Manicotti - from the freezer!

Speaking of losing time, my current obsession is The Best Make-Ahead Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. I particularly love the big casserole-type recipes that can be frozen. So far I’ve tried the manicotti, the vegetarian tamale pie (amazing!) and the shepherd’s pie. For all of them, I’ve baked half right away and stashed the other half in the freezer in 8×8 or 3×9 pans, wrapped tightly, to store for up to one month. They all have kept very well, and provided a much tastier and healthier alternative to the usual sad, sodium-laced frozen dinner. Especially since the spouse and I both have night classes this semester, having a few real meals readily available has been handy. Plus I get a huge kick out of making little labels with masking tape, noting the date and dish. Makes me feel so responsible.

Spring is around the corner! I can’t wait for longer days and grilling. What are you most looking forward to in the change of season?

Peanut butter pie

This year Thanksgiving is overshadowed by term papers, so we’re going pretty low-key. I did make peanut butter pie, however, for the second year in a row. I think that officially qualifies it as a Tradition.

Recipe is here. It’s quick and delicious and idiot-proof, as long as you’re careful about folding in the cream. It’s perfect with hot fudge on top—
of the store-bought brands, I am partial to Mrs. Richardson’s.

I hope you are enjoying the day with family and friends, and eating nice things. Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween candy

No posts recently because this is all I have been eating. The spouse and I were so excited to finally live in a neighborhood with trick-or-treaters that we went berserk buying candy. Way, way, way too much candy.

I even brought the pumpkin to class the Monday after Halloween, but everyone was so polite they only took one piece at a time, even though I pleaded with them to eat it all. (P.S. I think I’m going to start carrying the pumpkin around everywhere. So fashionable.) So now my new life mission is to give away half a dozen Milk Duds every day. That way, if we’re lucky, it will all be gone by the Fourth of July.

Ooh, maybe I should do a Milk Duds giveaway, like all those clever fashion blogs. Whaddaya think?

I built a fort out of Milk Duds for the pumpkin.

1. Flee living room and stuff a rug under the door.
2. Call spouse. Who is on a train coming home and can do nothing to help. Shriek “MOUSE! MOUSE!” incoherently into the phone.
3. Call landlords. Who apparently turn off the ringer on their phone at night and don’t answer.
4. Call Dad. Who is 400 miles away and was asleep, but kindly and groggily answers, because he’s the best Dad. Realize suddenly how ridiculous this situation is and start giggling hysterically. Reassure worried Dad that you’re just laughing, not losing your marbles.
5. Make midnight grocery run, still in pajamas, to buy a no-kill trap.
6. Set trap with peanut butter and go peacefully to bed, knowing that your troubles are over.
7. The next day, find the trap still open. Stifle panic.
8. Stuff bottom of pants into socks or rain boots. Arm self and spouse with trash can, flashlight, broom. Infiltrate living room.
9. Locate mouse hiding behind a bag in living room closet. On the count of three, spouse will move the bag and trap the mouse under the trash can. Be ready with the broom to block it from running away. Because you are brave and can totally handle this.
10. As soon as bag is lifted and mouse darts STRAIGHT AT YOUR FEET, scream bloody murder, wave broom in air, and jump up and down. Because you so can’t handle this.
11. Flee room and let spouse catch the mouse singlehandedly with a loaf pan.
12. Slide cutting board under loaf pan, release mouse in wooded area far from house, while neighbors watch in confusion.
13. Heap praise on spouse till he/she gets a big head. Burn cutting board and loaf pan.

In sum, to effectively counter a mouse attack, marry a good spouse.

You’re welcome. I also specialize in large tropical cockroaches. Please send all inquiries, pest-related and otherwise, to feastings@gmail.com for expert problem-solving.

Somewhere in Wisconsin

Here’s a quick recap of the last few (ridiculously busy) weeks.

Over Labor Day we took
a road trip up to Minnesota for a family reunion. On the way we hit a gorgeous sunset that turned the clouds and trucks pink.
The reunion was great—wonderful aunties and uncles, delicious food (pesto, egg pancakes, DIY pizzas, my grandfather’s spaghetti sauce recipe), and a trip to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Science Museum.

A few weeks previous, I had a bit of a break in between summer classes and the fall semester. I gave a whirl to this easy zucchini and almond pasta salad from Smitten Kitchen (fabulous, as all her recipes are), which I’ll be making again soon.

I also pulled out an old favorite, fried rice with shiitake mushrooms and sugar snaps. This is quick and easy to cook, but a huge mess to prep, so I don’t get to make it that often. But when I do, we eat the entire batch between the two of us.

Fried rice with shiitake mushrooms and sugar snaps

Finally, I made a completely inappropriate quantity of eggplant parmesan, two big pans of it. You wouldn’t think it, but you can actually have too much eggplant parmesan.

Eggplant parmesan