on my cheek. a zit, zit, zit zit, ZIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the likes of which I have not had in years.
thanks a lot, hormones. Y'all are a peach.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Knedlcki 2009
I made knedlcki (traditionl Slovenian plum dumplings) yesterday, after the long-anticipated arrival of Italian prune plums at Whole Foods. My mom and staramama ("grandma" to those of you non-Slovenian-speakers) always made these every late summer, when the Italian prune plums came into season. My brothers and I looked forward to them every year.
Now I am happy to share my staramama's recipe with you. These are not easy to make by any means, and it has definitely taken me several tries, but if you stick with it and keep a sense of humor, you'll be enjoying these savory-sweet treats in no time!
Ingredients:
*about 2 lbs. Italian prune plums (no other kind will work--trust me on this one. They are only available in late August thorugh September. If you absolutely can't get them, your only other option is extra-small apricots)
*4 good-sized red potatoes
*2 c. breadcrumbs
*1 stick butter
*1 1/2 c. flour (plus plenty extra for dough-kneading and rolling)
*sour cream
*1 egg
*sugar cubes
*salt
Items needed:
*measuring cups
*ricer (I don't have one, so I used a masher and a fork)
*measuing spoons
*rolling pin (I don't have one of these either, so I used a tall glass)
*large pot
*glass baking dish
1) Put on a fun movie to have on in the background; you'll be busy for a while.
2) Peel and wash potatoes, and cut into 1/4ths
3) Cook until soft (approx. 30 mins).
4) While waiting for the potatoes to cook, you can wash and pit some plums. Make sure that when you cut the plums, you leave the two halves attached, like a hinge. Discard pits.
5) Drain, allow pot to sit on low flame until dry (1-2 mins)
6) Press potatoes through ricer. (If you do not have a ricer, use a masher first, and then a fork until the potatoes are smooth and not lumpy. See the pictures below)
7) Add 1 tsp. butter to potatoes, let cool.
8) When cool, add beaten egg, one heaping tsp. sour cream, 1 1/2 c. flour. Mix well.
9) Place dough on floured board and knead for 2 minutes. Use flour as needed to prevent stickiness.
10) Wash, pit & dry rest of the plums. Place one sugar cube in each.
11) Set large pot to boil, adding 1 tsp. salt for each gallon.
12) Roll dough to 1/2 - 1/2" thick, cut into squares. Put one plum in each, seal. (**note: this is by far the most difficult and frustrating part of the process. Just be patient and don't be afraid to use lots of flour)
13) Add dumplings to boiling water--use two pots if necessary OR take turns; dumplings must not be crowded.
14) Cook 10 minutes or until dumplings rise to the surface. Leave at the top for 5 minutes.
15) Preheat over to 350.
16) While dumplings are cooking, make droptinice (fried bread crumbs): melt 1/2 stick butter over low heat, sautee 1/3 c. breadcrumbs (more or less as desired). Spread in glass pan, this:
17) Drain dumplings when done, roll in pan until they are covered with droptinice.
18) Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven.
19) Take a wee break; you're probably exhausted by now. Clean up a little, and, if you get a chance...
20) Take out when done, and let cool a little.
21) Sprinkle with a little sugar and ENJOY!!!
Now I am happy to share my staramama's recipe with you. These are not easy to make by any means, and it has definitely taken me several tries, but if you stick with it and keep a sense of humor, you'll be enjoying these savory-sweet treats in no time!
Ingredients:
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
*about 2 lbs. Italian prune plums (no other kind will work--trust me on this one. They are only available in late August thorugh September. If you absolutely can't get them, your only other option is extra-small apricots)
*4 good-sized red potatoes
*2 c. breadcrumbs
*1 stick butter
*1 1/2 c. flour (plus plenty extra for dough-kneading and rolling)
*sour cream
*1 egg
*sugar cubes
*salt
Items needed:
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
*measuring cups
*ricer (I don't have one, so I used a masher and a fork)
*measuing spoons
*rolling pin (I don't have one of these either, so I used a tall glass)
*large pot
*glass baking dish
1) Put on a fun movie to have on in the background; you'll be busy for a while.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
2) Peel and wash potatoes, and cut into 1/4ths
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
3) Cook until soft (approx. 30 mins).
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
4) While waiting for the potatoes to cook, you can wash and pit some plums. Make sure that when you cut the plums, you leave the two halves attached, like a hinge. Discard pits.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
5) Drain, allow pot to sit on low flame until dry (1-2 mins)
6) Press potatoes through ricer. (If you do not have a ricer, use a masher first, and then a fork until the potatoes are smooth and not lumpy. See the pictures below)
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
7) Add 1 tsp. butter to potatoes, let cool.
8) When cool, add beaten egg, one heaping tsp. sour cream, 1 1/2 c. flour. Mix well.
9) Place dough on floured board and knead for 2 minutes. Use flour as needed to prevent stickiness.
10) Wash, pit & dry rest of the plums. Place one sugar cube in each.
11) Set large pot to boil, adding 1 tsp. salt for each gallon.
12) Roll dough to 1/2 - 1/2" thick, cut into squares. Put one plum in each, seal. (**note: this is by far the most difficult and frustrating part of the process. Just be patient and don't be afraid to use lots of flour)
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
13) Add dumplings to boiling water--use two pots if necessary OR take turns; dumplings must not be crowded.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
14) Cook 10 minutes or until dumplings rise to the surface. Leave at the top for 5 minutes.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
15) Preheat over to 350.
16) While dumplings are cooking, make droptinice (fried bread crumbs): melt 1/2 stick butter over low heat, sautee 1/3 c. breadcrumbs (more or less as desired). Spread in glass pan, this:
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
17) Drain dumplings when done, roll in pan until they are covered with droptinice.
18) Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
19) Take a wee break; you're probably exhausted by now. Clean up a little, and, if you get a chance...
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
20) Take out when done, and let cool a little.
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
21) Sprinkle with a little sugar and ENJOY!!!
 |
| From Knedlcki 2009 |
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Nor Cal Trip
I have so much fun every time I go up there. It could be said that this particular time, maybe I had a little too much fun?
Ways in which I had too much fun:
1) Flirted with a tow truck driver (well that's giving myself too much credit. But I complimented his truck, and he was a nice guy) and didn't get charged to get my ripped-to-shreds wheel well plastic cut neatly off.
2) Spent *achem* $250 at Nordstrom Rack
3) Watched my friend finally join the "PEN 15 Club" at age 25
4) Spent the better part of two hours flipping sequins on a new pair of shoes
5) Sang Jim Croce songs with Matt in his car--hooray for the Greatest Hits album
6) Sang at the Mission Church, and got to hear friends do some great string playing.
7) Played Flip Cup (was one-for-one 4x in a row, yo!) at a Labor Day BBQ
8) Had a lot to drink and made the beginner's error of not drinking water or eating enough dinner
9) As a result, had possibly the #1 worst hangover of my life the next day (I didn't drink THAT much, though! I'm getting old, you see...)
10) Contracted pinkeye and drove home with one eye basically AWOL.
Ah, but....it was such a good time.
Now, back to grind of grad school apps and other such nonsense. Work and such...
Ways in which I had too much fun:
1) Flirted with a tow truck driver (well that's giving myself too much credit. But I complimented his truck, and he was a nice guy) and didn't get charged to get my ripped-to-shreds wheel well plastic cut neatly off.
2) Spent *achem* $250 at Nordstrom Rack
3) Watched my friend finally join the "PEN 15 Club" at age 25
4) Spent the better part of two hours flipping sequins on a new pair of shoes
5) Sang Jim Croce songs with Matt in his car--hooray for the Greatest Hits album
6) Sang at the Mission Church, and got to hear friends do some great string playing.
7) Played Flip Cup (was one-for-one 4x in a row, yo!) at a Labor Day BBQ
8) Had a lot to drink and made the beginner's error of not drinking water or eating enough dinner
9) As a result, had possibly the #1 worst hangover of my life the next day (I didn't drink THAT much, though! I'm getting old, you see...)
10) Contracted pinkeye and drove home with one eye basically AWOL.
Ah, but....it was such a good time.
Now, back to grind of grad school apps and other such nonsense. Work and such...
Friday, August 28, 2009
Corrction--
the song that I described in my last entry as "a bastardized version of 'Battle Hymn of the Republic'" is actually a real song entitled "Battle Cry of Freedom."
Wow. Titles aren't similar at all, and the melodies are half the same. Heh heh...
Wow. Titles aren't similar at all, and the melodies are half the same. Heh heh...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
"The people are nice, and shit is FREE!"
Yesterday i decided i wanted to watch the Ken Burns's The Civil War and was griping all the way home about having to pay to rent 9 DVDs or buy the series, until I remembered that in the USA we have a institution known as the PUBLIC LIBRARY....it was, like, a revelation.
Despite the fact that they somehow managed to drop my account (which I only had had for about 6 months, if that) they were still nice.
I got through Vol. 1 and 3 as you can only check out three at a time and vol. 2 was broken (it was a VHS tape and despite my MacGyver skillz I was not able to coax the thing into winding properly, so I missed out on "Fredricksburg to Meridian"--but everyone knows the good stuff didn't start happening until 1862 anyway).
A few observations: maybe it's just because I'm a musician, but I found the b/g music distracting this time around. And it's basically the same three or four songs over and over--that Ashokan Farewell that everyone loves so much, that weird bastardization of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" played on the piano, and some form of "Dixie", fast or slow depending on the subject matter. And I can't help thinking it's really cliche to play those "traditional black chorus" spirituals every time they talk about slavery. Once in a while they throw in some song in a minor key if they are showing pictures of dead and wounded.
I also found myself talking to the screen, like the "black people at the movies" stereotype. That General McClellan, what a puissified idiot. If he had had more guts the war could have been over three years early.
I am looking forward to renting volumes 4-6 today, and engaging in more of these wholesome activities.
And somewhere in there managing to do more work on grad school apps and my personal statements.
P.S. Also started learning the tin whistle last night, the one Dad and Franz brought me back from Colonial Williamsburg. Pretty neat only really soft instrument, and it tired my hands and lips out after about 30 minutes. At the end of a 45-minute session I knew all the notes and could find them semi-fast, so I have been able to manage slow songs such as "Home Sweet Home", "I Dream of Jeannie," "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (well, I had been watching a movie about the Civial War, after all), and faster songs like "Dixie" and "Carlen Is Your Daughter Ready" ast a slow tempo. Good times.
Despite the fact that they somehow managed to drop my account (which I only had had for about 6 months, if that) they were still nice.
I got through Vol. 1 and 3 as you can only check out three at a time and vol. 2 was broken (it was a VHS tape and despite my MacGyver skillz I was not able to coax the thing into winding properly, so I missed out on "Fredricksburg to Meridian"--but everyone knows the good stuff didn't start happening until 1862 anyway).
A few observations: maybe it's just because I'm a musician, but I found the b/g music distracting this time around. And it's basically the same three or four songs over and over--that Ashokan Farewell that everyone loves so much, that weird bastardization of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" played on the piano, and some form of "Dixie", fast or slow depending on the subject matter. And I can't help thinking it's really cliche to play those "traditional black chorus" spirituals every time they talk about slavery. Once in a while they throw in some song in a minor key if they are showing pictures of dead and wounded.
I also found myself talking to the screen, like the "black people at the movies" stereotype. That General McClellan, what a puissified idiot. If he had had more guts the war could have been over three years early.
I am looking forward to renting volumes 4-6 today, and engaging in more of these wholesome activities.
And somewhere in there managing to do more work on grad school apps and my personal statements.
P.S. Also started learning the tin whistle last night, the one Dad and Franz brought me back from Colonial Williamsburg. Pretty neat only really soft instrument, and it tired my hands and lips out after about 30 minutes. At the end of a 45-minute session I knew all the notes and could find them semi-fast, so I have been able to manage slow songs such as "Home Sweet Home", "I Dream of Jeannie," "Battle Hymn of the Republic" (well, I had been watching a movie about the Civial War, after all), and faster songs like "Dixie" and "Carlen Is Your Daughter Ready" ast a slow tempo. Good times.
Monday, August 10, 2009
this is not a negative post :-)
Things are bad but good always comes out of it....my grandma had a health scare on Saturday that brought her to the emergency room....but family has rallied, as they always do, and it seems for the time being that she is OK. This has also now forced her to get outside help for herself and Grandpa. She didn't want to before, and now she has no choice. So this is good.
I can't wait to go to Seattle this weekend; I love going to new places. I can't wait to see my friends next week, and a couple of weeks after that. And most of all...I can't wait to be HOME AGAIN. Be able to take the train and bus instead of car, so I can feel the icy wind rip my body to shreds (I'll be returning in February--brutal!), have coffee over Watertower Place, have an O'Malley's hot dog, see snow, see clouds, see sleet. And drive in it. See winter, spring, summer and fall. Hear those delightful accents. Get mine back (OK, maybe not so much).
I dunno. I was just thinking about that as I sit wondering why a certain person decided to kick me in the ankle this morning. God, if only I could sue.
Then I could get that haircut before this weekend, at the very least.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The irony is not lost on me...
My grandpa's cancer is back. I know that this should not be hitting me as hard as it apparently is; I mean he's 89 years old, he's been ill for quite some time, and, really we just know that his time for rest is drawing near.
Maybe that's not the part that bothers me. What bothers me is more of a selfish thing--that I have for months, maybe a year, been churning inside about returning to the Midwest, to be closer to my loved ones. Now I finally make the big decision to do it, and now it's a race against the clock. I don't have all the time I thought I did.
I'm here in LA and I feel powerless. I may not make it back in time.
I am homesick, yes, but I was willing to wait it out. After all, I have $800 worth of grad school applications to complete, and a lease until February. But now, with Grandpa's situation having changed so dramatically, seemingly overnight (they took his driving privileges away. When I saw him a month ago, he was driving wonderfully. He just bought a new Mercedes. This hurts)...well, now I don't feel so confident about waiting.
I feel like I've let everyone down.
Maybe that's not the part that bothers me. What bothers me is more of a selfish thing--that I have for months, maybe a year, been churning inside about returning to the Midwest, to be closer to my loved ones. Now I finally make the big decision to do it, and now it's a race against the clock. I don't have all the time I thought I did.
I'm here in LA and I feel powerless. I may not make it back in time.
I am homesick, yes, but I was willing to wait it out. After all, I have $800 worth of grad school applications to complete, and a lease until February. But now, with Grandpa's situation having changed so dramatically, seemingly overnight (they took his driving privileges away. When I saw him a month ago, he was driving wonderfully. He just bought a new Mercedes. This hurts)...well, now I don't feel so confident about waiting.
I feel like I've let everyone down.
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