehydration and exposure to air. In my search, I came across Sanctus Mundo:
http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/product.asp?prod_name=Watertight+Food+Storage+Containers&pf_id=SANCTUSSTEELRND&dept_id=4800&s_id=0&
Sanctus Mundo containers are made of stainless steel and currently, the rims of the metal lids are lined with silicone to make them airtight. The ones I bought years ago were lined with rubber, which eventually dries out and doesn't last as long as silicone. Although silicone is not natural, I'm willing to use it if it lasts a really long time. The Sanctus Mundo containers are probably my most oft used containers. Not only do I used them to store food at home, I also use them to bring lunch to work. Because they are airtight, I never have to worry about food liquids leaking into my bag. Thus far, they have been extremely durable, standing up to my carelessly rough treatment without so much as a dent to show for it. They are freezer safe and supposedly, they (without the lids) can be used on the stove and in the oven. I've never used them on a stove or oven, but I might try that one day. Still it would be nice if they were also microwaveable.
So my next obsession pointed back to glass containers. This time, I fell in love with Pyrex:
http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-12-Piece-Glass-Serve-Store/dp/B002PEVOR2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1300373585&sr=8-4
Actually, I've always loved Pyrex, but the particular set I fell in love with came with both plastic and glass lids. Like the Anchor Hocking containers, they are freezer and oven safe. Also like the Anchor Hocking containers, they are not airtight. What I like about the the Pyrex set I got is the price, size and shape. They are also not as heavy as the Anchor Hocking containers. Lately, I've been reaching for my Pyrex containers a lot to bake desserts, roast garlic and store leftovers.
However, I still need a good freezer container. The only freezer safe, airtight containers I have are Sanctus Mundo containers. Unfortunately, I only have a few and they are already in use ferrying my lunches to and from work. That means I have to get more. Luckily, I found out that there is a store called The Green Depot in the Village that sells them. I haven't tried them out in the freezer yet, but rest assured, it is on my list of things to try!
In the end, my favorite food containers are my Pyrex set with the plastic and glass lids, and the Sanctus Mundo containers. Currently, I'm considering obtaining some hermetically sealed glass containers, but I'm not sure if I'll get them yet. I have a good amount of food containers now and I feel like I should stay away from getting more until I figure out exactly what my current needs are. It's hard not to get all excited when I hear a rave review about a food container. I just love that stuff!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Vegetarian dumplings
I love dumplings. I can't tell you how much other than to say that I believe my life would be poorer if I have never had a dumpling. One my most cherished memories was when I was 4 or 5, watching my mother make dumplings. Back then, she would make her own skins and it was mesmerizing to watch her hands work with the rolling pin and dough. Nowadays, she usually goes for the pre-made, store-bought skins, which can also be quite good. After all, as long as the skins are serviceable, the flavor is in the filling. My mom makes really delicious pork dumplings. When I lived at home, we would sit together in the kitchen and chat while we filled dumplings. Unfortunately, I'm trying to eat more like a vegetarian these days so pork fillings for my own dumplings are not ideal.
In my search for a good vegetarian dumpling, I've had some really bad ones. Most of the store-bought ones I've had fall apart when boiled, which actually angers me a little when I see it. To me, it's a sign of a poorly made and poorly sealed dumpling skin. The vegetable dumplings at restaurants are usually much better, but they always seem rather anemic. Restaurant dumplings tend to be more skin and less filling, and the fillings are generally not very hearty. Maybe this is because my mom always made ginormous dumplings and super-sized wontons. Anyways, I decided to make my own vegetarian dumpling fillings.
I combined leftover seitan (Mark Bittman's recipe) with softened mung bean vermicelli (chinese vermicelli or glass noodles), scallions, reconstituted dried mushrooms, eggs, sesame oil, soy sauce and corn starch. The seitan and mushrooms were supposed to give it a hearty, meaty flavor and texture. The problem with chopped up seitan and mushrooms is that they don't have the sticky elasticity of meat. So adding the egg and corn starch helps to bind the filling together. I may consider adding bread crumbs in the future to add to the effect of the eggs. I don't have any measurements handy since I eyeballed everything.
Once everything was chopped up (I used a food processor) and mixed together, I put the mixture in front of the TV along with store-bought skins, a bowl of water and an empty plate. While watching TV, I spooned the mixture onto the skins, dipped my finger in water and traced the edge of the skin to wet it. Then I sealed the dumpling and placed it on the plate. Don't stack dumplings on top of each other. Make one layer and put in the freezer. Once they're frozen through, you can toss them into a bag and they won't stick together. There are many ways to seal a dumpling. The simplest is to fold the skin in half and press. There are fancier ways of doing it, but I won't go into that here. Just make sure you're pressing as much air out as you're sealing. Lots of air in a dumpling can cause it to fall apart when boiled.
To boil dumplings, boil some water and drop them in. Turn the heat down to medium and wait for the water to boil again. When cooking meat dumplings, it is important to make sure the dumplings are cooked thoroughly, so once it's boiling again, add some more cold water to the pot. Wait for the pot to boil again and repeat with the cold water. Add water 3 times to be safe. I probably don't have to be this careful with veggie dumplings but I do it anyways out of habit. Cooked dumplings should float and look slightly wrinkly.
To pan fry dumplings, heat up a thin layer of oil in a pan. Place dumplings in the oil and let it fry for about a minute or so, then add some water. Don't drown the dumplings. Add enough that all the dumpling bottoms are boiling in a layer of water. Cover the pan and let it steam cook. I think for meat dumplings, it needs to steam cook for about 20 minutes. Add more water if the water boils away. If you added a little too much water, it's okay. Just keep boiling until the water boils away. Once the water boils away, uncover the pot and let fry for another minute or two. That last bit of frying is to get the bottoms crispy. The dumplings shouldn't stick too much to a well-seasoned wok or cast iron pan, but don't be surprised if some sticking occurs. They're not called potstickers in chinese for nothing!
Putting the initial effort into making a large batch of dumplings is totally worth it. Once frozen, they keep for many months and there's no need to defrost them to boil or pan-fry them. Having a stash of frozen dumplings means you'll always have an easy meal at your fingertips for those days when the most cooking you want to do is boil water. A well seasoned dumpling doesn't even require dipping sauce, but if you really want to, you can make an easy dipping sauce with vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. The main ingredient is really the vinegar so I always pour the vinegar first and then add the soy sauce. Add enough soy sauce to get it to the salt level you like, then add a tiny bit of sesame oil. Sesame oil is very powerful, so use sparingly. There are lots of dipping sauce recipes online, but the one I just outlined is the one I grew up with.
In conclusion, I can say that this mix of ingredients for veggie dumplings was pretty successful. I enjoyed eating these more than many other dumplings. I am also glad to say that the hubby enjoyed them too! It's not quite where I'd like it to be yet so there will probably be an updated version of this in the future.
In my search for a good vegetarian dumpling, I've had some really bad ones. Most of the store-bought ones I've had fall apart when boiled, which actually angers me a little when I see it. To me, it's a sign of a poorly made and poorly sealed dumpling skin. The vegetable dumplings at restaurants are usually much better, but they always seem rather anemic. Restaurant dumplings tend to be more skin and less filling, and the fillings are generally not very hearty. Maybe this is because my mom always made ginormous dumplings and super-sized wontons. Anyways, I decided to make my own vegetarian dumpling fillings.
I combined leftover seitan (Mark Bittman's recipe) with softened mung bean vermicelli (chinese vermicelli or glass noodles), scallions, reconstituted dried mushrooms, eggs, sesame oil, soy sauce and corn starch. The seitan and mushrooms were supposed to give it a hearty, meaty flavor and texture. The problem with chopped up seitan and mushrooms is that they don't have the sticky elasticity of meat. So adding the egg and corn starch helps to bind the filling together. I may consider adding bread crumbs in the future to add to the effect of the eggs. I don't have any measurements handy since I eyeballed everything.
Once everything was chopped up (I used a food processor) and mixed together, I put the mixture in front of the TV along with store-bought skins, a bowl of water and an empty plate. While watching TV, I spooned the mixture onto the skins, dipped my finger in water and traced the edge of the skin to wet it. Then I sealed the dumpling and placed it on the plate. Don't stack dumplings on top of each other. Make one layer and put in the freezer. Once they're frozen through, you can toss them into a bag and they won't stick together. There are many ways to seal a dumpling. The simplest is to fold the skin in half and press. There are fancier ways of doing it, but I won't go into that here. Just make sure you're pressing as much air out as you're sealing. Lots of air in a dumpling can cause it to fall apart when boiled.
To boil dumplings, boil some water and drop them in. Turn the heat down to medium and wait for the water to boil again. When cooking meat dumplings, it is important to make sure the dumplings are cooked thoroughly, so once it's boiling again, add some more cold water to the pot. Wait for the pot to boil again and repeat with the cold water. Add water 3 times to be safe. I probably don't have to be this careful with veggie dumplings but I do it anyways out of habit. Cooked dumplings should float and look slightly wrinkly.
To pan fry dumplings, heat up a thin layer of oil in a pan. Place dumplings in the oil and let it fry for about a minute or so, then add some water. Don't drown the dumplings. Add enough that all the dumpling bottoms are boiling in a layer of water. Cover the pan and let it steam cook. I think for meat dumplings, it needs to steam cook for about 20 minutes. Add more water if the water boils away. If you added a little too much water, it's okay. Just keep boiling until the water boils away. Once the water boils away, uncover the pot and let fry for another minute or two. That last bit of frying is to get the bottoms crispy. The dumplings shouldn't stick too much to a well-seasoned wok or cast iron pan, but don't be surprised if some sticking occurs. They're not called potstickers in chinese for nothing!
Putting the initial effort into making a large batch of dumplings is totally worth it. Once frozen, they keep for many months and there's no need to defrost them to boil or pan-fry them. Having a stash of frozen dumplings means you'll always have an easy meal at your fingertips for those days when the most cooking you want to do is boil water. A well seasoned dumpling doesn't even require dipping sauce, but if you really want to, you can make an easy dipping sauce with vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. The main ingredient is really the vinegar so I always pour the vinegar first and then add the soy sauce. Add enough soy sauce to get it to the salt level you like, then add a tiny bit of sesame oil. Sesame oil is very powerful, so use sparingly. There are lots of dipping sauce recipes online, but the one I just outlined is the one I grew up with.
In conclusion, I can say that this mix of ingredients for veggie dumplings was pretty successful. I enjoyed eating these more than many other dumplings. I am also glad to say that the hubby enjoyed them too! It's not quite where I'd like it to be yet so there will probably be an updated version of this in the future.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Macaroni meal, part two
My mom makes something similar, but much better. I haven't figured out what mine is missing compared to hers but even so, I love this meal. I call it a macaroni meal cause it has macaroni in it. Unfortunately, I eyeball all my ingredients so I can't give any exact measurements. What you see below are approximate measurements.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup elbows pasta, uncooked
- 4 small baking potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 1 bag or box frozen peas and carrots
- 1 or two bunches of scallions, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a nice big pot, salt and boil the water for the elbows pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until pasta is almost ready to eat. Then add potatoes and frozen peas and carrots. Add water if necessary to cover and boil for a few minutes more, then drain. Heat up your wok and then add some oil. Once the oil is heated up, add the scallions and cook until fragrant. Then add the drained mixture and toss with salt and pepper.
This makes way more than two people can finish, which is great cause then I can take some to work for lunch. To me, this makes enough for 4 people with healthy appetites.
The original recipe post didn't have the boiling everything step. These days, I find that if you boil everything first, the potatoes cook faster and the veggies defrost without being torn apart when I'm shoveling them in the wok. Sure it alters the taste a little, but adding the boiling step makes life a lot easier.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup elbows pasta, uncooked
- 4 small baking potatoes, cut into small cubes
- 1 bag or box frozen peas and carrots
- 1 or two bunches of scallions, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a nice big pot, salt and boil the water for the elbows pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until pasta is almost ready to eat. Then add potatoes and frozen peas and carrots. Add water if necessary to cover and boil for a few minutes more, then drain. Heat up your wok and then add some oil. Once the oil is heated up, add the scallions and cook until fragrant. Then add the drained mixture and toss with salt and pepper.
This makes way more than two people can finish, which is great cause then I can take some to work for lunch. To me, this makes enough for 4 people with healthy appetites.
The original recipe post didn't have the boiling everything step. These days, I find that if you boil everything first, the potatoes cook faster and the veggies defrost without being torn apart when I'm shoveling them in the wok. Sure it alters the taste a little, but adding the boiling step makes life a lot easier.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
For the love of Baking Soda
I love baking soda. I love it not just for baking and cooking, but also for cleaning! I use it to clean my hair in place of shampoo and I use it in my laundry. I also use it to clean hard-to-clean dishes!
That's right, baking soda is a mild abrasive. Since moving in with my hubby, we've been eating foods made with or baked with cheese. I never had so many problems washing dishes with baked-on or stuck-on cheese! In the past, I rarely cooked with cheese so this was a newly frustrating experience for me. However, ever since I started using baking soda for the hard-to-wash dishes, I have been a happy camper. For stuck on food, liberally sprinkle baking soda on it and scrub with a sponge. If a dish needs soaking, cover the dish liberally with baking soda and soak in hot water for a few hours or over night. Drain and sprinkle with more baking soda and scrub with a sponge. For baked on grease, soaking the item overnight in a heavy baking soda solution works wonders!
Did you know you can also use baking soda to unclog drains? Just pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of hot vinegar. Leave for 15 to 30 minutes and then flush with lots of boiling water. I've tried this in the past and it really works!
I also use baking soda in my laundry. It's not as strong as washing soda, but in a pinch, baking soda will do just as well. Just double the amount of baking soda per amount of washing soda. I've heard you can make baking soda into washing soda, but I haven't tried it. I'm just not sure if it's worth the time and energy when I can just sprinkle in additional baking soda.
One of the things that I hear all the time is using baking soda as a deodorizer. I don't think our fridge is smelly so I never put baking soda in there. I will occasionally sprinkle some in the trash can, but I find that as a trash can deodorizer, there are better materials out there. Still, it's better than nothing. It does work wonders deodorizing carpets. Just sprinkle some on the carpet and vacuum. I used to live in a carpeted basement apartment where the floor would get damp whenever it rained too much. The carpet would start to smell after a while because it would take so long to dry in such a poorly ventilated, dark environment. The baking soda trick worked every time to rid the carpet of musty smells.
Those are the main uses I have for our baking soda. There are many more lists of uses online but what I've written above, I can say works for me because I've actually tried it. Baking soda is awesome!
That's right, baking soda is a mild abrasive. Since moving in with my hubby, we've been eating foods made with or baked with cheese. I never had so many problems washing dishes with baked-on or stuck-on cheese! In the past, I rarely cooked with cheese so this was a newly frustrating experience for me. However, ever since I started using baking soda for the hard-to-wash dishes, I have been a happy camper. For stuck on food, liberally sprinkle baking soda on it and scrub with a sponge. If a dish needs soaking, cover the dish liberally with baking soda and soak in hot water for a few hours or over night. Drain and sprinkle with more baking soda and scrub with a sponge. For baked on grease, soaking the item overnight in a heavy baking soda solution works wonders!
Did you know you can also use baking soda to unclog drains? Just pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of hot vinegar. Leave for 15 to 30 minutes and then flush with lots of boiling water. I've tried this in the past and it really works!
I also use baking soda in my laundry. It's not as strong as washing soda, but in a pinch, baking soda will do just as well. Just double the amount of baking soda per amount of washing soda. I've heard you can make baking soda into washing soda, but I haven't tried it. I'm just not sure if it's worth the time and energy when I can just sprinkle in additional baking soda.
One of the things that I hear all the time is using baking soda as a deodorizer. I don't think our fridge is smelly so I never put baking soda in there. I will occasionally sprinkle some in the trash can, but I find that as a trash can deodorizer, there are better materials out there. Still, it's better than nothing. It does work wonders deodorizing carpets. Just sprinkle some on the carpet and vacuum. I used to live in a carpeted basement apartment where the floor would get damp whenever it rained too much. The carpet would start to smell after a while because it would take so long to dry in such a poorly ventilated, dark environment. The baking soda trick worked every time to rid the carpet of musty smells.
Those are the main uses I have for our baking soda. There are many more lists of uses online but what I've written above, I can say works for me because I've actually tried it. Baking soda is awesome!
Monday, February 14, 2011
What a busy weekend!
I was quite busy this past weekend and now I'm exhausted! Unfortunately, the work week has begun and I can't relax just yet. I know today is Valentine's Day, but I made our Valentine's Day dinner yesterday since I had more time to prep and cook. Beyond the v-day preparations, I also did other things in the kitchen. I basically slaved in the kitchen all weekend.
On Saturday, I had set up my sewing machine in the kitchen and spent a good chunk of time hemming 3 pairs of my hubby's pants. They were already pinned to where they need to be shortened so I needed to measure how much to cut, finish the raw edge and blind stitch the hem. Of course, there was ironing involved in between. It was rather time consuming, but in the end, I'm glad it was done by me rather than to pay 20 bux per pant to get someone else to do it.
I also spent a good chunk of Saturday washing, prepping and blanching food to be frozen. Broccoli and cauliflower were on sale so I got two heads of each. We only eat about half a head each time, so I needed to blanch and freeze all the cauliflower and 1.5 heads of broccoli. I started doing them on Saturday, but didn't finish until Sunday.
On Sunday, I made a version of buckeye balls, which are chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. You can find the recipe here:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/bourbon-blinders/
I used oreo cookie crumbs rather than graham cracker crumbs. The result was that it was more chocolaty than peanut buttery. I think I will try it next time without the cookie crumbs at all. I'll probably leave out the alcohol as well since I can't taste it at all. My hubby has kept these in the freezer because he likes his chocolate covered peanut butter candies (like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups) in the freezer.
For our entree, I made these:
http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/
I highly recommend this recipe. It turned out delicious! I would, however, lessen the amount of soy sauce called for.next time. This is probably because I used seasoned bread crumbs rather than plain bread crumbs because I didn't have any plain bread crumbs. I'll have to keep this in mind for next time.
While the hubby worked on the mashed potatoes, I also made an easy gravy. Melt some butter, or heat up some oil in the fry pan and add some flour. Just a tablespoon or two of each, depending on how much gravy you want to make. Cook the flour for a few minutes to get the flour taste out. Then add vegetable broth and mix together. Add a little at a time to get the consistency you want. Remember that this will thicken a little more as it cools. I like to use unsalted vegetable broth, so if your gravy needs salting, add some salt or soy sauce to taste. You can also add other flavorings such as oyster sauce or BBQ sauce. Just remember not to add too much. You can always add more but you can't take away.
I had also made a batch of veggie soup out of leftover veggies, but we didn't get a chance to have some. I make a batch of leftover veggie soup almost every week now. Sometimes I'll drain the liquids for freezing and sometimes I don't. Either way, after it's cooked in the crock pot for a number of hours, I'll take my immersion blender and puree the whole thing. I don't add salt until I'm ready to blend so I can freeze the veggie stock unsalted. To make your soup creamy, you can always add milk or cream and/or a good melting cheese like finely grated parmesan.
Sorry, I didn't take pictures. The meal turned out beautifully and it was really delicious! So I had a little bit of everything for lunch today as leftovers. Yum!
On Saturday, I had set up my sewing machine in the kitchen and spent a good chunk of time hemming 3 pairs of my hubby's pants. They were already pinned to where they need to be shortened so I needed to measure how much to cut, finish the raw edge and blind stitch the hem. Of course, there was ironing involved in between. It was rather time consuming, but in the end, I'm glad it was done by me rather than to pay 20 bux per pant to get someone else to do it.
I also spent a good chunk of Saturday washing, prepping and blanching food to be frozen. Broccoli and cauliflower were on sale so I got two heads of each. We only eat about half a head each time, so I needed to blanch and freeze all the cauliflower and 1.5 heads of broccoli. I started doing them on Saturday, but didn't finish until Sunday.
On Sunday, I made a version of buckeye balls, which are chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. You can find the recipe here:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/bourbon-blinders/
I used oreo cookie crumbs rather than graham cracker crumbs. The result was that it was more chocolaty than peanut buttery. I think I will try it next time without the cookie crumbs at all. I'll probably leave out the alcohol as well since I can't taste it at all. My hubby has kept these in the freezer because he likes his chocolate covered peanut butter candies (like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups) in the freezer.
For our entree, I made these:
http://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/
I highly recommend this recipe. It turned out delicious! I would, however, lessen the amount of soy sauce called for.next time. This is probably because I used seasoned bread crumbs rather than plain bread crumbs because I didn't have any plain bread crumbs. I'll have to keep this in mind for next time.
While the hubby worked on the mashed potatoes, I also made an easy gravy. Melt some butter, or heat up some oil in the fry pan and add some flour. Just a tablespoon or two of each, depending on how much gravy you want to make. Cook the flour for a few minutes to get the flour taste out. Then add vegetable broth and mix together. Add a little at a time to get the consistency you want. Remember that this will thicken a little more as it cools. I like to use unsalted vegetable broth, so if your gravy needs salting, add some salt or soy sauce to taste. You can also add other flavorings such as oyster sauce or BBQ sauce. Just remember not to add too much. You can always add more but you can't take away.
I had also made a batch of veggie soup out of leftover veggies, but we didn't get a chance to have some. I make a batch of leftover veggie soup almost every week now. Sometimes I'll drain the liquids for freezing and sometimes I don't. Either way, after it's cooked in the crock pot for a number of hours, I'll take my immersion blender and puree the whole thing. I don't add salt until I'm ready to blend so I can freeze the veggie stock unsalted. To make your soup creamy, you can always add milk or cream and/or a good melting cheese like finely grated parmesan.
Sorry, I didn't take pictures. The meal turned out beautifully and it was really delicious! So I had a little bit of everything for lunch today as leftovers. Yum!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Homemade Laundry detergent and fabric softener
Homemade laundry detergent is really easy to make! Not sure if there is a cost savings in doing this, but I like being able to, more or less, control what goes into my washing my clothes. The basic recipe I use is as follows:
1 bar of castile soap, grated
1 cup washing soda (not baking soda)
1 cup borax
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process till it's a fine powder. Let the mixture settle before opening. You do NOT want to breathe in soap particles because let me tell you, it's most unpleasant! Anyways, if you're worried about the grains being too big to dissolve in cold water, let the powder dry out for a day and process again. Put into a container and sprinkle 2 tablespoons per full load.
Once the wash goes into the rinse cycle, I add about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of white vinegar as the fabric softener. Vinegar does everything you want a fabric softener to do, except smell nice. It softens clothes, dissolves residual laundry soap and has anti-static properties. Once the clothes dry, the vinegar smell is gone.
If you're looking for a liquid laundry detergent, I believe you can place the ingredients above in a large pot add about 1 gallon of hot water. Mix until everything is melted and pour into a container. It's supposed to gel up. Use about 1/2 cup per full load.
You can find other laundry recipes here:
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
and an FAQ on homemade detergent here:
http://tipnut.com/homemade-laundry-detergent/
I don't have a dryer so I air-dry all my clothes on racks. Applying heat to your clothes makes them wear out faster. It also can shrink your clothes in some cases. That is not to say I wouldn't want a dryer. It's difficult to dry queen-sized bedsheets on racks because you can't dry anything else while the bed sheets are taking up all the space. At the very least, I would dry large items in the dryer. In any case, I don't have one right now so I do the best I can without one.
1 bar of castile soap, grated
1 cup washing soda (not baking soda)
1 cup borax
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process till it's a fine powder. Let the mixture settle before opening. You do NOT want to breathe in soap particles because let me tell you, it's most unpleasant! Anyways, if you're worried about the grains being too big to dissolve in cold water, let the powder dry out for a day and process again. Put into a container and sprinkle 2 tablespoons per full load.
Once the wash goes into the rinse cycle, I add about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of white vinegar as the fabric softener. Vinegar does everything you want a fabric softener to do, except smell nice. It softens clothes, dissolves residual laundry soap and has anti-static properties. Once the clothes dry, the vinegar smell is gone.
If you're looking for a liquid laundry detergent, I believe you can place the ingredients above in a large pot add about 1 gallon of hot water. Mix until everything is melted and pour into a container. It's supposed to gel up. Use about 1/2 cup per full load.
You can find other laundry recipes here:
http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/
and an FAQ on homemade detergent here:
http://tipnut.com/homemade-laundry-detergent/
I don't have a dryer so I air-dry all my clothes on racks. Applying heat to your clothes makes them wear out faster. It also can shrink your clothes in some cases. That is not to say I wouldn't want a dryer. It's difficult to dry queen-sized bedsheets on racks because you can't dry anything else while the bed sheets are taking up all the space. At the very least, I would dry large items in the dryer. In any case, I don't have one right now so I do the best I can without one.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Cultured buttermilk
In Chinese supermarkets, you can often find a set of little bottles of flavored, sour "yogurt" in the refrigerated section. It's very artificial and filled with sugar, but very tasty. It turns out that cultured buttermilk reminds me of that.
I got into researching buttermilk when I read in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian that you can make cheese using buttermilk. It was a fascinating idea which lead me to wonder if you can make your own buttermilk as well. It turns out that you can!
Just to clarify, in the previous post, I made butter, which made old-fashioned buttermilk as a by-product. Old-fashioned buttermilk is not the same as cultured buttermilk, which is what you buy in the stores. Cultured buttermilk is milk or cream that has been invaded by a kind of bacteria, kind of like how yogurt is made. In fact, yogurt is made exactly the same way except it is invaded by a different bacteria. As long as the bacteria culture is alive, you can use the old batch of cultured buttermilk to make a new batch of cultured buttermilk.
To make cultured buttermilk from cultured buttermilk, use a 1 to 3 ratio. One part buttermilk to 3 parts milk. Mix together and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours at least. The process should not take longer than 36 hours. You know it's done when it tastes sour and tangy and when it coats the side of your glass. When it has the flavor and consistency you like, put it in the fridge. If you don't plan to use it right away and don't plan to drink it, you can also freeze the buttermilk.
Honestly, I didn't think I would particularly like the taste of buttermilk. However, when I tried it, I found that I couldn't stop sipping! I experimented a little by mixing a little bit of juice into a little bit of buttermilk and it was great! This is a very happy discovery for me indeed.
What's more, adventuring into this territory has opened up many other avenues of exploration. For instance, you can make sour cream or creme fraiche by adding 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk to 1 cup of cream and let stand for 24 hours or until desired consistency. Stir and refrigerate for 24 hours after for best flavor. I think technically, sour cream is made from light cream and creme fraiche is made from heavy cream. I never really was clear on the difference between the two.
From your chilled creme fraiche or soured cream, you can then go on to make cultured butter the same way you'd make regular or sweet cream butter. If you don't have or want to use buttermilk to inoculate the cream, you can also use yogurt with active cultures. Just make sure the yogurt doesn't have any thickeners, like pectin, in it.
Buttermilk can also be used as a cheese starter. Generally, you add the starter to the milk, let it sit for about a day and then add the coagulating enzyme, otherwise known as rennet. If you don't want to use rennet, I think you can just let the milk sit until it clabbers, or forms lumps. For more information on making rennet-less cheese, check out this link:
http://www.alpharubicon.com/primitive/cheesedragoona.htm
This is really fascinating stuff to me and is an amazingly awesome welcome into the world of cultured diary!
I got into researching buttermilk when I read in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian that you can make cheese using buttermilk. It was a fascinating idea which lead me to wonder if you can make your own buttermilk as well. It turns out that you can!
Just to clarify, in the previous post, I made butter, which made old-fashioned buttermilk as a by-product. Old-fashioned buttermilk is not the same as cultured buttermilk, which is what you buy in the stores. Cultured buttermilk is milk or cream that has been invaded by a kind of bacteria, kind of like how yogurt is made. In fact, yogurt is made exactly the same way except it is invaded by a different bacteria. As long as the bacteria culture is alive, you can use the old batch of cultured buttermilk to make a new batch of cultured buttermilk.
To make cultured buttermilk from cultured buttermilk, use a 1 to 3 ratio. One part buttermilk to 3 parts milk. Mix together and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours at least. The process should not take longer than 36 hours. You know it's done when it tastes sour and tangy and when it coats the side of your glass. When it has the flavor and consistency you like, put it in the fridge. If you don't plan to use it right away and don't plan to drink it, you can also freeze the buttermilk.
Honestly, I didn't think I would particularly like the taste of buttermilk. However, when I tried it, I found that I couldn't stop sipping! I experimented a little by mixing a little bit of juice into a little bit of buttermilk and it was great! This is a very happy discovery for me indeed.
What's more, adventuring into this territory has opened up many other avenues of exploration. For instance, you can make sour cream or creme fraiche by adding 1 tablespoon of cultured buttermilk to 1 cup of cream and let stand for 24 hours or until desired consistency. Stir and refrigerate for 24 hours after for best flavor. I think technically, sour cream is made from light cream and creme fraiche is made from heavy cream. I never really was clear on the difference between the two.
From your chilled creme fraiche or soured cream, you can then go on to make cultured butter the same way you'd make regular or sweet cream butter. If you don't have or want to use buttermilk to inoculate the cream, you can also use yogurt with active cultures. Just make sure the yogurt doesn't have any thickeners, like pectin, in it.
Buttermilk can also be used as a cheese starter. Generally, you add the starter to the milk, let it sit for about a day and then add the coagulating enzyme, otherwise known as rennet. If you don't want to use rennet, I think you can just let the milk sit until it clabbers, or forms lumps. For more information on making rennet-less cheese, check out this link:
http://www.alpharubicon.com/primitive/cheesedragoona.htm
This is really fascinating stuff to me and is an amazingly awesome welcome into the world of cultured diary!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Making butter
It turns out, making butter is really, really easy and really, really worth the effort! All you need is heavy cream and a jar. Make sure you don't fill the jar more than halfway with cream, screw on the lid nice and tight and just shake, shake, shake! After a while, it turns into whipped cream. Just keep shaking! Eventually, it starts to separate. The fats clump together to become butter and the liquid can be poured and saved to make baked goodies. The liquid is known as old-fashioned buttermilk and is not the same as cultured buttermilk, which is what you get at the supermarket. Once the butter has separated, pour the buttermilk into a separate container and fill your butter jar with cold water. Shake some more, then pour out. Fill the butter jar again with cold water, shake and pour out. You're trying to squeeze the rest of the buttermilk out of the butter, otherwise the butter will sour very quickly. Once the water pours out clear, you're done!
I have to say, homemade butter tastes soooooo much better than store-bought butter. After having it smeared on a nice slice of whole wheat toast, I said to my hubby, "I don't think I could ever settle for store-bought butter ever again!" In the future, I may consider making it in my mixer though all that shaking was rather fun. I guess it will depend on how much butter I plan on making. Lol! Also, the old-fashioned buttermilk tastes really good too! I could definitely just down a glass of that at the end!
The next thing I might want to do research on is letting the cream sour a little before making it into butter. I read that doing this gives the butter a nice flavor that some creameries feel is important. I'm not sure if they add yogurt or buttermilk or just let it stand.
Anyways, it's totally worth it to make your own butter. Try it!
I have to say, homemade butter tastes soooooo much better than store-bought butter. After having it smeared on a nice slice of whole wheat toast, I said to my hubby, "I don't think I could ever settle for store-bought butter ever again!" In the future, I may consider making it in my mixer though all that shaking was rather fun. I guess it will depend on how much butter I plan on making. Lol! Also, the old-fashioned buttermilk tastes really good too! I could definitely just down a glass of that at the end!
The next thing I might want to do research on is letting the cream sour a little before making it into butter. I read that doing this gives the butter a nice flavor that some creameries feel is important. I'm not sure if they add yogurt or buttermilk or just let it stand.
Anyways, it's totally worth it to make your own butter. Try it!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Banning pedestrians from using headphones
I saw this in the NYTimes and thought, what a waste of time this is:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/us/26runners.html?ref=nyregion
Apparently, some lawmakers think it prudent to ban pedestrians from using headphones while crossing streets. The justification is that distracted pedestrians are a danger to themselves because they aren't paying full attention (in some cases, any attention) on where they are and what's around them. Pedestrians often do not follow traffic rules and add the fact that they're distracted, they are particularly vulnerable to accidents.
Personally, I have walked many streets with headphones on. It's true that I can't hear and my ability to sense danger when crossing a road is dampened. However, I can still see. I still look both ways before I cross and never cross if I see a car coming. Isn't that what we're taught as children? If an adult just so happens to forget that crossing streets have inherent dangers or chooses to ignore the inherent dangers because they're listening to a really rockin' song, then I agree with this quote from the article:
“At some point, we need to take responsibility for our own stupidity.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/us/26runners.html?ref=nyregion
Apparently, some lawmakers think it prudent to ban pedestrians from using headphones while crossing streets. The justification is that distracted pedestrians are a danger to themselves because they aren't paying full attention (in some cases, any attention) on where they are and what's around them. Pedestrians often do not follow traffic rules and add the fact that they're distracted, they are particularly vulnerable to accidents.
Personally, I have walked many streets with headphones on. It's true that I can't hear and my ability to sense danger when crossing a road is dampened. However, I can still see. I still look both ways before I cross and never cross if I see a car coming. Isn't that what we're taught as children? If an adult just so happens to forget that crossing streets have inherent dangers or chooses to ignore the inherent dangers because they're listening to a really rockin' song, then I agree with this quote from the article:
“At some point, we need to take responsibility for our own stupidity.”
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