Le Fin, Le Commencement

It is over. It it just beginning.

This is the sentiment I feel now having officially graduated with my MLIS. Four years, fifteen classes, hundreds of readings, and about a bajillion pages of writing later, I'm done. The computer problems--wireless/Internet disconnects, computer crashes, and lost work--are no longer the dire threats to my academic and professional future they have been. The nervous breakdowns, the feeling that it's just all too much, and the sessions of crying on Scooter's shoulder are over (or at least my academics will no longer be the cause of them). The need to juggle work and school like a professional entertainer is no more. No more late nights, no more logging on to my course site every day, no more stressing over grades. I don't ever have to write another paper if I don't want to. How liberating that thought is! I have gained not only my MLIS but my ability to pursue the little pleasures of life once again. Having to sacrifice pleasure reading for class lectures and assigned articles is a thing of the past. My time (outside of work) is my own again, and it's a strange freedom.

And while my academic program is indeed over, my professional career is still in its youth. I have been a librarian for the past 4 1/2 years, and considered myself a "professional" long before the completion of my degree. But the MLIS is an acknowledgement of my skills and adds a validity to what I've done and continue to do. With the degree, new doors have opened and new opportunities have now become possible. So while the degree marks the end of my academic career, my professional one is in essence just beginning. And will hopefully blossom, as I'm praying it will in the near future.

One thing that multiple people have asked me is "Will you pursue another degree or a doctorate?" Well, even though I know Mom would love to be able to brag about another doctor in the family (Dad and sister have a PhD), the answer to that question is a resounding "NO!" I intend to be a life-long learner, but I am content with the single Master's. School is draining; doubly so when you are an adult with a full-time job and an active life. I don't see myself going back to school anytime soon, if ever. This was the first degree I pursued on my own and for myself. I think it is my last. Besides, I have that wonderful taste of freedom. And the memory of being a student and not having that is too fresh to want to go back. I have a serious case of post-senioritis.

And so I'll just enjoy life for a bit. Maybe in a few decades I'll be ready to go back.

A Summer Dessert Part 2

Lemons are the epitome of summer fruit. Chilled lemonade, lemon meringue pie, lemon cake--all summertime treats that speak of long days, picnics, and hot weather. So it should be no surprise that my other proposed "perfect" summer dessert is also from the lemon family: lemon bars. These are an absolutely scrumptious sweet, and they are not that difficult to make. This particular recipe results in a bar with a crust that's like a buttery version of shortbread and a lemon filling that's similar to a rich lemon curd. Topped with a little powdered sugar, it's a perfect picnic dessert to enjoy with a glass of cold iced tea. And by the way, yes it does matter which lemons you use. More about that after the recipe.

What you'll need:
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbs. corn starch
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
3/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. half and half
powdered sugar for dusting

What you'll need to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-in pan (a Pyrex pan works very well if you have it).
2. In a medium bowl, add the 2 cups of flour, powdered sugar, corn starch, and salt. Quickly mix together. Add the butter and combine with the flour mixture with either a pastry blender or your fingers. Mixture should resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Press flour mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until edges start to become golden.
4. As the crust is baking, mix together the eggs, granulated sugar, the 3 tablespoons of flour, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the half and half.
5. After the crust has finished baking, pour the lemon mixture over the hot crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the center is set (it won't wiggle when you gently shake the pan).
6. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan. After the bars have cooled, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar. Store in the fridge and serve chilled.

As I mentioned above, it really does matter what kind of lemons you use. For anything with a lemon-type filling (lemon meringue pie, lemon bars, etc.) I always use Meyer lemons. This particular type of lemon has a juice that is sweeter than other lemons (others types I have found to be VERY bitter). Meyers also have the good fortune to be very juicy. For this recipe, I only needed 3 large Meyer lemons off of my mother's tree. Using other types of lemons would likely require more of them to make the 3/4 cup of necessary lemon juice. Meyer lemon skin can be used for the zest in this recipe (and when I made it, I did), but there is another kind of lemon Mom has that has great skin for zest--it's sturdier and more tart than that of the Meyers. Sadly, I don't know the specific name for it. All I can say is that it has a thicker skin and is larger in size than the Meyers.

Enjoy your summer desserts!

A Summer Dessert Part 1

Mother's Day was very low-key this year, more so than usual because Mom is still recovering from shoulder surgery. But we still managed to do a fine job with dinner. And because I couldn't decide on one dessert, I made two. The first is here, the second will be posted later this week.

Berry tartlets are one of two truly perfect summer desserts. They are light and should be served cool, which makes each bite wonderfully refreshing. I like fruit and I like making something yummy with fruit. And because fruit is healthy, a dessert with fresh fruit adds that little touch of anti-guilt to help kill the mental "I shouldn't be eating this" when all you want to do is indulge just a bit in something sweet. And what better way to enjoy fresh fruit then when it's the finishing touch of a berry tartlet?

What you'll need:
3 Tbs. ground almonds
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
3 Tbs. butter, chilled
2 Tbs. water
3/4 c. vanilla pudding
enough berries for 12-15 shells

What you'll need to do:
1. Add the ground almonds, flour, and granulated sugar to a food processor. Pulse to combine, then cut up and add the butter. Pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
2. While running the motor, slowly add the water until a dough forms. If needed, add a few extra drops. Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a tartlet pan with butter or cooking spray.
4. Thinly roll out the dough on a floured surface. Use a 2 1/2 or 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Press together remaining dough, roll out, and continue cutting out rounds. Repeat until you run out of dough.
5. Gently place the rounds into the prepared tartlet pan and prick with a fork. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until the dough starts to get golden in color. Let cool on a rack.
6. Carefully spread pudding on the cooled shells. Arrange berries on top. See the picture at the beginning of this post to view the assembly. Prepared tartlets can be stored for several hours in the fridge. Serve chilled.

The only truly fattening part of this is the butter in the tartlet shell. Everything else is low or non-fat. No eggs are used, so this is a great recipe for anyone with egg allergies. Also, you can choose other fruits. Kiwis, bananas, and tangerines could also be used if cut into small pieces. I'm just particularly fond of the berry medley for this bite-sized dessert.

A second summer dessert recipe will follow later this week!

Making Magic with Julia Child

It's been awhile since my last new recipe. Scooter and I have been using a lot of repeats lately simply because both weeknights and weekends have been busy. And when you're busy, it's a lot faster to whip up something you've made before than to try out something new. But this last weekend, I decided to try a new recipe for Sunday dinner. When looking at my line of cookbooks, I grabbed one I hadn't turned to in awhile: Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. And the recipe I chose was her "Roasted Chicken Steeped with Port Wine, Cream, and Mushrooms." This was truly an experience for the palate. So much so that I couldn't help but exclaiming "Oh my God!" after I tasted the sauce and making Scooter come to the kitchen to taste it too. He got this dreamy look in his eyes and just stood there with a smile, savoring the flavor. We licked up every drop (in my case, literally) from our plates when we sat down to our meal. I don't know how she is able to do it, but decades after writing her recipes down Julia still inspires cooks and gives them the steps to make magic in their kitchen. Turning basic ingredients like the ones above into something so incredible can't be anything but a kind of magic. So without further ado, here is my slight variation on Julia's recipe.

What you'll need:
3 lbs. meaty chicken pieces (thighs worked really well)
olive oil
1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms
1/4 lb. white mushrooms
1 pkg. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 1 Tbs. of the cream
1 shallot, peeled and diced small
1/3 c. port
1/4 c. brandy or cognac
salt and pepper to taste

What you'll need to do:
1. Put the dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl and add enough water to almost cover them. Set aside.
2. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces. Place them on a flat rack in a roasting pan. Baste with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until juice is clear. Remove and set aside.
3. While the chicken is roasting, clean and trim the other mushrooms. Cut into quarters or thick slices. Set aside.
4. In a large saucepan, add the water, 1/2 Tbs. of the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Bring to a boil and add all of the mushrooms, including the porcini mushrooms' water. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Pour out the cooking liquid and reserve.
5. Add the cream and cornstarch mixture. Simmer for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper as desired and set aside.
6. When the chicken is done roasting, remove from oven and set aside to rest.
7. In a small saucepan, add 2 Tbs of the fat from the roasting pan. Stir in the shallots and cook slowly for 1 minute. Add the port and the reserved cooking liquid from the mushrooms. Boil rapidly until mixture has reduced to about 1/3 cup.
8. Add the contents of the small saucepan to the large saucepan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until sauce starts to thicken.
9. Smear the inside of a dutch oven or casserole dish with the remaining butter. Add the chicken pieces and arrange. Put the dutch oven over medium to medium high heat until you hear the chicken starting to sizzle.
10. Pour in the brandy and use a long-handled match or lighter to light the alcohol. **BE CAREFUL and LEAN BACK FROM THE DISH when you do this** Remember, safety first! Tilt or shake the dutch oven until the flames disappear. If you get too nervous, put the lid on the pot to instantly put out the flame.
11. Pour in the mushroom mixture, cover and turn down to low heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot with rice or roasted potatoes.

This recipe suggests a white wine, but I'm so much more partial to red. We decided to try one that I bought at the store on a whim. It was of a winery I had enjoyed in the past (I like their Merlot), but a particular type that I hadn't yet sampled. Oh. My. God. It was fantastic! It was like the icing on the cake--a perfect way to round out the chicken. You can see the label here. If you ever come across this wine, do yourself a favor and buy it! Scooter and I finished the bottle. It's already on my shopping list for this weekend.

Between the outstanding food and the wine we fell in love with, it was a truly amazing meal. And the leftovers (sans wine) were just as good.

Go make some magic in your kitchen and bon appétit!

The Romance Novel

I admit it: I thought that romance novels had nothing to offer me. It wasn't so much the content. Yes, I am quite familiar with the genre stereotypes and tropes dealing with the content of romance novels, and I can hear the mental snickers of some of you as you read this. But honestly, it wasn't about the content. It was more that I didn't think I would find any good stories within the pages of a romance novel. To me, romance had been synonymous with "brainless fluff." This is a comparison that I know now is not uniformly deserved. My foray into this genre has been a journey, one that has been helped by friends and family including the very strong recommendations of my sister. It's not just about bodice-rippers or trite plots, although there are books of both types (sometimes both in the same book!) in the genre. It's about exploration and discovery, not in a sensual sense, but in an emotional I-know/wonder-what-that-feels-like sense.

Which brings me to another question: what makes a book a romance? I've read more books than I can count, and many of them have elements of romance in them without being romance novels. That includes many YA novels that I've read. To me, a romance book is one that centers around the human emotional experience: how we search for love (or lust) and what happens when we find it. Because no two people are exactly the same, there are countless ways in which this can manifest--and it's not all rainbows and unicorns (as Scooter would say). Love is a complicated emotion, so the stories that are inspired by it and in turn inspire us can be just a complicated. That's not to say that the novels with trite plot lines are bad. Sometimes I want to read a story that's like a really long fairy tale in the non-Grimm, Disney-esque sense: simple to follow, funny and light, with bad stuff that's not really bad and a guaranteed happy ending. And sometimes I want to read a story about the struggle behind love, about the not-so-perfect stuff and the bittersweet ending that's not the happily-ever-after you imagined (and even wistfully want just that little bit) but is just right anyway.

Right now, my experience is limited to only a few authors (although I plan to incorporate more works by more authors as I exhaust my sister's resources). My sister has introduced me to most of the authors in this genre that I've read--most recently Nora Roberts--but one was introduced to me by my old boss who passed on a recommendation from his wife, Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand. I enjoyed it so much, I bought my own copy and invested in some of the other titles she wrote. Reading romance novels is almost like watching chick flicks, a movie genre I like a lot (much to Scooter's chagrin). Not sure why I held romance novels at arm's length when I watch and enjoy so many chick flicks, and the two share so many themes. I don't have to over-analyze these books--I get to simply sit back and enjoy them. To feel them. Which yields a truly satisfying reading experience.

Here are some that I highly recommend for the curious:
Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand
In the Garden Trilogy by Nora Roberts
Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts
The Donovan Legacy Series by Nora Roberts
Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

I'll add more to the list as I think of them.