This week’s cooking adventure was all about vegetables. In fact, lately, all my eating/cooking is all about vegetables. I have to force feed myself fruits which is counterintuitive considering my all consuming love of sugar. Youngest Daughter suggests that for true sugar addicts, fruit is a poor substitute and I have to agree.
Friday night was a no cook night, reserved, as always, for sleeping. I usually crash shortly after the last conference call of the day and basically sleep until Saturday.
Anyway, Saturday was a day for working out, cooking, eating and reading. It’s been way to long since I have been able to enjoy such a day. Sweet potato chips made with my new mandolin (previously only associated with Oldest Daughter’s missing body part). Just the right thickness but I forgot to presoak so while delicious hot, not too great on the leftovers (soggy). Then a roasted vegetable tart – Roma tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, low-fat ricotta topped with black olives - baked with fresh pizza dough with the edges overlapped. Excellent and worth the effort.
Tonight’s squash casserole (again with the new toy) was not impressive and not likely to be repeated. The low fat sour cream didn’t help bind the shredded carrots with the yellow squash and onion. Even flavored croutons and melted butter on top did nothing to move this into “favorites”.
This latest venture into cooking is lots of fun. I'm taking leftovers to work tomorrow. I’d have to say leftovers is the down fall only that meals are meant for many and I’m just one. The Chicken Mole made for 4 lasted way past the time when I got tired of it.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Chicken Mole
Despite all evidence to the contrary, I really love to cook. Even back when I wouldn’t eat, I would read recipes like they were novels. As the years progressed, there was not time, little money, family grief for experiments failed (I will never hear the end of the acorn squash incident) and then, why cook for one? Call me a secret gourmet. I’ll get in moods, mostly in the winter, where I will binge cook – barley risotto, stuffed pork chops, sweet potato gratin. Love the warm, filling meals. When I date, they are really well fed. In summer, I’m a grilling maniac. Salmon, vegetables, glazed peaches – yum!
My buddy/friend/partner/associate, DA, and I share a love of what he calls “tasty” meals. We share recipes and give remarkably similar cooking gifts. For my most recent birthday, it was jack pot with multiple cookbooks and homemade recipes. This past weekend I made Sweet Potato Chips but with mixed success. The inconsistent width made for some perfectly crisp and others a bit soggy. I need a Mandoline, something I have only mocked in the past and brings up memories of Merritt’s missing finger section.
Tonight I made Chicken Mole out of the same low-fat cooking collection of the Chips. Living it up, I’m drinking what has now become a rare glass of wine (hence the double posts this evening). Mole rocks but now I have four meals that will get old after a while. Not to Kenzie’s taste. She’s a more Pastaroni, Mac and Cheese kind of girl.
Perhaps for the weekend – Rhubarb and Pear Crisp.
My buddy/friend/partner/associate, DA, and I share a love of what he calls “tasty” meals. We share recipes and give remarkably similar cooking gifts. For my most recent birthday, it was jack pot with multiple cookbooks and homemade recipes. This past weekend I made Sweet Potato Chips but with mixed success. The inconsistent width made for some perfectly crisp and others a bit soggy. I need a Mandoline, something I have only mocked in the past and brings up memories of Merritt’s missing finger section.
Tonight I made Chicken Mole out of the same low-fat cooking collection of the Chips. Living it up, I’m drinking what has now become a rare glass of wine (hence the double posts this evening). Mole rocks but now I have four meals that will get old after a while. Not to Kenzie’s taste. She’s a more Pastaroni, Mac and Cheese kind of girl.
Perhaps for the weekend – Rhubarb and Pear Crisp.
SL - Lesson #2
During my last trip down South, I was given what one gentleman called “Rule number one for northern transplants” – Never honk your horn, and never, ever use an obscene gesture because some Good Ole Boy, or Gal, will follow you home and whoop your ass right in your driveway. First thought – I had already honked twice that morning already and two, my family is going to have a very hard time visiting.
It’s a schizophrenic world where everyone is eager to be your best friend with smiling faces when you enter any store. People in Hootersville first ask about your health and about your family as that’s your identifier. People in DC ask “what do you do?” as a first question. I’m betting that if you ask the same of a citizen of the deep South, they might look at you a little odd and say “…fine…”. Other than that, I only ran into one person during the last trip that wasn’t as sweet as pie and then some.
Something tells me, however, that the same person might not feel the as welcoming should my bike and their pickup travel on the same road. Just saying.
It’s a schizophrenic world where everyone is eager to be your best friend with smiling faces when you enter any store. People in Hootersville first ask about your health and about your family as that’s your identifier. People in DC ask “what do you do?” as a first question. I’m betting that if you ask the same of a citizen of the deep South, they might look at you a little odd and say “…fine…”. Other than that, I only ran into one person during the last trip that wasn’t as sweet as pie and then some.
Something tells me, however, that the same person might not feel the as welcoming should my bike and their pickup travel on the same road. Just saying.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Feeling Smug
There are many things where I am more idiot than savant and technology and geographical location are two of them. I used to tease the Tofflers that I was an old fashioned kind of girl that needed to be dragged into the Third Wave kicking and screaming. As an example, my associate still puts numbers into my phone. My assistant sets up travel folders that Mapquest me to AND from any meetings. On the other hand, my youngest can disappear into the bowels of the NYC subway system, pop out and know exactly where she’s located and which way to start moving.
Since I’ve learned to operate the DVR perhaps I could handle a GPS after some training. A pending trip to Hootersville sealed the deal – with some technical input from my son, I purchased a model with minimal anxiety. Here’s the stunner – I put it together and operated it successfully ON MY OWN! Did you knowit came with directions? J I zipped all over the countryside without a hitch. The best part is that if I see something to explore, it recalculates and I find my way back again. How did I ever live without it?! Maybe I should try some more technology. Bring it on!
Since I’ve learned to operate the DVR perhaps I could handle a GPS after some training. A pending trip to Hootersville sealed the deal – with some technical input from my son, I purchased a model with minimal anxiety. Here’s the stunner – I put it together and operated it successfully ON MY OWN! Did you knowit came with directions? J I zipped all over the countryside without a hitch. The best part is that if I see something to explore, it recalculates and I find my way back again. How did I ever live without it?! Maybe I should try some more technology. Bring it on!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Happy Birthday Beefer!
The day started with a special happy birthday wake up song, belly rubs, a birthday card and a good walk. Now at the end of the day Beef is getting mini-marshmallows as an extra treat for my big boy (just a few). Beef is even forgetting his geriatric status and rolling around the floor. Every moment is cause for celebration but hitting another big birthday is a treasure. We are both blessed.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Beef's Incident on the Trail
Beef, the Center of my Universe, had an ugly incident on the trail last weekend. Every day with Beef is a reason to be grateful. A few weeks ago he injured his back left leg and watching an arthritic dog walk is bad enough, but it’s heart damaging to see Beef struggle on only 3 legs. We had been out walking and a German Sheppard lunged at him and Beef just can’t move quickly enough creating the first injury. Since then, we’ve only been going in the front of the house and I carry him up the stairs.
Last weekend Beef seemed strong enough to walk a little way on the trail, not far but enough so he could feel more normal. We were on the way back to the house, when a man with two beagles approached. They were on one those stupid two branch leashes. The dogs all were interested in each other but I asked the beagle boy to pull them back as my dog is infirmed. He didn’t. WTF? And then, just the thing I was worried about happened – one of the dogs jumped over on top of Beef and took him down. The short leash section was not long enough and that was what smashed Beef down, not the dog himself. Poor Beef fell back and dropped like a boulder on the dirt with his injured leg held up as if his hip was broken.
I practically went insane. Beef was my main focus and I dropped to his side trying to assess the damage all the while assailing this MF who allowed my Precious to get hurt. The guy backed off but kept calling back to me, “Can I help, is there anything I can do” while I yell “#^&*!!, you’ve done enough already”. At this point I’m absolutely sure that my baby is injured enough to be put down. I’ve never seen him hold his body in such a way. My heart was really breaking. I sit down next to Beef where he’s lying in the dirt, Kenzie comes rushing out of the house afraid for Beef. Son of a gun if Beef didn’t pop up - all that drama for nothing. Thankfully the guy I was berating was out of sight.
One week later Beef is still having severe mobility issues and I’m keenly aware that his days here will not be many.
Last weekend Beef seemed strong enough to walk a little way on the trail, not far but enough so he could feel more normal. We were on the way back to the house, when a man with two beagles approached. They were on one those stupid two branch leashes. The dogs all were interested in each other but I asked the beagle boy to pull them back as my dog is infirmed. He didn’t. WTF? And then, just the thing I was worried about happened – one of the dogs jumped over on top of Beef and took him down. The short leash section was not long enough and that was what smashed Beef down, not the dog himself. Poor Beef fell back and dropped like a boulder on the dirt with his injured leg held up as if his hip was broken.
I practically went insane. Beef was my main focus and I dropped to his side trying to assess the damage all the while assailing this MF who allowed my Precious to get hurt. The guy backed off but kept calling back to me, “Can I help, is there anything I can do” while I yell “#^&*!!, you’ve done enough already”. At this point I’m absolutely sure that my baby is injured enough to be put down. I’ve never seen him hold his body in such a way. My heart was really breaking. I sit down next to Beef where he’s lying in the dirt, Kenzie comes rushing out of the house afraid for Beef. Son of a gun if Beef didn’t pop up - all that drama for nothing. Thankfully the guy I was berating was out of sight.
One week later Beef is still having severe mobility issues and I’m keenly aware that his days here will not be many.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Southern Living
A week ago today I was traveling back from Hootersville in a driving snowstorm after a brief weekend of business (monkey and not). I learned quite a lesson in Southern manners. Doing business up North especially in the cut throat world of the East Coast is a universe away from in the South. If you have a goal here, you make several contacts, directly explain your requirements, exchange information (yes I can, no I can’t, recommend an alternative, sign a contract, the end) which results in a completed transaction. It’s just business – it’s not personal. In the alternative universe (truly Whirldes Collide) of Mayberry RFD (my reference to the “bigger” local city down there), business is ALL personal and you better not let slip anything that won’t get repeated and repeated all around town and back again. We went to search for a potential facility and to also get an idea of the neighborhoods for me. By the end of the day we had 2 new life-long friends, a nearly perfect business location, a visit in my dream house, a good dinner and nothing was direct. It’s a new world with a new language that I need to learn. Coming out direct with your requirements can be seen as rude and aloof so take that offer of coffee, open with a few personal facts, don’t rush, ask questions about everyone’s “people” and chat. I’ll never learn to chit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
