Lemon (Moldy)

Farmer's Market ($0.65)

1 onion

1 cucumber

1 carrot

1 head o' broccoli

Dani's Tomato Butt

Does anyone know what kind of tomato this is?

Arancini (3)

Arancini, again. This time, with me learning! In a fry-pan:

dash olive oil

1 c. Arborio (long grain) rice

chicken bouillon

chopped onion

chopped spinach

chopped red & hot peppers

fresh basil

salt & pepper

And add 2 c. water intermittently as the rice dries out.

Stir, sip, stir, and fret, until the rice is done!

To prepare, make golf-ball sized balls, and stick a dice-sized cube of any pungent, delicious cheese into the middle. We used Parrano -- a beautiful parmesan-gouda mix.

Then roll them in:

1. flour

2. beaten egg

3. bread crumbs (we used Panko)

And then you get your boyfriend ("what?!") -

to fry them into a deliciously filling package.

Cheese Makes the Sandwich

A very quick dinner:

ciabatta bread

spinach

sliced tomato

parrano cheese

The latter of which we found as a special at Hannaford, and is described as:

"The unforgettable cheese with a disctinctly Italian temperament; the alluring nutty flavor of a fine-aged Parmesan with the versatility of a young Dutch gouda."

And it is so good.

Open-faced Summer Sandwich (2)

A very quick dinner:

ciabatta bread

spinach

sliced tomato

parrano cheese

The latter of which we found as a special at Hannaford, and is described as:

"The unforgettable cheese with a disctinctly Italian temperament; the alluring nutty flavor of a fine-aged Parmesan with the versatility of a young Dutch gouda."

And it is so good.

Fish Tacos

Bean's father is retired, and his first love is fishing. Today, he offered us some of his catch.

Striped bass? I think so!

Before grilling, I chopped up some:

broccoli

mushroom

cherry tomato

scallions

While the grill was heating I combined these, and added:

parsley

black pepper

squeezed lemon

I grilled the fish for about 5 minutes per side. It assuredly varies, but when you slice into the middle it should be pure white (no exceptions).

Then, it is done.

Heat some tiny (five inch?) tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave, and spoon on this mixutre...

And you'll have a dinner, at least!

Striped Bass Sandwich

Bean's Father called to ask if we wanted fresh fish; he'd caught two huge striped bass off of Plum Island that very day.

Bean said (he is not a seafood lover, my man...), "...well, Boodle would love some."

So we picked up a serving-sized fillet just for me!

And so, I proposed to grill it. Topped with parsley and chives and olive oil; flip after 4 minutes and again after 4 minutes, and then remove soon after.

I do not know the exact time -- I waited until the inside, with the tiniest slit, was white instead of pink.

And it came out, somehow, perfect.

Lindt Outlet

10 Lindt bars for $15.00? I think so!

I have a very loving relationship with white chocolate.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Cinnamon)

After yesterday's blueberry debacle, I wanted even more to bring something to work to share.

Even with the safest of cookies -- chocolate chip -- I still do not feel comfortable. I've come to this realization after batches and batches of them, and it is perhaps due to my reluctance to measure ingredients -- ironic, as I am an engineer. Perhaps I am too used to cooking, which requires much less accuracy.

But! These certainly came out better than the blueberry mess.

Cream:

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

and then mix in:

1 egg

1 tsp cinnamon

sprinkle salt

dollop of cinnamon

The cinnamon, I think, is what makes these interesting.

Dissolve:

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp hot water

and stir in. Then add:

1 1/2 c. flour

and then stir in:

more than 1/2 c. chocolate chips

handful of chopped walnuts

and bake in spoonfuls for 10-14 minutes at 375 degrees. When they came out, I added a sprinkle of raw sugar for visual appeal.

We will see tomorrow, in the public eye, how they fare.

Blueberry Cookies?

Sime's friend Talka has quickly made a beloved impression on me, somehow. She came to stay for two days for an interview, and she accidentally left blueberries in our refrigerator.

I wanted to bake for my coworkers....so against my engineering judgment I decided to attempt a blueberry cookie. Many people have posted recipes, but the idea did not seem feasible.

Bean came in and thought the lumps were chocolate; and said he would make me into a chocolate chip cookie.

So I let him pour some in.

And just as I was beginning to think they might, somehow, turn out alright --

let's just say.....these did not bake well.

I have come to the realization that fruit goes wonderfully in cakes, pies, biscuits, and alcoholic drinks. It does not hold up to a cookie's necessary soft-and-crisp texture; the beautiful juiciness that a fresh fruit contains simply forces the cookie to give way to a nameless clump.

Needless to say, I shall not be bringing these into work tomorrow...