Spring Meal Extravaganza

Despite all its beauty, Holy Week was ridiculously exhausting. I've never worshiped through this holiday as an Episcopalian, so this past week of singing at Trinity was unexpected to say the least. At the end of a very busy Easter day, after each taking extended naps, Frank and I decided to cook an Easter meal together (over the phone, of course).

For some reason I was craving red meat BIG time, so I thought Lamb would be the perfect protein to cook up. I found some cheap, beautiful lamb chops at Kroger (who knew??), but Frank couldn't find anything he'd want to sink his teeth into after going to two different stores and settled for pork loin instead.

At a farmer's market last year, a lady selling locally-raised lamb told me that the best way to cook it was to sear it with apple cider vinegar until it was thoroughly caramelized on both sides. Having done it several times since, I can confirm that it's my FAVORITE way to cook and eat lamb. So I did just that, and served it alongside mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus.

Frank did the same thing to his pork, and rumor has it, it turned out pretty good.

After the amazing food I returned to reality and somehow made it through an insanely busy week of school. Yesterday I randomly sprained my ankle and made the mistake of walking on it all day, thinking it was okay. Well, by the afternoon it was the size of a watermelon and I couldn't put any weight on it... And seeing as how when I wrap it, my foot won't fit inside my rainboots (I can only wear open flats), the past two days of monsoon rain were very unpleasant for me. And tonight I rewarded myself and my ankle by cooking up the rest of my Easter asparagus into a creamy asparagus soup. I used this epicurious recipe and pretty much followed it exactly, except not making as much.

The PERFECT bowl of soup. I want it every day. Maybe I will when Frank and I start up...our new garden! Well, we won't be able to grow asparagus, but that was really just a transition into my exciting news! I feel like I'm announcing that we're having a baby, but really it's just a garden. But the anticipation is just as intense. We searched for weeks and weeks and couldn't find a community garden. In Bloomington it's easy to rent a garden plot--you just contact Parks and Recreation. But in Kansas City you have to call around and search through cryptic internet postings and blogs. Finally a kind man at the Kansas City Community Gardens center suggested we check with an Episcopal church (now the story comes full circle, eh?) a few blocks from where Frank lives. And sure enough, they had one more half plot, and we're going to start planting when I'm in Missouri for the Bach B Minor in two weeks. I'm ridiculously excited. Taking care of my garden last year was one of the most gratifying and amazing experiences I've ever had, and I can't wait to share that with Frank (who seems a little scared!). I hope to be a little more daring this summer with my vegetable-growing. Hopefully having a year of experience will help me get more out of the plants! So just wait, in a few weeks this blog will officially turn into Garden Blog!!

Well, I'm off. Gotta borrow some crutches from Brian and Amanda to take with me to Saint Louis tomorrow. Meeting Frank at the Best Western--how romantic!--and spending about 24 hours with him until I have to drive back to start an even busier week...

Vivaldi

I did a concert a while back for my friend Go (an awesome Baroque violinist) of a virtuosic soprano motet by Vivaldi, "In Furore Guistissime Irae." I don't do Vivaldi very much, so the piece kind of freaked me out. I personally think his music is a little too acrobatic and aggressive for my voice... But Go posted the videos from the concert and I actually think they're pretty good!

Here's the third of the four movements. I like the end a whole lot. If you're looking for something more impressive, check out the last movement (or the first, I suppose). And, if you like it, you should listen to the other pieces from the concert, like the Bach triple concerto.

Ahh... don't you love the Baroque??

Lasagna Date

Frank and I decided to make the world's most extravagant and labor-intensive lasagna EVER last night. Used this recipe from Food Network and decided to get more protein and veggies by adding brined and boiled chicken and sauteed zucchini. Oh my gosh, so decadent and so amazing, although I think it would have been better by ditching the tomato sauce and adding something creamier and less acidic to work with the spinach and chicken. Soooo good, though. It was funny because we both made out own while talking over speakerphone, so we ended up with pounds of lasagna! How will I ever be able to finish? Anyone hungry?

My lasagna, fresh out of the oven.

The ooey gooey first slice.

Frank's first homemade lasagna experience--it looks great, I'm so proud! Do you enjoy the mountain dew in the beer stein?

New Kitchen Gems!

While in Bloomington I try to cook as much as possible to save as much money as possible, (and I freaking love to cook!) but usually I get home from a long day and watch south park on my computer and consequently cook up the same thing over and over. I mean, it's awesome food (sauteed black beans, onions, and brown sugar over rice, anyone?) but I'm often too tired to be adventurous. As of lately, however, I am absolutely smitten with the smitten kitchen blog, and after cooking all week for my honey over break, I came back to Bloomington rechargedand ready to try new things. I'm one of those cooks who scoffs at recipes (cuz I'm just so darn creative) but sometimes a cook's gotta have guidance, so I've been embracing the smitten kitchen inspiration and trying her awesome dishes. And I've GOT to get you to make this amazing chicken salad. Okay, okay, I know chicken salad sounds lame and boring, but this stuff has walnuts, cranberries, shallots, tarragon, and of course juicy, brined chicken. You have GOT to make it, and eat it. I am obsessed. And you will be, too!!

Speaking of cooking, I just got back from Spring Break, which was spent with the Frankster (and a freak spring snow storm) in Kansas City.

He was crazy busy the whole time, so I cooked for him almost every night (he even cooked for me!!), and the visit culminated with our collaboration meal, pictured here:

On the plate was the orange honey mustard chicken breast, Lindsey's famous mashed potatoes (they really are famous), and Frank's newest creation, which I will call the broccoli surprise--the surprise being that the broccoli is actually sauteed with prosciutto and shallots and topped with asiago cheese. He made it up all by himself, and I couldn't be prouder!!

Mmmmm Morning

I think that iChat is basically the coolest thing ever, and Frank and I found out that video chatting makes missing each other 20 times better. And because he's a computer genius, he set up our iChats to automatically video chat with each other without the other's consent. So that means surprise popping in on each other whenever we're at home. It's kind of the best idea he ever had!

So this morning I slept in a little and then roused myself out of bed to make banana nut pancakes and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. Such a great morning!! And I plopped down in front of my computer to pop in and share my breakfast with Frank, who looked so cute I couldn't help but take this picture!

In less than 24 hours he and I will be spending a busy weekend together--our first visit in a month!

Conversation at 4 pm CST

Me: Hellooo!!

Frank: ...Hi...

Me: Uh? Are you asleep?

Frank: Yes...

Me: I'm sorry!

Frank: Yeah, I love you tooooo.

Me: Frank, I didn't say I love you.

Frank: Mmmmm...

Me: Do you want to go back to bed?

Frank: Mmmmmm. Goodnight.

Happy Valentines!!

For the first time in a looooong time I was with someone on Valentine's Day. Not just anyone--a REALLY special person. And as I've neglected to tell Blogger, we're moving in together this summer! As in we're getting our own place. It's very exciting.

Being with someone so wonderful makes me feel lucky that I didn't end up with anyone else, especially all those creepsters and crazies I was always trying to hook-up with the past five years. I don't date very much, but I most certainly have pursued some f'd up guys. I'm not naming names, but I remember spending about six months of my life casually dating a guy who bailed on me so much that we really only went on 4 real dates in that half-year span. He was nice--always walked me to my car after opera rehearsal and kissed me on the cheek...but come ON. How could I have wasted so much time on that? Dozens of teary evenings, being stood up again and again--a new excuse each time. Lost phone. Grandma in hospital. Grandma had stroke. Grandma lost phone. Lost phone while visiting Grandma in hospital...

And then there was the guy that Dominic teases likes to sleep with she-males (which is probably true). I mean, I pursued that hot mess for an entire semester. And he was a douche!! He seriously shushes my collegiate choir when we talk too much in rehearsal. Yes, he shushes. Constantly. And wears pleated pants.

It's not like when I was pursuing these guys I didn't recognize these undesirable traits. Trust me, I NOTICED she-male's shushing. And in my heart of hearts I knew it was annoying, but I just kept convincing myself that it was something I could put up with.

But really, in a successful relationship, you don't have to compromise THAT much. If the guy shushes, by all means (unless you like that stuff) don't settle! What is wrong with us--women, adults, humans in general--that we ignore the unforgivably terrible traits of our potential mates. I mean, we ignore this stuff for months, or even years. And then when we break up or stop pursuing or whatever, our friends always ask "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??" And really, what WERE we thinking? Why could my friends see he slept with she-males well before I could, and more importantly, why weren't they telling me?

And this brought about two serious questions: 1) At what point do you tell your friends that their boyfriends/crushes are douches? and 2) How can you be sure, when you think someone is really good, that they really ARE a catch?

I'm going to be honest here. I usually don't approve of the people my friends date (luckily, however, most of my friends are currently dating good people that meet my stamp-of-approval and they are all very happy). I most certainly don't tell them I don't approve. I learned that the hard way when I tried to interfere too much in BFF Mark's relationships. To be honest, I think the reason I don't let my friends know their dates are spazzes is because I really WANT them to be able to put up with those terrible traits. I really WANT my friends to be in a relationship, which often means settling for a while until the right one comes along. It's sad, but I encourage my friend to date shushing she-male-lovers. And when they break up (and they always do), I always ask what the HELL they saw in these freaks.

So if no one is speaking up about their friends' trashy dating choices, how do we know when we've found someone worth spending our time with? This is going to sound cliche, but you just KNOW. I just KNOW that Frank is amazing. And boy is it nice to know that he'll never stand me up on a date and never shush a group of his peers. I'm not settling. What a weird feeling, eh?