shrockalicious

Introducingggg- Elise Shrock! Our featured 30k Millionaire of the week; Elise is known for her love for Spanish Cuisine, going green and thinking outside the box. She loves to garden and use her own herbs when cooking. Elise is one talented hot tamale! Her love for cooking and gathering of friends runs deep. So let's get after it and get to know how she rocks her 30k lifestyle.

My motto is: All you need is love, love. Love is all you need.
Childhood ambition: To be a Marine Biologist. Until my parents took me snorkeling and I figured out that I get viciously sea-sick. Bummer.
Favorite cocktail: Dirty Martini. Classic with a hint of briney goodness. Plus, it is like a drink and a snack with those olives. Which is also why Bloody Marys are a close second.
Favorite place to grab a cocktail: The Wellington. Although they are generally known for their beer collection, they make a mean cocktail!
Cheap eats: Indian Buffets. Take Shalimar in Broadripple for instance. There you can get an all-you-can-eat taste of the staples in Indian cuisine that make you koo-koo for curry. Apps, entree's, side dishes, breads, and desserts are all included for around 8 bucks!
Cheap thrill:Sitting on our porch balcony with a beer, smoking our hookah with everyone at sunset.
Favorite thing about Indy in the summer: Dining al fresco with friends. Plus, everything is so green and walkable/ride-able! Gotta love it.
Fav type of music: Crooners like Tony Bennett always be my favorite. And there is something about Reggae that will always make my heart stir. And l really love bluegrass....This question is too hard, I quit.
Looking forward to this summer:Festivals! The Middle-Eastern festival is by far my favorite. St. Joan's French Market is great too!
On my days off you’ll find me: In our yard. I've recently planted an herb garden and some annuals. Next, I'll be working on a small kitchen garden...artichokes, cherry tomatoes, and more!
You might be surprised to know: I hate compound words using "meat".
Favorite websites: greenissexy.org, cakewrecks.blogspot.com, naturalhealthmag.com
Best advice anyone has given me: Be kind to everyone, no matter who, no matter what. (A life lesson inspired by my dad, who I still really do think moonlights as Superman)
Favorite party memory: The creation of the Gin and Tonic Ninja.
Favorite way to be green: Kitchen garden= No grocery store needed= less emissions to drive there= free and sustainable
Thirtythousanddollarmillionaire is: the bees knees. And what we all kept saying we should do, then we did it. And I love that.
DPs make me feel: Like a million dollars. And lucky to have so many great friends to share them with!Favorite recipe: Tortilla España ( ultimate comfort food)

Map My Run

So for all of you avid runners out there...here is a free tool to make running ...cooler. At Map My Run, you can see how far you're running, log your time when you're done and the calculator will estimate the number should have burned. There is even a tool to log and store all of your runs. Set up challenges and goals for yourself as well!

This site is definitely worth checking out. The best part is- the site is free!

Procrastination pretzels: For all your "Oh, hey, I think I'll just bake something instead" moments.

Hello, my name is Cas, and I am a classic procrastinator.

I currently have several things I need to do, but instead, I'm going to take you through my 12-step process...

I figure, if some people are willing to go through 12 whole steps for alcohol or drug treatment, other people should be perfectly willing to go through 12 steps to make homemade soft pretzel rolls. And these 12 steps won't have you confessing your transgressions to a room full of strangers. The coffee's better, too.

You can use this recipe to make a classic soft pretzel, but I like pretzel rolls so I can dunk them in hot cheese or some spicy German mustard or use them as sandwich material.

Procrastination Pretzels.

Step one: Gather your ingredients
For the dough:

• 1 1/2 c. warm water
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 package of dry yeast
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 1/3 c. of flour (roughly. The recipe I based this off of used weights. I happen to have a scale around the house from Joey's beer brewing, so that was easy enough, but since it's not exactly the most normal thing to have sitting around the house...I measured it, too, to post here.)
  
• Olive oil, to coat surfaces

For boiling the pretzels:

• 10 c. water
• 2/3 c. baking soda

You'll also need:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp. water
  
• more kosher salt to sprinkle on top, if desired
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet

Optional:

• Stand mixer. Easily replaced by a lot of patience
• Pastry brush. Replaced by fingers, etc.
  

Step 2: Get your foam on
Mix the 1 1/2 c. of warm water, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and wait about 4 minutes for everything to get foamy. Then add the melted butter and flour.

Step 3: Want it, knead it, have to have it
Mix everything until well combined. If you're using a stand mixer, the dough hook is clutch. A few minutes on low will combine everything. Then, once it's combined, knead another 9 minutes or so, or, if you're using the stand mixer, mix it on medium for about 5 minutes. You should have a dough ball that doesn't stick to the sides of the mixing bowl (if you're using it), but does stick to the bottom of the bowl a bit.

Step 4: Transition
Pop the dough ball out of the mixing bowl, and/or leave it where you were kneading it for a hot second. Clean out the bowl and oil it down with just enough olive oil--you want the surfaces to be slippery, but not a total grease pit. You can also use Pam or some other cooking spray if you prefer. Pop the dough back in the oiled bowl.

Step 5: Let the yeast have a few private moments
Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let it rise for about an hour.

Step 6: Get a rolling boil
When about 50 minutes had past, I started prepping the water to boil the pretzels in. Just combine 10 c. water and 2/3 c. baking soda and wait for it to boil. Stir occasionally. I did this under a lower heat, so it wouldn't go boiling all over the place.

I also used this time to start my oven. Pre-heat to 450 degrees.

Step 7: Fetch your dough. Shape it.
By the time an hour has passed, your dough should have doubled in size. Glorious! Pop it out of the bowl and onto a non-stick work surface (I used wax paper that I'd drizzled with olive oil and smeared around with a paper towel).

If you're making classic pretzels, divide the dough into 8 little dough balls, (Heh. Balls.) and roll each one out (using your hands. Olive oil on hands works wonders to avoid sticking.) to about 2 feet. Then do that snazzy pretzel twist.

If you're making rolls, divide the dough into about 10 little balls, (Heh. Balls) and roll them into shorter, fatter ropes (aim for, oh, the thickness of a bagel) and make a loop (like, oh, a bagel). Keep them on an oiled surface for the time being.

Step 8: Drop it into boiling water. Make a small mess.
Okay, I have no pictures from this step. I blame this on my lack of a giant slotted spoon. I used a common plastic spatula to transport my dough balls into the boiling water and back out. It was kind of a mess, what with all the draining of water from between the spatula and the pretzel and whatnot.

All you need to do is drop each pretzel into the boiling water, leave it for about 30-40 seconds, and fetch it out. Put it back on your well-oiled surface. When all the pretzels/pretzel rolls have had a good bath, transfer them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper that's been (yet again) well-oiled (or Pammed). (I used foil instead of parchment paper. Mistake. It's not as easy to pop them off the foil once they've baked.)

Step 9: Get golden, girls
Beat the egg yolk with the 1 1/2 tsp. of water. Use a pastry brush to glaze each pretzel. Then sprinkle more kosher salt on top, if you're feeling sassy.

Step 10: Into the wild oven
Your oven should be a rockin' 450 by now, so pop your pretzels in. Set a timer for 13 minutes (give or take a minute or 2) and let the good times roll. I had my entire kitchen cleaned up by the time these were out of the oven--definitly not a messy treat to make.

Note: I made 8 rolls in different sizes. Next time I'll make 10 smaller ones. Better overall texture.

Step 11: Chill
Remove the pretzels from the oven. Let 'em rest for a minute, then get them off the baking sheet and onto a towel/cooling rack/whatever.

Step 12: Get your glutton on!
As soon as they're at an edible/non-tongue burning temperature, eat! Best kind of end to 12 steps.

Recipe adapted from the Food Network, duh

30k Profiles: Cas

Hello faithful 30kmils and welcome to another 30k Profile Post! Today we introduce, Cas. You may know her by her kickin' chicken curry recipe or the fabulous DPs that she and her fiance, Joey, host. Seriously, this chick can cook.

Cue: a few little know facts about our 30Kmillionaire of the week!

My motto is: If at first you don't succeed, have a glass of chardonnay.

Childhood ambition: I wanted to be a member of the Mickey Mouse Club and/or Kids, Incorporated, so I could sing and dance in public while wearing the coolest scrunchies and acid-washed jeans.

Favorite cocktail: Dark and Stormy (dark rum, ginger beer and lime), mojitos, caipirinhas, vodka with soda water and a lime.

Favorite place to grab a cocktail: It's seasonal. Spring/Summer/early Fall: Anywhere with outdoor seating. Late Fall/Winter: The Wellington.

Cheap eats: The grocery store.

Cheap thrill(s): Hula hoops, cupcakes, bubbles, Clorox disinfecting wipes, glass bottled soda or juice, fruit pies, lowercase letters, coffee, tea, stick figures, the AP Stylebook, dry-erase boards, magnets, beer, Post-It notes, TRX bands and the word "apricot."

Favorite thing about Indy in the summer: Sno-Zone and the Monon.

Fav type of music: Depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm a sucker for classic rock and golden oldies, though.

Looking forward to this summer: Wearing skirts, planting flowers, walking the dogs, riding my bike.

On my days off you’ll find me: Riding my bike, doing yard work, walking the dogs.

You might be surprised to know: I never made it to the Mickey Mouse Club and/or Kids, Incorporated, BUT I did own some sweet acid-washed jeans and scrunchies when I was in second grade. Also, I really like prime numbers.

Favorite websites: etsy.com, fmylife.com, textsfromlastnight.com, thisiswhyyourefat.com, cnn.com, digg.com, cakewrecks.blogspot.com.

Best advice anyone has given me: *You can make some people happy some of the time, but you can't make all people happy all of the time. *They think you're a bitch? Fuck them and fuck you for taking it to heart.

Favorite party memory: My birthday DP at Karlie's was about the most touching, awesome thing anyone has ever done for me.

Favorite way to be green: Not using styrofoam coffee cups/water glasses at work.

Favorite weekend morning spot after a night of parties: Bed, Three Sisters, Taste, the Monon.

Thirtythousanddollarmillionaire is: Clever.

DPs make me feel: Curious. I haven't hosted one/been invited to one for a while. Are they still around? We need to jolt them back to life. Nurses, get me the paddles. Clear? Clear!

Favorite recipes: Braised pork shoulder with stewed greens and mango salad; chicken curry with brown rice; mojo marinated skirt steak with peppers, onions and rice; sloppy joes made with ground turkey, mangos and jalapenos.

When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie that's....Patachou?

This just in!Accoring to Indy Star's Indy in the Kitchen, Patachou will be adding a pizzeria to their list of delectable foodie hot-spots. The new restaurant, Napolese, is said to feature Neopolitan-style pizzas made with imported artisan flour.

Located at 49th and Penn, you can be sure that the 30kMill crew will report on just how tasty Indy's newest pizza parlor turns out to be!

DRIVE IN MOVIE THEATRE

Check it out! Tibbs Drive-In movie theatre!! Admission fee is $10.

PIZZA!

Pizza is HANDS DOWN my favorite food. I finally got around to trying my own homemade version, crust, marinara sauce and all. So here it is: my recipe for an awesome veggie za.



CRUST:
ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)

• 2 teaspoons dry yeast

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt with a hand mixer or food processor to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch the down dough and form into ball. (The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.)

SAUCE:

1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 can of crushed tomatoes
add in: fresh basil, dry basil, oregano, italian seasoning, garlic salt, fresh garlic, red pepper flakes

Instructions:

In a skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the fresh garlic and sauté, approx 3-4 minutes. Add in the fresh basil & oregano (if you're using it). Add the crushed tomatoes and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce comes to a low boil. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and other seasonings listed below (to taste).

TOPPINGS:
i usually make veggie pizza: so here is what i use for my toppings-
1% skim mozarella cheese (finely shredded)
fresh spinach
green pepper
fresh tomatoes (sliced)
sun dried tomatoes
red onion
parmesan cheese
**extras- mushrooms, eggplant, basil, artichokes, arugula

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

Position one oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cornmeal over 2 rimless baking sheets. (I use the flat cookie sheets) Roll out pizza dough into a whatever shape you can get it into. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet.

Spoon the marinara sauce over the dough, dividing equaling and leaving a 1-inch border around each pizza. Sprinkle the cheeses over the sauce. ADD VEGGIES/ toppings!! Bake the pizzas until the crusts are crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top, rotating the baking sheets half way through baking, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle a few more spices on top- oregano, basil- or fresh basil....then slice it up and serve immediately. I highly recommend drinking red wine and eating a great salad with this pizza.

BUON APPETITO!

30k Profiles: Chris

Welcome to another edition of thirtythousanddollarmillionaire profiles! Today we introduce you to Chris- you might know him for his delicious Mexican Bean Salad. It is to die for!

My motto is: You're only young once.

Childhood ambition: I really wanted to work at an amusement park. Not to be one of the furry costumed performers, or the guy who guesses your weight, but the guy who gets to test ride the roller coaster everyday before everyone else. The guy who sits up front with a train full of sandbags and says "Yea this one's OK" or "Crap, I shouldn't be flying through the air."

Favorite cocktail: Jameson. Straight. On the rocks.

Favorite place to grab a cocktail: At the moment... Plump's. It's that time of year, what can I say. And they have a doggie snack bar on the patio so you can bring the pup along to enjoy the summer air.

Cheap eats: Sno Zone. I've made it my dinner more than once and if you consider yourself a regular, the punch card gets you your 10th cone free.

Cheap thrill: Hiking at Holliday Park. Ok, so it's not real hiking, but it's about as good as your going to get in the city. They have 4 miles of trails that wind around the park and some great river access to go enjoy the sights and sounds of the White River.

Favorite thing about Indy in the summer: The Monon... nuff said.

Fav type of music: It always comes and goes in waves for me, but right now its the new school throw-back hip hop... think Beastie Boys meets Fresh Prince meets 2009 on the mean streets of the Chicago 'burbs... see - The Cool Kids.

Looking forward to this summer: Ponding. I love turning nouns into verbs.

On my days off you’ll find me: On a patio... any patio. My favorite thing about this time of year, in the city, is all of the outdoor eating that takes place. Any given weekend afternoon, you'll find me enjoying drinks with friends, sunshine, and the almighty patio.

You might be surprised to know: I was a soprano in the Indiana State Boys Choir when I was younger. Oh how I miss all the bad dressing and cheesy choreography that went on.

Favorite websites: www.facebook.com - www.addictinggames.com - www.cigarsinternational.com

Best advice anyone has given me: "Be where you are."... When I first heard this I thought it was one of cheesiest pieces of advice I'd ever heard. I do, however, find myself thinking this when I'm in situations where all I want to do is turn around and run. Basically, it means "Shit, I'm hear, might as well make the best of it."

Favorite party memory: Whaaaaaaaaaaat, there was a party? Don't remember that.

Favorite way to be green: MYOBW - Make Your Own Bottled Water. If you grab a bottle of water from my fridge there's a 95% chance that its tap water in a used bottle. Hope you don't mind a little backwash.

Favorite weekend morning spot after a night of parties: Petite Chou by Patachou. The broken yoke sandwich with fresh fruit hits the spot every time.

Thirtythousanddollarmillionaire is: the shizznit. Duh.

DPs make me feel: All warm and fuzzy inside. I especially like DPs when they're a surprise... oh that sounds dirty.

Favorite recipe: Freshly made baked ravioli. Dough from scratch, with cream cheese and spinach filling, baked to crispy perfection. Delicious.