Spring Risotto

 

When I first moved out of my parent's house, I ate a lot of grilled cheese, BLTs, and mac n' cheese because they were not only major comfort foods, but they were also cheap and easy. For obvious reasons, those three dishes aren't exactly part of a balanced diet (though they are delicious). After getting into a routine at my "big girl apartment" I quickly began bookmarking recipes I wanted to try, and in the past year, I've created a binder (roll your eyes, yes) full of my favorite dishes and staples of my diet. One of my favorite dishes is risotto, also known as "grown up mac n' cheese." After fishing around for a good risotto recipe, I landed upon Wolfgang Puck's Vegetable Risotto (picture above) which I have made countless times in several variations. 

I've tinkered with the recipe a bit to meet my needs, but honestly, it's really straightforward and always delicious. I whipped up a batch on Sunday in anticipation of Andrew's return from a man-camping trip in the UP. Spoiler alert: the way to a man's heart - is a big bowl of risotto + a bottle of chilled white wine + a cheese platter for snacking + seeing Iron Man 3 at the Davis. 

Bonus: Using homemade chicken broth makes everything taste so much better!

Gone Fishin': NYC 5/23-5/26

Hi lovelies,

Andrew and I will be in NYC from Thursday, May 23 - Sunday, May 26. Things will be quiet around the blog, but please know I am having an amazing time and will return with stories and photos! Our roster mainly revolves around all of the delicious foods and street pizza we will be eating (duh), but we do plan on the following things:

-MOMA / Rain Room
-The Met / Punk: Chaos to Couture
-Finally seeing the Highline
-Strand Bookstore
-Uniqlo
-A live performance of some sort (comedy/music)
-One major tourist attraction (I see you Empire State Building)
-Brooklyn Flea Market
-NYC FRIENDS!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Green Thumbs Up

As declared in my 2013 Goals, one of the things I've been aching to try is growing my own food. I have a little deck space behind my studio, that gets a glorious amount of southwestern light in the afternoons. While I'd previously envisioned buying a plot in a community garden, I thought it best that I start small this year - by planting and owning my very first herb garden. I know it's not the haul of plump heirloom tomatoes I had initially planned on, but if I can properly consume and enjoy something I nurtured from my own garden, it counts as growing my own food.

Two weekends ago, I bought my first batch of herbs, planters, and soil from Home Depot and with Andrew's help I was able to install my first planter. The week quickly got away from me, and in a moment of "git-r-done" fidgeting over my project, I decided it best that I (wo)man up to using my power tools and install the second planter myself. Y'all have no idea how good it felt to roll up my metaphorical sleeves, feel the weight of that drill in my hand, and know that I was doing it for myself, by myself. All in all, I think things came along quite nicely!!

From Left to Right: Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Basil

From Left to Right: Basil, Dill, Thyme

Mint for Mojitos

Veritas

My alma mater's motto was simply the word - Veritas - or truth. We hinged ourselves on the pursuit of truth and on living our lives both academic and personal on the basis of honesty. The last week has proven a lot of truths for me, it shook me to the core, then released me into the world feeling determined, new, refreshed, and ready.

In short, a close friend, colleague, and mentor passed away suddenly on Tuesday. I won't go into detail, but I want to be clear that it was a beautiful life ended too soon. She was and is an amazing, strong, intelligent, understanding, inspiration - an important figure and role model to me, and she will never be replaced.

While the news was sudden and extremely difficult to bear, I took the last week as an opportunity for reflection and evaluation. I've realized a lot of things about myself, professionally and personally, especially with regard to my goals and my future. While I do enjoy the idea of myself being the kind of woman I currently am (re: strong, skilled, witty, independent, smart, hard working, etc.), I know I have so much work ahead of me. I've decided it's time I get my ducks in a row, and face some truths regarding myself and the life I want to live.

The veritas of it all is that it's time for me to be my own mover and shaker. That there are imminent truths that will always be with us: we all live, and we all die. But how we live our lives is what is of the utmost importance. I want to live my life in the best possible way, be the best possible me. I want to stop taking everything for granted. I want to acknowledge how lucky I have been thus far, and be thankful for everyday I have here.

This past week I realized the following truths:

1) I am capable of using power tools.
2) I am capable of planting a garden.
3) I am capable of having an adult conversation with my parents.
4) I am capable of asking for help when I need it.
5) Being outside in the sun has incredible healing powers.
6) Tell people how you feel about them when you feel it, you may not have another chance.
7) Most things are not worth being angry about. Resolve conflict in an appropriate and timely manner.
8) I have very little complaints.
9) I need to take the GRE, and am actively working on it.
10) I need to go back to school, for me.

This Weekend

- Dinner at MK with Mom (ie drooling over Richard Serra paintings)
- Cleaning my apartment
- Eye doctor
- LEXIE!
- Lunch?
- More Mom hangs
- Brunch?
- Ravenswood Garage Sale
- Finish planting my garden
- Put together NYC itinerary for next week (!!!)

Broke Book Club

A month ago, a friend of mine and I went on a long overdue date to Boiler Room for pizza, beers, and shots of whiskey. Well into our second glass and second slice, we got to talking about  books we're reading, books we want to read, and books in general. I mentioned that I had joined a neighborhood book club at the Book Cellar, but that after my first meeting, I just didn't feel like it was my scene, and I have not returned.  Since moving to Chicago, I've been saying (repeatedly, in passing) that I should form a book club with some of my crew here - but the thought is often fleeting, and nothing has ever come of it. But Stephanie (my aformentioned friend) had just enough enthusiasm and excitement for the book club idea that we had a few working lunches and have offically formed what we have donned the Broke Book Club!

BBC will be a monthly gathering of Chicago friends. The name implies that we are going to be meeting on the fly, and on the cheap. We request and suggest that our members either read borrowed or used copies of the books we have picked so that we aren't actually paying for the books themselves. We're also going to be doing themed activities with the club; for example, should we read Julia Child's My Life in France, we'd like to organize a French themed potluck picnic for our book club meeting that month.

Our first book we've selected is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I'm already 60 pages in, and I can't put it down!

Seinfeld S1E5: The Stock Tip

Y'all, this video is me admitting that this episode might have been a little bit boring... Season 1 didn't exactly go out with a bang, but that's not to say that I am not totally enjoying myself. In fact, I think I might even be starting to like this show. Not sure if I agree with what's happening 100% of the time - still salivating over how amazing Elaine Benes is, she's becoming my new life and style icon. Also, how does Jerry end up dating such pretty gals? I just don't get it? On to Season 2!