Preparing to Travel

After lots of research I decided it would be best to fly him. I was extremely nervous about this and spent weeks scouring the internet for tips and advice. Thankfully, Isaac and I made it to California safely, though it felt a bit harrowing during the time!

To prepare I purchased Isaac a TSA-approved vest. I also already had a soft-sided carrier that I used for occasional drives back home to St. Louis. The TSA-approved vest was very important because you have to take the animal out of their carrier so that the carrier can be x-rayed.

The Journey

The night before our flight we went to a pet-friendly hotel near O’Hare to stay the night. Luckily my dad drove me which at least minimized some of the stress of that part of the journey. Thanks to some internet tips I had read beforehand, I knew to bring a portable litter box, food, and water bowl, with small bags of litter that could be tossed later.

The next day, our time came to head to the airport. We hopped on a free shuttle and made our way, my heart racing as we got closer and closer to our destination.

I flew United, which imposes a $125 extra fee for pets. Oddly though when I checked in, no one seemed to mind or care that I had a pet with me. I actually had to chase someone down at the check-in desk to make sure they were aware I had a pet and to get my receipt.

I was most worried about taking Isaac out of his carrier for security since I knew it would expose him to chaos of the airport. And boy, was he unhappy. He reluctantly let me take him out of the bag, groaning and digging his claws into me as I held onto him and put the bag through. The guy behind me remarked “oh isn’t he cute…” anything but!! It was also in this moment that I realized *just how* noisy airports really are, something you don’t notice until it really matters.

We made it through safely. I think the TSA was sympathetic because they even helped me get my belongings and Isaac safely back in the bag.

Now, my cat is not small. He easily clocks in at 17 pounds. With the hardest part behind us, I still had to drag him to our gate (not close!) and was crossing my fingers that the bag would fit under the seat safely.

Isaac and I boarded the plane and made our way to our seat. The bag fit nicely underneath.

This was perhaps the longest 4-hours of my life. He mewed softly a few times which tugged at my heart. I didn’t want to risk unzipping the bag so I just rubbed the sides of his carrier to let him know I was here and that he was okay. I don’t think my neighbor, conked out for most of the trip, even noticed. At one point I heard someone wonder, “is there a cat on board?”, so his presence was largely unfelt.

By the time we arrived I was exhausted from the stress of the journey and physical exertion of dragging him around. After a short bus ride at the airport we made it to the rental car agency, got our rental car, and were on our way to our new home.

Settling In

Isaac sniffed around his new home for a few minutes, and then quickly settled in with me on our makeshift bed. A week later the movers arrived with the rest of our belongings, and Isaac was back to being a happy cat who loves boxes.

A few weeks later, the experience was behind him, as he peacefully soaked up the California sun in his new home.

What do you think?

Have you ever traveled with a pet? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments!

Paneer has always been an obsession of mine. I have on prior occasions tried to make it from scratch but have never seemed to get it quite right. Determined to make use of my milk and do better, I decided to give it another shot.

Now, what to pair with my paneer? I looked up several traditional recipes, but feeling a bit daunted by the sheer amount of ingredients required for the paneer tikka marinade, I ultimately decided I wanted to do something a bit different.

Knowing that paneer is basically the tofu of cheese, I realized it would take on pretty much anything I flavored with it. So for this recipe I decided to try a miso marinade, paired with basmati rice and roasted onions.

Before You Start

In this recipe I aimed to make everything from scratch. Because of the time required to let the paneer settle and then marinate, it easily became an all day affair. When planning your meal, you may want to make the paneer the day before and let it marinate over night. Or, you can skip some of the steps, for example, by buying store bought paneer.

The Recipe

Yield: About 2 servings

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients

• For the Paneer
  • 2 qts milk (I used raw) — NOT UHT (ultra high temp pasteurized)
  • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice (or vinegar or yogurt)
• For the Miso Marinade
  • 1/3 cup miso paste (light or dark, I tried both)
  • 1/4 cup mirin rice wine
  • 3 tbsp alcohol (e.g. sake, wine, whiskey – your choice!)
• For the Rice
  • 3/4 cup basmati rice
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp butter
•  Accompaniments
  • 1 red onion
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper

Other Things

• Very large pot for heating the milk
• Medium pot for the rice
• Small bowls for mixing ingredients
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing spoons
• Cheesecloth
• Foil, preferably non-stick
• Baking sheet
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• (Optional) container for speeding up the marinating process (such as this one)

Instructions

Steps 1-7: Paneer

(1) Heat 2 qts of milk on medium until boiling.

You know how they say a watched pot never boils? I can confirm that this is absolutely true. I turned by back for one second and the milk boiled over!! Take my misfortunate as a warning!

This should take around 8-10 minutes.

 

(2) As soon as the milk reaches boiling, turn the heat down to low.

 

(3) Curdle the milk by adding about 2 tbsp lemon juice.

This will cause the whey to separate from the curds. It should happen rather quickly – within 1 to 2 minutes. If the separation does not happen quickly add a bit more lemon juice until it starts. I ended up adding about 3 tbsp in total.

Note – you CANNOT use ultra high temperature pasteurized (UHT) milk as you will not be able to separate the whey from the curds. Pasteurized or raw milk are both okay.

 

(4) Strain the milk through a cheesecloth to separate whey from the curds. Rinse with water to remove any lemon residue.

If desired, you can save the whey for other recipes, but it isn’t required for this one!

(5) Hang the cheese for ~5-10 minutes to let the whey gently separate from the curds.

(6) Place a heavy object on the cheese to allow the paneer to firm up. Place in the fridge for about 1 hour.

(7) After 1 hour, remove the paneer from the fridge and cut into large slices.

 

Steps 8-11: Marinade

(8) When the paneer is ready, you’re ready to make the marinade. Combine 1/3 cup miso paste, 1/4 cup mirin rice wine, and 3 tbsp alcohol into a mixing bowl.

For this experiment I decided to try my recipe with both light and dark miso. It is up to you what you prefer. Light will be a bit sweeter than the dark.

(9) Cover the paneer fully with the marinade.

(10) (Optional) Put the paneer in a marinating container.

This can help speed up the process, but is not strictly required.

(11) Let the paneer marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.

I left mine in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Steps 12-16: Roasted Paneer in the Oven

(12) Once the paneer is done marinating, you’re ready to roast. Start by preheating the oven to 400 F.

(13) Slice the red onion into large slices.

I chose to pair my paneer with red onion, but you can certainly try any veggie that you prefer.

To properly slice the onion, first cut off one end and peel the outside. Then cut in half and place each half flat side down, leaving the root intact to help keep the onion together.Make vertical slices, then finish by cutting off the root.

(14) Prepare a baking sheet with foil, preferably non-stick.

(15) Toss the onions in olive oil with a bit of salt and pepper and spread around the pan.

(16) Add the marinated paneer to the pan and place in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until well roasted and browned.

Steps 17-19: Rice

(17) Combine 3/4 cup basmati rice, 3/4 cup water, and 1 tbsp butter into a pot and bring to a boil.

(18) As soon as the pot comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and leave for around 15 minutes or until rice has fully absorbed the water.

(19) Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

FINAL PRODUCT

Combine roasted onions, paneer, and rice on a plate and enjoy!

The Verdict

Wow, this was really really delicious. The paneer took on the flavors of the miso beautifully. I enjoyed both marinades, especially the lighter miso which had a nice slightly sweet flavor that paired well with the cheese. Yum!

What do you think?

Have you tried this recipe? Have you experimented with other variations? Let me know in comments!

Helpful Links

Thanks to the following blogs that offered inspiration for this dish.

https://myfoodstory.com/tandoori-paneer-tikka-oven-recipe/

https://indianhealthyrecipes.com/how-to-make-paneer-cubes-at-home/

https://skillet.lifehacker.com/make-this-simple-miso-marinade-for-all-of-your-meaty-ne-1796723345

Ostkaka is a Swedish cheesecake (pronounced oost-a-kah-kah by my dad). It has become somewhat of a legend to me.

I have heard my dad talk so many times about enjoying his mother’s cooking. In particular, ostkaka, was a favorite that my grandmother made on the family farm. Sadly my grandmother passed shortly before I was born so I never got to try it firsthand.

One of the main ingredients in my grandmother’s recipe is raw milk. This is somewhat hard to get – in fact, only 13 states allow raw milk to be sold in retail stores, and my home state is not one of them. According to my dad, he has tried many times to remake this ostkaka recipe but has never quite succeeded due to the difficulty of obtaining raw milk.

But recently, I moved to California where raw milk can be more easily obtained. Coinciding with this, my mom happened upon a handwritten recipe from Grandma herself that she gifted to me on my recent birthday:

I am my grandmother’s namesake, so I have always felt a particular fondness for her even though we never met. Many times people will remark how we have similar interests and personalities which only deepens my fondness. So I suddenly became obsessed with the idea of trying out this recipe – written in my grandmother’s own handwriting, using ingredients true and authentic to her recipe.

On to the ostkaka.

The Recipe

In writing is a transcription of her recipe with my additional comments and suggestions below.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Ingredients

• 4 qts raw milk (fresh and unpasteurized if available) – if not, bottled
• 2 junket (rennet) tablets
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• (If desired) berry compote/jam to accompany

Other Things

• Very large pot for heating the milk
• Medium sized and small sized bowl for mixing ingredients
• Measuring spoons
• Pyrex type baking dish – about 8in x 11in
• Mixing spoons
• Thermometer for measuring the temperature of the milk
• Cheesecloth or fine strainer
• Whisk for beating the eggs

Instructions

Verdict

I have to say that I have always appreciated the Swedish taste – not too sweet, and not too salty, and this ostkaka does not disappoint.

I first tried it hot, straight off the stove, with a bit of boysenberry jam. Lingonberries might be a bit more authentic but the boysenberry purchased from my local farmer’s market was divine.

Later I tried again after cooling in the fridge all night and the ostkaka had a much nicer texture – more firm/chunky than custard but less so than a typical American cheesecake.

Thanks, Grandma, for leaving behind such a wonderful recipe to try.

What do you think?

Have you tried this recipe? Have you tried making your own family dishes? Let me know in comments!

HELPFUL LINKS

Thanks to the following blogs for helping me figure out the techniques required for this dish:

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/50-Ostakaka.html

https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-beat-eggs-3050527

Enter: the food box revolution. Not so long ago, I learned about the concept of food boxes and became immediately hooked. First with Blue Apron, and now with my latest obsession Home Chef (note – Home Chef links includes a $30 off offer for new subscribers!).

Home Chef

For starters, Home Chef allows you to make fun meals such as this creative, Halloween-inspired Shepherd’s pie that you would never before consider. How cute are these goblins?

This Chicago-based service offers convenience (ingredients delivered right to your door) and education (I’m learning how to cook!). Best of all, I don’t have to worry about deciding what I’m going to cook each week – Home Chef has a menu of around 10-12 meals each week to choose from.

On the menu this week is this tasty “Steak with Crash Potatoes”.  I’m convinced that food boxes may actually save money for singles and couples. No longer do you need to buy an entire carton of heavy cream for just that one dish – Home Chef provides exactly what you need. Hoorah!

Home Chef contains clear step by step directions with pictures to help you along the way. They even include helpful tips such as this one “sauces are perfectly thickened or ‘nappe’…when they coat the back of a spoon or you can draw a line through the sauce…” so that you’ll learn to be a master chef in no time.

After about 30 minutes of cooking, my masterpiece is done and ready to enjoy. I swear, I’m becoming spoiled by the quality of food I get to enjoy. It’s like having a professionally restaurant cooked meal at home every evening.

What’s the Downside?

As you can tell I’m a huge fan and it’s really hard to come up with a downside.  But a few things you may want to consider:

• The base plan is for 2-person meals. I’ve gotten around this by refrigerating one of the plates for lunch or dinner the next day.
• If you’re feeling lazy (like I sometimes do), making a 30-45 minute meal isn’t high on the list of things to do.
• Home Chef automatically assumes you want a delivery each week unless you decline – so you’ll want to make sure you pay close attention to when deliveries are coming.

Bottom Line

With it’s variety, creativity, and deliciousness, Home Chef is a winner. Try it today.

Have you tried any food box services? Tell me in the comments below!

Welcome to the era of the digital art frame. A far cry from the unimpressive but convenient photo frames that have gained popularity of the past few years, digital art frames are specifically designed to showcase fine art.

After much research I purchased a KLIO, a product from Art.com (see klioart.com). The frame is quite impressive, featuring a 41 inch screen (diagonal) and stunning 4K display for a reasonable $999.

Why Digital Art?

I know what you’re thinking – why would I ever purchase a device to display digital art when a TV or print would work just as well? I too was skeptical until I started researching it more, and now that I have the device in my home I’ve decided that it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.

Yes, the digital representation of paintings is impressive. I mean, you can literally see the brush strokes. The 4K resolution also means that you can get up close and personal, details emerging as you step nearer to appreciate the works of art.

But what makes this even better is that the digital frame opens up new possibilities for artwork by embracing what makes this medium so special. That’s because the KLIO also features animated forms of art – paintings that suddenly and surprisingly come to life.

See for yourself with this snippet of a Van Gogh that surprises you with the subtle introduction of new characters to the scene. Other art forms include works that evolve over the course of a day, or year. You can even display an image of the Big Ben that shows the real time.

Setup

Setup was a breeze! After connecting to wi-fi, the KLIO automatically took me through a few steps to upgrade the software and connect my account to the KLIO service. Access to the KLIO service with 300+ works of art is included for free for the first year. KLIO expects the service to cost $10/month after that. Rest assured, you can also upload your own images in .JPG or .PNG format anytime.

And….done!

Within a few minutes, I was happily exploring the wide range of content that is automatically available to all KLIO owners.

I chose to hang my KLIO over my new Besta console (purchased at Ikea) using the mounts that were included with the device. As an extra precaution, I also used drywall anchors (purchased separately).

Ready for Prime Time

Here’s a look at my finished KLIO, with completed console, ready to enjoy!

I asked one of my friends if he would “believe me” if I said that this wasn’t a real painting. Turns out the cable (and my curious question) gave it away, so I suppose we’ll leave hiding the cable for another day, another project.

Learn More

More about the KLIO at klioart.com

Houzz has a couple of the best writeups of the digital art frame movement that I’ve seen:

• New Digital Art Frame Gets Put To The Test
• Is The Timing Finally Right For Framed Digital Art?

What do you think?

Let me know in the comments!