we're moving!

well, just on over to tumblr for a bit. or maybe forever! who knows. i don't. do you? anyways, you've probably noticed that my posts are less than monthly these days... i mean, i didn't even tell you that i bought a bike yet! (oh, so yeah, i bought a burgundy bike and i looove it). 

but tumblr just seems to just "get me" and know how to help. so please update those bookmarks or whatever and continue with me in exploring good food, music and cat links from all over the world, but kind of mostly in brooklyn: http://theoldschoolnewschool.tumblr.com/


thanks and see you there! (m)*


*my, what does this cool symbol thing mean, you ask? guess you'll just have to visit the new site to find out! mwahahahaha. cough. sorry.

the. spring. jam.

i cannot stop listening to this album/song. let's go take a nap on the grass in the sun.

i got my wolf parade tickets, did you?

Watch: New Wolf Parade Song Live

now off to celebrate with food (cake pops!) from hundreds of local vendors at the greenpoint food market.

recipe #5: pi(e) day.

okay well it was actually just a happy coincidence that i made pies for pi day, but the realization of the occasion and waiting until 12:01 AM on 3.14 to eat them not only provided enough time for my cinnamon ice cream to harden (i used a different recipe than my own and it was a try new things FAIL) but also gave people time to drink enough before eating them that they tasted amazing (a redeeming WIN!). the real occasion was my good pal sam's 27th birthday/homecoming/housewarming, who left us for most of 2009 to explore the appalachian trail, drive across the country, build a house in south carolina, attempt to lead bike tours in guatamala, but recently found his way back to us, rightfully so, in NYC.


sam's dislike of chocolate+my never having made a pie = me making two pies and also ice cream to overcompensate because the first pie looked wonky and i got nervous.

recipe #5: caramel apple pie.
soundtrack: carolina chocolate drops
servings: 8
ingredients: A LOT of these things - crisco, unsalted butter, flour, sugar, macintosh apples, caramel chews, cinnamon, nutmeg, water. oh, and a little salt.

the plan: ugh, i hate baking and making a crust from scratch is  a perfect example of why. so the first time i thought i used too much water, and also i was drinking wine and watching "30 rock" so i was distracted, but in the end the first crust i kind of made up held together much better than the recipe on the inside of the crisco box. so! do this: dump 2 cups of flour into a bowl, then "knive in" 1 1/2 cup of crisco, or use a pastry blender, which i didn't have, so i just guessed and tore the crisco into little bits and then mixed it together until it was reasonably void of huge clumps. then i added a pinch of salt and tsps of water until it was easy to shape. split into two balls, one a little larger than the other, then rolled the small one out into a circle(ish) and lined a pie pan with it. 

next, my favorite and most insanely delicious part. i chopped up about 5 macintosh apples and threw 3 tbsp of unsalted butter into a saucepan on high until it was melted. then, i dumped in the apples until they were coated and covered for about 3 minutes. then i cut up chunks of about 10 caramel chews and threw those in with a cup of sugar and pinches of cinnamon and nutmeg, and covered again for about 5 more minutes. zomg it smells so good. when it's all melted and mixed, pour out onto a baking sheet until it cools to room temp. then, throw into the pie pan, roll out the other ball of dough, and cover the pie. mark some holes in the top, or if you're me, carve a big "S" for your friend sam. cook at 350 until middle is boiling, about 30-40mins. i also decided to spread a little butter  and sprinkle cinnamon on the top before sticking it in, apparently you can do egg yolk too but mine were spoiled so, um, i couldn't.

now, i eat and make a lot of things, but the next day all i could think about was the next time i make this pie. should i try throwing in pecans? or peanuts like a real caramel apple? what do you think? bring it on because i already look forward to testing many, many combinations.

birthday ftw! ignore my big head and focus on sam's joy, please.

happy friday.

recipe #4: spaghetti and meatballs.

this year, i spent valentines day with 9 amazing people and (1 amazing dog) in a creepy/cool home tucked away in the vermont mountains. i love these folks because we could spend four days cooped up laughing about 80s workout books and 3-D dog pictures without feeling crazy. on the final night, maddy, josh, rizan (in spirit) and i teamed up to prepare the ultimate meal of homemade comfort for the group: spaghetti & meatballs. ahem, meat-hearts.
recipe #4: spaghetti and meatballs.
the soundtrack: frank sinatra - nothing but the best (although my rad sous chefs let me cook to a playlist no one wanted to listen to instead)  
ingredients: 1 lb ground chuck, 4 slices of dried bread - ripped up into small pieces, 2 eggs, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 medium sweet onion, 1 clove garlic, olive oil, 4 jars of pasta sauce (okay so we cheated), 4 boxes of whole wheat spaghetti, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary and basil.
the plan: cut up onions, mushrooms and garlic into tiny pieces. in a skillet, sweat onions over low heat in olive oil until carmelized, then add mushrooms and garlic, salt and pepper until cooked. mix ground chuck, eggs, breadcrumbs and mushroom/onion mixture together in a bowl as well as oregano, rosemary and basil. next, heat sauce in a soup pot over low heat. make balls of meat mixture (or hearts, if you're maddy) and in an olive oil-coated skillet, brown until cooked halfway through and then dump into the sauce and let cook for about 45 minutes. cook pasta when sauce and meatballs are about 15-20 minutes away from being done. then serve, enjoy and make as many "that's what she said" jokes as possible.

my heart-shaped (music) box.

in honor of matters of the heart, i've assembled a playlist with some of my favorite songs of adoration and agony. and yes, i realize there is a severe lack of old-school country croons. anyways, enjoy and happy valentines day! click here for a free download of this playlist.


my heart-shaped (music) box:
1. "night and day" - ella fitzgerald
2. "a little lost" - arthur russell
3."evergreen" - the fiery furnaces
4."i can see the pines are dancing" - aa bondy
5."in the heat of the morning" - david bowie
6. "the book i read" - talking heads
7."the star-crossed lovers" - duke ellington
8."i'll believe in anything" - wolf parade
9."ram on" - paul mccartney
10. "temptation" - new order
11. "hey, that's no way to say goodbye" - leonard cohen
12. "handle with care" - traveling wilburys
13. "let's stay together" - al green
14. "lullaby + exile" - m. ward
15. "dreams" - fleetwood mac
16. "wouldn't it be nice" -the beach boys
17. "the way you look tonight" - tony bennett
18. "baby, we'll be fine" - the national
19. "let's get lost" - chet baker
20. "something" - the beatles (paul performing live on george's ukulele) 
21. "gentle hour" - yo la tengo
22. "i don't want to get over you" - the magnetic fields
23. "i'd have you anytime" - george harrison
24. "moon river" - frank sinatra
25. "strange vine" - delta spirit
26. "can't help falling in love" - elvis presley
27. "love will tear us apart" - joy division
28. "bullet proof... i wish i was" - radiohead
29. "laudate dominum" - mozart
30. "signed, sealed, delivered i'm yours" - stevie wonder


p.s. it's over...