Julie & Julia

I'm quite inspired. Yes. i've been looking at food blogs all day, with my left eye catching up on the latest heroes and fringe, so its only natural that I come across Julie & Julia.

What I find quite inspiring is that she has a dead end job, ok - not as dead end as mine, but she channels her frustrations through her hobby of cooking.

I'd love to document my life. Work, Craft, Cooking, Geekery . . . Ruby . . . refinding love.

But what I'm struggling with now is routine. But, in an epiphany, ones that you have when one is speaking out loud, just as a food diary is supposed to help someone who diets, this diary can help me document my 'routine'. I'm fully aware that a gazillion people do this. . especially after watching the film, but what the hell. . . . if a gazillion other people do this. . . why can't I.

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie with Candied Bacon

SERVES8

• ACTIVE TIME:30 MIN
• START TO FINISH:6 1/2 HR (INCLUDES FREEZING)

Candied bacon might seem like the ultimate example of gilding the lily, but it adds a sweet, smoky edge to this already luscious pie. Elvis would be proud.

• 7 bacon slices (about 6 ounces)
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• About 35 chocolate wafers, finely ground in a blender or food processor (about 2 cups crumbs)
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups chilled heavy cream
• 1/3 cup salted roasted peanuts, finely chopped

• EQUIPMENT:

  a 10-inch pie plate (6-cup capacity)

• Cook bacon (in 2 batches if necessary) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, turning once, until lightly browned on edges but still flexible, 5 to 6 minutes total per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Pour off fat from skillet and arrange bacon in skillet in 1 layer. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon over bacon and cook over low heat, turning occasionally with tongs, until sugar has dissolved and then caramelized (sugar melts very slowly and burns easily; reduce heat if necessary after sugar begins to caramelize) and coats bacon, 8 to 10 minutes. (Bacon will be dark and look lacquered.) Transfer bacon with tongs to a cutting board to cool. When bacon is cool, finely chop 5 slices, leaving remaining 2 slices whole.
• Stir together wafer crumbs and butter, then press onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Chill pie shell.
• Heat remaining 1/2 cup sugar and milk in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter and vanilla until combined well, then transfer to a bowl and cool completely in an ice bath, stirring occasionally.
• Beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold into peanut butter mixture with peanuts and chopped bacon gently but thoroughly. Transfer filling to pie shell, smoothing top.
• Cut remaining 2 bacon slices into 2-inch-long pieces and arrange in a decorative starburst shape in center of pie. Freeze pie, uncovered, until frozen hard, about 5 hours. Let pie soften slightly in refrigerator before serving, about 30 minutes.

COOKS’ NOTE:

Pie can be frozen, covered after 5 hours with plastic wrap and foil, up to 2 days.

Spaghetti with Walnuts, Fennel, and Peas

Fennel adds flavor, plus fiber and potassium

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Nutrition Score per serving:

(2 cups): 478 calories, 16 g fat (30% of calories), 1 g saturated fat, 73 g carbs, 16 g protein, 16 g fiber, 121 mg calcium, 4 mg iron, 319 mg sodium

Ingredients

2/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
10 ounces whole-grain thin spaghetti
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bulbs fennel, fronds and ends trimmed, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen petite peas, thawed
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Grated Parmesan and fennel
fronds (optional)

Directions

Toast walnuts in a heavy skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large wok or saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add fennel and stir-fry over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes or until slightly softened. Add peas, broth, and salt and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, to keep mixture warm until pasta is done.

Drain cooked spaghetti and add to wok with fennel mixture. Toss with walnuts, parsley, and lemon zest. Garnish with Parmesan and fennel fronds, if desired.