Chicago: Become Familiar with its Distinctive Neighborhoods

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I hurt my left wrist yesterday, I shit you not, while air drumming.

haha, i've done this too, though not seriously. i think it's because your movements are waaay more exaggerated than when you actually have a stick in your hand.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:25 (sixteen years ago) link

I'm going to start an Air Drumming Awareness Organization.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:26 (sixteen years ago) link

do any of you have a good vegetarian lasagna recipe you can send me? i just want regular lasagna, with noodles, sauce, cheese, and mmmmmmmaybe spinach. no eggplant, zucchini, squash, anything else like that. classic lasagna.

n/a, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:43 (sixteen years ago) link

hmmm can't you just make regular lasagna without the meat if you don't want veggies in it

sauce noodles sauce cheese sauce noodles repeat until pan is full

i give glucosamine to my elder doggie for his joints. maybe i should take it too.

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:48 (sixteen years ago) link

We made lasagna last weekend. I can send you a recipe later. We did two kinds: 1) spinach and bechamel sauce, and 2) mushroom and marinara sauce. But they both had the same base of no-boil noodles and three kinds of cheese: parmesan, fontina, and cottage (the latter substituting for ricotta and barely noticeable, if you're not a fan of cottage, which I'm not).

jaymc, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:48 (sixteen years ago) link

I AM STUPID AND I NEED A RECIPE

n/a, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:49 (sixteen years ago) link

i actually don't like ricotta or cottage cheese but apparently some is necessary for lasagna

n/a, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:50 (sixteen years ago) link

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cheese-Lasagna/Detail.aspx looks pretty similar to one we did from jamie's italy (the only jamie oliver cookbook i like)

i'd like to make more pasta bakes this winter.

jaymc, did you make the bechamel sauce yourself or was it ready made? i'm always scared to try stuff like that.

colette, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:51 (sixteen years ago) link

zukes are awes in lasag

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:52 (sixteen years ago) link

We made the bechamel ourselves. Or rather, Kr did. I don't remember what was in it. The recipe was from Cook's Illustrated.

jaymc, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:53 (sixteen years ago) link

i use low fat ricotta and it has never bothered me -- i'm not a fan of ricotta generally. if you want to put some frozen spinach in there just layer with the sauce/cheese OR mix in with the cheese for minimal noticing of the spinach. also remember an egg in the cheese mixture to hold it together.

i guess i just usually don't use a recipe for pasta dishes.

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:54 (sixteen years ago) link

i can't tell the difference between frozen spinach and fresh in something that's cooked to hell like lasagna is, so that's why i recommend frozen (chopped, in the bag not the weird box) for ease.

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:55 (sixteen years ago) link

See, here's the thing: with this recipe we used, the lasagna only has to be cooked for 20 minutes. We blanched the spinach first, so it stayed moist and fresh.

jaymc, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:57 (sixteen years ago) link

mmm, this is making me hungry! i'm not sure PB&J is going to cut it, but alas that's what i've got. but lovely leftover art of pizza stuffed pizza for dinner tonight, which is certainly in the same family.

colette, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:57 (sixteen years ago) link

oh yeah, 20 min is very short! i usually cook it for like an hour. honestly, i learned how to make lasagna from reading the noodle box.

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:58 (sixteen years ago) link


Spinach Lasagna

The Problem: A test kitchen sampling of representative recipes revealed that most cookbook authors tried to add "personality" by seasoning the lasagna with extraneous, bold ingredients. One, with an excess of garlic and bunches of basil, tasted not like spinach but pesto. Another was overwhelmed by pungent Gorgonzola. Tomato-based spinach lasagnas (which are quite common) weren't much good either, although the acidic, sweet tomatoes distracted tasters from the slimy spinach--perhaps a blessing in disguise.

The Goal: In northern Italy, where traditional spinach lasagna has its roots, cooks keep things simple, combining layers of homemade pasta, fresh spinach, béchamel (white sauce), and cheese. It makes an ideal entrée for informal dinner parties, given its delicate flavors and straightforward ingredient list. A successful spinach lasagna contains fresh, green spinach highlighted by a delicate, savory sauce, tender noodles, and mild, creamy cheese.

The Solution: Start with no-boil noodles but soak them in hot tap water for five-minutes to soften. Blanch the spinach and then wring out to remove all excess water. Layer the noodles and spinach with traditional béchamel, fontina, and Parmesan cheeses and, instead of ricotta, use cottage cheese. The cottage cheese, pureed with an egg to smooth out its curds, may be heretical to a northern Italian cook, but it provides a pleasing tang and extra creaminess without the distinct, somewhat dry layer created by ricotta. Bake just 20 minutes in the oven and then brown quickly under the broiler.

The rest of the recipe is only online for subscribers, but I can transcribe later.

jaymc, Monday, 10 December 2007 17:58 (sixteen years ago) link

oh wow, do i get online access with the subscription i got as a wedding present? that would be great, i can't believe i didn't know that before.

colette, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:00 (sixteen years ago) link

pizza stuffed pizza?!

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:05 (sixteen years ago) link

i will eat ricotta but i'm not a huge fan either. i think i was scarred by some terrible calzones in my past.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:07 (sixteen years ago) link

jesus christ, i called a jewish bookstore in milwaukee to get a gift certificate for my mom, and OVER THE PHONE they ask what i do in town and if i'm still in school and if i'm interested in attending some events over at the jewish center. these people.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:34 (sixteen years ago) link

Did you say "I'm particularly interested in eating bacon, do you have a bacon night?"

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link

hahaha
also haha: jesus christ, i called a jewish bookstore...

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:36 (sixteen years ago) link

i've been watching a lot of curb your enthusiasm lately. the one with the orthodox jews at the ski lodge = omg.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:38 (sixteen years ago) link

Yeah, but why didn't Rachel call someone to help them herself?

jaymc, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:43 (sixteen years ago) link

Good point! It would have been better if they didn't force the cell phone in so that Larry could make that call at the end.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:48 (sixteen years ago) link

try the recipe that john's talking about. krista brought me some and it was really fucking good. i <3 me some spinach lasagna.

JuliaA, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:54 (sixteen years ago) link

does anyone else bother with hotmail accounts anymore? i haven't been able to get into mine for days because of this new windows live thing. i did a google search and found lots of complaints from ppl who couldn't get into their email, and also this post:

Hello i live in Kenya and i just opened my windows live email I.D and i am loving it everyday

this shit is srsly annoying me though.

JuliaA, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:57 (sixteen years ago) link

All my personal stuff is on Gmail now and spammy/ordering stuff is on Yahoo.

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 18:58 (sixteen years ago) link

Ha, that prompted me to look at my email and I got a reminder that I had agreed to go to this tonight:

http://www.genart.org/event.view.htm?itemid=2145

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:01 (sixteen years ago) link

I have too many friends still using hotmail. I finally convinced one to switch to gmail, and gmail prompty suspended his account for a few days because they thought he was a spambot for some reason. :(

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:03 (sixteen years ago) link

my plate is full tonight, stew making, baby sitting, record release show going, beer drinking, regret making, etc.

chicago kevin, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:03 (sixteen years ago) link

who put the prompt in the prompty prompty prompt

what a weird word

La Lechera, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:04 (sixteen years ago) link

mss (dpm)%

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:05 (sixteen years ago) link

am i an evil person for only emailing my family from my hotmail spammy/ordering account, and leaving my personal gmail account non-family?

my mom does spam me with bs forwards though.

JuliaA, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:07 (sixteen years ago) link

kevin, i hope you are scheduling the regret-making after the baby-sitting.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:10 (sixteen years ago) link

my mom is coming to town to make latkes tonight.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:11 (sixteen years ago) link

baby-making, regret-sitting

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:11 (sixteen years ago) link

Enjoy that xp

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:11 (sixteen years ago) link

kevin, i hope you are scheduling the regret-making after the baby-sitting.

yeah, i'm *hoping* i won't have to do the baby sitting as caring for an actual infant baby scares the living crap out of me. i told them they should just prop the kid up on a bar stool during soundcheck. they sell earplugs there, i don't know what the problem is.

chicago kevin, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:22 (sixteen years ago) link

The problem is that can she even hold her own head up yet? Actually she probably can, she's older than I originally thought.

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:28 (sixteen years ago) link

they've got a car seat, strap that thing to a stool.

chicago kevin, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:31 (sixteen years ago) link

Baby is going to be posting here tomorrow bitching about tall people at shows.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:37 (sixteen years ago) link

They raise 'em right in Chicago.

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 19:41 (sixteen years ago) link

I just ate a scone that didn't completely suck. This is a breakthrough.

Jesse, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:29 (sixteen years ago) link

a winner is you

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:31 (sixteen years ago) link

apparently kids are still into ska? and have ska bands? i don't know if this is reassuring or worrying.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:36 (sixteen years ago) link

It gives them a reason to learn the trombone, I guess.

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link

I like it when brass instruments stay relevant.

Laurel, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link

^^^i have very mixed feelings about this. although, one of our best trombone players started in ska.

Jordan, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:39 (sixteen years ago) link

good ska is good music, bad ska is bad music

dan m, Monday, 10 December 2007 20:42 (sixteen years ago) link


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