Yesterday

Posted on July 20, 2011 by kaprise

I wrote this nearly a month ago, but I never got around to posting the recipe, so I’ve attached the recipe and pictures.

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Yesterday I ran 18 miles. I ran 16 blissfully uninterrupted miles, but as the sun sank rapidly I lost sight of the pavement and tripped. This time (unlike last time) I only scraped up my palms. The bruises and gashes on my legs finally healed, but now my palms are the unfortunate victim of running. Today, I went on a 4 mile hike… and you know what? I feel amazing.

Most people don’t understand why I run… and I find it hard to put into words. But mostly, I love it because I have to dig deep and find the courage and strength to do it. You know, at mile 10 when the sun is setting and you’re the only person still running, you have to fight back the quitter in you. You have to put your feet on the ground and move. And, the only thing that keeps you going is YOU. Running is a testament to the strength and the good inner fiber you have. It shows you the power you have over everything else. It’s not about control or anything else – it is about your insides. Your guts. Do you have it or not? Because even when your feet hurt, you want to cry, your underwear is giving you blisters, your music died, and the only thing you can hear is your rasping breath against everything else – you can prevail. That’s what running is about for me. It’s a test of faith in the strength that I have inside me.

Anyway, yesterday when I was standing in CVS with blood dripping down my arm and panting while I picked out band-aids and antiseptic I laughed a little. Mostly because I honestly contemplated running 2 more miles with the blood trickling down my arms before going to the drug store to patch myself up. Because, the goal was 20 and I had only finished 18 when I reached the 24hr CVS.

And since I’ve really only been regaling you all with stories and commentary on myself (I mean really, what a narcissist!) These are chocolate cookies. They aren’t very good the day after, and you absolutely have to underbake them for them to be as yummy as you want them to be. In fact, they’re a bit fussy, but I love them. To combat the dry cookie crumb you get the day after, you should scoop balls of them and freeze them and bake as you want to eat them. I only make 6 cookies at a time because they’re just not good unless they are fresh out of the oven.

Chocolate Cookies (Modified from the back of the Ghiradelli bag!)

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of chocolate chips, measured and then melted

In a heavy bottomed pan gently melt the chocolate chips. I use an All-Clad skillet, heated on high for a few minutes before throwing in the chips and letting it sit off the heat until the chips have melted down and I can stir them easily. Or just be a normal person and use a double boiler. Let the chocolate cool.
In a bowl, beat the butter and both sugars until light and creamy
Add the eggs, beating well after each addition
All at once, add flour, salt, and baking soda and stir until well incorporated
In a thin stream, incorporate the cooled chocolate and dough.
Drop tablespoons of cookie dough two inches apart on cookie sheets and bake at 375 for about 10 minutes
Note: These cookies are best just a bit uncooked, so once the dough poufs, remove them from the oven for perfectly baked cookies. Once the cookies cool, they deflate a little and form a perfectly chewy interior.

Distracted

Posted on July 19, 2011 by kaprise

This summer has been really weird. I started working immediately after finals… and if you have ever talked to a law student after finals after over you understand how mentally weird law people can get by sitting alone in the dark reading statutes. My job, as a research assistant, was literally to sit in the library (again) all summer reading random things and taking notes. And to top it off, all of my friends have been out of town, or working crazy hours at law firms. But, that’s all good because I really needed time to train for the marathon (the first one for me!)… but then I got some really strange arch injury, and then I tripped and scraped/bruised both legs, hips and elbows. And then when I finally started hitting the groove again, I fell during my long run (my fault for running at 10pm). And, because I didn’t want anyone to discourage me, I didn’t really tell anyone I was training for a marathon and I ran most of my runs alone. You know what that does to someone? It makes you a little weird. I mean. I’m weird to begin with… but I’ve never spent so much time staring out my window in lala land. Then my friend said he was trying to get his 5K time to under 20 minutes, so I immediately volunteered to run with him. It’s awesome because it switches up my routine, but when we’re done with the 3 miles, I feel like my legs should keep going. And then last week, on my eight mile run I felt my foot start to hurt, so I proactively stopped. And then I have all sorts of creepy dreams about running.

So, short story, I’ve been really distracted and forgetful. I haven’t really cooked all summer because I crave things like cold bread and pounds of steak. And I really think that you guys know how to sear steak 5 minutes on each side for a perfect medium rare.

Anyway – I made this pasta salad a couple weeks ago, and much to my delight, the beets that I tossed into the pasta turned the noodles hot pink!

Hot Pink Beet Pasta Salad (a Kaprise Kitchen original)

14 crabs, meticulously picked apart – about 2 cups of crab meat
1 pound of pasta suitable for pasta salad. I used the twirly kind because I like the orange and green ones
2 beet roots, roasted in a foil packet at 400 F for 30-40 minutes until tender, cooled, peeled, and cubed
The leafy stalks of the beet roots, washed and blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, cooled and chopped
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 cup of chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup of toasted flaked almond
16 oz of black olives, sliced
Salad dressing of your choice, or balsamic vinegar reduction

I discussed the crabs and the ridiculous amount of time I spent picking at them, so see that post please.
For roasted beets – please reference Funnyeater‘s commentary on roasted beets.
While the beets are roasting, assemble the remainder of the ingredients – boil a large, salted pot of water and cook the pasta until very al-dente. My pasta’s suggested cooking time was 10 minutes, so I cooked for 8 before draining well and rinsing with cold water.
For blanched beet greens – simply wash the greens thoroughly before plunging into boiling water until the greens wilt. Drain the greens well and chiffonade.
For chopped peppers, celery, and olives – feel free to chop as small or large as you like, and feel free to use any other type of vegetable that keeps well in pasta salad.
Once all of the ingredients are assembled, toss all the ingredients in a large bowl with a touch of olive oil (to keep things from sticking too much). I left the crab meat out so I could top the salad with the crab meat and almonds… it looks prettier
Drizzle the salad with salad dressing or balsamic vinegar reduction (which I find a little lighter since a teensy dab of it goes a long way).

Change

Posted on June 30, 2011 by kaprise

I have a whole passel of recipes for you. Hot pink pasta, a little run in with crabs (man those things move FAST), chicken salad the way Jon likes it, and all of this other stuff… but some how in the last two weeks this has gotten lost in the shuffle. Plus, I got my new camera and I play with that thing all day. And then my job… and then my running. I mean. I just don’t know where all the time went… but a lot of it has been spent rolling around in piles of clothing as I try to clean out my closet. It’s just so…. BLAH and after I take everything out I just nap in the piles. I must be taking after my dog these days.

Anyway, since I don’t have my recipes together, or my kitchen…I’ve been throwing everything willnilly into the dishwasher these days. Dear All-Clad. Forgive me… I’m sharing a little bit about me for comic amusement or otherwise.

I used to love ice cream. Love it. I’d let it melt and stir it together and call it Monster Soup. And then eat it. I was a weird kid. But… I realized this year that I don’t actually like it. If I have ice cream in my freezer, it’ll sit there until it gets all icy and then I throw it out.
I already knew this, but people are always surprised when I say it. I hate frosting. It’s gross. It’s sugar and crap on a cake. I also hate corner pieces of cake and cupcakes for this reason… so much freaking frosting.
Yesterday, I wore this fluffy dress to work. But the side of it got bunched up under my bag as I was walking, which I didn’t realize. So by the time I got to work, I was showing a good portion of Kaprise Kitchen ass.
I sent my puppy to my parents house while I get my stuff together for my marathon… and this morning I woke up and instinctively reached for my puppy. So. I miss her.
I wear a hat when I run because I don’t want people to see my face. I’m not cute when I run. I get read and I grimace.
Today I am wearing an outfit that I wore when I was 16. It’s a little tight, but I’m wearing it anyway.
I hate people who cheat. I despise cheaters. Cheating is bad. I had an ex once tell me that if “everyone is doing it, it’s not cheating, it’s the standard” which I think is the worst theory on earth. It’s even stupider than telling me the earth is flat. Cheating is bad and it just tells everyone else how insecure and stupid you are. No matter what, we all need to have standards. My standard? Cheating is bad. Lying is bad. And these are things that should never be done

Right. Back to work. I have a big run today. I’ll let you know how it goes!

xoxo

Me?!

Posted on June 18, 2011 by kaprise

A new friend, waefarer, recently tagged and nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award! I was in one of those half dazes, so when I read her comment I did one of those dumb kid faces and went… “huh??” and just to show you how in love with my puppy I am I immediately thought, “She likes my doggie?! ME TOO!” Regardless of my silliness, Ms. waefarer very kindly nominated me for the award, and posted the requirements of the nomination. 1. Thank the person who nominated you, 2. Tell 7 random facts about yourself, 3. Pass the nomination on to 7 other bloggers.

Ready?

1. Ms. waefarer – thank you so much for the nomination. I hadn’t read your blog prior, but now that I have, I can see why others have nominated you too. Your insights and your honesty are compelling and I really enjoyed reading your posts!

2. Tell 7 random facts about yourself: I often write lists of things that I think of on this blog. So, I will try my hardest to list things that I haven’t already shared

At any given time, if someone were to ask me “what are you thinking?” I would honestly have to say “nothing.” I never realized that the majority of the population is thinking about something all of the time… but me? Not a thing. I have to actively think about thinking to have something running through my head. The only times I can honestly say that my head is occupied is in the first mile of my run when I’m working through my day and chewing over the fact that I probably look ridiculous in my spandex and that my face jiggles when I run. (Overshare? Too bad.)
No matter what, I have to take a shower before I get in bed. I used to have this idea as a kid that germs stuck to my clothing, so I had to shower and change into “clean” clothes before getting into my “clean” bed, otherwise the bad germs would follow me to bed. Regardless, the habit has stuck, and no matter how tired I am, I always take a shower before I go to bed. I can think of a handful of times when I haven’t, but those may or may not have been because I may or may not have had an extra glass of wine at dinner.
I try to be as nice as I can to everyone I meet because my mommy told me to and because I need to have a leg to stand on when I rip into someone for being an ass. (Seriously.)
I don’t understand the phrase “the one that got away.” I believe that in relationships if either person thinks about leaving or wants out at any point… it’s over. So, to me, if the other person wants to leave, then they should. I won’t stop them or beg. If they wanted to go, I will let them. They don’t get away… we just move on in life.
I can read extremely fast. I never realized this was a talent I had, but my sister told me it is. I can read a 300+ novel in less than it takes to fly from New York to Miami. However! Law school textbooks? It’ll take me the better part of a week to get through 300 pages, unless seriously motivated by the impending doom of an exam.
My beauty routine is irritatingly fast to my girl friends. I can take a shower, do my hair and makeup, dress, and be out the door in less than 30 minutes.
I have never said, “I love you” to a boyfriend and meant it.

3. Nominate 7 bloggers

Koritt at Funny Eater – She posts recipes, comments about her day, and how she goes about eating with a busy schedule. She’s real and fun.
Luisa at The Wednesday Chef – Luisa has some amazing recipes, and I’ve been following her blog for the last two years. Her recipes and posts have gotten me through some horribly boring law school lectures!
Connie at Oui Chef Cook – Because her blog has tips, facts, and advice on things that I am constantly googling. She has amazing insights on how to cook, and her blog always makes me want to try cooking something new. And, when I made softshell crabs and was squealing in the kitchen like a monkey – she immediately tweeted back to my frantic tweets!
Sara at Sprouted Kitchen – Because her recipes are they way real people cook for themselves. She has amazing pictures and she’s super pretty!
Becky at Chef Reinvented – She posts some interesting facts about fish and techniques on cooking fish. I don’t cook with fish often, but I like the insight!
Running and Stuff – A blog with tons of information about running and personal experiences on ultramarathoning. I don’t often like reading other runner blogs because people are just so crazy… but this one I like
Mercedes at Desert Candy – She has some amazing and unique recipes… I stumbled across her blog when I was looking for a random recipe and have followed along since.

Thank you again for the nomination!

Alone Time

Posted on June 15, 2011 by kaprise

I came to law school in the fall of 2009. I was thrilled to be in a new city and starting law school. I met Jason the first day of law school, and we dated until the following August. Then in September, I serendipitously met Chris, which then turned into the raging catastrophe of my law school career. We parted ways at the beginning of 2011, and I felt as if I was suddenly free. I felt wonderfully alone. I reveled in the silence and the complete lack of commitment to a single needy individual. Instead, I was suddenly free to do whatever I wanted. I thoroughly enjoyed my spring semester free of any romantic attachments and threw myself into my studies.

Then, a couple days ago, I met with some law school friends who were recounting hysterical stories about how these parties they had attended, or a dinner party someone had hosted. At first, I was indignant that I hadn’t been invited… but then I remembered all of the times that the men in my life demanded more of my time. And as the obliging girlfriend, I would put my friends second. I was usurped by the boyfriends, and whatever they wanted. I didn’t understand or know how to say no. I just followed. I’ve since learned better. I have learned to tell people to leave me be. I need my alone time.

The other day, I commented that I felt lonely to a friend and he was so shocked he dropped his phone. He wanted to know how I managed to feel anything… between the running, the baking/cooking, the social events, work, and painting – how did I feel anything? And you know what? He’s right… there is no time for pity or loneliness. We only live once, and we should live it fully.

I truly believe that in life, we make mistakes and then we move on and learn from them. So, despite feeling bereft because I missed out on all of these things because I stupidly over-prioritized my boyfriends, I decided never to let moments pass me by. I know that in this life, I am not a follower. I am a force to be reckoned with… I just forgot for a small blip because I was enthralled by relationships and the “we” instead of the “me.”

However, even though we should all strive to be a force to be reckoned with, a tidal wave of greatness… we do need to eat. As my training for the SF Marathon intensifies (before I start to taper in July), I need meals that are quick and delicious. Carbs, vegetables, and protein are important in replenishing my body when I fleet footedly run 30+miles a week.

This pasta is something that takes 30 minutes from start to finishing the bowl. This time I didn’t add protein, but occasionally I’ll throw some clams, chicken, or strip steak in to make it stick to my ribs a bit more. The pasta is simple, and probably can be made from whatever is in your kitchen right now. I used whole wheat pasta and salted butter.

Pasta for the Runner In You (Kaprise Kitchen style)

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
1/4 -1/2 cup of frozen corn, spinach, or other vegetable you want to include
4 tomatoes, cubed
1/2 cup of dry white wine
salt/pepper to taste
parsley, chopped
2 servings of pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add pasta and cook to al dente
Since my pasta only took 9 minutes to cook, I started my sauce a couple minutes before I added the pasta to the water
Melt butter in a saucepan until foamy
Stir in garlic and saute until translucent
Add white wine and stir in tomatoes
Simmer gently, adding the vegetables you desire to the sauce
Salt and pepper sauce as needed
Once the pasta has been drained, toss the pasta with the sauce and parsley.
Sprinkle a bit of cheese over the top and enjoy!!

Easy right??

Pick One

Posted on June 8, 2011 by kaprise

My friend and I have been bouncing questions off each other for the past couple weeks. We ask each other impossible scenarios, like if you were stranded in the desert and you had to pick between a six pack of mountain dew and a donkey, what would you pick? And the answers are always amusing… plus it’s a fun way to pass time. Today, I asked if there was only one thing that you could be talented in, what would it be? My friend is still mulling over an answer, but I instantly thought music. I would want to be talented playing piano in the most utterly beautiful way… because no matter where you are or who you are, everyone understands music. Cooking and running are close behind… but if there was only one thing I know I’d pick music. It’s the universal language, and we live by the steady beats of our hearts. Music is everywhere.

What about you?

Getting Geared Up

Posted on June 6, 2011 by kaprise

Did I tell you I’m training for the San Francisco Marathon? (http://www.thesfmarathon.com/) Well… I am. It’s July 31, which is just about 8 weeks from now!! I’m getting very excited! I’ve been amping up my workouts and running more and more.

Anyway, the point is… I haven’t been to San Francisco since I was a high school student (you know, a decade or so ago)

So. Where does one go?

Summer Break

Posted on May 31, 2011 by kaprise

After finals, and that one final niggling paper that I had (and finished with a full hour to spare!), I was thrilled to be done and excited to be school-free. I was looking forward to racing in the Maryland Half Marathon… and then as I crossed the finish line, I felt something snap in my foot. I tried to run, but my foot started to really hurt… So I did the smart thing, and put my running shoes away. I gave myself 7 days. But during those 7 days, I was losing my mind. I never realized what a big chunk of time running takes up… and how much time I spend plotting routes and getting ready for my runs. But, there I was with my feet in ice water and trying to take it easy. When the 7 days was FINALLY up, I laced up my shoes and shot out of my door with my music, THRILLED to be back on my feet. I was supposed to run an easy 3 miles to make sure the foot was feeling better, but just as I was settling into my 1st mile, my feet slipped on the curb and I fell (cartoon style) flat on my face. I scraped both of my palms, my left elbow, and my left knee. I tried to run the next mile, but ended up limping back home with blood pooling in my left shoe. That curb really took a chunk out of my arms and legs!

So, I am finally (after over 2 weeks of resting) ready to run again!!! But the point is, I am back. I will post new and delicious recipes soon!!!

Final Thoughts of My 2L Year

Posted on May 13, 2011 by kaprise

I’m in the last few hours of my 2L year. After a grueling three weeks of exam studying and writing… I’m sitting in the library in the waning time and furiously typing to finalize my paper.

When I first came to law school, I came with the intention of learning to protect myself and my loved ones. I wanted to know what laws would protect me, and which ones would prevent others from taking advantage of me… but in the 2 years I have been here… I’m not sure I learned any of that. I know how to turn the words of the law into offensive replies. I know how the law has been used to the advantage of people who do not need the help of law to survive. I have written hundreds of pages about the multiple interpretation of law, and how it can be construed to benefit whichever side the professor sees fit.

I’m writing a paper on how court made law is constructed to protect the interests of the government and their violations of constitutional rights of individuals. And for me, this is the hardest paper I will write this year and it’s a mere 12 pages. Hard because I know my professor believes that the government’s interests are paramount to anything else. And I disagree. I believe that the law is to protect the country, it is to protect the people that do not have a voice and that cannot recover from damages to their person. I believe the intention of law is to protect, and to make us better people together. Instead, I’m writing a paper about the permissibility of constitutional right violations. You know, those rights that we are inherently born with. Freedom, speech, and our own sense of self. So, I’m sitting here trying to come up with reasons why we should let some people trample on our rights. Why? I understand the doctrine underlying the principles – we don’t want to clog the legal system with lawsuits against government officials who are trying to do their jobs… but there are some government officials that really need to be taken to court and cleaned from head to toe. And… what does that mean? A government official can stomp on my inherent rights as a human and a U.S. Citizen… AND on top of it, I can’t assert my rights to take him to court to have justice. And how about him? Does that mean he can take ME to court if I violate his rights as a person? Something is not right here…

And this is not the only place where I have felt that we, as a nation, have forgotten the purpose of law. Law is not to hurt each other. Law is for protection and guidance. And yet, here I am writing pages on how to screw my fellow people – the ones that need their rights and voices most.

ALMOST DONE

Posted on May 11, 2011 by kaprise

I have two more days left of utter hell before I am finally done with 2L year. This morning, I woke up at 6 and immediately started writing. At 4:50pm I turned in my 21 page (single spaced) cert paper. The deadline was 5:00pm. SWEET!

Now, I’m writing another paper… on immunity. I just don’t remember what it is… oh dear. Anyway, these are some things that I own and adore.

Mango Wood Bowl – I normally fill this with the candy of the month and leave it on my counter. But I love this bowl because I bought it in undergrad when I was having a bad day… and it’s pretty. It’s the perfect shape and size for candy and it looks nice on my counter.