Cheater Korean Beef Bowl | Damn Delicious

Studying Time: 4 hours
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Recipe: Cheater Korean Beef Bowl | Damn Delicious

SO GOOD! You know how that old woman on Patch Adams wanted to swim in a huge bowl full of noodles for her last wish in life? This is what I want to do with this dish. It was delicious! It would be even faster if I would have made the rice before hand. Very delicious and we ate enough for four people. Highly recommend.

Surrealism

In non-cooking news (that's the study portion of this blog, after all!), I was assigned to work on creating a surreal image for my Media Design class. I originally created the image on the bottom right, but my professor suggested cropping the photo for a more balanced image (left). It definitely makes the image stronger. 

I really like surrealism, so getting the opportunity to create a surreal image was enjoyable. To complete this assignment, I used Photoshop.  I used a photo I took while driving cross country as the background. There was a huge lightening storm and I captured a lightening bolt. I then used the polygonal lasso to "grab" my fiance and our puppy from a picture I took for the original photo assignment and moved them into the background image. I wanted them to look like they were floating, so I also copied over their shadow as a layer. I wanted the picture to look spookier, so I rendered some clouds and adjusted the levels a bit. Then, I was enjoying the assignment, so I decided to take a shot of my fingers that I took from the original photo shoot and put them into the picture for more emphasis on scale and proportion. I like that it looks like the image I created is one photograph and that I am trying to "grab" them from the outside.

Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli

Studying Time: 0
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Ravioli

J and I really like to make pumpkin ravioli. We have a handmade version, but it takes a really long time to make! When we saw these at Trader Joe's, we knew what we were making for dinner tonight. I quickly browned 2 TB of butter while the ravioli cooked, then through in the sage leaves, dusted with Parmesan cheese, tossed and served with the beet salad and garlic bread. The garlic bread is just a loaf of Italian bread with 2 TB butter, rubbed with garlic and dusted with cheese. Wrapped it in foil and broiled. Quick and looks so fancy!

Miller's and the Movies

Studying Time: 0
Cooking Time: 0
Driving Time: 25 minutes
Restaurant: Miller's 

Millers is not one of my favorite places, but sometimes J wants to go there. There isn't a real reason why I don't particularly like it. The food is solid and the service is always quick. I guess it's because it's another one of those restaurants on Long Island that seem like a chain even though it isn't. I got a Philly and J got cajun chicken pasta. Both were decent. I love a good Philly, but there's better to be had elsewhere. Like Vito's in Bountiful!

Little Mexico

Studying Time: Four hours
Cooking Time: 0
Driving Time: 20 minutes
Restaurant: Little Mexico 

We've searched and searched for decent Mexican food on Long Island. Little Mexico in Westbury is the closest thing we have found. And for $2, the tacos al pastor and ground beef tacos are preeeeetty delicious. 

French Onion Soup | Mountain Mama Cooks

Studying Time: Three hours
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Recipe: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup | Mountain Mama Cooks

I found a recipe from a cook back home and thought French Onion soup sounded amazing. Unfortunately, I tried to make a creative substitute and it didn't turn out well. I haven't ever liked soup from Crockpots, so I don't know why I thought this one would be different. I'm sure it would've tasted better had a used the dry sherry the recipe called for rather than black currant balsamic vinegar. Bad idea!

Engagement Pictures {and sushi!}

Studying Time: 0
Cooking Time: 0
Driving Time: 50 minutes
Restaurant: Sushi Gallery Brooklyn

J and I went over to Brooklyn to have our engagements pictures taken. Our photographer was really nice and kept us laughing. Afterwards, we were starving (I took four hours getting ready and skipped lunch. I know.) so we stopped by a small sushi place. Sushi makes me so happy. Just thinking about it is enough to make me hungry! There are so many varieties and combinations that vary from place to place, but our favorite is always a roll with eel on it. This particular place had a delicious dragon roll with spicy mayo and eel. I don't know how authentic that is, but it sure is good. This place wasn't as good as our favorite Long Island sushi joint (Taka), nor was it as good as our favorite Lake Elsinore sushi joint (Hana), but it was good and definitely hit the spot after a long day!