Expats Reunited

For all its frustrations, the Megabus is pretty useful for getting around these tiny states. In three hours, with terrible traffic, I rode the bus through Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland to reunite in DC with my dear college friends Laura and Toni. 

Laura, with two years of local DC knowledge and unmatched hostess skills, treated us to a weekend of leisure. We had brunch and walked through farmers' and flea markets. The only monument we made a point to see was the brand new and frankly tear-jerking MLK memorial, where I helped myself to this precious family's photo.

We also made dinner in Laura and Beau's swanky Columbia Heights apartment. 

We had meaningful conversations about life and love and jobs and Mad Men and KU football.

And reflected on our years living at Chi O, of course.

We've come a long way.

Thanks a million, Lada. I can't wait to host you two in Philly and visit Toni in the Berkshires. Get your bus ticket.

With love.

The Squash Blog

I considered changing the URL to mysquashbeloved. The title could read, 'Oh, I love squash.' When I make a habit of publishing to the Internet most of the noteworthy meals I eat, these trends become pretty clear. But this is real life. And I do love squash.

Where was I?

Here is a tasty idea: put squash on pizza.

Make/purchase/steal (don't steal) some pizza dough. We used that awesome garlic herb variation from Trader Joe's. 

Roast an acorn squash or whatever you have. Acorns are just the cutest. This one had yellow skin...please don't think I went to all the trouble to take that skin off. 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (it will cook further on the pizza).

Caramelize an onion. My method involves sauteing it in olive oil until it gets soft then coating it with balsamic vinegar while it's still on the heat. Mmm.

Layer these individually significant components with mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizza according to the directions on the dough -- which may actually recommend that you bake the dough for awhile before putting the toppings on. Check that.

This was an extra special occasion because all five roommates were in the house at the same time. The squash pizza was just part of our celebratory feast.

Laura crafted another beautiful veggie pizza because obviously one is not enough for five grown women.

Megan and Melanie tossed a salad, and Mel refused to be photographed.

Kelsey ate roasted squash seeds.

Typical middle child.

As most of the dishes I share here, this one is totally adjustable. Pizza, by nature, is like that. The caramelized onions are a great touch with the squash, but you could include any vegetables, meat or cheese you like. I have made this before and also added spinach and feta (two other very predictable staples of mine). Add your own staples. Bottom line: squash on pizza -- try it. You'll like it.




With love.

Baby sister's growing up

 

There is something strange about the baby of the family reaching her second decade. Gone are the days when Lindsey could be mistaken for a baby brother. When she could get away with not wearing pants. 

Or a shirt...at Disney World.

In the last 20 years, she has grown into a beautiful, brilliant, inspiring person. 

And she is cooler than I'll ever be.

I could easily become sentimental about how fast time flies. But there is relief. I may be the oldest but I am now the shortest, and I can tell myself that Linny Lou Lou turning 20 has absolutely no bearing on my own age.

Happy 20th birthday, dear baby big sister. I love you so much.

homemade caramel corn

I need to be upfront about the psychological steps you'll go through with this recipe. 

1. Your excitement for fall and desire to impress your friends and faithful blog readers will make you ambitious enough to attempt caramel from scratch. 

2. You'll find some recipes online that include such basic ingredients and simple instructions, you feel confident enough to pick your favorite parts from each recipe.

3. You'll pop popcorn (microwave is totally forgivable); measure vanilla, butter, sugar and water; and consider opening a candy store.

4. You'll turn on the burner, swirl the sugar water and watch it bubble for awhile.

5. Then you'll panic a little because this is the moment that could turn ruinous just as easily as it could be magical. When the liquid begins to solidify (too much?!) you'll throw in the butter and vanilla, then pour it quickly over the popcorn lest it harden before sufficiently coating.

6. You'll realize there must be an easier method for coating the popcorn and dump the whole pot onto a baking sheet. Then you'll use your fingers (when you should use a spatula because hot caramel is painfully hot and sticky) to mix in the dry pieces. Hurriedly throw in some almonds and sea salt while the caramel is still painfully hot and sticky.

7. You'll grab a little handful and step back to admire your caramel corn mountain. When you taste it, you may notice the caramel is very sticky on your teeth and you'll worry that you overcooked it. Although it tastes delicious, you'll try to think of a Plan B snack to take to Bible study for fear your popcorn will pull someone's tooth out, and decide you were never fit for candymaking after all.

8. Later, your loving sister will come home and sneak some and tell you that she enjoyed it. Your self-defeat will wane enough to consider sharing it with Bible study after all. "You don't think it is too sticky?" you'll ask. She'll reassure you by eating some more and you'll pack the rest in Tupperware, thinking maybe you are not a caramel failure at all. Maybe it just needed to sit awhile.

9. You'll serve it to your Bible study, who accepts with much gratitude and love and encouragement. Because how else would that group react? 

10. After it's all gone, you'll go back to the Internet, thinking next time you'll try one of the recipes that uses corn syrup and bakes in the oven. Caramel corn is delicious. 

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Adapted from several recipes

6 c. popped popcorn (1/2 c. kernels or 2 bags microwave)

2 c. sugar (I used half white and half brown...all white might have been easier)

2/3 c. water

1 T. butter

1 1/2 vanilla extract

Sea salt

Almonds

Pop the popcorn, combine with almonds and set aside.

Measure the butter and vanilla extract and set aside.

Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and turn the burner to medium high. Swirl the pan occasionally and let it bubble for 15-20 minutes. Once it cooks down a bit and begins to thicken, add the butter and vanilla. It will bubble up. Swirl ferociously.

Pour over the popcorn/almonds and quickly toss with a spatula to cover the most pieces. As the photos show, this recipe does not completely coat the pieces in caramel, which allows for a prime salty/sweet ratio.

Spread onto a baking sheet, breaking up the big chunks. Sprinkle with sea salt. 

Serve/eat immediately if you don't mind sticky teeth. Wait a couple hours and it will get easier to chew.

Pat yourself on the back.

With love.

Lawrence: A Tribute Resurrected

When I created this blog, I made a pact with myself to never apologize or make excuses for not posting. So I won't do that. But the truth is, I once (not so long ago) had endless hours to cook and write, and these days I spend most of my time and energy making paninis for other people. (No complaints, mind you!) I can't thank you enough for reading. It means more to me than I can say.

Today I offer you a guest post of sorts, from myself circa May 2010. At the time, my fancy friend Avery ran a blog out of New York for the Dakota Collective fashion line and asked me to supply a personal essay. Naturally, I decided to wax poetic about my idyllic Midwest hometown. I came across this piece the other day and still kind of like it. It's a different season (literally and metaphorically), but my sentiment remains. As Ken moves home to Lawrence today and I plan for a trip back in a couple weeks, please indulge my expatriate nostalgia.

The beautiful photos were supplied for the original post by the beautiful Sarah Foil Harnett.

I rise early on Saturday morning, the spring sun competing with the persistent chill of Kansas winter, and step onto the front porch of my beloved old rental in the heart of KU’s student ghetto. Two years out of college, I still adore the neighborhood full of big beautiful houses and spontaneous, noisy co-eds.

I wind my way through historic streets made famous by William Quantrill and his bloody Civil War massacre—a failed attempt to bring slavery to this inherently free state. The story is well-known among Lawrencians, who uphold a deep-seated tradition of contempt for Missouri and eagerly support the local Free State Brewery (perhaps for reasons other than the name). On this morning, inhaling air so sweet each breath feels like an indulgence, it is impossible to imagine such a restless time.

Peace-loving protestors, petitioners for the homeless and a bluegrass boy finger-picking a stand-up bass garner a polite smile before La Prima Tazza’s open door lures me in for iced coffee. As I make my way to the farmers’ market on New Hampshire Street, the sense of community and collective love for this weather, and the way it brings our town to life, are tangible.

I join fellow landlocked locavores, so proud of our little big city in the middle of the Midwest. We are utterly content, surrounded by the vendors’ bounty of juicy tomatoes, golden summer squash and crisp asparagus in neat bundles. Bicycling, granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing folks creating an oasis on the Great Plains—a blue town in a decidedly red state. We take care of each other while keeping a passionate ear toward Uganda, Wall Street, Iraq.

Artists and musicians thrive here, a town chock-full of venues and enthusiastic audiences that draw incredible international acts yet love and support local talent. And, while it takes a season or two for fashion trends to make their way inland, we relish a freedom of expression and access to brilliant second-hand finds not typical of our small-town neighbors.

Sorority girls in leggings and Greek letters saunter beside dreadlocked mothers toting happy babies. Vibrant retirees, drawn to Lawrence by the same depth of art and education that inspired William S. Burroughs and a young Langston Hughes, lead spaniels on short leashes.

We all will stroll beyond New Hampshire Street, finding other excuses to linger in the cherished sunshine as we go about our day, and go on about our lives. Perhaps we’ll move away someday, simply to “get out of Kansas.” But Lawrence—and the memory of these Saturday mornings in spring, when everything in our offbeat little world is warm and lovely and fresh—this will never leave us.

With love.

A visitor! A job!

whew. It has been a week.

Last Tuesday, as I drove an unintentionally circuitous route home from Target, I got a call from Rybread that they wanted to interview me for a position. I celebrated this bit of positive job search feedback as I cleaned the kitchen and chatted with Laura. Next thing I knew, a charming Kansas boy was standing outside of my house...a day and a half early! The first words out of my mouth were 'I'm not prepared for you.' Then I hugged him.

So Ken was here to celebrate with me the next day when I clinched the cafe job. But before I talk about the celebration, I need to talk about this job. It is a straight-up blessing. I get to ride my bike to work and make great sandwiches and talk to people all day. And even though it's not the nonprofit writing job I idealized, I have gained some great perspective during this search. I've realized that perhaps God did not uproot me and take me across the country to be employed by some great work, and I am quite content realizing that He might simply want to bring these new people and experiences into my life. I love volunteering with Broad Street Ministry and I truly adore this little cafe, and I will shine my light there as best I can. Look us up when you're in the area. I'd love to feed you.

Now on to the celebration. I wanted to show Ken the beauty of my new home, so my itinerary ideas essentially consisted of a lot of good food, the art museum, two church services and a bike ride.

We also took a quick trip to New York to see the sights and eat the food there, which we managed to do and get caught in the rain and abandoned by every cab driver. It was perfect.

Ken also put fenders on my bike and took engagement photos for Meg and Anthony while he was here. What a guy.

I was sad to see him leave (not just because I was completely spoiled), but the timing worked nicely with Kelsey returning from her long vacation. Plus, I had a sandwich menu to memorize and a first workday to look forward to. whew. Life is great.

With love.