FASTER THAN LIGHT

noah, 4, new year's eve (2012)

EMPTY CAGES

"I prefer empty cages, Sabina, until I find a unique bird I once saw in my dreams."   -- Anaïs Nin, A Spy in the House of Love

SONG FOR SUNDAY

I can't believe your thinking

save everyone, inside you

take everything

fake everything

save everything

about me

all of you, all right

just because, I want to know

do you still come last night clear eyes pale?

you never got there even thought you say you will

sorry now that you've fallen from my eyes

that's the truth

why are you telling me about everything?

why are you telling me about everything?

you're just waiting for her to come apart

you're just waiting for her

take everything

fake everything

save everything

(take everything, mazzy star)

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE

"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Though canst not then be false to any man. Farewell, my blessing season this in thee!" -- Hamlet, William Shakespeare

 Translation: Take care of yourself first and that way you'll be in a position to take care of others.

I was flipping through an issue of Self Magazine at the laundry mat when I came across this article, 7 Guilt-Free Pie Recipes. Here's one that delivers 13 grams of protein in each slice of pie. 

 
Peanut Butter-Berry Pie
1 All-Purpose Crust, Oat Variation (see below)
2 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam, warmed
4 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
1/2 reduced-fat peanut butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mini-marshmallows
1 pint fresh raspberries

1. Heat oven to 350º F. 
2. Chill crust 15 minutes. Remove from fridge; prick crust at 1-inch intervals with a fork. Line with waxed paper; fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake until golden, 30 minutes. 
3. When crust is cool, lift waxed paper to remove weights. Increase oven heat to 400º F. 
4. Spread jam on crust to cover bottom. 
5. In a bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla. In a thick-bottomed pot (to prevent burning), whisk milk with peanut butter and sugar over medium heat until steaming; remove from heat. 
6. Whisk peanut butter mixture into egg-vanilla mixture until combined; spoon filling into crust. 
7. Bake until filling is set at edges but center jiggles when you shake pan, 15 minutes.
8. Heat broiler. Top pie with marshmallows; broil, rotating once or twice for even browning, until marshmallows are puffed and gold, 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Let cool for at least 3 hours. Top with raspberries and serve.  

THE SKINNY: Serves 8; 378 calories per slice, 18 g fat, 42 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 13 g protein
 
All-Purpose Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
2 tablespoons all-vegetable shortening
2-3 tablespoons ice-cold water

Oat Variation: add 2 tbsp quick-cooking oats

1. In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients until combined. Add butter and shortening; pulse until texture is rough and largest pieces of shortening are pea-sized, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add 2 tbsp ice water; pulse to combine. Pinch dough; if it doesn't hold together, mix in remaining 1 tbsp water.
3. Form dough into a round; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 3 days.
4. Dust a piece of waxed paper with flour; roll out dough to forma a 12" circle Lay dough in 9" pie pan, waxed paper side up. Gently remove paper, then press dough into pan. 
5. Trim edge of crust so there is a 1 inch overhang remaining. Fold over edge; pinch crust at 1/2-inch intervals to form a crimped edge.
6. Add pie filling when indicated. 

THE SKINNY: 967 calories per basic crust, 52 g fat, 109 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 14 g protein 

via Self Magazine

SONG FOR SUNDAY

I can give it all on the first date

I don't have to exist outside this place

and dear, know that I can change

but if stars shouldn't shine

by the very first time

then dear it's fine, so fine by me

'cause we can give it time

so much time with me

and I can draw the line on the first date

I'll let you cross it

let you take every line I've got

when the time gets late

but if stars shouldn't shnine

by the very first time

then dear it's fine, so fine by me

'cause we can give it time

so much time with me

stars, xx

A WOMAN, A CAR, AN ISLAND

a woman

a car

an island.

"Ah! The Garden of Eden in Saint-Tropez!"

"Monsieur Carradine! And I suppose you are the devil?"

"Perhaps so. I've brought the apple anyway."

Et Dieu… créa la femme

BRING HOME THE BACON

"Bring home the bacon"- To earn money, particularly for one's family; to be successful, especially financially successful.

Bacon Mushroom Onion Tart

4 strips of bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces

1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 package of mushrooms, sliced

2 large eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

7 to 8 oz ricotta cheese

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup of grated Swiss and/or Gruyère cheese

9-inch Savory Tart Shell (recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (position rack in center of oven.) 
2. Cook strips of bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat until crispy. Let cool, then cut into small pieces.
3. In the meantime, cook the onion in the bacon grease, season with salt and pepper and cook until onion is a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add mushrooms, cook together an additional 10 minutes. Cool slightly. 
4. Add bacon to the onion and mushroom mixture, then spread evenly in tart shell. 
5. Whisk eggs, ricotta cheese, cream and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese. Pour mixture over filling in tart shell. Bake until tart is golden and center is set, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 15 minutes before serving. 

Savory Tart Shell

1 1/4 cups flour

1 tbsp plus 2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, diced

1 egg

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, for or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add one egg and mix with a fork until dough forms. If the dough doesn't come easily together, dump mixture onto counter and knead together.
2. On a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of plastic wrap), roll out the dough to a 12-inch circle. Place dough in 9-inch tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Cut excess dough from rim, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. No parbaking required.