exhaustion and the time off it sanctifies

Oh hey you guys, its me, the absentee lover of food, now owned by real job!

The sleeves on my white coat may be touch short, but I just roll them up and look really prepared (like a good startled intern should look). And maybe I still jump a little every time my pager goes off, but I am secretly so satisfied when I call the number back and complete the task asked of me. Anyway, I am still here, alert and oriented x 3.

My surgical residency started last week and despite the constant busyness from about 6 am to 6 pm, I am having so much fun! I feel some sense of purpose in scurrying quickly around the hospital, up and down the stairwells, from patient room to patient room, in and out of ORs. I am actually on the rumored “easy” rotation (plastics) and could not be more thankful for the smooth transition from fourth year (absolute freedom) into first year of residency (indentured servitude).

Actually, I think this surgery lifestyle currently serves me well, or at least solidifies my priorities veeeerrrrrry concretely. I know I portray an active presence in the kitchen on this blog, but truthfully, the invested foodie lifestyle ends there…in the kitchen. Rarely do I sit still long enough to enjoy a meal I have creatively expended myself on at the table with my husBen. This is a very important place, people, and I do believe in it. But only in my most tired moments can I sit still and hear my own fork hit the ceramic plate and clink a glass with the person I love most…. usually, I just feel too busy. Now I am physically exhausted after a day at the hospital and truly covet that space. So, pull me up a chair and lets re-invest in dinner, whatever time it finally hits the table.

I had last Sunday off (we are required 1 in 7 days off, at a maximum of “80 hours a week”) and all day I felt inspired by the idea of donuts (maybe the appreciation of having time to allow dough to rise). I wanted something savory so I could still call it dinner, but I absolutely could not fathom going to the store….so this happened….

Thyme and Fontina donuts

¾ cup whole milk

1 ¼ ounces Crisco

1 package instant yeast

3 tablespoons warm water

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 ¼ cups bread flour

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme

3/4 cup grated fontina cheese

Crisco and bacon grease (life hack: you should save this always) to fry

Just a touch of powdered sugar, to serve

In a large glass measuring cup, heat up your milk for about 1 minute. Add Crisco to milk and stir to melt. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast, warm water and 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir just to combine. Allow to sit for 10 minutes (should be frothy if it worked). Once milk/Crisco mixture is cooled, pour into yeast mixture and briefly stir until combined (with paddle attachment, about 30 seconds on medium). Add in beaten egg, remainder 1 tablespoon of sugar, salt and half of the flour. Beat until well combined. Add in the remainder of the flour and beat at low speed (preferably with a dough hook at this point) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl greased with olive oil and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled (takes about 1 hour).

When dough has risen, dump it out onto a flat surface dusted with flour. Flatten (gently!) with the palm of your hands into a square about 8 inches by 8 inches. Distribute half of your thyme and fontina cheese over the square then press cheese and herbs into the dough with your palms. Fold dough in half and repeat (dump the remaining cheese and herbs and press into dough with your palms). Flatten the dough (again, gently!) to ½ inch thickness and allow to rest again for 30 min to 1 hour.

Using a cookie press (or a wine glass and a screw top to a vinegar bottle like I did), cut the dough into donuts. Heat up your Crisco and bacon grease (in about a 1:4 ratio) to medium heat. Add in dough (but do not let pieces touch/crowd the pot) and cook on each side for about 1-2 minutes (you should watch for the dough to turn golden brown before you flip it over in the grease). Remove to paper towel lined plate.

Dust with powdered sugar (shake through your sifter) to serve. Seriously, damn good.