A New Take on Microwave Popcorn

I brought popcorn to work with me today (I know, thrilling, right?) Our office microwave is abysmal, with no rotating plate and temperature control that I believe conspires to both scorch and freeze my food simultaneously. It's pretty amazing when the edges are burned and the inside remains unthawed.

I shouldn't have been surprised when my bag of popcorn (suggested time = less than 3 minutes) wasn't popped after 5. Unfortunately, I ripped open the bag it comes in to count my kernel-to-popped ratio. It was unimpressive. Like any good Googler, I went online and found this gem from the NYT archives. I grabbed the Pret bag in my desk drawer, dumped the un-popped kernels inside, folded the top over twice, and put the whole thing into the microwave in the other office kitchen. Viola! My snack was saved!

The whole ordeal also showed me that popcorn can be cooked easily in any paper bag, which can be pretty helpful. To cut down portion size, split the kernels inside a microwave-ready bag in half and save some for later. To cut down on all the butter and chemicals, buy the jars of kernels at the grocery store and use paper sacks. (This is also less expensive!) I realize these are unexciting tips, but it's an unexciting Thursday, so that's how it goes sometimes...

Sea Salt Ice Cream

I grew up eating homemade ice cream. My mother has an old family recipe for the richest vanilla that I might share sometime. We'd set the old churn on the deck and I'd check periodically to see if it needed more ice or rock salt. It was the kind with a wooden cylindrical frame, a steel canister in the middle, and an electric churn than went across the top. Licking the paddle when the batch was finished was always the highest honor, usually given to whoever had helped the most or happened to be sick that day.

Well, J and I received an ice cream maker for our wedding, and it's sat in the closet through the winter. But in the recent 100-degree weather, I've been craving good ice cream. I even went out one day during lunch to track down the Coolhaus truck. They were packing up for the day, so all I ended up getting was sweaty.

After a successful round of coconut-rum-almond ice cream, I decided to try something a little more complex. I found a sea salt ice cream recipe from Murphy's Ice Cream in Ireland. 

The biggest initial challenge was making the custard. As a rookie cook, I have no idea what it means when something is cooked "just enough to stick to the back of a spoon." I also have limited patience and turned up the heat before reading the part that says the eggs will scramble if over-heated... 

Easter Framily Dinner

Sunday was our first Easter in the apartment, and we celebrated by inviting over several of our closest friends for a family dinner. The day marked several firsts for me: It was the first time I've used my china, and I've been given pieces since high school. (Doesn't it look pretty??) My mother and grandmother are excellent cooks, and growing up, I found cooking more frustrating than fun. My younger siblings are also good cooks, so they helped with kitchen duty. On major holidays, I was given the esteemed job of... table-setting. I know where the silverware goes and I can fold a mean napkin. But keeping all the steps and ingredients straight has always intimidated me. This year, one of my goals is to become more comfortable in the kitchen, to be able to cook things I'm not embarrassed for guests to try, and maybe even to start enjoying the process and not just the final product. Sunday was only the second time I cooked the main entree—and both times it was honey-baked ham! I also made blueberry muffins (Thanks for that one, too, Mom!) and mashed potatoes. Not feeling like an expert yet, but I definitely was pleased with the results. 

I don't have any great pictures of it, but the ham on the left-hand corner is my mother's recipe. It's the one I pull out for special occasions to make my friends believe I'm a better cook than I am. You know what I mean, I think everybody has one. But in the interests of helping out other aspiring-chefs, I'm sharing the top-secret-sugar-infused-honey-baked-ham. Enjoy!

The Great BBC

On our honeymoon, we discovered the BBC—Bailey's Banana Colada. Our resort in Costa Rica had a half-price happy hour each night, so we treated ourselves to several during the trip.

Of course, when you try to re-create fond memories, they never turn out quite as good as you remember. But our homemade BBCs were pretty close. Here is a general recipe, but feel free to tweak as you like. We've also added Malibu or piña colada to the mix. Note that we did bring home a set of bamboo straws which does add a great deal of authenticity. Enjoy!

Ingredients  

2 bananas, broken into chunks 

6 fluid ounces banana liqueur 

6 fluid ounces Irish cream liqueur 

6 fluid ounces coconut cream 

6 cups crushed ice

Directions

In a blender combine the bananas and banana liqueur; blend until smooth. Blend in the Irish cream and coconut cream (Note: Make sure the coconut cream is at room temperature, or you will not be able to pour it). Finally, add the ice and blend until smooth. 

Valentine's Adventures

To celebrate Valentine's Day, J and I cooked dinner at his studio apartment. I walked in the door and was greeted by the cheery table, already set with flowers, red napkins in lieu of tablecloth, and candles. It made the place feel more festive than usual, and I love imagining him shopping for heart-shaped candles.

We made a caprese salad—Justin's favorite—with sliced tomatoes, buffalo mozarella and basil leaves. Nothing fancy, but fresh and delicious.

This is all the kitchen space we had to work with in his 300-square-foot bachelor pad: