Labels: baking, gingerbread

Lest I be the one with all the fun, I give you Minestrone A La Lapin.

1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup of olive oil
4 cloves of large garlic (if the garlic is smaller 8)
1 onion
4 stalks of celery
4 carrots
2 leeks
1 small can tomato paste
2 tablespoon flat parsley minced
2 large potatoes
1 cup lentils
1 can peas
1 can cannelli beans
1 tablespoon salt
pepper to taste
2 beef bouillion cubes
3 quarts of water
1/4 cup pastina
parmesan cheese

Heat butter and oil over low to moderate heat. While the butter melts, mince garlic and chop onion, leeks, carrots, and celery. Add to the pot. Once the onions are golden, add the tomato paste and parsley. Stir and cook for five minutes. While these are cooking, peel and cut potatoes. Throw in the potatoes, lentils, peas, and cannelli beans. Simmer for twenty minutes. Add water, bouillion cubes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat stirring occassionally for one hour and half. Add pastina. Simmer for another half hour. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and ground pepper. Resist the urge to eat a bowl immediately. Fail to resist and have a bowl, but remember it will taste even better tomorrow. Fall asleep on the couch with a warm purring cat on your lap and tummy full of butter rich goodness.

My Newest Hobby

While I was sitting with my grandmother in the hospital on Christmas Eve, I had her teach me how to crochet. Actually she taught me once when I was seven, but I made a few potholders and forgot about it. Part of it was I had some very domestic friends, and I wanted show them that I am not the bloodless academic or the complete hedonist that some asume that I am. So I took to crocheting. I bought a book in January, and now I give y0u the signature Sunny Bunny scarf. Designed to keep even the most wallowing depressive upbeat during the darker months.

I finished this scarf this morning while I was listening to Drowning Pool. As my friend coffeeslave said, "Only you." I told her this is one of the rites of freakdom. Looking like I do, people stare anyway. What are they going to stare less? They expect me to do freaky things. So I'm not going to deprive myself of the pleasure of crocheting to whatever music I want.

Incidentally did y0u know there is a knitting curse? I asked the lovely Snow to find a crochet pattern for a hat and she was all fire and brimstone, that I couldn't make it for a man. It's the knitter's curse she said. Make something for a man and he'll leave ya. So I asked her if I could comission Bakerina to make a hat and then give it as as gift. That is apparently is ok. Somehow having a friend being frighteningly domestic is ok as long as it isn't you. But the lovely teacher at Knit NY assured me that the knitters curse is only for sweaters, something as easy to make as a scarf or a hat is acceptable. Of course, now the inspiration for to make a hat has passed and now I'm plotting to make a handbag and a wrap. Still it's good to know. (The curse is real. And DOES effect scarves and hats. Basically don't make anything for your boyfriend until your married. Period.)

The Salvatore Dali Magic Eight Ball

If only I had the Salvatore Dali Magic 8 Ball AKA the Hills Have Eyes Stress Ball (I'm going to pretend not to be depressed about my favorite two lines being cut from the remake), I could have asked it "Is it ok to make him a hat? What is that? A nose? What the hell does that mean? I think I'll just go watch Saw II then." (Ah the nose knows, as they say. I shouldn't have made him the hat or the scarf. I actually should have crocheted him a straitjacket. On the other hand, he did give me hours of scientology matieral and can you really place a price on that? Oh wait I think they have-20% of your income and permanent enslavement to Tom Cruise.)