Brooklyn Bag

Lyndsay, this is for you. I saw this on the Matter website and thought that since you liked the poster, you might like this. At $12, a nice buy and good little gift for the friends back home.

The More You Know... The Less You Don't Know

I'm thinking a new, educational element should be added to this little blog.

Maybe once a week I find a topical subject and I do some basic research on it to help improve the brain - too much celebrity gossip etc dominating the media at the moment. Not sure what the first topic will be, so if you have a thought, let me know and I will get investigating.

Ps, the title came from an episode of Monk where Mr Monk joins a cult. This is one of the cult's brainwashing sayings. Love it.

Urban Organics

This is a service I get that delivers organic vegetables to your door each week (or whenever you like). You don't get to choose what you get (although you can let them know what you don't want) so it is quite fun to try and make meals with what you get. This week's box is pretty tame. Nothing too adventurous. Doesn't look like much, but it seems hard to get through in a week, especially if you get other stuff as well. I feel lots of soups coming on.

Spinach Soup

Today's soup is really earthy.

You'll need

1 x onion chopped
4 x potatoes thinly sliced (use as many as you want)
Bunch of spinach (or two, depends what you have)
Cabbage - optional
Tin of crushed tomatoes
4 cups of stock
Fresh nutmeg (optional)

Brown the onions, add the potato slices and stir for about 5 minutes
Add the stock and the tomatoes and cabbage
Let cook for about 20 minutes (or 10 if in hurry). Add shredded cabbage if you want.
Add spinach
Blend for smooth soup, or eat as is for a chunkier style
I grated some fresh nutmeg on mine and then added some more spinach to the soup.

Not the most outrageously delicious soup, but tasty enough and healthy. Most of the ingredients came from my Urban Organics box.

Kids Animal Wallpaper Stickers

I think these are just so lovely for a kid's room. I always want to give them as gifts but then think it might be too imposing (or may not go with the decorations already planned). I think they are just like stickers so you can put them where-ever you like.

Green Beans Side Dish

You'll Need

Green Beans
Handful of sliced almonds (roast them if you can be bothered)
Dressing - 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons white-wine or sherry vinegar, 3 teaspoons EVOO)

*Cook beans for about 4 minutes
*Run under cold water to stop cooking
*Stick in bowl and top with dressing and almonds

Oil On Soup

I always see the chefs on tv do this, that is, dribble some oil on the top of soup. I always thought it gross, but I am now obsessed. It's especially good for a thicker, blended soup (don't do it for a broth) as it's pretty much just one flavour. It just adds another level, or dimension. Your oil shouldn't be the really cheap stuff as you can actually taste it. Try it, I love it. I have a pourer on my olive oil bottle, if you don't I would pour oil onto a teaspoon and then use that to dribble it round in a circle. Straight from a bottle may result in an overpour. Ok, now off to Red pepper soup.

Red Pepper, Chickpea and Tomato Soup

You'll need

Jar of cooked red peppers (use one or two peppers from it)
Onion x 1
Garlic x 2 pieces (or whatever you want)
Large tin of chickpeas
Large tin of crushed tomatoes
4 cups of chicken stock
Cumin (or whatever herb you like, I love cumin)
S/P
Fat free sour cream (optional)

* Fry onion
* Add heaped teaspoon of cumin
* Add chickpeas, stock, canned tomatoes and peppers, S/P
* Cook for 10 minutes or 1 hr - depends on how long you have
* Get immersion blender (or regular blender) and blend ingredients until smooth
* To serve, add some sour cream or a dash of olive oil on the top.

My photo is rubbish but this is delicious. I think I am going to go have a bowl now.

Scallops & Lentils

Ok. I've said I would post some recipes for a while. This is delicious. I don't have quantities, so just do what you think.

You'll need:

Scallops (maybe two per person)
Spinach, or greens
Lentils (i get them in this great vacuum sealed bag, but if you cant get those - they are pre-cooked, just the brown ones)
Bacon
Carrot x 1
Onion x 1
Garlic x 2 bits
S/P
Oil

* If your Lentils aren't cooked, boil them until cooked (you'll have to find out for how long on the pack or internet). For extra flavor cook in weak stock.
* Cut up onion an carrots into tiny bits and brown in a bit of oil. Season with S/P. Move to a bowl.
* Cut bacon into little strips - you don't need much, and cook. Transfer to lentils and mix up so flavor spreads
* Optional step, add a little oil and lemon to lentil mix and mix. I added a Persian Lime flavored oil that is devine
* Cook Scallops in the fat left over from bacon. If they are big Diver scallops you can cut them in half. Literally only a minute or two each side. Make sure they are delicious and brown.
* Add lettuce/spinach to lentil mixture, it will wilt a little, then put a big scoopful on a plate. Top with scallops.

Posters

I love these posters. I've been eyeing them for a while on other blogs but think I might get one for our 'feature' wall when we knock down the bookcase. I think the Brooklyn one is better, but I think we would have to get Manhattan. You like?

If they weren't famous....

Simone sent me this this morning. Funny right. I think it's obvious who's who.

Candy

Given that Heath just died and all, we changed our Netflix order (a dvd in the mail library type thing) so we could see Candy. Quite a good Australian movie, but very depressing and druggie. I think it's the type of movie they should make all school kids see to show that drugs ruin your life and all that. If you haven't seen it, it's worth it. It also stars Abbie Cornish. We saw her in Sommersault last week. That was a pretty rubbish, studenty film.

In A Bubble

Another crazy photo from Bangkok Aquarium. This time it's Nick and me in the bubble. We both look like freaks, and the bubble does something odd to the ears, but, good times. So I include it.

New Favorite Product

DHC is this skincare catalog of Japanese products. I love it, they have this great face oil cleanser. Looks just like olive oil but your face is never greasy afterwards. Lots of brands - Shu Umera, Laura Mercier etc - do something similar now. Anyway, they always send samples with the catalog and in the last one I got this Velvet Skin Coat. Although I hardly wear make-up, this product is a primer and feels so lovely on. And then your make-up sits nicely on top of it. Here's the blurb from the site. Sound interesting? I'm going to order me some soon.

Prime time. Once you slide this inconspicuous primer between your skin and your foundation, you’ll never know how you lived without it. It evens out coverage by filling creases and fine lines, and smoothing over rough patches so your face appears flawless. The unique texture of this powdery gel is unlike anything you’ve ever felt—it’s not sticky or greasy. With its ability to keep oil restrained, you’ll even forget there was such a thing as blotchy, sliding makeup. Not for use with lip makeup.

East Hampton

So we had a divine weekend in the Hamptons staying at Ginny & Al's place. Their house, as you can tell from the picture is just gorgeous and the weekend was very fun and relaxing. We didn't do much -which was perfect! Saying that, we did eat alot. Ginnie is a great cook, so after a great bbq lunch (in honour of Australia Day) - with Al and Nick turning sausages in zero degree temperature, we had a very fancy dinner of a mint/pea/cheese ravioli with a lamb/tomato ragu/sauce that Ginny made from the Babbo cookbook.

Babbo is a very fancy restaurant owned by Mario Batalli, a NY super-chef. Not sure if you know him in Oz, but basically a rotund, jolly looking fella that is known for wearing crocs (and amazing food). He is doing a cooking show set in Spain with Gwyneth Paltrow that is yet to air. Look out for it -he's pretty good to watch. Dessert was a homemade pavlova, cream, strawberry and icecream concoction. Delish - one of my faves.
The next day we went for a walk on the beach which was freezing but refreshing. When it started to sleet, we knew it was time to get back to the fire. A wonderful weekend and hopefully we will be invited back soon.

The top picture is a little tree at the train station in East Hampton. We haven't had snow yet, so I got excited and just had to take a picture. Hopefully if you are sweltering away in Oz, this might cool you down.

I'm Back

Hi. I've been so lazy of late. Back in NY, and not working so I don't really even have an excuse. Going to try for one a day starting on Monday. We are going to East Hampton to stay with friends for the weekend. Can't wait. The house is beautiful and it will be great to relax by the fire.

The picture of me was taken at the Bangkok Aquarium. We went with Anna and the boys. Much fun. Sharks and all. Anyway, lots of photos and lots of recipes to share.
natxxx