You and Me Chasing Paper

Chicken Gyros by Terin Talarico on Flickr I recently had a lamb...

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:27:00 -0400

Chicken Gyros by Terin Talarico on Flickr

I recently had a lamb gyro at an old-timey Mom n Pop diner in Riverside and got to thinking: Could I made my own gyro? Why should I have to wait until my next laundromat/strip mall visit and/or drunken quest for street food?

Obviously I don’t have the resources for a classic Doner Kebab spit of rotating lamb, veal and beef, but a chicken gyro isn’t uncommon. I got to searching on FoodGawker and found recipes for marinated chicken and homemade Tzatziki Sauce.

After this filling dinner, I decided that Chicken Gyros would be a regular summertime meal.

Ingredients: 1 lb chicken breast, lemon, 2 tbsp dried garlic, 1 tbsp oregano, 2 tsp dried dill, 2 tsp parsley, 3 tsp cooking wine, black pepper, 2 medium sized cucumbers, 1 large tomato, 1/4 red onion, half a bunch of green leaf lettuce.

How to Marinate Chicken: Rinse chicken breasts and place in a gallon plastic bag. Using the juice of 3/4 of a lemon, 2 tsp white cooking wine, 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tsp parsley and black pepper to taste, create a marinade. Let the flavors infuse for 1-6 hours, turning at least once. I baked my chicken at 350 F for 20 minutes, but would love to have that classic charred taste if we owned a grill.

How to make Tzatziki Sauce: Begin by peeling, seeding, and grating 2 medium sized cucumbers onto a tea towel. Then press as much liquid as possible from the grated cucumber into the towel. Combine grated cucumber and 16 oz of Greek Yogurt in a small mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp garlic, 2 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp parsley, the juice from a lemon wedge and 1 tsp of white cooking wine. Mix until uniform, seal with lid or plastic wrap, and let the flavors marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Prep for Gyros: I used store-bought pita bread this time, but have a few recipes for handmade bread I’d like to try in the future. During the last 10 minutes of my chicken bake, I added my pitas to the oven on a cookie sheet. At that time, I chopped my tomato, onion and green leaf lettuce. To plate, begin with chopped chicken, top with Tzatziki sauce, tomato, onion, green leaf lettuce, black pepper and more Tzatziki if you desire.

Notes: This meal could easily be made vegetarian by using Portobello Mushrooms in the same marinade. Or even better, learn to make Falafel!

Homemade pomegranate-infused vodka // Homemade simple vanilla...

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:44:00 -0400

Homemade pomegranate-infused vodka // Homemade simple vanilla syrup // Grapefruit juice // Lime seltzer // Poms

Ingredients: 2 cups vodka, 2 pomegranates, 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract, bottle of lime seltzer, grapefruit juice, ice

How to make Pomegranate Infused Vodka: Remove the poms from pomegranate and place the seeds in a shaker glass. Splash the poms with a bit of vodka and muddle. If you don’t have a bartending muddler, a smaller glass or beer bottle will work. Once the juices have been extracted by muddling, add 2 cups of vodka to your muddled poms. Place your infusion in refrigerator and let the seeds soak for 1-3 hours. Before serving, strain the infused vodka twice with a mesh strainer.

How to make Simple Vanilla Syrup: I find simple syrup to be a bit strong and sugary, so I make a ratio that is half that of the vodka. Since I had 2 cups of vodka, I made one cup of simple syrup. Simple syrup is always a 1:1 ratio for sugar and water, so I added a cup of white sugar to a cup of water and simmered the mixture in a saucepan until the sugar was clear and dissolved. I then added Mexican Vanilla Extract, though a vanilla bean pod would have been ideal.

Recipe for cocktail:

In shaker, add:

1.5 oz pomegranate vodka

0.5 oz simple vanilla syrup

1.0 oz grapefruit juice

Shake, pour over ice and top with lime seltzer or club soda & lime. Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Fried Wontons & Wonton Soup by Terin Talarico on...

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:33:00 -0400

Fried Wontons & Wonton Soup by Terin Talarico on Flickr

Ingredients: 2 packages Nasoya Wonton Wrappers, 1 lb ground pork, 3 spring onions, 1 bulb garlic, 2” grated ginger, 1.5 cups baby carrots, 1/2 head small red cabbage, black pepper, white pepper, 1/2 tbsp red chili flakes, chicken stock, egg, soy sauce and Sriracha to taste.

Tools: food processor, mixing bowl, bowl for sealing “glue”, regular skillet, sided-skillet, 1 large stockpot, 1 medium stockpot, paper towels to keep rolling area clean, and a friend to help you fold wontons!

PS: this recipe could easily be made vegetarian by substituting the pork with tofu or more mushrooms, using a vegetable stock for soup, and sealing the edges with cornstarch and water, rather than egg. However, the Nasoya wrappers are not vegan, as they are made with egg.

Recipe:

Dan didn’t have work until 3 pm today, as he is working an overnight, so I enlisted his help to make our lunch: Pork, Cabbage, Carrot & Mushroom Wontons.

I’ll begin with the wrappers: I didn’t make these by hand. In the organic/tofu produce section of the commissary, I picked up two packages of Nasoya Wonton Wrappers. This made my process a lot easier and allowed me to make two dishes: Fried Wontons and Wonton Soup.

How to make the wonton stuffing: I sauteed 2 spring onions, 2” grated ginger, 1 bulb of minced garlic and 1/2 tbsp of red chili flakes in sesame oil. Once the onions were translucent, I added a pound of ground pork and cooked until brown. Meanwhile, in my food processor, I shaved up 3 handfuls of baby carrots and half of a very small red cabbage. The food processor vegetable mixture was moved to a large mixing bowl with some black pepper and Sriracha to taste. I then put my browned pork and half a box of mushrooms through the food processor and then combined all of the ingredients in my mixing bowl.

The top left photo illustrates “How To” roll a wonton, though if you need any help, Chow has a great instructional video on YouTube! Don’t overfill- 1 teaspoon is the perfect amount! For the “glue” to seal the edges, I used a slurry of water, egg and a little sesame oil.

If you’re going to fry the wontons: fill a sided skillet or pot with an inch of oil and bring to medium heat. Add wontons with a slotted spoon very quickly. Total cooking time is 3-4 minutes, turning halfway through. I fried up about 8 wontons at a time, leaving room for easy flipping and easy monitoring. The noodle should be golden brown before you transfer your crispy wonton to a paper towel. Serve with soy sauce and Sriracha.

If you’re going to make wonton soup: prepare two stockpots, one large, one medium. Bring the large stockpot to a boil with just water; you’ll be cooking the wontons in here. Meanwhile, bring your medium stockpot to a low boil with a meat or vegetable stock of choice; I used chicken and seasoned it with black and white pepper. When your large stockpot reaches a boil, add the wontons, lightly scraping the bottom with a spoon so none stick; make sure to use well-sealed wontons in your soup, as the sloppy ones will fall apart. Once the wontons rise to the top, they can be removed with a slotted spoon and added to your chicken stock. Serve with sliced spring onions, Sriracha or soy sauce.

Slow-Roasted Pork Ribs & Corn on the Cob by Terin Talarico...

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:56:00 -0400

Slow-Roasted Pork Ribs & Corn on the Cob by Terin Talarico on Flickr

It’s already hitting the upper 80’s with a bit of humidity here in Jacksonville, so I’m preparing for a summer of easy meals, especially when my outdoor job at the YMCA begins.

While this meal isn’t fast or easy, it *is* classic summer grub: pork ribs and corn on the cob.

How To: Rinse a rack of pork ribs with water, pat dry and season with a dry rub of: garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and cayenne pepper. Making a dry rub isn’t science and amounts depend upon the cut and size of your rib rack: I tend to use more garlic and cayenne pepper than anything else (2 parts garlic, 2 parts cayenne, 1 part salt, 1 part black pepper, 1 part oregano, 1 part paprika). Then I roast the dry-rubbed ribs low & slow (200 F) for 4.5 hours; brush with OrganicVille BBQ sauce (or your sauce of choice, I like this one because it is lower in sugar) and broil for 30 minutes, flipping and brushing again halfway through. The sauce will caramelize and char up in your roasting pan, but trust me, it won’t taste burned.

To make the corn on the cob: Husk, rinse and oil with butter (or leftover bacon grease); then season with oregano and black pepper. I kept the husks on for food styling “reasons”, so I covered the husks in tinfoil while in the oven. I put the corn under the broiler at the same time as the ribs, broiling both for about 30 minutes. This last broiling step could be accomplished on the grill, if we had one.

Dinner was accompanied by whiskey-ginger ales and a mini watermelon for dessert.

Fat Frida by Terin Talarico on Flickr From my series, I Live...

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:21:00 -0400

Fat Frida by Terin Talarico on Flickr

From my series, I Live From the Neck Up: 10 May 2013

Untitled by Terin Talarico on Flickr From my series, I Live From...

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:19:00 -0400

Untitled by Terin Talarico on Flickr

From my series, I Live From the Neck Up: 10 May 2013

Sipping whiskey on the balcony Jacksonville, Florida: 11 May...

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:04:00 -0400

Sipping whiskey on the balcony

Jacksonville, Florida: 11 May 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

Historic Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida: 6 May...

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:53:48 -0400

Historic Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida: 6 May 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

I was able to get his jeans off but removal of his fleece robe...

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:24:36 -0400

I was able to get his jeans off but removal of his fleece robe was a lost cause.

3 May 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

A drunken Pixies jam session in the parking lot,...

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:22:28 -0400

A drunken Pixies jam session in the parking lot, sobering-sandwich in hand.

Deerwood, Jackonville, Florida: 3 May 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

Washing three pounds of winter sweat from our comforters. Goal...

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:19:03 -0400

Washing three pounds of winter sweat from our comforters.

Goal Post Laundromat // Avondale, Jacksonville, Florida : 1 May 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

These Korean Flanken-Style Ribs are soaking in a homemade...

Mon, 06 May 2013 14:20:00 -0400

These Korean Flanken-Style Ribs are soaking in a homemade marinade put through the food processor. The marinade contains: 1 chopped Asian Pear, 2’ chopped ginger, 1 sliced green onion, 6 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp sesame oil, Sriracha and black pepper.

How to: The beef can marinate in a cling-wrapped dish for up to 24 hours, but I find that 6 hours is sufficient, tossing the ribs about halfway through. Before cooking, I rinse the marinade from the beef, and then salt, pepper, and broil the ribs 6-10 minutes. I usually serve these Korean Ribs with brown rice, spicy yard-long beans, a shaved daikon salad, kimchi, soft boiled eggs and barley tea.

Homemade Supreme Pizza // Hand-made dough // Sauce of organic...

Wed, 01 May 2013 21:50:56 -0400

Homemade Supreme Pizza //
Hand-made dough // Sauce of organic tomato sauce, red onion, fresh parsley, garlic, basil, red chili flakes, oregano and black pepper // Mozzarella cheese // Bell pepper // Red onion // Mushrooms // Pepperoni // Garnished with red chili flakes

Mine.@TerinTalarico on Instagram

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:08:05 -0400

Mine.

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

Yay-uhhh! Shantytown Pub Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida: 23...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:09:18 -0400

Yay-uhhh!

Shantytown Pub

Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida: 23 April 2013

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

During a Guinness and pipe tobacco-fueled saunter home from...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:04:00 -0400

During a Guinness and pipe tobacco-fueled saunter home from trivia night, we stopped at a house foundation we usually don’t give a second thought.

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

I am officially a resident of Florida, so when I am arrested for...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:00:00 -0400

I am officially a resident of Florida, so when I am arrested for riding a manatee, the local news will be able to begin with “A Florida Woman…”

It was sad to see my Colorado Driver License go, but not nearly as sad as when we traded in our green mountainous plates for the naval oranges. The residency change had to be done, as filing 2012 income taxes for three different states was quite the ordeal. The Navy is allegedly keeping us in Florida until 2016, so residency just makes the most sense.

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

Five seconds into my growler docu-brag, the kittens were...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:56:00 -0400

Five seconds into my growler docu-brag, the kittens were sniffing out our recently acquired beauty. Dan found this growler at our local homebrew hobby store (Just Brew It) and fell in love with the Steam Punk design. The growler was a definite splurge, but it is made of quality materials and was too gorgeous to not own.

@TerinTalarico on Instagram

This advertisement for Dove has been making its way around...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:25:00 -0400

This advertisement for Dove has been making its way around Tumblr and I have a few feminist killjoy thoughts:

Something to keep in mind about Dove: They are owned by Unilever, which also sells Slim Fast, and Axe, among a variety of high-sugar ice creams. Slim Fast is not about loving yourself “as is” and Axe notoriously treats women as sexual objects to be manipulated with their product.

Dove’s continued marketing and use of “real” in conjunction with beauty/women is problematic. Yes, “real” is meant to contrast airbrushed images of women. Yes, seeing a variety of body types in previous advertising was refreshing, though most of these faces and bodies were still conventionally catalog-beautiful. All bodies will be beautiful when Dove includes the morbidly obese, wrinkled, hairy, disabled, queer, non-cis and “ugly” bodies in their campaigns.

My biggest problem with Dove’s use of “real” in their marketing is that “real” and “natural” are used as a subtle body-shaming devices. The problem: If a woman chooses to wear a lot of makeup, buy more decadent clothing than white cotton, or is naturally runway-thin, that doesn’t make her less “real” or less “natural”. All women are real natural women.

At 2:22 of this video, one of the participants states: “I should be more grateful of my natural beauty. It impacts the choices and friends we make, the jobs we apply for, how we treat our children. It impacts everything. It couldn’t be more critical to our happiness.” Is beauty critical to our happiness? Unfortunately, Dove wants you to think beauty (and a Dove beauty product) *is* critical to one’s happiness. Self-love, regardless of perceived beauty, should be explored, but never will be. For Dove, self-love requires the depiction by a male artist and the gaze of “others” to change the participants’ ideas of self-image and worth.

I’ll leave you with another thought that has been floating around the body-positive feminist Tumblrs: “If you are a woman, everything revolves around whether or not someone wants to fuck you. Instead of [Dove] addressing “all bodies are beautiful” how about, “it is not necessary to be universally fuckable [beautiful]”?”

Today’s bike ride. Springfield, Jacksonville,...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:33:28 -0400

Today’s bike ride.
Springfield, Jacksonville, Florida

@TerinTalarico on Instagram