Laptop Lunches #67

A sliced nectarine, a few chocolates, sweet-and-spicy pickled onions, shrimp stir fry with bok choy and red pepper, and calrose rice.

The stir fry recipe, which was quite simple to make, came from that America's Test Kitchen Cooking for Two 2010. Honestly, I use those cookbooks more than any others I've ever owned, except maybe the Joy of Cooking or the Dinner Doctor (might be a tie with those two). But lately, using them has been such a relief to me--cooking small amounts is easier and ends up being better for the budget and for making the food more appetizing. Their portions are sometimes on the bigger size than I'd make for two meals, but there is a world of difference between eating something three or four times and eating it for nine straight days. (On about day 5, you make an excuse, eat other things, and eventually throw out the stuff when you can't bear to look at it anymore). And they give tips on how to use stuff up, too--so, you have half a red bell pepper? Here's what you can do with that...

I've been investing in more and more dishes and cookware to support my cooking-in-miniature, too, which has been fun. It's not the same life I had when I was having dinner parties by any means, but who has time to give dinner parties while writing a dissertation? It's about brain food. I write well on fresh fruit, stir-fried veggies and lean meat, rice, and a little chocolate--much better than on leftover pizza, hoagies, and ramen noodles. And I've discovered, when I pay off my credit card each month, that I'm spending a lot less (which seems counter-intuitive--everybody seems to push buying in bulk and cooking to match).

Well, I've pontificated enough for one day! See you tomorrow.