DIY Home: Olive Oil as Furniture Polish (untreated wood)

Kitchen tip for households with dull or dirty untreated wood furniture:

Is your untreated wood furniture dull or dirty? First, wipe surface with a lightly damp, warm towel to remove dirt. Let dry, and then use a folded paper towel and 1/8 tsp olive oil and buff the surface of the furniture. This oil buff will leave your furniture brighter and looking like new! Be careful, though: a little oil goes a long way. You don’t want to stain your furniture! I would suggest half a dime’s worth on the paper towel.

Inspiration for this tip:  Imagine my dismay when I made a water mark on my professor’s untreated side table. (I’m house-sitting, remember?) I didn’t mean to! I had no idea! I tried buffing out the ring with commercial furniture polish, and that product literally had NO effect. (That was a waste of 5 dollars! Harumph.) Then I showed my problem to Ronaldo, and he suggested buffing the mark with everyday oil, like olive oil. If it’s good for skin and hair, it’s good for wood, too! I was skeptical. How could this do a better job than a commercial, store-bought furniture polish? Come on! Umm, I was wrong. No more watermarks! See?

Phew! Saved by an everyday kitchen product!

Dinner time! Roasted Turkey Breast (with white wine)

Hey all,

I’ve been busy, as I mentioned a few days ago. And ugh, BB! It hasn’t helped that I agreed to take on a second summer job (working for an organization working with digitizing American Modernist magazines), and my dissertation advisor became a little concerned that I am overextending myself. Ugh, boo BB! I think I tend to say “yes” to things immediately (impulsively) and then figure out later that might not have been the best plan. Something I need to work on!

Anyway, my consolation is this Roasted Turkey Breast (with white wine ) by Ina Garten that I adapted, which turned out fabulously. Have I ever told you how much I love Ina? All her recipes become my favorites!

Turkey for dinner, yum!

I'll let Ron carve that! (He doesn't trust my clumsy self with a big knife!)

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Brandied Blueberry-Raspberry Sauce

Snow day!

Reading criticism of the children's book Little Women at my little desk. (Of course, my Peet's mug of coffee is almost empty!)

I woke up to light snow falling outside. Considering we didn’t have much of a winter, I actually welcomed a cozy day inside (spent doing some work and baking, of course). Last night I realized I had a pork tenderloin sitting in my freezer from WEEKS ago (eek!) and needed to use it today. I decided to make a roast. Roasting (as a cooking technique) is not only one of my favorite baking methods, but it also reminds me of the winter time. (How many chickens have I roasted on a cold day?) I also consider all roasted food a “comfort” food!

I know the basics of cooking with pork, but I wanted to see if I could experiment and pair it with some different flavors. I looked online and pieced together (from several different recipes) a meal fit for a queen (or king!): Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Brandied Blueberry-Raspberry Sauce (and greens)! I have Raspberry jam, but no raspberries. I have fresh blueberries, though, and a whole bottle of brandy just aching to be used. Plus, doesn’t this sound like a rich sauce? I’m including balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, berries, and a touch of applesauce in this sauce. I’m making it somewhat neutral and tart (not too savory or sweet) and using it after this meal for flavoring greek yogurt or ice cream! Yes! You know how I like good base recipes (which I can then recycle for something else), and this sauce is a winner. I also am stuffing the roast with fresh herbs, not stuffing. I want this pork to be aromatic and don’t need the stuffing (I already have tons of leftovers).

Herb-Stuffed Roast Pork with Brandied Raspberry-Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients for Herb-Stuffed Roast Pork:

1 pork tenderloin

Olive oil

a few sprigs of Fresh herbs (I had parsley and basil on hand)

2 Bay leaves

2 cloves of chopped garlic

Paprika (all spice amounts vary; enough to cover your pork tenderloin)

Pepper

Italian all-purpose seasoning

Blueberry-Raspberry Sauce Ingredients:

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup blueberries

2 tbsp Raspberry preserves

1 tsp honey

1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp applesauce

1 tbsp brandy

a pinch of brown sugar

a pinch of corn starch mixed with hot water

Directions: 

Carefully rinse pork, pat dry, and set onto a cutting board. Cut a small slit down the center of your pork, stuff with a few springs of fresh herbs and the bay leaves, and then use a toothpick or twine to seal back together.

Now that you’re done stuffing the pork, rub a tbsp of olive oil into the meat and then liberally season with the remaining dried herbs. Again, massage the seasoning into the meat. Place pork into an oiled roasting pan and bake for 60-70 minutes at a low heat, 325 or 335 degrees (depending on the size of your meat). If you’d like, roast some vegetables with your pork; I chopped apple, carrot, and potato and put into the bottom of pan for roasting.

While your pork roasts, make your sauce. Heat on low the blueberries, raspberry preserves, honey, applesauce, brown sugar, cinnamon, balsamic, and brandy. Heat for 5 minutes, allowing for the ingredients to reduce and for the flavors to marry. At the end, add a tiny amount of cornstarch (tsp of warm water and cornstarch) to thicken your sauce.

My improvised berry sauce (Sorry the picture is over-exposed...the stormy day made it dark in my house, and I'm also still learning how to use a camera!)

Take your roast out of the oven when done, and let rest for 5 minutes. Done! Time to enjoy your fabulous meal! I actually put some of the pork, roasted vegetables, and sauce on top of a bed of mixed greens and herbs. Honestly, this is pretty delicious! I am a little improvisational in the kitchen, and this turned out better than I expected! Cheers! Hope you have a fun Saturday!

My herb-stuffed pork loin and roasted vegetables atop a bed of greens and dressed with some of my tart Brandied-berry sauce. Lunch is served! (And I have tons of leftovers!)

(Light) Parmesan Kale and Potato Hash with Turkey Bacon

As a graduate student, my life is somewhat busy and hectic. I’m like any working person, really: teaching undergraduates during the day, reading and writing for public research at night, and trying to squeeze in my social life any where I can. This means I need quick-and-easy meals I can eat on the go! I love adapting leftovers to make creative other meals, and today’s lunch is no different. I had plain potato leftover from last night’s dinner, and I am using it today to make a comforting scramble of potato and kale. This meal is great for a number of reasons: Kale is high in nutrience, potatoes are a hearty, filling ingredient, turkey bacon is a lean protein, and olive oil is a known heart-healthy fat. This will keep you full for hours! I suggest adding to this “base” recipe ingredients like tofu, eggs, or even use sweet potatoes rather than white potatoes. Make extra and save for tomorrow!

(Light) Cheesy Kale and Potato Hash with Turkey Bacon

Ingredients:

1 large handful of Kale

1/2 to 2/3 cup  chicken broth (or water)

2 small red potatoes (or any leftover potato)

1 tbsp Olive Oil.

2 strips of Turkey Bacon (or a 1/3 of a chicken sausage)

2 shakes of red pepper flakes

Paprika, salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste

1-2 tbsp of parmesan cheese (you could use cheddar, or goat cheese for a more creamy dish)

Directions:

If no cooked potato on hand, cut two small cleaned potatoes into cubes and boil in saucepan with water until soft. In separate pan, fry two slices of turkey bacon in olive oil until cooked, and then roughly chop the bacon into smaller pieces and put back into pan. In the same pan, add bunch of cleaned, chopped kale and the broth, simmering together for ten minutes until the kale is wilted and soft. Drain excess liquid. Add the potatoes and cheese, and heat mixture together til piping hot. Add spices to taste, and voila! Lunch is served!

DIY Beauty: Coconut Oil as Moisturizer (coconut oil and rose essence)

Last night, I went on a limb and tried Coconut Oil as a moisturizer.

Coconut oil on your body? Sounds a bit weird, right? Coconuts are the new “craze” ingredient in the health industry, and I was skeptical of its hype and seemingly magical properties.  However, I have a friend who preaches the wonders of Coconut Oil: for hair, skin,  and overall beauty. (She has thick, unruly curly hair, and she uses Coconut Oil on her hair. )

Anyway, because I’ve become obsessed with creating new DIY projects, I decided to take a chance with the oil. I simply showered last night as usual, mixed a bit of cheap plain lotion in my hand along with some coconut oil, and spread this over my body as a night lotion. (I wasn’t prepared to make an official concoction til I saw results.)

I can honestly say–without any reservations—that I woke up with soft and smooth skin! The oil completely absorbed into my winter-weary skin, and I was really pleased with the results! Plus, Coconut Oil has a much more pleasant scent than, say, Olive Oil, and a little of it goes a long way. Inspired by my endeavor,  this weekend  I plan on making this more spreadable Coconut Beauty treatment, although I am altering the recipe by using Jojoba Oil and Rose essence. I also have made a Whipped Coconut Body Butter at home before, which I loved. If you don’t feel like making anything though, I suggest simply mixing in your hand a cheap, over-the-counter scented lotion with the Coconut Oil. Enjoy!

“Rosy Nights” Coconut Beauty treatment (Coconut Oil and rose essence) 

Ingredients:

1 jar of Coconut Oil

1 jar of Jojoba Oil (or Almond Oil,  Grapeseed Oil, etc.)

1/2 tbsp of Rose essential oil (you could also try Lavender, Orange, etc!)

1 jar for storage

Directions:

Place the Coconut Oil (which is hard at room temperature) in a warm water bath until it softens. Take the jar out of the water, dry, and then mix a scoop of the Coconut Oil with your choice of other oil (Almond, Jojoba, etc.) until it is thinned to your desired consistency. Add a drop of essential oil, blend, and then put into the jar for later usage. Happy nights are ahead!

Kickin’ Kale Chips

I’m feeling extra spicy today, so why not throw some heat into the standard Kale Chip recipe?

I am a Californian, and nothing reminds me more of home than a hot Mexico-inspired treat.

Kickin’ Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon Seasoned salt (Lawry’s)
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Chile powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 2 shakes of red pepper flakes

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease with oil.
• With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt
• Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes. You may want to toss the kale mid-baking time, so they will become evenly crisp!