Spelling Bee Cast Party

Sadly, Spelling Bee wrapped on Saturday and I am no longer an actress. Or at least, not till the next show! It was an amazing experience. The show is hilarious, our cast and director were awesome to work with, and we had some great audiences. I feel very fortunate to have had at least one friend at each of our 9 performances. Thank you all for coming!!! I feel so loved!

I hosted the cast party Saturday night and wanted to share some of my recipes. As usual, I went over-the-top with the theme. I came up with a dish for each character. But I really only cooked two dishes! If you don't know the show, it won't mean much to you, but here's my menu:

 

CAST PARTY MENU

Rona Lisa Peretti’s Indigenous Cashews

Olive Ostrovsky Tapenade

Vice Principal Panch’s Non-Dairy Jumping Bean Dip

Guacamole – The Mexican Pudding.

Chips Tolentino

 Macy Park’s Korean Bulgogi & Lettuce Leaf Coneybear Wraps

Mitch Mahoney’s Comfort Mac & Cheese

Will Barfée’s Parfait

Logainne’s Rainbow Brite Pride Cookie

Director’s “Freeze” Cups

Bee-tinis

Bee-garitas

Bee-r

Below are some of my favorite recipes. I needed recipes that were easy and quick, but satisfying after a long night of singing, dancing, and making people laugh. And because as my sous chef in the kitchen said, "Do you think Idina Menzel spends all day cooking before a show?" No, likely not.

And of course, my pictures stink. Everyone dove into the food before I could snap a few photos. Next time!

Director's "Freeze" Cups, aka Frozen Pudding Shots 

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) package white chocolate Jell-o pudding mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup Bailey's
• 8 ounces whipped cream 

Directions:

Mix pudding and milk until well blended.

Add vodka and Irish cream, mix well.

Fold in whipped cream. Reserve some for garnish.

Divide into individual servings. I used little paper shot cups that I found at the dollar store. You can also find plastic shot cups at a liquor or party store.

Keep in freezer. Cover with lid or wrap.

Will Barfée’s Parfait, aka Ina Garten's Pumpkin Mousse Parfait 

This was soooo delicious. I didn't have enough individual cups for parfaits, so I made a big trifle in a bowl. So yummy and easy to make!

Mitch Mahoney's Comfort Mac & Cheese, aka Martha Stewart's Mac & Cheese

This recipe calls for 26 ounces of cheese for 12 servings. That's a lot of cheese! Research on the web claims this to be the best mac & cheese recipe out there. And I would have to agree. It uses a bechamel sauce as the base and a crapload of cheese. It's pretty simple and oh so delicious! I topped mine with panko flakes instead of making breadcrumbs. 

No pic! it was gone in a flash!

Fall!

I have been so busy with Spelling Bee that I've had no time for blogging. Or projects. The show is going great, however, and this week we received two favorable reviews from local theater folk:

http://bostonartsreview.blogspot.com/2011/10/transforming-bee-by-beverly-creasey.html
http://www.theatermirror.com/JDS25thWINCHESTER.htm


We still have six more shows to do, this week and next. It makes me wonder how people on Broadway do the same show every day for months...or years! It's one thing if you're in the cast of Wicked, but Mary Poppins or Mamma Mia? Good lord! Good thing I'm not a Broadway actress :)

On my way to rehearsal yesterday I stopped in at Wilson's Farm to grab a bite. Could it BE any more fall than this? That's a lot of squash!

I'll return tomorrow to get some freshly made cider donuts hot off the presses!

Musicals, knitting, and a surprising new gadget

It's been a while since my last post. I haven't been doing much in the way of home improvement and crafts, because I have been busy in rehearsals for a community theater production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee"!

I play the role of Marcy Park - an overachieving Asian student who is good at everything. Type casting! Just kidding. Sadly, I am not as accomplished as Ms. Park (she's a champion hockey player and can do splits) but I can spell. I was 2nd runner-up in the 1st Annual Juilliard Spelling Bee! (which may have also been the only annual bee).

I haven't been in a show since high school, and everyone else in the cast is much more talented and professional than me, but I hold my own and I'm having a blast. For those of you in the area, you can check us out the first three weekends in October at the Next Door Theater in Winchester, MA. Yes - it's in my hometown. And we now have ONE bar so we can grab a drink after the show!


I did manage to finish two knitting projects this summer - my only non-baby-related projects of the last few years. The first was a cute pair of fingerless gloves for my bestie, so she can wear them while studying in her new PhD program in her new home in Evanston, IL. We are very proud of her, but miss her oodles!

Can you see the little owls in the pattern?

The second project I finished this summer was a real labor of love. I purchased this beautiful silk/merino laceweight wool in Portland, OR, and it was probably the most money I've spent on a single ball of yarn. Actually 2 balls. I started this really pretty stole but had put it on hold for a year or two, and when I picked it back up again, I lost it in a cab! Devastating. Luckily, I had the second skein, and I started over with a whole new pattern. It didn't come out quite as nicely as the original, but it looks really pretty and is surprisingly warm for being so lightweight. The perfect summer wrap!

Rock Island shawl

Finally, the really big news...my dear and wonderful friend Charles who lived with me for a few weeks this summer, surprised me with the most amazing present ever. Actually, it was kind of a barter - in exchange for my beat-up 2001 Honda Civic, he bought me an awesome wireless mic karaoke machine!!!! So I guess I have made some improvements to the condo after all. I will never leave it again.

The song selection is decent, and I plan on buying more song chips to add to the collection (English and Korean!). You are all welcome to the new Do-Mi-Mi Karaoke Lounge!!!

Rockin' out with En Do-gue

Demolition Derby!!!

Last night I tackled a new level of DIY. I tore down a wall!

After the basement flooded, we had a few contractors come by to give us options. They all started with taking down the wall of my storage unit where the water was coming in so the damage could be properly assessed. My neighbor and I decided it would be cathartic to tear down the drywall ourselves - and it saved us $300 in the process. So with the help of some Youtube videos and tools from my handy friend, we single ladies took down that wall all by ourselves!

I was really looking forward to walking into Home Depot like a badass and buying a sledgehammer. But for a small wall, it was really unnecessary. Also, I was kind of afraid that we would sledgehammer right through the wall and the house would come crashing down on us. Instead, we used some pry bars, hammers, and a utility knife.

Tools of the trade

Fran got to take the first shot, since the water and mud from the flooding actually ended up in her living space. Here's me going at the wall:

More fun than spreadsheets

It was pretty awesome! The drywall was pretty easy to take down, especially where it had gotten wet and was already disintegrating. In some places, we were just tearing chunks of it out with our hands. Clean-up was pretty easy too since we had put down a tarp to collect all the pieces. The hardest part was breathing through those masks! Altogether, it took less than an hour to demo and clean up the mess.

And here's the bare wall of our basement foundation. Notice the little pile of dirt? I imagine that is where the flood of mud came pouring through.

I'm just glad I don't have to put the wall back up! I'll leave that to the pros. But if anyone needs a wall taken down, you know who to call!

Weekend of Feasts!

After last week's trials and tribulations, I decided to put it all behind me with two impromptu weekend feasts. On Friday, I was bemoaning the fact that it is almost the end of summer and I had yet to have any lobster. I planned on cooking myself a lobster dinner (even if you're going to eat alone, that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat in style!) but then invited my temp-roomie, his Russian friend and mother, and an old friend from high school that I ran into. Once the eclectic guest list was set, I stopped by the farmer's market during lunch and picked up some corn, potatoes, and a strawberry-rhubarb pie! Charles picked up the lobsters for a steal in Chinatown. And Vlad brought Dark & Stormy's. Here's our feast!

Cooking a lobster dinner basically involves just boiling things - the corn, the potatoes, the crustaceans. All you need is a couple big pots, some tongs, and a strong stomach for mass lobster murder. Eating the lobsters definitely involves more effort!

Thank you for your delicious sacrifice!

Saturday night I cooked a Korean feast for the Greater Boston Karaoke Club (aka my singing college buddies). Our co-President is close to her due date, but we figured we would squeeze in one last meeting and make it easier on her by having it at home. As usual, I went a little overboard with the menu. We had bulgogi (redubbed "white man's delight" by John), LA kalbi (Korean ribs), broiled jogi (yellow croaker, a salty fish), jabchae (vermicelli noodles), doenjang jjigae (fermented bean paste soup), and side dishes galore.

The bulgogi and kalbi were both pre-marinated from H-Mart, but I kicked them up with some extra onions and spices. This was my first time making jabchae since Molly used to always make the jabchae when we ate Korean food, but it wasn't so hard. It's a little labor intensive, but worth the effort! I used this recipe as a guide. I think I did pretty well, although I should really learn how to julienne carrots better!

My favorite Korean dish to make is doenjang jjigae (fermented soy bean paste soup). It is similar to miso soup, but more flavorful than the Japanese version. When I lived in Korea, I developed a real love for this hearty and pungent stew. My recipe probably isn't very authentic, but it is thick and stinky just the way I like it!

Mimi's Gyopo Doenjang Jjigae
2 oz. sam gyup ssal (Korean pork belly)
1 small onion, cubed
1 potato, cubed (I used small new potatoes leftover from the farmer's market)
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 chili pepper, sliced into rounds (green or red)
1 scallion, sliced
firm tofu, about half a block or whatever you can fit in the bowl
2 tablespoons Korean soy bean paste (doenjang)
1 teaspoon Korean chili pepper flakes (gochugaru)
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Saute the pork in a medium pot, preferably a Korean stone pot. Add the onion and garlic. Add doenjang paste, chili pepper flakes, and about 2 cups of water, to fill pot about 2/3 way (remember to leave room for the veggies and tofu!). Make sure the paste is dissolved evenly, bring to a boil. Add potatoes and bring to a boil again. Add zucchini and chilis and let simmer till potatoes are thoroughly cooked. A few minutes before serving, add tofu and green onion.

NOT the Best Week Ever

It hasn't been a very good week in Mimi's DIY-Land. My poor Puppy hasn't been feeling well, my basement flooded, I nicked my car's front bumper (and by "nicked", I mean, I wrenched it off), and got a scope put up my nose - ouch! It was almost ridiculous how crappy my week was, that I almost didn't freak out. Almost.

I'm sure next week will be the second "worstest" week as I try to deal with contractors, mechanics, and the expensive bills they come with. But my brother and my friends have really stepped up to help out, so it's nice to know that I'm not alone. And as bad as it's been, it forces me appreciate the good things I have in my life. So here are the GOOD things that have happened this week.

1. Massachusetts Tax Free Weekend
It's a good thing this weekend is tax-free weekend in MA. Even though I will have to spend $9 zillion on vets, car repair, and basement waterproofing, at least I can do some tax-free shopping.


2. Sick Doggy + Ridiculous Doggy Cape
Poor Puppy has a rash on his back. It actually doesn't seem to bother him, but it bothered me, so I brought him to the vet. She ended up shaving his whole back, leaving him naked and leperous-looking. I felt so bad for the poor guy, that I cut up an old t-shirt and made him a cape to cover up his back. I'm sure that pissed him off even more, but look how cute!

He looks like those kids at the pool that have to wear t-shirts because their skin burns so badly. Awwww!

3. Scrabble Magnets
I actually made these last week, but showing them off on the blog is a good thing to happen this week! After my brother moved out all his stuff, I was left with zero fridge magnets. This doesn't sound like a huge deal, but it was actually quite inconvenient. Where to hang my vistor's parking pass? or detailed baby shower planning Excel sheets? or Groupons that I will never redeem?

My solution was to take some old Scrabble tiles (purchased on eBay for just a few bucks). Then with a little Super Glue, I glued on magnets and voila! Educational and fun fridge magnets!

The Michelle Obama magnet is motivation to do push-ups and stay away from the fridge, but the Scrabble magnets are more fun to play with. Magnets, magnets everywhere!

4. Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sausage

I love when I discover a new recipe to use up my farm share veggies with. I typically am not a big cabbage fan, but we got some in the farm share last week and I had to use it up. My trick to farm share eating is if you don't particularly like a vegetable, a.) foist it upon someone else or b.) cook it with sausage or bacon! Here is my recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls.

1 head of cabbage, remove outer leaves and as much of core as possible

1 package of sweet Italian sausage removed from casings

2 cups cooked rice (I used brown basmati rice)

1 onion, diced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 can of diced tomatoes

salt, pepper, oregano, fresh herbs

Bring a large pot of water to boil and submerge the entire cabbage head for about 10 minutes. The leaves should be tender and easily removed. Drain and rinse the leaves in cold water and set aside.

Cook the sausage meat, drain oil, and set aside. Saute onions and mushrooms until tender. Combine in a bowl with cooked rice, salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. (You won't need much salt since the sausage will be pretty flavorful).

Lay a cabbage leaf with the spine side down and, depending on the size of the leaf, add 1-2 tbsp of the meat and rice mixture. Roll like an egg roll, burrito, or wrapped food of your culture. I fold the bottom once, fold in the sides, and roll up. Place in a lightly greased baking dish. Cover the rolls with diced tomatoes. (I also added the last of my fresh herbs to the sauce). Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. enjoy!

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I feel better already! Now the weekend is just a few hours away. The only thing that will break this weekend is the mic that I rock out on at karaoke tomorrow night!