Din din and stuff

Although the light in my kitchen is a pain in the ass sometimes with these pics, this is a picture of yesterday's dinner.

Every once in a while, i just feel like making something special, but something special as in pulling a new recipe out of my ass.  This is about a dozen sea scallops (the big ones) and a lb of mussels, seared and steamed (respectively), tossed in a spicy red thai curry, over a bed of crispy steamed green beans and shiritake noodles.  The seafood curry base is make with red and green peppers and carmelized onions and portabellos.  I meant to add pineapple to the curry, but I forgot to buy it.  It was plated beautifully, but I just couldn't get the camera to behave for this one.  

It was really, really good.

I mean, really good.

If it would have had pineapple, this could be a favorite ever.  

Anyways, I re-did the blog background.  I need to tweak it, but since I spent a while drawing these characters, and then about an hour trying to export it in a format that it would be small enough to fit on here, it will not get done tonight this morning.  blarg.  Anyways, i think they are super cute.

Tomorrow is lengua/Pants day.  I'm so excited to see her and take her to my fav taqueria, and then fart around the Menil.  I've got to take Pig to the vet in the early AM, then I've got about a 10-12 mile bike ride, and then Pants time.  

I've started a training program for riding that should get me to the point where i can start training group rides in the next month or so.  Night one was last night, and it truly hurts to sit.  I need to get a larger road bike, and i'm going to start scouting for that pretty soon.  I really really want to do the MS150 in March.  Maybe just march next year, but so far my max rides have been about 20 miles.  Granted thats on the mountain bike, but stiiilll.  If my calculations are right, i keep a 14 mph speed for about an hour on the road bike, 16 mph for about 30 minutes (which is supposedly really fast).  Cheesily, i calculated this by seeing how many times around the 1.2 mile track i could get on the bike in an hour.  Either way, i need front and rear bike lights, a better chain, a better seat for the road bike, a second pair of shorts.  I also want some sort of cycle computer and heart rate monitor.  Once i get on a diet/workout routine, I'm fanatical.  Heck, i passed up the Chocolate Bar today!

Anyways, its past 2.  sleepy time.

End of the Semester Leftover Curry Noodles

So, this is the first meal i've made in a couple weeks. really the first that has not involved canned tuna, ramen noodle pho packets, or takeout. I had a bunch of still-good veggies leftover in the fridge, so i took a stab at dinner, and it turned out fabulous. MMMM

Veggie Yellow Curry Noodles

about 7 oz of udon noodles (linguine will work too, just snap it in half)
1/2 can coconut milk
3 tbsp or so yellow curry paste
1 c shredded cabbage
1/2 carrot, thinly sliced or juillined (or about 10 baby carrots)
2 green onions, sliced
10 mushrooms, sliced
1/3 or so yellow onion, sliced
2 tbsp or so honey

boil noodles as directed, strain, and rinse really thoroughly with cold water. In a large, seperate saucepan, combine a little olive oil, the onions (both kinds) and the mushrooms, and stir fry till the onions soften. add carrots, a tbsp more of oil, curry paste, cabbage, coconut milk, and honey, and give it a good stir. when it starts to simmer, taste for heat and sweetness (you want this a little sweet and pretty spicy, remember you are dilluting this with noodles), adjust if necessicary. Stir in noodles, and bring back to a slight simmer. taste, adjust if needed, and serve hot. For a tasty variation, stir in some boiled shrimp, tofu, or even some sliced hardboiled egg at the time of the carrots.