This past week turned out to be rougher than I anticipated. I mostly took care of myself, went to the gym and cooked. Friday I had my mid-year review at work. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. At least it was delivered over a nice sushi lunch at Blue Fin. Friday evening, I was happy to have made plans for drinks with a friend. She's a writer and editor, super funky and the kind of person who reminds me that there's more to life than my job. Today was mellow. I cooked a nice dinner, scallops and the rest of the asparagus. I listened to a lot of music.
At the mid-year review sushi lunch, I received the message about what really matters in my new role. I think that I knew it in the back of my head, but I've been so overwhelmed that I couldn't get focused on it. I need to meet more people, focus on the client, a large international NGO, and ultimately sell. My job is mainly about bringing in business. While my title includes strategic relationship management, which implies meeting people and getting to know them. I will be judged successful when I bring in new relationships and new business. I'm OK with this. Some of the work is interesting. I like meeting people so this is a job that I anticipate I could be very good at. I just haven't been able to really get into it as much as I had hoped. Now I'll make it my main focus for the next six months.
Friday evening, with a bit of frustration at the work review, I drank too much wine and ate some crazy small plates at a great Brooklyn restaurant, Vanderbilt. We started with roasted brussel sprouts and fried pickles then ended with apple fritters. I'm pretty sure there was a shared brisket hot dog in there with some ridiculous fries. I needed to enjoy myself and wanted some comfort food. I think it's important to have one day a week where you don't think much about what you eat, you just enjoy going out for a nice meal.
Today I futzed around the house and planed a menu and grocery shopping for next week. Tomorrow I'll be in Philly all day for my friend's mother's memorial service and may stay for dinner with the boyfriend. I expect it to be a sad day so don't anticipate wanting to think about cooking or grocery shopping when I get home tomorrow night.
This evening I took time to cook the scallop dish that I didn't make on Thursday and ate the last of the asparagus. Sitting home alone on a Saturday is tough, but I'm not ready to fill up my social schedule and stay out all weekend. Sometimes I need TV to distract me, but other times I just need to listen to music. It's a luxury to just sit around and listen to music. No matter what my mood or what I'm doing, I like to be surrounded by music. I listen to all kinds of music. Today was mellow with bands like the dark and ethereal Bat For Lashes and then some poppy R&B from Brandy. I discovered a sweet love song called "Music" on Brandy's latest album Two Eleven. It's a love song to music.
I wake up to you
Go to sleep to you
And all in between
I'm hearing you
I like to ride to you
I think to you
And when it's something I love
I sing to you
I laugh to you
I cry to you
And when there's no one else to talk to
There's always you
I dance to you
Share romance to you
I'm crazy about you
Oh yeah
I can't live without you
No
I'm so glad I got you
Cause I'm lost without you
Scallops with Melted Leeks and Thyme from The Little Black Apron (page 131)
Serves 1
Total time about 25 minutes
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small leek, cut in half lengthwise then crosswise into half moons
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp white wine
1/2 cup low-sodum chicke broth
11/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 large sea scallops
Heat a sute pan and coat with 1/2 tbs of olive oil
Add leeks, salt and pepper
Cook until leeks are very soft about 10 min, stir ocassionally
Add wine and chicken broth
Reduce (boil down) by half
Stir in thyme
Transfer leek mixture small bowl
Coat saute pan with another 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil
Season both sides of scallops with salt and pepper
Cook scallops in pan, about 2 minutes per side
Spoon mixture over scallops
This was good, although not as flavorful as I had hoped. I liked the leeks, maybe it needed more thyme or my fresh thyme had started to dry out and lose its flavor. I preferred the curried scallops that I did the week before last.
Parmesan Roasted Asparagus adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Family Style (page 46)
Total time about 20 minutes (don't forget to break off the bottoms of the stalks)
Asparagus
olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper
Parmesan cheese
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 or 400 depending how thick your asparagus looks
Cover asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper
Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes (depends on thickness, the thinner ones will roast quickly)
Sprinkle with Paremean
Return to oven for a minute
Eat!
The Barefoot Contessa recipie is for six people and takes 2 and a half pounds of asparagus. I just adapted with the remaining stalks I had int he fridge. Coat everything lightly and keep an eye on the oven and it will be fine.
At the mid-year review sushi lunch, I received the message about what really matters in my new role. I think that I knew it in the back of my head, but I've been so overwhelmed that I couldn't get focused on it. I need to meet more people, focus on the client, a large international NGO, and ultimately sell. My job is mainly about bringing in business. While my title includes strategic relationship management, which implies meeting people and getting to know them. I will be judged successful when I bring in new relationships and new business. I'm OK with this. Some of the work is interesting. I like meeting people so this is a job that I anticipate I could be very good at. I just haven't been able to really get into it as much as I had hoped. Now I'll make it my main focus for the next six months.
Friday evening, with a bit of frustration at the work review, I drank too much wine and ate some crazy small plates at a great Brooklyn restaurant, Vanderbilt. We started with roasted brussel sprouts and fried pickles then ended with apple fritters. I'm pretty sure there was a shared brisket hot dog in there with some ridiculous fries. I needed to enjoy myself and wanted some comfort food. I think it's important to have one day a week where you don't think much about what you eat, you just enjoy going out for a nice meal.
Today I futzed around the house and planed a menu and grocery shopping for next week. Tomorrow I'll be in Philly all day for my friend's mother's memorial service and may stay for dinner with the boyfriend. I expect it to be a sad day so don't anticipate wanting to think about cooking or grocery shopping when I get home tomorrow night.
This evening I took time to cook the scallop dish that I didn't make on Thursday and ate the last of the asparagus. Sitting home alone on a Saturday is tough, but I'm not ready to fill up my social schedule and stay out all weekend. Sometimes I need TV to distract me, but other times I just need to listen to music. It's a luxury to just sit around and listen to music. No matter what my mood or what I'm doing, I like to be surrounded by music. I listen to all kinds of music. Today was mellow with bands like the dark and ethereal Bat For Lashes and then some poppy R&B from Brandy. I discovered a sweet love song called "Music" on Brandy's latest album Two Eleven. It's a love song to music.
I wake up to you
Go to sleep to you
And all in between
I'm hearing you
I like to ride to you
I think to you
And when it's something I love
I sing to you
I laugh to you
I cry to you
And when there's no one else to talk to
There's always you
I dance to you
Share romance to you
I'm crazy about you
Oh yeah
I can't live without you
No
I'm so glad I got you
Cause I'm lost without you
Scallops with Melted Leeks and Thyme from The Little Black Apron (page 131)
Serves 1
Total time about 25 minutes
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small leek, cut in half lengthwise then crosswise into half moons
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp white wine
1/2 cup low-sodum chicke broth
11/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 large sea scallops
Heat a sute pan and coat with 1/2 tbs of olive oil
Add leeks, salt and pepper
Cook until leeks are very soft about 10 min, stir ocassionally
Add wine and chicken broth
Reduce (boil down) by half
Stir in thyme
Transfer leek mixture small bowl
Coat saute pan with another 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil
Season both sides of scallops with salt and pepper
Cook scallops in pan, about 2 minutes per side
Spoon mixture over scallops
This was good, although not as flavorful as I had hoped. I liked the leeks, maybe it needed more thyme or my fresh thyme had started to dry out and lose its flavor. I preferred the curried scallops that I did the week before last.
Parmesan Roasted Asparagus adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Family Style (page 46)
Total time about 20 minutes (don't forget to break off the bottoms of the stalks)
Asparagus
olive oil
kosher salt
ground pepper
Parmesan cheese
Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 or 400 depending how thick your asparagus looks
Cover asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper
Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes (depends on thickness, the thinner ones will roast quickly)
Sprinkle with Paremean
Return to oven for a minute
Eat!
The Barefoot Contessa recipie is for six people and takes 2 and a half pounds of asparagus. I just adapted with the remaining stalks I had int he fridge. Coat everything lightly and keep an eye on the oven and it will be fine.
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