Every day is like Labor Day (for the unemployed).

There is much to report! For starters, today is the first day since I moved here that I stepped foot outside the apartment and did not immediately regret it. Thank you, cold front!

I went to Central Market today and had a grand old time spending money like my name has various affixes attached to it (i.e. Dr., Esq.), which it does not, and thus this needs must be an isolated incident, which shouldn't be a problem given the comedy of errors that was trying to find the place (which in theory is a relatively straight shot, were it not for that fact that I am convinced that the nonexistence of East 35th Street is a private joke among the Austin city planners, at least when trying to exit from South MoPac. Finding West 35th was no problem, though!).

Also, I braved the kitchen last night for the first time since the discovery of my impromptu houseguests and cooked (and then scoured the ever-living crap out of the room—fun, fun, fun!), reasoning that one cannot live on cereal and processed meat substitutes indefinitely, nor can one reasonably afford to eat every meal outside of one's roach den. I made this (yet again shamelessly pilfered—and ghettoized—from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian), as the second phase of the It Is Not Scary To Cook With Tofu Campaign:

Braised Tofu and Peas in Curried Coconut Milk

3 large onions, quartered
1 28- or 35-ounce can of tomatoes with their liquid (since my food processor and blender currently reside in Boise and I do not, I forewent the onions and instead used a jar of Central Market tomato puree, into which I threw some minced garlic)
2. T neutral oil
Salt and black pepper
2 T. garam masala, or to taste
1.5 to 2 lbs. firm or extra-firm tofu, blotted dry and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1. 5 C. frozen peas (or you can use fresh, if you're fancy like that)
1 can coconut milk
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (I forewent this as well)

Combine the onions and tomatoes in a food processor and puree (may require multiple batches).  Add this mixture—or, be a lazy bastard and dump tomato puree into—a large skillet in which you have heated the oil over medium heat. Add salt, pepper, and the garam masala, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thins and becomes sauce-like, about 10 minutes (note: the "becoming sauce-like" process is sped along remarkably when you start out with what is essentially tomato sauce in the first place).

Add the tofu and peas and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tofu swells slightly (I never did notice whether my tofu actually did this) and the peas are tender; stir in the coconut milk and bring to just about a boil, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro (if using), and serve with rice (brown basmati would be good) or naan.

Brace yourself that if you are a solo diner, this makes an awful lot; wonder if you're the reason you're a solo diner, or if it really is (as you not-so-secretly suspect) everyone else.

I must say, this turned out pretty decently, even if you bastardize it as much as I did:

Kindly note that the one skillet I have to my name at this juncture resembles a Dali clock.

Plated!



And now, faithful reader (all one of you), you may be wondering where today's installment of Meep in a Box TM is. Well, all good things must come to an end, and I think we have by now more or less covered every conceivable thing that Meep can do in a box (unless we were to introduce a special litter box edition, which I suspect would hold limited appeal). So here's to you, Meep. You had a good run, yes? Now back to civilian life, little missy.