This post is about a month old (been living in my journal with an eviction notice), but seeing as it is about my ten month doctor’s appointment which was supposed to be my nine month appointment before it got cancelled and rescheduled three times, I think I am right on schedule. Better late than never, right? That seems to be the theme of my entire spinal fusion experience. First surgery didn’t work? Try again! Better late than never! But, seriously, this post is serious. Because my ten month appointment brought some seriously good news that only paled in comparison to the news I received at my six month appointment when I found out that my fusion had FINALLY healed completely. At my ten month appointment the doctor said that I was doing so well and everything had healed so perfectly that I did not have to come back to the office for an entire year! I went to my six month appointment with so much trepidation (it was at the same time after my first surgery that I found out that my fusion had failed) that my only possible reaction at receiving good news was relief. When I left my ten month appointment with the knowledge that I was doing so well that I didn’t need constant monitoring anymore, I could not get the smile off my face. I believe this was the first time that I left my surgeon’s office with a smile that was not worn out of mere politeness. And would you believe it, the smile was still there after I left the elevator, went through the front door, walked down the street and waited at a red light. I just could not forgive myself if I did not post something about how happy I felt upon getting that news.
I would be lying if I said that the experience of having two spinal fusions in as many years was not a really scary and really painful one or to suggest that this good news means that I am now not scared and pain free. I would also be lying if I said that knowing that I am fully healed has made me stop acting and feeling as if I were not. I do not know if not rushing out to grab the life that I have been missing means that I am lazy or unmotivated or, perhaps, emotionally paralyzed. Maybe I never had a lot of ambition to begin with. I always felt that ambition was not a virtue, but that it brought out the worst in people. I don’t know. Here is what I do know: I cannot stay in bed forever and that I am really frigging happy that I don’t have to go back to the doctor for a year. Oh, and I’m jobless. This weekend, I went to an open call for Central Casting in New York. They cast a lot of the extras for movies and television shows in NYC. I tried to be an extra once before and it did not work out. Back then I was the actor who thought that being an extra was going to get me places (possibly into the union). Now, I’m the girl who just needs to make some money and sees all these actory types as caricatures of a former self (but not caricatures that I'm laughing at!). Also, I’ve been working pretty hard on a children’s novel that I’m writing for my cousins in Florida (Christina’s editing it!). I feel really excited about that.
I have no idea what kind of job I would be good at. There are probably a lot of jobs that I could do. I just don’t know what they are (again, maybe I'm too lazy or too scared to figure it out). I do know how I feel when I write and how I feel is good. I feel like windows are opening up in my head. That’s a strange explanation. I’ll try again. I enjoy writing and it is work at the same time. Sometimes it takes me twenty different rewrites before I get a sentence that works, but when it works I feel like a really difficult puzzle piece has just been slid into place. The window opens, it fits, it feels good. That’s how writing makes me feel and that’s just about the only thing that I have going for me right now that makes any sense. That and reading books. If I could get a job reading books! Maybe I’ll have to research becoming a literary agent (or more like getting a non-paying internship with a literary agent). For now, the extra people haven’t called. I’m giving the whole working-as-an-extra-thing two weeks before I apply to Starbucks. And this blog another sentence before I force it back on track. This post was supposed to be a nice, formal (possibly even witty) piece of writing about getting good news from the doctor, but I guess I slipped up and just said what I felt. Oops. What I meant to say was: I’m glad that I’m better and that we should have a party.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
To Lakshmi with Brie
I haven’t been posting much on this blog for the past couple of months. It was one part laziness, one part computer time rationing due to the pain involved with sitting for long periods of time, and one part does anybody even care? Half of my posts were recipes and I didn’t think that anybody was reading them – let alone using them. Then Lakshmi said that she enjoyed reading my stories about cooking the recipes even if she did not subsequently cook them herself. Well, that made me feel better. So when she recently asked for sandwich ideas using brie (only my most favorite cheese in the world!), I realized that I had both stories and recipes for her. My initial suggestion was a sandwich featuring sliced green apples, turkey and brie. Read on for some more inventive options.
Before I get into the recipes, I’ll back up my declaration that brie is my most favorite cheese in the world. When I was a kid (don’t remember how old), we had a picnic with some family in our backyard. Before the picnic, my mom came home with two wheels of brie and I was psyched! Only then did I find out that we would be sharing the brie with the family. Now I was not a terribly stingy child when it came to food. Sure, I liked getting the biggest slice of pizza as much as the next kid, but my brother was the one with food sharing issues. It was David who stuffed an entire bag of fruit snacks into his mouth so he would not have to give one to me. But brie was an entirely different story. Determined not to sit idly by as my extended family consumed my brie (not realizing that my mom only intended to put out the first wheel anyway), I hid the brie between the pots and pans underneath the sink. And then preceded to forget all about it. It was not until two weeks later when my mom was rummaging through the refrigerator while I was within earshot that I remembered what I had done. I could have sworn I bought two bries was all it took for me to remember my hidden plunder. Still hopeful (what can I say, I was a kid), I pulled out the brie only to find that it was green.
Here is a sandwich that I found on foodnetwork.com. It was made by Tyler Florence and features brie, turkey and apple butter. I had to try it, because I recently brought back an Asheville, NC souvenir of award winning apple butter from The Moose Café. I did not follow the recipe exactly. The other day my mom bought a huge turkey breast and we baked it in the oven. Yesterday, I made a sandwich by toasting a roll with a little olive oil and topping it with brie for the last minute toasting to start melting it. I added about two slices of turkey breast and some apple butter. Mmmm! Definitely worth my trip to Asheville!
This second suggestion is not a recipe, but something from the menu at NYC restaurant Serendipity 3. This was Pam’s favorite restaurant when she was in high school and I went there with her during the summer after our freshman year of college. We had just finished a five hour wait for tickets to the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night, and decided that we’d like to wait some more. It took us about forty-five minutes to get a table right next to the kitchens in this über trendy spot, but the food was delicious. We split the following sandwich (how cheap!) and each had a fishbowl sized frozen hot chocolate. It was Pam’s first time tasting brie and it was my first (and only) time at Serendipity 3.
Pretty sure this was the sandwich:
A Summer Bries smoked turkey, sliced apples, melted brie and alfalfa sprouts, served on raisin pumpernickel with Russian dressing 14.00
Before I get into the recipes, I’ll back up my declaration that brie is my most favorite cheese in the world. When I was a kid (don’t remember how old), we had a picnic with some family in our backyard. Before the picnic, my mom came home with two wheels of brie and I was psyched! Only then did I find out that we would be sharing the brie with the family. Now I was not a terribly stingy child when it came to food. Sure, I liked getting the biggest slice of pizza as much as the next kid, but my brother was the one with food sharing issues. It was David who stuffed an entire bag of fruit snacks into his mouth so he would not have to give one to me. But brie was an entirely different story. Determined not to sit idly by as my extended family consumed my brie (not realizing that my mom only intended to put out the first wheel anyway), I hid the brie between the pots and pans underneath the sink. And then preceded to forget all about it. It was not until two weeks later when my mom was rummaging through the refrigerator while I was within earshot that I remembered what I had done. I could have sworn I bought two bries was all it took for me to remember my hidden plunder. Still hopeful (what can I say, I was a kid), I pulled out the brie only to find that it was green.
Here is a sandwich that I found on foodnetwork.com. It was made by Tyler Florence and features brie, turkey and apple butter. I had to try it, because I recently brought back an Asheville, NC souvenir of award winning apple butter from The Moose Café. I did not follow the recipe exactly. The other day my mom bought a huge turkey breast and we baked it in the oven. Yesterday, I made a sandwich by toasting a roll with a little olive oil and topping it with brie for the last minute toasting to start melting it. I added about two slices of turkey breast and some apple butter. Mmmm! Definitely worth my trip to Asheville!
This second suggestion is not a recipe, but something from the menu at NYC restaurant Serendipity 3. This was Pam’s favorite restaurant when she was in high school and I went there with her during the summer after our freshman year of college. We had just finished a five hour wait for tickets to the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night, and decided that we’d like to wait some more. It took us about forty-five minutes to get a table right next to the kitchens in this über trendy spot, but the food was delicious. We split the following sandwich (how cheap!) and each had a fishbowl sized frozen hot chocolate. It was Pam’s first time tasting brie and it was my first (and only) time at Serendipity 3.
Pretty sure this was the sandwich:
A Summer Bries smoked turkey, sliced apples, melted brie and alfalfa sprouts, served on raisin pumpernickel with Russian dressing 14.00
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Movie Recommendations
I've got a few movie recommendations. Some are for specific people, but anyone is free to watch!
For Teresa - Lea - interesting, sad foreign film - about a seriously scarred woman's escape from her world through poetry.
For Pam - 1408 - All John Cusack, all the time! He hasn't appeared so vulnerable (or hot) since Say Anything. Also, keep your eye out for Grace Is Gone in which John Cusack plays a father and husband whose wife has just been killed in Iraq- it's out in November or December and 'they' are already talking Oscar.
For anyone else - Down By Law - I don't care if you didn't like Coffee and Cigarettes! Or if you think black and white films are pretentious! This Jim Jarmusch film is basically a three man show (Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, John Lurie). I rarely laugh during films as much as laughed during every scene featuring Benigni.
Delicatessen - This film is dark, hilarious, visually stunning. And they eat people. Check it out. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director of Amélie, is one half of the directing team. The other half is Marc Caro. The movie is worth watching just for Dominique Pinon's (the stalker ex-boyfriend in Amélie) portrayal of the clown. He's actually kind of, dare I say it, sexy.
For Teresa - Lea - interesting, sad foreign film - about a seriously scarred woman's escape from her world through poetry.
For Pam - 1408 - All John Cusack, all the time! He hasn't appeared so vulnerable (or hot) since Say Anything. Also, keep your eye out for Grace Is Gone in which John Cusack plays a father and husband whose wife has just been killed in Iraq- it's out in November or December and 'they' are already talking Oscar.
For anyone else - Down By Law - I don't care if you didn't like Coffee and Cigarettes! Or if you think black and white films are pretentious! This Jim Jarmusch film is basically a three man show (Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, John Lurie). I rarely laugh during films as much as laughed during every scene featuring Benigni.
Delicatessen - This film is dark, hilarious, visually stunning. And they eat people. Check it out. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director of Amélie, is one half of the directing team. The other half is Marc Caro. The movie is worth watching just for Dominique Pinon's (the stalker ex-boyfriend in Amélie) portrayal of the clown. He's actually kind of, dare I say it, sexy.
Ginger & Garlic
These recipes feature fresh garlic and/or ginger. I am posting them for Bryan who 'lifted' a massive amount of garlic and ginger from kraft services and is in need of some culinary inspiration.
The following is my favorite Hummus recipe. It's very simple. If you like a smoother consistency you could put everything in a blender or food processor. Personally, I like a chunkier texture. It feels more like food. The recipe is a tad vague, because it is really to-taste. You like more garlic; you add more garlic. It feels a little dry; add more lemon juice or Tahini.
Hummus
1 15oz. can of Chickpeas
3 Tbs. of Tahini
The juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2 Tbs. of Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
Mash chickpeas with a fork. Mix in other ingredients until desired consistency.
Can add more olive oil, lemon juice or tahini for a smoother consistency.
Can add more garlic to taste.
Turkey Meatballs (Ginger)
• I served these gingery meatballs at Lakshmi’s birthday dinner with soba noodles and Coconut Sauce (Sounds really delicious, right? Ha, I say.). I really liked the meatballs – the ginger gives them a spicy flavor but they’re mild and pretty flavorful. I would make them again, but I am not sure how I would serve them. The soba noodles were fine, but the sauce was bland. A more experienced cook would have added some soy sauce or tamari sauce to add some much-needed flavor. If you care to attempt the original recipe, it called for 8 ounces of cooked soba noodles. The sauce consisted of 2 tablespoons lite coconut milk and 1 cup of non-fat reduced-sodium chicken broth (using a regular broth would add more flavor if you did not want to try soy sauce). Combine in a small saucepan and simmer for 6 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. The meatball recipe is as follows.
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I used dried)
* I cooked these in a small amount of olive oil and vegetable oil in a pan on the stove for about ten minutes because it was hot and I did not want to turn on the oven. I am posting the directions as they were written in Shape Magazine (which I was looking at in my dad's apartment - of course, I glanced right over the exercises and went straight to the food).
Preheat broiler. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well and form into 16 small meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter (I got about 21 meatballs, but I used a 1.4 pound package of turkey and slightly increased the other ingredients to compensate). Place meatballs on a broiling tray or aluminum-foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place under broiler for 13 minutes, turning once when halfway cooked (after 6-7 minutes).
I haven't tried these recipes from the August 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine but everything I've made from them tastes excellent no matter the fat content and I intend to make them as soon as I get a chance.
Greek Lamb Burgers
Saté Burgers
Apricot Turkey Burgers
Ginger Carrot Muffins
The following is my favorite Hummus recipe. It's very simple. If you like a smoother consistency you could put everything in a blender or food processor. Personally, I like a chunkier texture. It feels more like food. The recipe is a tad vague, because it is really to-taste. You like more garlic; you add more garlic. It feels a little dry; add more lemon juice or Tahini.
Hummus
1 15oz. can of Chickpeas
3 Tbs. of Tahini
The juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2 Tbs. of Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
Mash chickpeas with a fork. Mix in other ingredients until desired consistency.
Can add more olive oil, lemon juice or tahini for a smoother consistency.
Can add more garlic to taste.
Turkey Meatballs (Ginger)
• I served these gingery meatballs at Lakshmi’s birthday dinner with soba noodles and Coconut Sauce (Sounds really delicious, right? Ha, I say.). I really liked the meatballs – the ginger gives them a spicy flavor but they’re mild and pretty flavorful. I would make them again, but I am not sure how I would serve them. The soba noodles were fine, but the sauce was bland. A more experienced cook would have added some soy sauce or tamari sauce to add some much-needed flavor. If you care to attempt the original recipe, it called for 8 ounces of cooked soba noodles. The sauce consisted of 2 tablespoons lite coconut milk and 1 cup of non-fat reduced-sodium chicken broth (using a regular broth would add more flavor if you did not want to try soy sauce). Combine in a small saucepan and simmer for 6 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. The meatball recipe is as follows.
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I used dried)
* I cooked these in a small amount of olive oil and vegetable oil in a pan on the stove for about ten minutes because it was hot and I did not want to turn on the oven. I am posting the directions as they were written in Shape Magazine (which I was looking at in my dad's apartment - of course, I glanced right over the exercises and went straight to the food).
Preheat broiler. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well and form into 16 small meatballs, about 2 inches in diameter (I got about 21 meatballs, but I used a 1.4 pound package of turkey and slightly increased the other ingredients to compensate). Place meatballs on a broiling tray or aluminum-foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place under broiler for 13 minutes, turning once when halfway cooked (after 6-7 minutes).
I haven't tried these recipes from the August 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine but everything I've made from them tastes excellent no matter the fat content and I intend to make them as soon as I get a chance.
Greek Lamb Burgers
Saté Burgers
Apricot Turkey Burgers
Ginger Carrot Muffins
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