Need to take off the techie boots...
...since I got cast in a film today! Student film for part of the CDIA at BU program, but it is a paying gig, and I'll actually have material for a REEL! Now, if only I could track down the PSA I did in college...I film next week.
Anywhat, that's a big plate of yay, with hooray sauce and a side of woot. So I'm really acting again...huh.
What else...yesterday I popped by VDA to work on Molly's dress. All the pieces are cut out, now I just need to sew them together. Tonight I made a REALLY good dinner, recipe behind the cut lower down. It feels extravagant while using leftovers. Mostly because I splurged on one item...but go read if you are interested.
Today there was also snow, of various flavors, from the big fat floppy lazy flakes to the little stingy blow-right-into-your-eyes flakes. But I got to enjoy it, walking from the parking lot to the CDIA building. Which is on the next block from the awesome toy stores on Moody, so I went in and played with toys for a while. And straightened the shelves of puppets in the back room. I felt bad for them. Whomever set up that section had (A) no idea how to merchandise, (B) no concept of shelf-height (or eyeline, for children and adults alike), and (C) no ability to keep order of any kind. I sold a man a puppet while I was there, becuase I was playing with it. It was one of those 'Folkmani' puppets, the Harbor Seal one, and he thought I had a little pet of some kind. Then I showed him how to use it, and his eyes lit up and sometime this weekend a granddaughter is going to have the best day ever when she not only gets to see the seals at the Aquarium, she gets to OWN one later that day. I suppose, what with the entire store only having ONE employee (who was apparently told he was NOT to leave the register), it was understandable...then again, no one is on vacation this week, and it was around 11:30-Noon while I was there, and I have a REALLY hard time believing that any children who were in there with a parent/guardian could have cuased such a tornado in the 2.5 hours the place had been open so far that day.
I'm working more often, and for more companies. Playing phone tag with a couple others. Hopefully that will come to a happy ending soon.
My hubby is snoring on the couch. I should probably wake him, or he'll be up all night.
[pause]
Husband has been prodded. His napping knows no bounds.
And now, the recipe for
Leftover Grains with Mushrooms and Pancetta
You need:
A big-ass skillet/frypan (12" or 14")
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked grain (I used quinoa, but rice or couscous or even pastina whould be fine)
Olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped smallish (or 1/4lb bacon, if that's cheaper/on hand for you)
1lb leftover roast chicken, chopped mediumish (2 breasts or 2-3 thighs)
8-10oz mushrooms, chopped smallish
1 medium onion, chopped smallish
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Cup(ish) frozen peas
salt
pepper
3-4 Tbls flour
1 Cup chicken stock or broth
1 Cup milk
NOTES:
A: Your chicken stock/broth should be hot to begin; your milk, cold.
B: Mind the amount of salt you add at any given time. The pancetta is salty, as is the stock/broth (and your leftover roasted chicken probably has some too).
DIRECTIONS:
1. In your big-ass skillet, warm 2 Tbls olive oil over medium heat, add pancetta. Render the pancetta until it begins to crisp up and get toasty. Remove and drain, reserve, and put 3-4 Tbls of fat back into pan.
2. Over medium heat, sautee onions and garlic with a little salt until they begin to caramelize. Not too dark, just enough to be soft and slightly golden.
3. Add flour and stir for about 1 minute, until no dry flour is visible. If the pan looks really dry, add more fat; really oily, add more flour. Add 1/2 the stock, stirring continuously until it gets thick. Add the rest of the stock/broth, stir until uniform. Add milk, stir until uniform. Bring back to a simmer.
4. Add mushrooms, chicken, and some fresh ground black pepper (and any other seasonings you prefer), bring to a high simmer, reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. Add pancetta crispy bits, grain of choice, and peas (still frozen is perfectly fine). Mix well, cover, and allow to simmer 5 more minutes.
Any small frozen veggie (corn, peas, chopped carrots) would go well in this. Just about any vegetable leftovers (pre-cooked) would be great additions.
Breaking down cost:
From the Standard Pantry Items (which I don't include in meal cost):
Salt, Pepper, Sage, Olive Oil
Leftover grain ($3.50 for the box, which got us 6 meals worth of Quinoa, so figure) $0.75
1lb Chicken Thighs (part of a big on-sale package at $0.99/lb): $0.99
1/4lb pancetta (again, on sale, at $4.99/lb): $1.27
1/2 bag frozen peas (whole bag $0.99): $0.50
8oz package of mushrooms (gotta love 'end of the week' produce): $1.00
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (from 1qt container at $1.99): $0.50
1 cup milk (from 1/2gal at $3.50 [cuz I splurge on local organic]): $0.44
1 onion (at $0.99/lb): $0.63
3 garlic cloves (ah hell, figure) $0.17
4 Tbls flour (um, sure...) $0.07
And I'll even throw in $0.50 for my electric range and lights
So, not including time a trouble, that's a total of: $6.82. And we have enough leftovers of THIS for at least one more full meal for each of us.
Anywhat, that's a big plate of yay, with hooray sauce and a side of woot. So I'm really acting again...huh.
What else...yesterday I popped by VDA to work on Molly's dress. All the pieces are cut out, now I just need to sew them together. Tonight I made a REALLY good dinner, recipe behind the cut lower down. It feels extravagant while using leftovers. Mostly because I splurged on one item...but go read if you are interested.
Today there was also snow, of various flavors, from the big fat floppy lazy flakes to the little stingy blow-right-into-your-eyes flakes. But I got to enjoy it, walking from the parking lot to the CDIA building. Which is on the next block from the awesome toy stores on Moody, so I went in and played with toys for a while. And straightened the shelves of puppets in the back room. I felt bad for them. Whomever set up that section had (A) no idea how to merchandise, (B) no concept of shelf-height (or eyeline, for children and adults alike), and (C) no ability to keep order of any kind. I sold a man a puppet while I was there, becuase I was playing with it. It was one of those 'Folkmani' puppets, the Harbor Seal one, and he thought I had a little pet of some kind. Then I showed him how to use it, and his eyes lit up and sometime this weekend a granddaughter is going to have the best day ever when she not only gets to see the seals at the Aquarium, she gets to OWN one later that day. I suppose, what with the entire store only having ONE employee (who was apparently told he was NOT to leave the register), it was understandable...then again, no one is on vacation this week, and it was around 11:30-Noon while I was there, and I have a REALLY hard time believing that any children who were in there with a parent/guardian could have cuased such a tornado in the 2.5 hours the place had been open so far that day.
I'm working more often, and for more companies. Playing phone tag with a couple others. Hopefully that will come to a happy ending soon.
My hubby is snoring on the couch. I should probably wake him, or he'll be up all night.
[pause]
Husband has been prodded. His napping knows no bounds.
And now, the recipe for
Leftover Grains with Mushrooms and Pancetta
You need:
A big-ass skillet/frypan (12" or 14")
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked grain (I used quinoa, but rice or couscous or even pastina whould be fine)
Olive oil
1/4 lb pancetta, chopped smallish (or 1/4lb bacon, if that's cheaper/on hand for you)
1lb leftover roast chicken, chopped mediumish (2 breasts or 2-3 thighs)
8-10oz mushrooms, chopped smallish
1 medium onion, chopped smallish
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Cup(ish) frozen peas
salt
pepper
3-4 Tbls flour
1 Cup chicken stock or broth
1 Cup milk
NOTES:
A: Your chicken stock/broth should be hot to begin; your milk, cold.
B: Mind the amount of salt you add at any given time. The pancetta is salty, as is the stock/broth (and your leftover roasted chicken probably has some too).
DIRECTIONS:
1. In your big-ass skillet, warm 2 Tbls olive oil over medium heat, add pancetta. Render the pancetta until it begins to crisp up and get toasty. Remove and drain, reserve, and put 3-4 Tbls of fat back into pan.
2. Over medium heat, sautee onions and garlic with a little salt until they begin to caramelize. Not too dark, just enough to be soft and slightly golden.
3. Add flour and stir for about 1 minute, until no dry flour is visible. If the pan looks really dry, add more fat; really oily, add more flour. Add 1/2 the stock, stirring continuously until it gets thick. Add the rest of the stock/broth, stir until uniform. Add milk, stir until uniform. Bring back to a simmer.
4. Add mushrooms, chicken, and some fresh ground black pepper (and any other seasonings you prefer), bring to a high simmer, reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. Add pancetta crispy bits, grain of choice, and peas (still frozen is perfectly fine). Mix well, cover, and allow to simmer 5 more minutes.
Any small frozen veggie (corn, peas, chopped carrots) would go well in this. Just about any vegetable leftovers (pre-cooked) would be great additions.
Breaking down cost:
From the Standard Pantry Items (which I don't include in meal cost):
Salt, Pepper, Sage, Olive Oil
Leftover grain ($3.50 for the box, which got us 6 meals worth of Quinoa, so figure) $0.75
1lb Chicken Thighs (part of a big on-sale package at $0.99/lb): $0.99
1/4lb pancetta (again, on sale, at $4.99/lb): $1.27
1/2 bag frozen peas (whole bag $0.99): $0.50
8oz package of mushrooms (gotta love 'end of the week' produce): $1.00
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (from 1qt container at $1.99): $0.50
1 cup milk (from 1/2gal at $3.50 [cuz I splurge on local organic]): $0.44
1 onion (at $0.99/lb): $0.63
3 garlic cloves (ah hell, figure) $0.17
4 Tbls flour (um, sure...) $0.07
And I'll even throw in $0.50 for my electric range and lights
So, not including time a trouble, that's a total of: $6.82. And we have enough leftovers of THIS for at least one more full meal for each of us.