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Women Who Code : Game Making

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Women Who Code : Game Making

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Women Who Code : Game Making

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Women Who Code : Game Making

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity3D

Women Who Code : Game Making with Unity 3D is a weekly meet up for women who want to learn to make games or work on their current game. Whether you are an artist, programmer, audio designer or complete beginner, you can start making a game immediately.

We use Unity3D, a professional game making software.

The meet up is free and dinner is provided.

Here's the link to sign up.

Beet Salad from Diavola

I went to Sonoma for the first time last Saturday with my brother and two of his friends. The wine tastings were fun, but I was really there for the food. For lunch, we went to Diavola and had a fucking pleasant time. I’m trying to mock a beet salad that they served. Here is my first attempt:

Sauce

2 tbsp. hummus

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 dash Worchester

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. oil

Mix all of this together for your sauce.

Salad Stuffs

2 peeled Persian cucumbers, about 1 cup

4 small/medium beets, cooked through and peeled

1/3 cup Italian feta, sheep’s milk

2 stems parsley or 6 leaves

2 small stems thyme

1/3 cup red onions, sliced thin

2 cups arugula

1 tsp. truffle oil

salt + pepper

Cut cucumbers into ½” cubes. Cut feta into ½” cubes. Cut beets into ½” cubes. Chop parsley finely and clean the little thyme leaves from their stems. Toss truffle oil with arugula. Mix hummus sauce with cucumber, beets, feta, parsley, thyme, and onion. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper and toss. Add lightly oiled arugula and toss together.

Fried Beans

1 cup cooked white beans, lima or Northern

1 – 3 tbsp. olive oil, depending on your level of decadence

salt + pepper

Drain beans, rinse in water, drain again, and pat dry with towel. (Water will in hot oil will spit like crazy.) Heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add beans and toss. Let them sizzle for 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy and browned, tossing occasionally. Add salt and pepper. Let cool.

Toss beans with arugula and beet salad. Serve.

Results:

This was really good, but I can do better. Next time:

English cucumbers instead of Persian: The Persian cucumbers were a little to grassy and bitter. I just want some watery crunch so I’ll do English next time.

Chives or green onions instead of red onion: The red onion is fine, but the chives will pack a little more garlic-y onion taste and the green will be pretty.

Mozzarella instead of Feta: Wow. The feta I bought was good, but intense. I want something a little more cooling for next time. Milky chunks of mozzarella.

Santa Cruz vacation cooking with friends and family

Thank you, Delphine, for the photos!

Crispy Kale

I was going camping in Yosemite in March and I wanted to bring snacks. I always miss vegetables when I'm camping, but it's tough to bring fresh veggies to Yosemite in the Winter because everything freezes. Sooo... I crisped up some superfood. This recipe is very versatile. Add whatever spices you think sound good or take out the ones that you don't want. Just make sure not to over salt it and keep in mind that the kale shrinks a lot as its moisture evaporates in the oven.

Ingredients

1 lb. kale

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

1/8 tsp salt.

red pepper flakes

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

*parmesan cheese, to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Toss the kale with enough olive oil to moisten the kale. Add salt, pepper flakes, garlic, and parmesan and toss. Spread your kale out evenly on the two cookie sheets and put into the oven for about 30 minutes. Bake until all of the kale is crispy. Enjoy!

*If you don't have parmesan, you can also use some of the desiccated cheese powder from a pack of mac and cheese. Seriously, it works beautifully.

Beast and the Hare

Beast and the Hare is one of my favorite restaurants in the Mission. I give it 4/5 stars. Best charcuterie plate in town. It comes with housemade pickles and if you order it, make sure and choose the smoked duck and paté de champagne. Favorites on the menu: duck lasagnette, butternut squash and pecorino kale, and osso bucco. Although the desserts were simple, the salted caramel pot de crème and beignets with orange caramel are two solid choices. Book in advance for this place. They fill up quickly.

Fried Chicken and Buttermilk Waffles

Fried Chicken

2 cups buttermilk

¼ cups Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. black pepper

2 lbs. chicken breast tenders*

3 cups all-purpose flour**

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. dry mustard

2 tsp. cayenne

1 ½ tsp. black pepper

5 cups peanut or canola oil

In a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag or Tupperware of similar capacity, mix buttermilk, Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken pieces. Seal bag and squeeze out air. Turn bag to coat chicken evenly. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days, turning plastic bag occasionally.

Stir flour, baking powder, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons dry mustard, 3 teaspoons cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish. Take out half of the flour mixture and put it into a bowl. Spread the flour mixture in the glass container evenly around the dish Without shaking off the marinade, place chicken on top of the flour in the glass dish. Sprinkle on the rest of the flour mixture from the bowl over the chicken pieces. Let chicken sit in flour mixture for an hour at room temperature and turn chicken in flour mixture if it requires further coating.

Pour oil to depth of 1 1/4 inches into deep 10- to 11-inch-diameter pot. Attach deep-fry thermometer. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Add 4-6 pieces of chicken to oil. It is important not to overcrowd the pot. The cold chicken will tank the temperature of the hot oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and fry 5 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature between 280°F and 300°F (oil should bubble constantly around chicken). Using wooden spoons, turn chicken over. Fry another 2 to 3 minutes or until breading is golden brown and crispy. Remove chicken with wooden spoons and place on paper towels.

Reheat oil to 350°F. Repeat frying with remaining pieces of chicken. Serve chicken warm or at room temperature within 2 hours, or chill up to 1 day and serve cold.

*If you happen to have bacon fat from a recent cooking adventure, add that to your cooking oil to make chicken a little bacon-y.

Waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour**

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

¾ stick (6 tbsp.) unsalted butter

2 eggs

vegetable oil for waffle iron

Put oven rack in middle position and put a large metal cooling rack directly on it. Preheat oven to 250°F. This will serve to keep finished waffles warm while you cook the rest.

Preheat waffle iron.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs in another bowl, then whisk the wet mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Do not overmix or your waffles will be tough.

Brush hot waffle iron lightly with vegetable oil and pour a slightly rounded 1/2 cup of batter into each waffle mold. Cook waffles according to manufacturer's instructions until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer cooked waffles to rack in oven to keep warm, keeping waffles in 1 layer to stay crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Place two or three strips of fried chicken on a waffle and drizzle maple syrup or sweet mustard over. Serve with favorite dark green veggie. (so you don’t feel as bad about the fried chicken and waffles)

*You can use other chicken parts like drumsticks or even start with a whole chicken, cut apart. Cooking times will vary.

**Gluten free version: Just replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour mix.

Pumpkin Coconut Curry

1 ½ lbs pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 large onion, sliced

6 button mushrooms, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

½ lb green beans, stems removed and cut in half

2-4 red chilies, sliced in half

5 cloves garlic, minced

300 ml coconut milk

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp curry powder

1 inch ginger, grated

1 tbsp butter

½ tsp salt

quinoa or rice, as accompaniment

Mix the chilies, garlic, ginger and spices in a bowl. Add coconut milk gradually and stir.

Place butter in a large frying pan and turn heat on medium high. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, add onions and sauté until soft. This will only take a few minutes.

Add pumpkin, mushrooms, and red pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add green beans. Now add the coconut mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pumpkin is tender, but not mushy or overcooked. Add about ½ tsp salt and taste for adjustments.

*If the pan is getting too dry, you may add water (start with ¼ cup).

When the pumpkin is cooked and the sauce is thick, take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. This will allow the dish to cool down and the sauce to thicken.

Serve over rice or quinoa.

**You can serve it with roasted peanuts or cashews if you are looking to add some protein. Add raisins for sweetness and coolness, if desired.

#vegetarian #prep ahead

Pumpkin Coconut Curry

1 ½ lbs pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 large onion, sliced

6 button mushrooms, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

½ lb green beans, stems removed and cut in half

2-4 red chilies, sliced in half

5 cloves garlic, minced

300 ml coconut milk

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp curry powder

1 inch ginger, grated

1 tbsp butter

½ tsp salt

quinoa or rice, as accompaniment

Mix the chilies, garlic, ginger and spices in a bowl. Add coconut milk gradually and stir.

Place butter in a large frying pan and turn heat on medium high. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, add onions and sauté until soft. This will only take a few minutes.

Add pumpkin, mushrooms, and red pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add green beans. Now add the coconut mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pumpkin is tender, but not mushy or overcooked. Add about ½ tsp salt and taste for adjustments.

*If the pan is getting too dry, you may add water (start with ¼ cup).

When the pumpkin is cooked and the sauce is thick, take off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. This will allow the dish to cool down and the sauce to thicken.

Serve over rice or quinoa.

**You can serve it with roasted peanuts or cashews if you are looking to add some protein. Add raisins for sweetness and coolness, if desired.

Snicker Doodles

These are soft inside and crispy on the outside, rolled in cinnamon sugar. I rolled mine in a mixture of cinnamon and cardamon.

Makes about forty five 3-inch cookies

Ingredients

3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp sugar

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Take care not to over mix or the cookies will be tough. Take out the paddle and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and position oven racks in the upper and bottom thirds of the oven. Mix the 2 tbsp of sugar with the cinnamon on a plate or in a bowl. Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Space cookies 2 inches apart on a greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies puff up.

*Have fun and try different spices besides cinnamon, like nutmeg or cardamon. I did mine with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp cardamon. It was better than Grandma's. Sorry Grandma.

**If prepping ahead, roll the dough into balls and refrigerate or freeze for later use. When you're ready to bake the cookies, roll the frozen or cold balls in the sugar-spice mix and place directly on the baking sheet or parchment paper.

#cookies #easy #prep ahead

Garlic-Oregano Shrimp in Cream Tomato Sauce w/Pasta

This dish is easy, impressive, and delicious.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pound raw peeled large shrimp

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp dried oregano

½ cup sweet red vermouth

1 (14 to 15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

¼ cup to ½ cup cream

1/2 tsp lemon juice

8 to 10 oz pasta

Prep your shrimp: If using shrimp, thaw several hours ahead at room temperature or if you’re in a hurry, see below *. I put my shrimp on a towel to absorb some of the excess water; this helps them to brown and caramelize in the oil. Mix salt, pepper and oregano in a little bowl.

Boil water for pasta ahead of time (3 tbsp salt for 6 quarts water).

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. If you’re not sure if the oil is hot yet, flick a little bit of water from your fingers into the skillet and if it’s hot, the water will spit back at you. Sprinkle half of the oregano-salt-pepper mix on the shrimp and let them cook for a minute or two, until browned. Turn the shrimp and sprinkle the rest of the oregano mixture over the shrimp. Sprinkle the garlic over too. ** Let cook for another minute or two, until both sides are browned and shrimp is barely cooked.

Add vermouth and tomatoes and scrape up any brown, caramelized bits from the bottom of pan. Add cream to taste (more if you want a richer sauce) and add lemon juice.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente. I generally find that this is up to 2 minutes before the time listed on the box. Drain cooked pasta and rinse with a little bit of cold water to stop it from cooking. Add completely drained pasta to shrimp and tomato cream sauce and stir together. It is ready to serve.

*To speed up the thawing of your shrimp, seal the shrimp in a bag that does not leak. Place the bag in the sink or in a bowl and run cool water over the bag. You don’t want the water warm or hot, just room temperature. As liquid is a better conductor of temperature than a gas (air), your shrimp will thaw out more quickly this way.

**Garlic burns easily and only takes about 30 seconds to cook so it is added later.

Krua Thai

We go here all the time because it's right outside our apartment. I love Thai food and while it's not the best Thai, food it's pretty good and very reasonable priced. I give it 3.5/5 stars. I always wonder why it's not very full, though. I think that it's because the fancy and chic interior may Krua look more expensive than it actually is. We ordered way too much food and had plant for leftovers: Thai iced coffee, pad thai, beef broccoli, and pumpkin with red coconut curry. Total bill: $49, including tax/tip. I really don't care for the pad thai. I find it overly sweet and boring, but Tyler likes it. I was very happy, however, with the beef broccoli and pumpkin dish, which I had the next day for lunch. Below are some pics of our half-eaten food.

#$$

Marc Abrigo at Stage Werx, stand-up

Ten of us went to see Marc Abrigo at Stage Werx. He brought the house down. We all went to the Armory Club afterwards for drinks.

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