I forgot to bring my magazine to work today, so I doodled instead. The decision was very much influenced by the quality drawings in this good book, The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet.
1: I didn't get to sit next to KK today. That took a lot of fun out of it. Rahn's the creepy guy they had to draw up a company sexual harassment policy for. And the sentences at the bottom are samples of phrases we get to test.
2: Yesterday's purchase
3: Dynastat office quirks- I always get the urge to pull the glass door handle when it should be pushed, and vice versa...
We were treated to free Amy's ice cream during a break. I haven't been 2 weeks yet and I get to enjoy this yearly perk. Like! I got the apple ice and as I wasn't going to subject my digestive system to the supremely delicious, utterly creamy confection that is mexican vanilla. Odd fact: one of my next door neighbor college students works there as well. Very coincidental, as only 10 people in town are sound testers there.
1st time: Cooking dried beans! They are cheaper than canned beans, and cans have BPA. I got large bag of 'em from my new favorite and even closer grocery, Natural Grocers. Now that I am better friends with an employee there (the gf of a bike friend) she kindly applies her employee discount to my purchases on occasion. I soaked them overnight, tossed them in the crock pot, covered them with 2 inches of water, turned the knob to low. Worried about them having no flavor, I added in some sliced yellow onion 4 hours later. I didn't have a ham hock handy. Does the flavoring come in after they are done? Does cooking them with salt make them tough? I haven't done too much research, but I'm trying to incorporate beans into our diet, so we are able to eat less meat and get enough protein.
1st time: Bought a fresh jalapeno to use in cornbread. What do I do with it? Would it be too spicy to add chopped raw into the mixture? Over the past year, I have amassed a decent herb and spice collection, and I have found that fresh herbs and spices pack more punch, flavor and brightness than dried ones. One day I will keep plants alive (even my succulents are looking dry), and when that day comes, I will have a herb and pepper garden.
Edit: I cut and seeded the pepper without gloves, and then touched my face! Intense burning for about 45 minutes only, thankfully. Tried lemon juice, baking powder, rubbing alcohol, ice. Only time seemed to help. So that's why I don't buy fresh peppers!
3 comments:
Dried beans: Ideally they are cooked until they are tender but not falling apart. This will take at least one hour, probably more like two. It's better to overcook than undercook. Add salt toward the end for tenderness. In my experience, beans without salt are major yuck.
Fresh jalapenos: The spicy part is the seeds. For more spice, keep the seeds in your dish, for less discard them. Always, as you probably already learned, wash your hands after handling jalapenos or other peppers.
Yay for experiments!
I cooked some Red Beans & Rice last week using our old family recipe from New Orleans. I can hook you up if you want? They are taste.
B- Oh yes, please do send the recipe! I LOVE red beans and rice. Old family recipes are the sh*t.
R-I did hear about the end salting. I checked on my beans after 9 hours and they will still tough. Then I left and came back after 12 hours and they were somewhat falling apart. Whew! The cornbread turned out really well, actually. I want to give you a piece if I see you in the next day or so!
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