| Wine Pairing for Mushroom Pasta |
[18 Mar 2010|10:14pm] |
I am helping a friend learn how to cook, and tomorrow night's lesson is mushroom pasta, with peach cobbler for dessert (and probably bruschetta to start). I need a wine to go with it. He prefers white wine (just because it's what he's used to) and I despise white wine, plus in my mind mushroom pasta just goes with a red wine, not a white. White wine doesn't make sense to me with mushrooms. Now I could just go to the wine store and look and look at which red wines are more fruity (the term he used for what kind of wine he wants) but I don't know which companies are vegan-friendly. So, do you guys have a preferred red wine that's a bit more mellow that would go nicely with a mushroom pasta?
I had one pasta recipe that he was going to use that called for vegan cream cheese to make it creamy, but since I don't think I've tried that one I was going to use the recipe from mediterranean vegan kitchen instead, but I just remembered that it's a tomato sauce. I remember it being a really good sauce, but do any of you have mushroom sauces that you know and love? I want to make sure his cooking experiences are good and that he can learn that he can make food taht he really likes - last week's rice experience did not go too well. . .
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[1]anonymous and soft
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| Wild rice cooking tips |
[18 Mar 2010|11:24pm] |
1) Does anyone have directions on how to cook wild rice blend? I can only find it for wild rice. It's the blend from the bulk section at Whole Foods, if that matters.
2) Does anyone have tips for cooking small amounts of rice? I only need one serving (1/4 cup) at a time, and I'm not sure of the proper ratios for that amount. I could just cook 1 cup to make it easier, but the rest of the rice would go to waste before I got a chance to eat it. I've been using a rice cooker but the rice comes out undercooked and not very appetizing, so either rice cooker or stove top instructions would be great.
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[2]anonymous and soft
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| Clear reusable baggies? |
[18 Mar 2010|03:28pm] |
Hi all!! I just want to say first off that I love this community and I check this thread more than once a day. :D
I looked in the memories and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for but did find some helpful tips.
See, I'm making A LOT of changes in our household. For example, I'm getting rid of all tupperware and switching over to glass and/or stainless steel and/or reusable baggies. I have a 20 month old and she LOVES her snackies. It just bothers me giving her a little plastic ziplock bag that's going to end up being thrown away...even after several washings....they just don't hold up that well. What I'm having a problem with is putting the tiny reusable baggies in the fridge. It's kind of like 'out of site-out of mind'. So I end up forgetting what's in the little baggy and it tends to go bad. What a waste and definitely not what I'm going for! So I'm curious.....is there a clear reusable baggy out there? BPA free too? I keep thinking of those little clear make up bags they have. I have no clue if they're BPA free though.
I have this odd feeling like I'll just have to stick with my little pyrex bowls. It just seems so pointless to put one or two little slices of apple in a bowl.
I can't seem to find a clear PUL either. Is there such thing??
Plus, I'm concerned with hiking and camping this year. When I open my pack I don't want to have to open every single little baggy to remember what's in them. Call me crazy but I can't be expected to remember EVERYTHING...not anymore anyway. LOL
Just curious if you guys have any suggestions or ideas. :D
Thanks a bunch!!!
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[11]anonymous and soft
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[18 Mar 2010|01:35pm] |
I've been using this recipe for body sugaring for years now. Sometimes the recipe works up fine and sometimes it doesn't. Anyone else have this experience? How do you troubleshoot and fix a botched recipe? I made it today and it's super-smooth and doesn't stick to the hair. I added water, and that made it a sticky mess.
And I'm still hairy (not that there's anything wrong with that).
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[1]anonymous and soft
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| Natural Allergy Remedies |
[18 Mar 2010|01:19pm] |
I'm looking for a natural way to prevent/treat seasonal allergies. In the spring and summer, I my allergies get really bad (and it makes my asthma really difficult to manage.) Last year I had constant asthma attacks in the summer from any little irritant and had to be put on several very strong inhaled steroids. Obviously I would like to avoid that this year, but I hate taking antihistamines regularly and they don't work very well for me. I've been reading up on natural remedies and I have consistently come across Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) and quercetin. (I also saw ephedra a lot but since I have hypertension I don't think I should take it.)
Does anyone know about these two remedies? Are they helpful/are there side effects/risks I should know about?
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[18]anonymous and soft
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| cake mix? |
[18 Mar 2010|12:58pm] |
I have tried two times to make cake out of the box and veganize it. I bought cake mixes that fall under the catagory of "happen to be vegan" but subbed the eggs with Ener-G egg replacer. Both times the cakes turned out SO soft I couldn't even spread icing on them. Even trying to eat it as an ugly cake they instantly became thick as glue once you put it in your mouth (and also a choking hazard D: ). I believe I was using Betty Crocker "Super Moist" both times, I know it's what I used last time.
So, does the boxed stuff just not work wothout real eggs or maybe just the ener-g didn't work with it? Should I try flax or bananas? Any ideas of brands that will work?
I know I'm capable of making one from scratch, but it's nice to be able to throw something together every once and awhile. :D Thanks for your help!
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[18]anonymous and soft
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| Seven Deadly Zins, 2007 |
[18 Mar 2010|08:16am] |
I have not been getting my Fast & Furious on and jacking Wine trucks with my Honda Civic. Cross my heart.
Next up on the "Supernatural Wine" hit parade is 7 Deadly Zins, 2007.
Zinfandel ... my favoritest word to see on a Wine Bottle.
Color: Rich red violet
Sniff Test: "Razzleberries" and alcohol. Seriously, this wine smelled hot.
First Impression: Surprisingly not hot in the mouth. Silky smooth, but not as full bodied as I'd hoped for. Razzleberries up front become cranberryish and tannic in the middle and the back end is a little spice which turned into a slightly medicinal/gin aftertaste. :/
Breathing Room: Not much changed after 20 minutes of breathing. The wine went down easy, was polished and well balanced but not as interesting as past 7 Deadlies have been.
Verdict: 2007 was not the year for 7 Deadly that past vintages have been. By days 2-3 the gin aftertaste was gone, but the wine never got zing or pop.
Its sin is Sloth.
Episode: 3x01 "The Magnificent Seven" -- and it was oddly appropriate to drink a wine that commited one of the 7 deadly sins as Sam, Dean, and Bobby battled them.
Next up: 4x01 "Lazarus Rising" and 7 Heavenly Chards.
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[6]anonymous and soft
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| explaterate |
[18 Mar 2010|07:41am] |
explaterate (eks-SPLAY-tuhr-ayt) - v., to talk continuously without stop, blab, gab.
An Americanism -- one of the many colorful word coinages made in the middle half of the 19th century, which was a golden age of vibrant journalistic writing as newspapers, especially those in or near frontier states, competed for readers with their energetic writing. This one caught on, but unlike many that did as well, this one didn't survive the century, though I occasionally hear it used by some of my Mid-Western relatives, who seem to have a suspicious familiarity with the works of Mark Twain -- who got his start as a colorful journalist. The word was coined in Boston in 1831, and like many slang words the origin is obscure, but is possibly a mash-up of "explain" and "elaborate," though there's also the theory that it's a frequentive form of "explate," an old variation of "explain" that was still lingering at the time -- possibly moping around in bars in the South Bay, waiting to return to popularity that never came, to mangle a metaphor.
But I'll stop here before I explaterate any further.
---L.
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and soft
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| Sprouts? |
[18 Mar 2010|10:33am] |
Hi everyone!
I want to start eating more sprouts, so I'm going to get a seed sprouter.
Does anyone have recommendations for sprouters and/or tips for sprouting?
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[9]anonymous and soft
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| Two Fantastic Willamette Pinot Noirs |
[18 Mar 2010|06:54am] |
This week I've been entertaining some of my girlfriend's coworkers and bosses who are in town... so, going out to some decent restaurants (Celadon in Napa and Market in St. Helena -- both good, but Market wins, hand down. Maybe it's just their NO CORKAGE policy that I like so much) as well as cooking some interesting food (the best probably being homemade ravioli filled with white bean & sage dip, parmesan, and mozzarella and served with brown butter and fried sage)
Well, that combined with our 8-year anniversary yesterday means we wanted to break open a few of our better pinots from our trip to Willamette Valley, Oregon last year.
1) For our dinner at Celadon, we were taking out a VP of the company and I just KNEW somehow that, out of the whole menu, the item he would order would be the filet mignon. Meanwhile, I planned to have the duck or lamb and I figured my girlfriend would probably get pasta or pork chop. Considering that combination -- and the fact that she told me her boss likes to order pinot (even with steak) -- I decided to take our Panther Creek 2006 Freedom Hill Pinot Noir.
I couldn't remember everything about this wine, except for the fact that it was bigger, bolder, and darker than your average pinot noir. Generally, we like pinot specifically to be lighter-bodied, and we prefer the earthy, minerally, "mushroomy" types... most of the Oregon wines we bought fit that bill (and in general, the 2007 vintage was good for that lighter style) but I remembered that the Panther Creek 2006 was more on the fruit-filled, full-flavored side.
It was perfect for what we ordered (I ended up going with the lamb shank.) I rarely use the term "well-structured" but I think it would best describe this wine. Much more berry flavor than usual -- in fact, it tasted almost a bit like a zinfandel. I would describe the aroma as mostly blackberry with a hint of earth, and the flavors as: black cherry, cola, vanilla, fig, with a hint of smoke and tannins, like tobacco or lapsang souchong tea.
Even though I'm normally all about the earthy, light-bodied, slightly toasty/oaky pinots... this one may be my new favorite. It was better than I remembered and when I got home I immediately ordered 4 bottles ($34.50 each) from www.orwines.com (unfortunately, I forgot that we also wanted to restock our Walnut City Wineworks 2007 pinot -- possibly the most easily-guzzled wine I've ever had, and not bad for $19.) It runs hotter than most, at about 14.5% alcohol (which tells you how much ripe fruit is in this thing), but the alcohol boost isn't really noticeable (until you've finished the bottle, heh.) Oh, and for what it's worth (if you follow or care about ratings), this one scored 91 from Wine Enthusiast and 91 from Robert Parker
2) Between my gf and I, our consensus-favorite wine of our Willamette Valley trip was probably the very first one we had in the morning: Arbor Brook 2007 Heritage Cuvee. So we drank that for our anniversary last night. The aroma itself is fantastic and intoxicating, I could be happy just sniffing the glass for a few hours. I felt like there was an opium den in my glass -- it was simultaneously sultry and languid. This one is sort of a perfect yin-yang balance or medium-ground between light and earthy pinot and richer, fruit-forward pinot. More savory than sweet, though -- musky, earthy flavors and a hint of oak. Like grilled portabella mushrooms or maybe even black truffle.
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[1]anonymous and soft
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| Green Living |
[18 Mar 2010|07:21pm] |
Hi All,
Found some great tips that we all can follow. Here goes..
1. Plant your own garden: If you have the space, plant a kitchn garden in your backyard. You get fresh organic vegies and also a workout while gardening.
2. Reuse the water: When you wash your lentils, rice and vegetables, save the water and put it in your potted plants. This way they also get some extra nourishment.
3. Soak 'em up: Soak your lentils and rice for a couple of hours before cooking. It uses less time and fuel to prepare. And don't forget to cover it while it cooks, best is to use a pressure cooker.
4. Ditch the paper: Get cloth wipes and towels which can be washed and reused rather than using paper wipes.
5. Off the microwave: When not in use, switch off power to your appliances like the microwave, oven, food processor etc. This cuts down on 'vampire power' and can reduce your electricity bills by 5%.
6. Use appliances judiciously: Avoid using the electric chopper if you can use the knife. Don't just shove food straight from the fridge into the oven, let it thaw for a while before you put it in to cook. And DON'T preheat the oven more than required. Making as best use of the oven as possible -- cooking more than one thing at once, for instance -- is wise.
7. Star gaze: Look for the Energy Star rating when buying new appliances or replacing your old ones.
8. Use CFLs: Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last about 15 times longer than regular bulbs, fit into standard fixtures and use up to 75% less energy.
9. Use the dishwasher only when full and skip the heated dry cycle and let your dishes air-dry if you can.
10. Don't place leftovers in the refrigerator while they are still hot. This will raise the appliance's internal temperature, and use more energy. Instead, let food come to room temperature before refrigerating.
11. Find greener substitutes to chemical cleaners. Spray countertops with plain tap water then wipe with a microfiber towel to eliminate 97% of germs and bacteria. To achieve an even deeper clean, wipe countertops with rubbing alcohol, which kills 99.9 percent of germs.
Source - MSN Green, By Meghna Lal, 14/01/2010 Cooking up a ‘green’ storm
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[47]anonymous and soft
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| mineral makeup, cleansing grains and brown rice |
[18 Mar 2010|09:01pm] |
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This may or may not be a redundant question, but the current makeup quandary is driving me nuts so here goes.
I used to use mineral makeup a few years ago then became dissatisfied with it. But liquid feels so heavy and gross lately, plus summer is coming up here in Shanghai which means insane humidity. I mostly need to minimize the look of pores and even out skin tone (sensitive skin, so it gets uneven or red or blotchy somewhat easily from various things).
I've used the more commercial mineral makeups (BE, and something called Sheer Cover) but those made me itch. I used Aromaleigh for awhile and I have tried Everyday Minerals. So, I know the mineral makeup market has expanded in recent years...if you use (and like) mineral makeup that is NOT one of the brands I mentioned, please suggest!
Has anyone used a cleanser (bought or made) consisting of grains (I know various places like MountainRoseHerbs make things called cleansing grains or similar) and/or clay based (another example http://www.manorhallsoapcompany.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=313)? As a daily cleanser (I still do OCM several times a week, but daily use of it was too hard on my skin)? Do you find it to be effective as liquid soap(or similar) based cleansers? If you make your own, feel free to share the recipe.
Okay, last thing. Living in China, so I not have an oven, fyi. But, I am looking for not too horribly hard recipes involving brown rice. I used to melt shredded cheese in it back in the states, but I want to branch out. Suggestions?
Thanks again everyone.
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[7]anonymous and soft
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| NQO1&2 |
[18 Mar 2010|03:59pm] |
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Could you tell me if NADH:quinone oxidoreductases 1 & 2 work irreversibly or not and the direction of reaction depends on NAD+/NADH or Q/QH2 balance? Thanks)
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[4]anonymous and soft
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[18 Mar 2010|11:09am] |
Some of you (who do not know the wonderful ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) necropalice) have been complaining about LiveJournal silences and a lack of commotion, so I present to you The Solution! A 'this is what I'm like, please be my friend' meme. Comment it, friend it, link it.
(NB: Alice's post is over here. It has already acquired a wealth of new faces, but as some of them are quite photography based, and most of you are not, I figured I'd kick start a new meme on my page too. It also gives me something to read.)
Let's do it like it's 1999; age, sex, location?
What's your journal mostly about?
Describe yourself, or your lifestyle:
Bold the words that apply to your journal:
Books - Booze - Childcare - Travel - Fashion - Music - Television - Film - Gigs - Art Work - Crafting - Animals - Sex - Matters of the Heart - Shopping - Writing - Food - Slogging My Guts Out At Work - Anime - Reviews - Outdoor Adventures - Culture - Photography - Clubbing - Bitching - Feminism - Mix-Tapes - Journalling - Waffling - Memes - Adventuring - Creativity - University - Shopping - Internet Lulz - Baking - Medical Stuff - Failing - Srs Life Stuff - Procrastination - Social Butterflying - Childlessness - Creative Writing - Calamity & Woe - Emotional Wobbles... add more, if you wish...
What kind of LJer would you prefer to add?
How do you know our fabulous Friending Meme host, drunkenchipmunk? Feel free to illustrate.
How often do you update? Are you a big commenter? Do these things matter?
Post either a photograph of yourself, or an MS Paint likeness:
Exciting day today; later I shall hopefully cop a scanner at work to upload the pages for VETO because, (dun dun dun dun) it's complete! I've got it in my hands, right here, right now! Such a weight off my shoulders to be honest, but I'm still ecstatic I managed to pull it together before the Feminista UK conference.
And to add to my happiness, this achievement means I am one step closer to writing that short story for eisenlunge's 'zine.
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[13]anonymous and soft
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[18 Mar 2010|07:14am] |
- there is no public. that is there is not, has not been, nor will there ever be a singluar entity to be manipulated. an individual acting out towards this public may only directly influence individuals. yet the existence of something called democracy is the call for individuals to submit the weight of their decision making to a ratio of 1:every other 1. an institution supported through choice in the name of the freedom of choice that regulates and sets a requisite of an authoritarian for the task of managing 'choice regulation.'
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and soft
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