WE DID IT.

Your three not-so-faithful contributors--Vegetable Medley, En[dre]e, and Hungry4Esq--passed the July 2009 California Bar Exam.

That means the end of this blog since we'll all be working too hard to have time to cook and write about it. I appreciated the ability to document the bar prep process through food, and I just want to say thank you for joining us on this truly satisfying journey.

Substantial gnocchi performance

Last night I tried two things I've been meaning to attempt for a while, but figured they would be too difficult/labor intensive/easy to mess up - gnocchi and homemade tomato sauce. I finally took the plunge on the gnocchi due to a basket of potatoes I saw on sale at the Ypsi Depot Town Farmer's Market for $1 in combination with my roommate's enthusiastic offer to help. The tomato sauce was inspired by observing a friend make fantastic sauce in his kitchen in the course of about thirty minutes - the taste made me want to cease and desist (geez, the legalese has taken over) eating inferior sauces from jars forever.

The tomato sauce was pretty successful, if a little thin. I tossed two tomatoes and four cloves of garlic into my food processor and chopped them up. (Note on the food processor - I bought it shortly after Christmas and when May came around and I still hadn't taken it out of the box, I attempted to return it with no receipt for the sake of not moving it 2,000 miles. I paid $40 for it, and then it was apparently marked down sometime between January and May to $11, because that was all they would give me for it. So, I took it back home, thinking I would sell it on craigslist, and thought, "No! I must try it out! Perhaps I will think it is the greatest thing ever!" So far I'm pretty impressed.) I sauteed chopped mushrooms and a couple more cloves of garlic in some olive oil, then added the pulvarized tomatoes, olive oil wine, salt and pepper. I let it simmer and added some other herbs and things until it tasted delicious. I left it on low heat to simmer and started on the gnocchi.

I peeled the already-boiled potatoes and handed them off to my faithful assistant to be mashed. I had seen some recipes that called for an egg to be added at that point, but this one only involved potatoes and flour. I decided to go with it so that my other roommate, the vegan, could have some. We added the flour, mixed it all up, and kneaded it. Then I rolled the dough into half-inch thick ropes and my roommate sliced them into inch long pieces. I rolled them against the tines of a fork to make the little impressions on them (for aesthetic and sauce-catching purposes) and we dropped them into the boiling water on the stove. When they bobbed up to the top we took them out with a slotted spoon. They turned out more or less gnocchi-like, but they were not light and fluffy like gnocchi should be. Instead they were kind of gummy and potatoey - not a disaster, but not exactly the desired result either. In any case, they did end up being a good vehicle for the yummy sauce.

BBQ Tofu

And... in stark contrast to Dre's delicious looking steak (hey, I've only been veggie for a few months, I remember steak being delicious) I grilled and barbecued some tofu last night. I've never actually done much grilling - grilling is the one part of my relationship with my boyfriend where we maintain traditional gender roles - but my roommate was firing up the grill, so I thought I'd give it a try. After consulting my favorite cookbook, I sliced aome tofu into slices that wouldn't fall through the grill and tossed them on. I let them get slightly brown before slathering on some cherry barbecue sauce that I bought on my last trip to Traverse City. I let them cook a bit more on each side and voila.


Had I been thinking ahead I would have tossed some zucchini on the grill as well, but fortunately my roommate was grilling some eggplant which she shared so my dinner was pretty much complete.

Simple Seisin-ing for a Simple Dre

Today Mom went down to L.A., so I was left fending for myself. It was a productive day -- I outlined Crim, Crim Pro, and Torts and did a bunch of property MBE questions -- so I decided a treat was in order. Bride Wars arrived from Netflix today, so I had entertainment down. For food, special naturally means a grilled steak. Fortunately, I had one on hand, so I just needed to sort out the rest of the menu.

I tend to have a tough time getting myself to eat veggies, particularly salad. Fortunately, I am also a simple guy who can be tricked easily. So, I tossed together a quick salad with balsamic vinaigrette and took it outside along with a leftover ear of corn, the steak, and the four little things you need to grill the perfect steak: salt, pepper, olive oil, and tin foil. The salt and pepper are all the seasoning you need. And the olive oil helps to sear the steak and grill the corn.

Follow the 4x2 rule -- cook the steak for 4 minutes on the the first side and 2 minutes on the other -- and Barefoot's magic rule -- let the steak rest for ten minutes under tin foil after grilling -- and you'll have a juicy medium-rare steak with perfect sear marks. I sliced up the steak, cut the grilled corn from the cob, and layered them with a little A1 on top of the salad. Delish!

(If you're not on a low-carb diet, you can also add a couple slices of toast so you actually get full.)

Dream Job: Menu Description Writer

Studying for the bar makes me wonder why I ever chose this troublesome profession in the first place. There are so many hurdles--preserving that college GPA, the LSAT, 1L year, the MPRE, and now the CBE (I know, no one refers to it as the CBE, but I wanted to keep up with the acronyms).

A friend recently told me that his dream job would be to be the person who writes the menu descriptions at a fancy restaurant. Now, why didn't I do that instead??

Tonight's dinner would be: "Fresh summer cod with a delicate Asian flavor, lightly breaded, and broiled to perfection. Topped with cilantro and paired with a side of white rice."


Read: "Freshly thawed from the freezer, drenched in soy sauce, smothered in breadcrumbs and broiled until it looks like a fat fish stick. Cilantro is your vegetable for the evening and eat enough rice so you don't have to get up for a midnight snack."

I could totally do this job.

July has arrived and the countdown has begun

You know things are getting bad when this is your dinner:


Mac and cheese, meatloaf, and cabbage. It's faster than eating out, which is a big plus when it seems like there is so much more to cover and so little time left to absorb all the material.

To celebrate making it to this final stretch--the month of the bar!--I made almond float for dessert, which is almond jello and fruit cocktail. I consider it my reward for suffering through the lousy corporations lecturer who couldn't enunciate:


As expected, the posts are becoming more erratic, but it's all part of the process of documenting this experience.

French Toast

Saturdays are the best because I get to sleep in and eat something other than cereal for breakfast. A loaf of bread is a lot to go through for one person (I usually freeze half), but french toast with maple syrup and powered sugar is my preferred method of gobbling up those extra carbs:


Too bad I finished up the strawberries earlier this week.

Kale Soup = Chevron with Techron

The study schedule has picked up (spending the weekend in Chicago didn't help) and I seem to have less time to cook for myself and even less time to blog about it. But even if I'm going to go the mac and cheese route for the night, it's always nice to have a healthy side dish in the fridge to get some veggies in my system. And what better veggie than kale:


Kale is the forgotten cousin of collard greens. It scores high marks in the looks department--gorgeous green with deep purple highlights--and it's healthy to boot. I made a big pot of kale soup with chicken broth, potatoes, and chopped up Trader Joe's sausages for a fresh appetizer:


I consider kale the "Chevron with Techron" of vegetables--this fibrous leafy green will keep your body running smoothly and clean out the other junk that's accumulated in there. Haha. Gross.

A First Foray Into Asian Cooking

Yesterday's dinner was an adventure. For a long time, I've been meaning to make pad thai and veggie spring rolls. My friend Sam makes a fabulous pad thai, and I've watched him do it at least twice. Last night I finally did it. I shared with some friends, who all seemed to go home full and happy.

The first obstacle has always been finding and venturing out to an Asian market. I had no clue where to go. But, the internet is a wonderful thing - a quick Google search turned up a large, well-reviewed Asian market only a few miles away from my house. I called up my friend Jenn, who has a penchant for visiting every sort of international market ever, and off we went. We spent an hour in the unfamiliar territory, but eventually we had filled my basket with rice stick noodles, spring roll wrappers, tamarind sauce, bean sprouts and numerous other things - even some mochi for dessert.

The recipe I used came from Mark Bittman's cookbook, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (a book that I highly recommend - I've tried several recipes, like the mushroom risotto that appeared a couple of blog entries ago, and have yet to be disappointed). The key seems to be to have all the ingredients ready to go before you heat up your wok... sigh, okay, fine. I don't have a wok so I used a skillet. But anyway, I had read a tip online somewhere that all the sauce ingredients should be mixed together ahead of time, because measuring two teaspoons of three different ingredients once the noodles hit the pan is a bad idea. I'm glad I did. The end product was pretty good, though I would have double the amount of sauce I had for the amount of noodles I had.

Meanwhile, my dinner guests were busy rolling spring rolls. Spring roll assembly is fun, I think and my guests seemed to agree. They consisted of rice vermicelli, chinese cucumber, carrot, cilantro and mint rolled up in a rice wrapper. I also mixed up a sauce that involved soy sauce, coconut milk, lime juice, chilis, coriander... and maybe a couple of other things as well.

I gravely overestimated the amount of rice noodles I would need to make four (sizeable) portions of pad thai, so tonight's dinner made use of them. Just a quick pepper and mushroom stir fry served over the noodles.

Leftovers

I once read an article on the airplane about a personal chef who was so good at using leftovers that her clients never even noticed they were eating iterations of meals they had enjoyed only days ago. This creative resourcefulness really appealed to me.

When cooking for one person, it's easy to go overboard, especially with something like spareribs:


It took me a few meals to make a dent in the rib pile and when I started getting rib overdose, I turned the leftovers into pork fried rice:


After a full day of rote memorization of black letter law, cooking dinner can be a fun and satisfying (both to my taste buds and my wallet) creative outlet.

To Amie, so long as the mushrooms are still good

Tonight's dinner was thrown together from various things in the kitchen - I'm putting off actual grocery shopping until I get back in town from visiting my parents this weekend. I had some mushrooms left over from last week's mushroom risotto, so I sliced them up and sauteed them in olive oil and water (white wine works better, but I did not have any open, and being alone in an apartment with a full bottle of wine when I should be studying sounded like a bad idea) with a bit of garlic, salt and pepper.

I also boiled some pasta - pesto tortellini - and tossed that with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. I then added the mushrooms and topped with freshly grated parmesan, which was also leftover from the risotto. Mmm...

To Dre, but if the grill doesn't work, then to Mom

After property law review today, I was also inspired to cook beef.  Rather than stew, I felt like making carne asada, a thin steak that goes well in Mexican dishes.  Unfortunately, my propane tank ran out of fuel tonight, so the grill was out of commission.  I'd already prepped everything... seasoned the steak, pre-boiled the corn, sliced cheese.  I was about to reluctantly pull out a frying pan when my mom suggested we use the broiler.  Ah, the usefulness of someone with indoor cooking insights!  We did the steak under the broiler (about 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat), and finished off the corn that way too (just turn the cooked corn until it is golden brown - adds great flavor).  Meanwhile, I buttered the bottoms of four corn tortillas, layered the tops with cheese, and fried them on the stove.  The result: cheesy, buttery tortillas covered with thin, tender strips of steak, and topped with salsa and sour cream.  And, of course, we had the delicious roasted corn too.  What a difference direct heat can make!

"To Megan, so long as she doesn't overcook the beef"

During today's property lecture about conveying land to one's heirs, I couldn't stop thinking about dinner tonight: Chinese tomato beef. The recipe has been passed on from one generation to the next. If I had to pick an estate, the recipe would probably be a fee simple determinable from my grandma, the grantor, stating, "To Megan, so long as she doesn't overcook the beef."

I began by marinating the meat in soy sauce, garlic, and a pinch of sugar and salt. Ginger, the magic ingredient, is in the upper left hand corner:


Then, I boiled 4 tomatoes, peeled off the skin, and chopped them up:


I combined the meat, tomatoes, and some extra chicken broth and tofu (from the protein noodle soup from a previous post). Normally, my grandma would use cornstarch to thicken the broth, but I've always preferred it watery. And I don't own cornstarch.


Finally, I spooned the mixture over rice and enjoyed:

Semi-DreMade

Here's another plug for Fresh & Easy.  The store packages fresh vegetables in plastic bags that can be steamed in the microwave in 3 minutes.  Tonight I picked up bags of summer squash and haricots verts (French string beans).  I cooked them according to the package instructions, but wanted to turn up the volume on flavor.  So, I quickly sauteed the cooked vegetables in some olive oil, roasted minced garlic, salt, and pepper.  The resulting squash and green beans were flavorful, tender, and healthy.  They pair well with any entree, and can be prepared in under 15 minutes.

Voila:

Refreshing Summer Iced Tea

I'm a sucker for those 99¢ extra tall cans of Arizona iced tea. I mean, come on, the cans are extra tall, so that must mean they're a great buy. Since I normally purchase the cans chilled at the gas station and there aren't any gas stations near me, I decided to make my own batch of iced tea with lemon:


It was as simple as brewing the tea, adding thin slices of lemon, and mixing in some sugar. I chilled my concoction overnight (yes, those are spaghetti jars) and it was ready to drink the next day. Nothing like settling down with a refreshing glass of iced tea and Dick Conviser's Mini Review.

A Grilling Perspective

Despite the increased risk of Above the Slaw having more contributors than followers, I'm joining the party from Thousand Oaks, California to share my escapist cooking as well.  Unlike hungry4esq and VegetableMedley, I do most of my cooking outside on my trusty, well-worn 4 burner grill.  I admit it could use a little T.L.C., but I kind of like the grimy, greasy reminder of tasty meals past.  

Tonight Mom brought home fresh salmon from Fresh & Easy (an excellent West Coast supermarket chain that will soon be in a location near you).  We had no teriyaki sauce on hand, so I started digging through the fridge looking for something to flavor the fish.  When I saw the dijon mustard, I remembered an episode of Barefoot Contessa (the best cooking show ever) in which Ina Garten made Asian Grilled Salmon.  The marinade is simple: olive oil, dijon mustard, and soy sauce are whisked together.  That's it.  Let it sit on the salmon for ten minutes, and then it's grilling time!  Five minutes per side on a really hot grill gives the fish great grill marks and keeps it moist and tender.  Pour a little extra, unsued marinade over the warm fish, let it stand for five minutes and you're ready to eat.  I served the salmon with fried rice and a quick salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.  Man, so good!

Unfortunately, I wasn't inspired to take a picture of the meal until I finished inhaling it.  But, here's a picture that resembles the fish I made.  I ganked it from a foodie blog that followed Barefoot's recipe but didn't give her credit for it.

  

That's it for now.  Time to put down my grilling tongs and pick up my Crim Pro outline.

Turning up the Volume: Asian-style "Protein" Noodle Soup

VegetableMedley, who graced us with yesterday's post, has been influencing my eating habits--I've been trying to eliminate some of the meat in my diet. So, when I was feeling a little under the weather today, I instinctively wanted chicken noodle soup. Since I didn't have a can, I improvised, creating what I'll call Asian-style "protein" noodle soup:

First off, that irritating spec on the tofu is broccoli. The rest of the soup contains chicken broth (so not quite 100% veggie), clear Asian noodles, tofu, and egg whites (which this site claims is the "purest form of protein known to man in the entire world." so there.). The egg white idea came from Chinese egg drop soup. A few drops of soy sauce and I'm feeling better already...

Joining the Fun

Cooking has always been a favorite hobby of mine, and in stressful times (such as bar study time, I think) I can still justify taking the time out to cook because a girl's got to eat - and I would rather do it in a healthy manner.

I spent way too much money at the grocery store and the local bulk store the other day - but it was an investment in things to use in the future: saffron strands, kosher salt, dried porcini mushrooms. The porcini, in addition to some fresh mushrooms, went into a mushroom risotto the other evening (picture not available, as I had not yet discovered this blog). I had never cooked with them before, but they were fascinating. The recipe told me to soak them in hot water, and when I had they rehydrated, regaining their old size and giving off a hearty, kind of meaty aroma. I'm a fan.
Another goal on the eating healthy/saving money front is to pack my lunch if I have to be at school for a while. Today I had chickpea salad. It includes: one can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), two roma tomatoes, and one cucumber in a dressing of balsamic vinegar and raspberry vinegrette. Yum.

I've also discovered hard-boiled eggs as a snack. If you eat a veggie-to-mostly-veggie diet, protein can be hard to come by, but eggs are a good source.

Weekend Prep Work

I'm hoping to use the weekends to grocery shop and make big batches of food that I can freeze or reheat to get by during the week. I began yesterday by making pancetta tortellini with brussels sprouts:


Relax. There's no way I made the pancetta tortellini myself--this recipe is actually a variation on a brussels sprout-gnocchi-pancetta combo, but I couldn't find gnocchi in the store. Bertolli's saved the day.

I also stocked up on cereal and soy milk for breakfast and strawberries happened to be on sale, so:


Should've taken the spoon out of the bowl first. Whoops.

Today, I prepared a California salad with fresh cut corn, tomatoes, and avocado as an appetizer:


Since I was going to wash the cutting board, knife, etc. anyway, I chopped up enough of everything for two "to go" packages. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice keeps all the avocado from turning brown.

Finally, I used a good friend's special spaghetti sauce pan to make meat sauce:


She suggested putting twice as much garlic and onions as I normally do and it was delicious! The salad made me pretty full, so I ended up plating a small blob of spaghetti for myself (do I get to say "plating" on a regular basis now? or is that too amateur food blogger of me?):


Yum. That's all for now--these meals should last me a few days. If you have any suggestions for quick and easy meals, please let me know!

Welcome!

I wish the California Bar were an eating contest--a huge dark chocolate bar instead of a 3-day test. If I could be digesting food instead of digesting property law, I'd be a happy camper. This blog is for anyone who wants to join me during the next 8 weeks as I prepare for the California Bar Exam. . . with food.

I've heard horror stories about people who hole up in their homes for 2 months and study 16 hours a day, emerging pale and thin, but apparently ready to pass the bar. I've decided to try a different approach. Since we all have to eat, I'm going to use my "free" time to prepare and document the meals I make over the next 2 months. I'm no gourmet chef, but I am curious to see how long I can eat healthy and organize my time during this stressful period.

Thanks for reading and welcome to above the slaw!