Author Archives: Joe

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#475)

Various bread baking supplies and ingredients (including about 5lbs. of live starter which later exploded–literally!–in my refrigerator), and a 6qt. professional-grade mixer. Urban Simplicity.

A Few Intersting Buildings I Saw While Riding Home Today…

One of the many things I enjoy about riding a bike, and one of the many things I enjoy about living in Buffalo, is being able to ride around and admire our incredible architectural history. And I was thinking just this today as I rode home. I had a camera with me so I snappedContinue reading “A Few Intersting Buildings I Saw While Riding Home Today…”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#473 & #474)

#473 (first photo)…a large cardboard box stuffed full of leftover hors d’œuvres on their way to a local food pantry. #474 (second photo)…four boxes–two cardboard and two plastic–containing, among other things, 12 small loaves of freshly baked whole wheat bread, a few dozen grissini (bread sticks), and a few dozen fatayer (Lebanese spinach pies). UrbanContinue reading “Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#473 & #474)”

Bean Curd and Mixed Vegetables!

I’ve posted this in the past but not in a while so I thought I would re-post it. This is one of my favorite Asian recipes. It is really easy to make and really delicious (and nutritious, too). The only difference in the recipe pictured and the one written below is that I used aContinue reading “Bean Curd and Mixed Vegetables!”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#472)

Nearly everything needed to cater a small party. Including–but not limited to–ingredients, pots and pans, small-wares, a portable stove, and two small canisters of propane.Urban Simplicity.

How to Make a Really Flavorful Vegetable Soup in Twenty Minutes (seriously!)

Okay, so it may take longer than twenty minutes to cut all the vegetables, but if you have them cut (or in my case–being the chef–have someone else cut them for you), this is a really quick and simple process. What is a soup anyway? Just some chopped up stuff cooked in broth, right? Well,Continue reading “How to Make a Really Flavorful Vegetable Soup in Twenty Minutes (seriously!)”

The View from My Handlebars (and a song)…

The artist (Matt) covering the side of a building at Allen and Park Streets, announcing (screaming) this year’s Echo Art Fair. And yes, I’m dating myself, but whenever I hear the word “echo” (OK, maybe not every time, but often), I think of the song Echo Beach, by Martha and the Muffins. Urban Simplicity.

"Buffalo Style" Chicken Balls…

Okay…laugh if you will, but these tasty little nuggets are delicious. But I’m already getting ahead of myself. So by now you likely know that I am typing from Buffalo, hometown of Buffalo Wings (which of course are simply called wings in Buffalo). Anyhow, chicken fingers are also exceedingly popular here, as they are inContinue reading “"Buffalo Style" Chicken Balls…”

A Building and a Bird in the Rain

When I left work today cold air was blowing out some of the warmer air we had yesterday, creating some fog. As I rode home I could see the top of our city hall shrouded in fog and thought it would make an interesting photo. So after stopping home I rode downtown. But by theContinue reading “A Building and a Bird in the Rain”

Five Quotes from Søren Kierkegaard

 Søren Aabye Kierkegaard   5 May 1813 – 11 November 1855 Yes, I know I said five quotes, but here’s ten. Could have gone on much longer, really inspiring… “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”  “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought whichContinue reading “Five Quotes from Søren Kierkegaard”

A Few Things I Saw While Riding My Bike Today…

This morning, after working on a paper I need to write and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I went for a bike ride. I rode the short distance to Buffalo’s waterfront and Canalside. This is an interesting point where multiple waters meet…the Buffalo River, the Erie Canal, Lake Erie, and the Niagara River. It is suchContinue reading “A Few Things I Saw While Riding My Bike Today…”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#471)

A paper bag containing a couple portions of homemade macaroni-and-cheese, a few BBQ chicken wings, and a half-dozen Lebanese spinach pies. Also, a camera bag wrapped in a plastic bag (it has been raining for two days) containing a camera, an extra lens, and a battery charger. Urban Simplicity.

Spicy Lebanese-Style Whole Wheat Spinach and Toasted Walnut Pies (Yum!)

This is a variation on the classic Middle Eastern fatayer (savory pie). These are slightly different in a few ways. One is that rather than using white refined flour for the dough I used 100% whole wheat (delicious). I also used an egg wash on the dough and added sesame seeds. And in the fillingContinue reading “Spicy Lebanese-Style Whole Wheat Spinach and Toasted Walnut Pies (Yum!)”

l’heure bleue…

These are two photos of Allen Street, very close to whee I live. I had gone for the short walk in the cold, wet, wind and had a camera with me and snapped a couple photos. What is interesting, I think, are the colors. I’ve often said on this blog–and many of my photos reflectContinue reading “l’heure bleue…”

Hummus with Fresh Herbs, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Seven-Spice Chicken

This is something I made for an employee meal today. It is really, really delicious (I ate so much I wished I had a bed to take a nap afterwards) and of course really simple to make. It is basically a hummus recipe layered (loaded, actually) with all sorts of good things. But the prize,Continue reading “Hummus with Fresh Herbs, Sun Dried Tomatoes, and Seven-Spice Chicken”

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#469)

Three large cookbooks, a dough bucket containing a double batch of Honey-Oatmeal dough, and a canvas book bag containing–among other things–a spare camera, a periodical, and a small Bible. Urban Simplicity.