Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

This Week's Meals (1/2): Doctor's Orders.

I never want plain Jell-o again. Except for those thicc parts along the sides. Those can stay.

So I went back to Kura on Friday and picked up the Texas Roll to try it out. It's...more Austin than Texas:

"Spicy tuna, avocado and cream cheese wrapped in Kura specialty sushi rice and dried seaweed with tuna drizzled in spicy mayo and yuzu cream sauce topped with fried onion and sesame."

This is the ideal female body. You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like.

When I created Carrie for Closetspace (yes, the comic isn't dead, the artist is just trying to survive), I based her on Suzanne Vega because I loved the idea (and the sound) of a woman and a guitar and not much else.

What's funny, though, is that Closetspace's story in the comics is just part of a larger story I'd planned out just to make sure the continuity and where they were headed made sense. I had the idea that eventually she'd be a music producer in her 40s and would occasionally play in other's songs as a session player.

There's a sound in some songs where, when I hear them, I think "That's Carrie, playing cause so-and-so was sick that day." It's the sound of Mike Nesmith playing the guitar on the live track of the Monkee's Circle Sky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhtfFpCRRaA) or Jonny Greenwood on Radiohead's "Optimistic" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQCJKWEFyG4) which also happen to be two of my fave songs.

I always imagine she can play on all sorts of different types of genres, but always brings a sort of electric country twang to her playing.

Tonight's TNG was "Data's Day." There's a scene where Data asks the holodeck to conjure up a dance partner, and I don't think it's a coincidence that she looks like Denise Crosby's Tasha Yar.

Given what Data says in about his relationship with her in "Measure of a Man" it seems to have gone deeper than his one night with her in "The Naked Now." I do believe he got closer to her right up until she died.

One thing I really think should have happened in Season 1 of Picard was not that Picard was waiting for Data when he dies, but Tasha.

A rare pic of Steph and Jenn in High School, 1992.

Okay, I snorted.

Tackling the kitchen, and the oven really...REALLY...needed a deep clean. See the counter on the left to see what I'm dealing with....

Cooking makes Oven-chan happy.

This Week's Meals (4/4): Jack in the Box's Deli Trio Grilled Sandwich.

They need to bring this back, either as a sammich, or as a pannido.

# Deli Trio Grilled Sandwich

Jack in the Box (Copycat)
2.0 half-sandwiches

2.0 slice sourdough bread
2.0 slices provolone
butter (as needed)
2.0 tbsp creamy Italian dressing
4.0 slices salami
1.0 slice ham
2.0 slices pickle (sandwich sliced)
1.0 slice turkey

1 - Butter each slice of sourdough bread
2 - Assemble as follows, from top to bottom:

[Top]
Slice of sourdough bread (Buttered on the outside)
Creamy Italian dressing
Slice of provolone
Slice of turkey
Two pickle fillets
Slice of ham
Four slices of coin-sized salami (or one big slice)
Slice of Provolone
Slice of sourdough bread (Buttered on the outside)
[Bottom]

3 - Grill on High to desired doneness

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

This Week's Meals: (3/4): Kibbeh.

Oh, this. THIS. I'm eating it right now and it's everything I remember.

Back in the late 90s, when I was living in State College, PA, an Egyptian restaurant opened up for, like, a week. North and I happened across it while it was open and we stepped in to try it. I didn't know what to get, so I asked the waiter what I should try, and he suggested Kibbeh.

And I've been chasing it ever since. When I was in Austin, I did find places that served it, but I never ordered it because they mentioned it was a wheat shell dish - and I didn't remember wheat being part of the Egyptian kibbeh I had. I missed out on so much.

Up here in Seattle, I did ask a local place if they made kibbeh, and they said the only place they knew was in Seattle, but if a certain cook was in, they could make it for me. But when they said it was wheat shelled, I just never ordered it.

When every recipe for kibbeh I found had that wheat, I realized I was wrong - I was thinking like Wheat Flour - the shell is actually BULGUR wheat, which is a very thick mealy flour and provides that crunchy meal shell I remembered.

And this. This is that kibbeh. :D

They look terrible, though, cause I couldn't make the football shape they were supposed to be in (and those pine nuts make it look...yikes). But that taste. THAT TASTE.

But boy am I glad meal #4 is a sandwich. :D I needed ibuprofin to while shaping the kibbeh.

# Kibbeh

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/kibbeh-recipe/
About 24 kibbeh

2.5 cups fine bulgur wheat
None None Water
1.0 large onion, quartered (shell)
1.5 lb lean ground beef (shell)
2.0 tsp ground allspice (shell)
1.0 tsp ground coriander (shell)
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (shell)
1.0 tsp black pepper (shell)
Pinch salt (shell)
Oil for frying
1.0 tbsp Olive oil
1.0 medium onion (finely chopped) (filling)
1.0 lb ground beef (cold) (filling)
0.3333333333333333 cup toasted pine nuts (filling)
1.0 tsp ground allspice (filling)
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon (filling)
Pinch salt and pepper (filling)

1 - Cover a fine mesh strainer with a light cloth (a cheesecloth, if you have one). Add the bulgur wheat in, then place the strainer into a bowl filled with water. Let the fine bulgur wheat soak in the water for 15 minutes.
2 - Pull the cloth, holding the bulgur, and squeeze all the water out. You may do this a couple of times until you are sure the bulgur is rid of water. Set aside for now.
3 - Now make the kibbeh (the actual dough that you will later use to form the kibbeh shells). Put the onion, ground beef, spices and pinch of salt into the bowl of a large food processor. Process until the meat is very finely ground almost into a paste.
4 - Transfer the meat mixture into a large bowl and add the bulgur wheat. Use damp hands to combine the bulgur with the meat mixture to make a dough. Cover and refrigerate until later.
5 - Now make the filling. Heat olive oil in a skillet or frying pan.
6 - Saute the onion until just golden, then add the ground beef.
7 - Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the meat is fully browned.
8 - Add the toasted pine nuts, the spices, and the salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
9 - Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
10 - Remove the kibbeh dough from the fridge.
11 - To stuff the kibbeh, you need to have damp hands. Place a small bowl of water next to you. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
12 - Dampen your hands with some water, take a handful of the kibbeh dough (about 2 tablespoon or so) and form into somewhat of an oval-shaped disc in the palm of one hand.
13 - Use your finger to make a well in the middle of the disc, and gradually hollow the disc out to make a larger well or hole for the filling.
14 - Using a spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Seal the dough on top and, using both hands, carefully shape it into an oval (football-type shape). Place the stuffed kibbeh on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
15 - Repeat the stuffing steps until you run out, be sure to have damp hands throughout.
16 - Chill the stuffed kibbeh for 1 hour.
17 - Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees F (you'll want the oil hot enough that you can see some gentle bubbling, but not too hot where it will burn the kibbeh shells).
18 - Deep-fry the kibbeh in the hot oil, in batches being carefully not to crowd them, until the kibbeh shells are brown (about 5 minutes or so).
19 - With a slotted spoon or tongs, carefully remove the kibbeh and place them on a pan lined with paper towel to drain. Repeat until you have fried all the stuffed kibbeh.

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

Aww yeah.

This Week's Meals (2/4): Klobásník (aka Pigs in a Blanket)

If at first you don't succeed, get a better recipe. And now that I can make Salibury Steak, Pigs in a Blanket AND Cinnamon Rolls, I can make all the stuff I remember from the old Locke Hill Elementary School cafeteria. :D

So I melded this recipe together from the kolache recipe to make the dough, and then the "construction" instructions from the recipe I tried last week.

The good news: The kolache dough works WAAAY better. The down side? Might be too sweet for a savory pastry. But we'll find out in the morning when I have the first one! I do like sweet-and-salty, hopefully it's not overpowering. If so, I might pull back on the sugar or the honey-butter topping.

# Klobásník

Multiple
5.0 Klobásník

0.25 cup milk (scalded)
0.25 cup sugar
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp mace
0.25 whole lemon rind
0.75 package yeast
0.25 cup water (dough)
1.0 whole egg (beaten)
0.25 cup salted butter (melted)
1.6666666666666665 cups flour
2.5 slices American Cheese
5.0 whole sausages (hot dog sized)
0.5 tsp water (egg wash)
1.0 whole egg (egg wash)
1.0 tbsp unsalted butter (honey butter)
1.0 tbsp honey

1 - Combine milk, sugar, salt, mace and lemon rind. Cool to lukewarm.
2 - Stir yeast into warm water; let stand 5 minutes.
3 - Add to milk mixture. Stir in eggs and margarine and enough flour to make a soft dough.
4 - Knead on lightly floured board until smooth and elastic.
5 - Cover, let rise in warm place until double in bulk.
6 - Punch down, cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
7 - While dough is still rising, add the sausages to a large skillet and cook until warmed through, turning while they cook to ensure all sides are lightly seared.
remove the dough to a work surface lightly sprinkled with flour.
8 - Cut the dough into equal amounts (depending on the amount you are making).
9 - Ignore this step. It's a duplicate step from melding the two recipes together. :D
10 - Prepare a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Set aside.
11 - Working with one piece of dough at a time, press the dough into a larger square shape, large enough to cover one of your sausages on one side..
12 - Place a half slice of cheese on one side, then the sausage.
13 - Roll the dough and pinch together where it meets.
14 - Place on the prepared baking sheet with the seam side down.
15 - Continue until all the klobásník are prepared.
16 - Place the klobásník on the baking sheet with approximately 1/2 to 1 inch of space in between, they rise while they bake, but it’s ok if they run into each other.
17 - Cover and let rise for an additional 45 minutes.
18 - While rising, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
19 - Remove the cover from the klobásník
20 - Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg with the water. Brush this over the top of the dough.
21 - Bake for 14-15 minutes until the tops are golden. Turn the baking sheet during the middle of baking if needed for even browning.
22 - Remove from the oven, combine the melted butter and honey, and brush this on top of the Kklobásník while they are still hot.
23 - Let cool for several minutes, then serve warm.

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

Aww yeah.

Moving the speakers away from the TV to try and get a little more separation from the front left and front right. But as usual the wierd fireplace not just ruins the Feng Shui of the living room, but keeps me from moving the speakers too much farther out without unbalancing the left and right sound...

Still, a LITTLE better is still better.

This Week's Meals (1/4): Pho

Mmmmmmmmmm...dangerous that I know how to make this, so now I can have it whenever I want. The recipe calls for lemon juice, but I tend to use lime.

# Chicken Pho Soup

Personal Trainer: Cooking

1.0 pound boneless chicken thigh
12.0 ounces rice noodles
2.5 quarts chicken stock
6.0 tbsp fish sauce
1.0 tbsp lemon juice
1.5 tsp sugar
6.5 oz bean sprouts
3.0 leaves red-leaf lettuce
9.0 sprigs cilantro
1.5 None green onion
3.0 None shallots
6.0 None lemon wedges

1 - Put water in a saucepan and warm it on the stove until it's lukewarm.
2 - Net put the rice noodles in the mixing bowl and add the lukewarm water.
3 - Leave the rice noodles to stand for about thirty minutes.
4 - Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan.
5 - Place the pan over the heat and bring the stock to a boil. Then add the chicken.
6 - When the stock returns to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes without letting it boil.
7 - Turn off the heat, remove the pan from the stove and leave the chicken in the soup to cool.
8 - Drain the water off the noodles with the sieve.
9 - Put some water in a bowl and wash the bean sprouts.
10 - Remove the roots from the bean sprouts.
11 - Peel the shallots.
12 - Thinly slice the peeled shallots lengthwise.
13 - Remove and discard the roots of the green onions, then cut the green onions into thin rings.
14 - Slice the red lettuce leaves crosswise into 1/2 inch strips.
15 - Next, roughly chop the cilantro.
16 - Take out the chicken from the soup and cut it into 1/3 inch slices. Leave the soup as it is for now.
17 - Place the soup back on the stove and bring it to a boil.
18 - Add the fish sauce and the lemon juice to the soup.
19 - Next add the sugar, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove.
20 - Put plenty of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
21 - Put the soaked noodles in the pan, and boil them for 30 seconds until soft.
22 - Drain off the water from the noodles with a sieve.
23 - Place the pan with the soup over moderate heat and bring the soup to a brief boil.
24 - Put individual portions of noodles unto serving bowls and pour the hot soup over them.
25 - Top the noodles wit the red lettuce, bean sprouts, chicken and shallot.
26 - Garnish with green onions, cilantro and a wedge of lemon.

#thisweeksmeals #cooking

That's one helluva bug.

BIG MOOD

Now that the Surround Sound is properly working, I took some time setting the speakers to really give me enveloping sound.

By default on pretty much everything I've watched/played, the speakers were FAR too "forward" for me, with the sound coming from the screen. The music often over powered the voice, and surround sound was pretty anemic.

Eventually I maxed out the subwoofer (Jenn like Big Boom), maxed out the rear speakers, set the center speaker, which carries most of the dialogue to default, and the left and right to negative 5 volume.

That gave me a nice surround sound finally, with the V'Ger "Wok" scenes REALLY feeling like I'm in the wok with them, with proper echoing and good rumbles instead of the sound coming almost completely from the front. The sound is still a little tinny from the regular speakers, but it's probably cause the speakers are kind of cheap.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go beat up on Ganon in Breath of the Wild in Surround Sound. :D

PIXELS AS BIG AS CATS