Hip hip souffle! ...

This past week I learned the awesome power of a sauna. Parts of my body that I didn't know could sweat were totally drooling. When I left the sauna, I could smell stuff that happened a week ago. I felt like I was floating. I smiled at strangers. I would have pet puppies.

There will be more saunas in 2010.

In other news: Here are the foods, books, TV, and movies of the past week. Is it just me, or did we watch a heckuva lot of tube in the past 168 hours?

FOODS
Kitchari with Cauliflower and Peas: This one was billed by VT as being the consistency of risotto, which is exactly what sold me. Chuck likes mushy foods; I like warm foods with a cauliflower base.

This was win-win. It was totally good with a subtle Indian seasoning to it. Mushy, warm, requiring a salt lick to up the flavor potential. I'd make it again.

Spinach Souffle: Yes, my mom got me "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" for Christmas. It wasn't something I necessarily wanted (Why bother? It's not like I can redo with it what has already been done. It is just an entire book filled with an idea I didn't have. Not to mention my reluctance to cook meat ...) But the truth is, there are things I want to try in this two-volume collection.

So I made a Spinach Souffle, which I granted a higher level of difficulty than it actually requires. The next one will be easy peasy.

"Was it good?" My mom asked me on Sunday.

"What do you think?" I answered. "It had 3 tablespoons of butter, a cup of Swiss cheese, whole milk, and 4 and a half eggs."

NOTE: If I'm going to continue making recipes from this particular recipe book on Saturday nights, we are going to have to start calling it Faturday.

NOTE II: I know that isn't a souffle pan.

Hearty Chili Mac:  This Vegan recipe is a lot like hamburger helper, but with fake meat. I thought this was pretty good and hearty and wintery, but I would make some changes to the recipe if I made it again. For one thing, I'd brown the fake meat, and add chili power do that before going straight into the boiling phase. Of course, as with all Vegan foods made here, I immediately deveganized it with shredded cheese. Ooops.

On that note, I can't remember how I off-roaded to this Web site, but I'll probably be taking a bunch of the recipes from here for a test spin in the upcoming months.

BOOKS
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore: Lorrie Moore's "A Gate at the Stairs" falls into that tricky category of just-North-of-good -- a gray area that I struggle to write reasonable sentences about. When it comes to me, a blank page and a blinking cursor, I prefer to hate something or want to roll naked in a meadow with it, rather than just thinking it is pretty good.

Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem: "Chronic City" is a doozy with some really crazy writing that left my jaw unhinged. It has thick, wordy sentences that are so visual. It also has rabid rants that require holding onto a railing to navigate. Mostly it is a really fantastic stroll through a world that is familiar, and just left of familiar.

TV MARATHON
United States of Tara: Season One: The mouths on these characters! I totally recommend this Showtime show featuring tons of characters played by fewer actors.

MOVIES
Inglorious Bastards : WWII fan-fiction. Pretty damn good.

Trucker Oh yeah. Movies can make you cry. I totally forgot. This one is about a sassy lady truck driver who's exhusband gets sick leaving her in charge of their 11-year-old son. This puts a bit of a crimp in her truck stop antics. They learn to love.

The Republic of Love: Better than a lot of rom-coms -- probably because it is Canadian -- but not as good as the book by Carol Shields.

Doubt: This one's a reeeeeaaaaaal thinker. Did Philip Seymour Hoffman's version of a Catholic priest molest the boy or not? YOU decide. Opinions on who did what were split at this house.

Deadline: Brittany Murphy stars as an anemic whack job writer who wanders around a big old house getting all freaked out about disembodied voices and bumps in the night. This is all time that would be better spent brushing her hair.