never again.

You know, I’ve been wondering what kind of shirt to definitely never wear with a pixie cut, and I think I’ve got it now. Won’t make that mistake twice. Especially the part about the rolled up sleeves.

GPOWT 4.12.2011

He’s chewing the cardboard box in the corner. I walk over, he starts hopping in circles around me, sees I have my phone out as a camera, stands on his hind legs, tilts his head, and looks up at me. HAM.

I’m worthless.

Chicken Pad See Ew

When I lived in Central Texas, I used to go to an awesome Thai food restaurant with one of my favorite people in the entire world, Dani. Mostly, I miss those times, but I also really miss that food.

If you haven’t guessed, they don’t have Thai food in my neck of the timberland forest.

Asian food is really intimidating to me, because I don’t understand the spices and sauces. It all just seems magical and, you guessed it… foreign.

But last night, the craving became too much for me to suppress, and I succumbed to my ambitions. It was one of the easiest meals I’ve ever made, and quite possibly THE most delicious (Yup, I said it.) Luke and I each ate two portions, and were still kind of wanting more.

Chicken Pad See Ew (East Texas Style)
serves two really hungry people

10 ounces “No Yolks” egg noodles*
1/4 cup, plus more as necessary, olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small chicken breasts, thinly sliced (makes about 1 cup)
6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
1 cup fresh broccoli florets

Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente (don’t overcook!!). Drain, set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a wok over high heat. Add minced garlic. It will pop and sizzle, so be careful! The high heat is necessary for an authentic Thai flavor, but if you start getting stressed or feeling rushed, you can lower the heat a bit.

Add sliced chicken, stir to cook. Once it begins to brown, add the cooked noodles. Stir to separate any noodles that are stuck together.

Add the soy sauce and the sugar, stir until everything is well coated.

Using a wooden spatula, open a spot in the middle of the wok and crack both eggs in the open spot. Stir until the egg begins to solidify, and then stir it into the noodles. Add broccoli florets, and stir continuously until the broccoli begins to wilt, about two minutes.

If the dish seems a little dry, drizzle a little additional olive oil over the dish, and stir well. Serve with Sriracha hot sauce on the side– I smother mine with it!

*Authentically, you’d use wide, flat rice noodles, but they were unavailable to me. I bought 12 ounce bag of yolk free egg noodles, cooked the whole bag, and didn’t quite use all of it. So, the 10 ounces is approximate.

Kelsey May

design/story

I love design/story! Have you checked it out yet? If not, and you like awesome home goods, click here to get started!

GPOWT 4.6.2011

Waffles thought he wanted to try yoga, but as soon as he saw what it entails he was over it.

Red Velvet Cake?

2007, Hummingbird Bakery, Notting Hill, United Kingdom.

I need your help.

Back story: Those cupcakes were amazing.

That moment marks the very first time I had ever heard about how great red velvet cake is. Both of the cupcakes pictured are red velvet, and both consumers of the red velvet cakes were totally enamored with that flavor. Apparently, red velvet is some exotic, delectable, scrumptious delight.

I never knew.

Obviously, you can tell my cupcake preference by my choices down at the bottom of the picture. Cutesy pink with sprinkles, or dark double fudge with a crumb coating.

But ever since this moment, I have been trying to figure out what it is that’s so special about red velvet cake. It’s obviously won the hearts of millions of people, but I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I mean, it’s just a tiny bit of cocoa in a big white cake colored red, right?

So someone please leave a comment explaining why it’s so good. Help me. I want to understand. I want to be part of the cool group.

Kelsey May

April Fool’s Day

Today I tried to convince Luke to tell his students that we were trying to get pregnant, but that I wasn’t able to carry a baby, so he was going to have to carry it for me.

And that this weekend, we’d be going to Houston to have the embryo surgically inserted into him, and that they should be expecting some extreme changes in his body and hormones over the next few months.

And that there were a lot of exercises that he needed to do to prepare, and that the students would need to help him do them correctly.

He said he didn’t think they would be stupid enough to believe it. I think anyone will believe anything if you’re convincing enough.

Next Year.

Kelsey May

Fettucini With Clam Sauce

For Christmas, Luke’s parents gave me a pasta roller/cutter attachment for my Kitchenaid.  I have been dying to use it, and finally had an opportunity last Friday night.  Most people like to go out on Friday nights, to dinner, or a movie, or dancing, or whatever.  I like to set aside a good hour and a half to make homemade pasta. Wild Child!

Homemade pasta calls for a truly spectacular pasta sauce, and my adapted version of Pioneer Woman’s Clam Sauce did the trick.

I might have made enough for two, and eaten both portions. It’s possible. I’m not saying I did, I’m just saying it’s POSSIBLE. Let’s move on.

This sauce is amazing, is all I’m saying.  I was skeptical during the entire cooking process.  I kept tasting it, and it tasted too… something.  Or not enough… something.  But with the addition of parmesan cheese at the finish, it was suddenly and miraculously perfect.  Slam dunk the pfunk.

Pasta with Clam Sauce
(serves 2 restrained, or 1 indulgent adult)

1/2 pound fettucini
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 oz) clams, drained, juice reserved
1/3 cup white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
6 yellow cherry tomatoes, cut into small chunks

Cook the fettucini until al dente*. Overcooked pasta will certainly ruin this beautiful dish!

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt the olive oil and butter. Stir in the minced garlic and clams. Cook for a few minutes, until clams are heated through. Pour in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until sauce is reduced and less watery, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon. Pour in the milk. Add salt and pepper, stir well, and taste. If the sauce seems too thick, add some clam juice to thin it out. Add the parmesan cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted into the sauce. Add the drained pasta and toss until the pasta is well covered. Add chopped tomatoes, divide between two bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve. Enjoy!

Kelsey May

*Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the term al dente, it’s when pasta is cooked to a point where there is still some resistance to it. It won’t be sticky when you bite into it, but it almost seems just undercooked. It’s hard to explain, but once you cook pasta al dente once, then you’ll get it. The point is that pasta should never be overcooked, and unless you shock pasta by rinsing it with cold water as soon as it’s done, it will continue to cook in it’s own heat. So always remove your pasta from the water it’s cooking in as soon as it reaches al dente, to avoid limp, swollen noodles.  If it needs to sit while you are preparing sauce, toss with a little bit of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

GPOYW 3.30.2011

Bed Head.

Baby Aspen

Today, I’m wishing I could relive this day. During one of the roughest summers ever for my family, when nobody was home but me, and I helped my mom’s horse deliver her foal.

If you ever in your life have a chance to experience this, you should choose it.

Kelsey May