Jenn Dolari @dolari@driveinsaturday.org

Once in a lifetime event twice in a year? I'm there.

Thoughts Before Bed

When I was very little, mirrors were magical portals into other worlds. Tilted mirrors at the shoe store were a way into a world that was mirror imaged. And two mirrors facing each other went into dark places....

So I keep forgetting to make my dinners for this week due to doing other things, so I've been raiding my emergency food since I need to burn it off.

First time I've ever seen one of these in a (civilian) MRE. Like a big thick cracker.

I've never had faith in staying in one place long enough for it to be home. So when I moved in here, I saved every box and stored it, because I knew I would have to move out some day. Likely not because I wanted to.

It's out! IT'S OUT IT'S OUT IT'S OUT!

Spent the evening in the Arcade Time Capsule arcade and relived my Saturday Nights as a teen pumping quarters into Street Fighter II.

I've spent enough money on that game Capcom should just send me a HSF2T cabinet.

You know, in the 15 years I've lived here, I've NEVER felt an earthquake? Not even this one.

The full 70s experience....

Tonight's Completions....

Something I find odd. Breath of the Wild I only died once, and Tears of the Kingdom I didn't die at all. This one has taken me out more tha few times....

#echoesofwisdom

The Many Faces of Dolari in Resonite....

My current avatars there are the ones in the Black Sweater, but the simple green one is more for worlds that are kinda laggy.

This is the best carne guisada I've ever made. And it better stay that way cause I'm going to be eating a lot of it.

This synchronicity is how life feels these days....

[Thoughts Before Bed]

Enjoying a cup of tea at the cafe.

This may look like a shot from Second Life, but the difference is, I'm the person drinking the tea. In Resonite, I'm in that skull, looking at the tea and holding it in first person. Not looking at a screen trying to take the best picture in third person like I would be in Second Life.

Second Life: Pushing an action figure of me around.
Resonite: I am the action figure.

It's been wonderful to be something closer to the me I wanted to be, than the me I was given.

The Week's Fancy Pants Meal: Chicken Marengo

Was going through my list of YouTube Cooking Channels looking for recipes, and came across this one for Chicken Marengo from Tasting History. I had to adapt it a bit for my diet, but didn't think too much of it. I might have been wrong.

Instead of using two drumsticks and two bone-in thighs, I used boneless thigh, mainly for nutritional measuring reasons (I don't eat the bones, so I have to weigh tthe chicken without the bones and that gets messy).

Following his instructions, things went a little wierd. Maybe because I was using boneless chicken (or Max's stove is a little weak), the chicken overcooked a bit. Not burned, but certainly harder on the outside than I'd like.

On top of that, my sauce was FAR darker than expected, and with everything I threw into it...it was fairly flavorless. And straining that sauce was a pain.

Maybe it's me using a different cut of chicken, but I'm not a fan of this. Sad, really, cause this is likely also my last Fancy Pants meal for a while. I'm likely losing my apartment at the end of the year (I've got a place to stay after that, so don't you worry about Ol' Jenn), and I need to start burning up all my frozen food without buying new ingredients.

If I make something good, though, I'll let you know.

# Chicken Marengo

Tasting History with Max Miller
5.0 servings

1.0 pound chicken thigh
3.5 oz olive oil
0.5 tsp salt
0.25 tsp pepper
2.0 whole shallots (peeled)
1.0 clove garlic
1.0 whole bay leaf
1.0 sprig thyme
55.0 grams fresh parsley
0.3333333333333333 cup flour
2.0 cups beef broth
8.0 oz button mushrooms (sliced)

1 - Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
2 - Add the chicken, making sure that the pieces don’t overlap, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3 - Add the shallots, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme, then set the lid on the pan and let it fry for 10 minutes.
4 - After 10 minutes, turn the chicken over, then cover again and cook for another 10 minutes.
5 - Turn the chicken one last time, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
6 - When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate and cover it so it stays warm.
7 - Remove the shallots and larger pieces of herbs. Keep them nearby because we’ll be adding them back in just a second.
8 - Stir the flour into the hot oil to make a roux.
9 - Continue to cook and stir for a couple of minutes, then add the herbs and shallots back in.
10 - Cook for another couple of minutes or until the roux is golden brown.
11 - Add the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that stay stuck to the bottom of the pan.
12 - Bring it to a simmer, then stir constantly for 10 minutes.
13 - Strain the sauce through a conical strainer (or a plain mesh strainer if that’s what you have). If the sauce splits, add a couple tablespoons of water, set it over low heat, and stir until you have a nice smooth sauce again.
14 - If you’re using the mushrooms, sauté them in a bit of oil until they’re cooked.
15 - Arrange the chicken in a dish, pour the sauce over it, garnish with the mushrooms, and serve it forth.

Makes 5 servings at ~400 calories per serving.

Calories 427
Total Fat 32g
Total Carbohydrates 10g
Protein 19g

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

This Week's Carbs: Garlic Butter Rice

So, I'm taking a very long break from the breads, but I still do want my first meal of the day to be my biggest carb load (I can burn it off all day). There was a meme running around with several rice recipes and so I decided to try them out (after first making sure it wouldn't, you know, poison me for the lulz).

I like rice, I like butter, and I like garlic. I can have as much of two of these ingredients as I want, and since it was quick, and I had some time, I did the food prep for this. It's really good, if you like a chicken with garlic flavored rice. I could see this being a side-dish for something Indian or Mediterranean.

# Garlic Butter Rice

Recipe Journal
6.0 servings

8.0 cloves garlic (chopped)
3.0 tbsp olive oil
2.5 tsp garlic (minced)
4.0 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
1.5 cups white rice
2.5 cups chicken broth
1.0 tbsp scallions (finely sliced)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

1 - Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2 - Add the chopped garlic and sauté, moving constantly, until golden and crisp.
3 - Transfer to paper towels to drain.
4 - Pour out excess oil then return the saucepan to the stove.
5 - Add half the butter.
6 - Once melted, add the minced garlic.
7 - Cook for 1 ½ minutes or until the garlic starts to turn light golden and the butter is well infused with garlic flavour.
8 - Add the rice and stir to coat it in garlic butter.
9 - Add the broth and place a lid on saucepan.
10 - Set your stove to high, and allow the broth to come to a boil.
11 - Set your stove to medium, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
12 - Set your stove to low, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
13 - Remove the saucepan from the head, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
14 - Fluff with a fork, then transfer it into serving bowl.
13 - Stir through the remaining butter and scallions.
14 - Sprinkle with crispy garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Makes 6 servings at ~37.5g carbs per serving.

Calories 306
Total Fat 14g
Total Carbohydrate 39g
Protein 4g

#cooking #thisweeksmealsThis Week's Carbs: Garlic Butter Rice

So, I'm taking a very long break from the breads, but I still do want my first meal of the day to be my biggest carb load (I can burn it off all day). There was a meme running around with several rice recipes and so I decided to try them out (after first making sure it wouldn't, you know, poison me for the lulz).

I like rice, I like butter, and I like garlic. I can have as much of two of these ingredients as I want, and since it was quick, and I had some time, I did the food prep for this. It's really good, if you like a chicken with garlic flavored rice. I could see this being a side-dish for something Indian or Mediterranean.

# Garlic Butter Rice

Recipe Journal
6.0 servings

8.0 cloves garlic (chopped)
3.0 tbsp olive oil
2.5 tsp garlic (minced)
4.0 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
1.5 cups white rice
2.5 cups chicken broth
1.0 tbsp scallions (finely sliced)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

1 - Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2 - Add the chopped garlic and sauté, moving constantly, until golden and crisp.
3 - Transfer to paper towels to drain.
4 - Pour out excess oil then return the saucepan to the stove.
5 - Add half the butter.
6 - Once melted, add the minced garlic.
7 - Cook for 1 ½ minutes or until the garlic starts to turn light golden and the butter is well infused with garlic flavour.
8 - Add the rice and stir to coat it in garlic butter.
9 - Add the broth and place a lid on saucepan.
10 - Set your stove to high, and allow the broth to come to a boil.
11 - Set your stove to medium, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
12 - Set your stove to low, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
13 - Remove the saucepan from the head, and wait five minutes. Do not uncover.
14 - Fluff with a fork, then transfer it into serving bowl.
13 - Stir through the remaining butter and scallions.
14 - Sprinkle with crispy garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Makes 6 servings at ~37.5g carbs per serving.

Calories 306
Total Fat 14g
Total Carbohydrate 39g
Protein 4g

#cooking #thisweeksmeals

That a big peach....

I might have a small problem.