Cook is on her 3rd cup of chai today & quite wired. Only had 2 phonecalls to mom (so far).
Everything is ready – guests on the road……..
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November 24, 2011
Turkey has been in oven for 3 1/2 hours out of a predicted 4 1/2 and already smells great and is golden brown -starting to look for my meat thermometer.
Yams wrapped & baking, Potatoes for mashing peeled cubed and starting to bubble.
Left to do: kurt’s green bean casserole (yuck) and home made biscuits.
Guests arriving around 3, somehow I doubt our lack of an appetizer will be a problem.
Kurt is still snoring…..
November 24, 2011
Pie #1 (pumpkin) baked and cooling on the counter. Pie #2 (apple) in the fridge waiting it’s turn. After only one frantic phone call to mom the turkey is stuffed and in the oven. Guests are slated to arrive around 3, planning an early dinner at 4. Kurt is still snoring (of course) now comes the hard part for me – NOT starting the veggies & rolls too early! Going to sip chai & watch some old BBC for a bit……
November 18, 2011
Last time I made banana bread I opted for the “healthy” version with whole wheat and applesauce. Kurt’s review was “tastes like bread” and it went uneaten. So today I made what I consider “cake” with white flour, sugar and chocolate chips -lets see how this one goes!
And now I’m in search of a pie crust recipe that doesn’t require a food processor…
November 17, 2011
Pumpkin pie with a chocolate graham cracker crust. Turned out well. It was a dry run for thanksgiving…
November 6, 2011
Like everyone else lately I’ve been watching the various “Occupy” this or that protests that arose from the “Ocuppy Wallstreet” movement. While I agree completely with the goals of minimizing the effect the big multi-national corporation have over our government and thus our lives, as I watch the protesters drink their Starbucks (TM) coffee and use their IPhones (TM) I have one simple message for them: YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG
If you want to hit the corporations, hit them where it hurts – BUY NOTHING. Or at least nothing new, if your kids need clothes or toys, hit the thrift stores. Imagine if this holiday season, the malls and shops were empty. That would lead to massive reconstruction of the corporations’ infrastructure. Move any money you have in the big banks to small member owned credit unions.
So what does this have to do with the food? We need to eat! We have to buy food! yes, yes I hear you….. I understand BUT what you choose to buy (and where and how much) really does effect corporations.
‘The more processed a food (cake mix versus flour for example) the more money goes to a corporation and the less goes to the farmer who spent months growing the stuff. This is one the reasons (my health being the primary other) I loathe recipes that use “jiffy-quick”, refrigerated biscuit or cookie dough, or cake mixes and refer to them as “ingredients.” If you keep the staples around, flour, sugar, baking powder, milk and butter just about anything can be made!
Also, where does your food come from? We all love bananas, but they can’t be grown in the US of A…. so we rely on big corporations to haul them for us. Yes, for the vast majority of us alas, the farmers markets are over; but you can at least start to THINK about where your food comes from! And begin planning for next year -no matter how small your apartment is, it IS possible to grow a few windowsill herbs and a pot or two of tomatoes.
Small potatoes you say? YES – but imagine the overall affect if millions of people spent a few dollars less at the grocery store! Lets eat healthier, eat locally, AND give a big F*U* to the big corporations! WE ARE NOT BEATRICE!
November 6, 2011
After watching Chef Ramsey whip up vegetable soups in minutes, and reading various recipes online I got brave and decided to tackle mushroom soup. I was quite amazed as the part that took the longest was finding the blender and it turned out sooooo very good!
Can it be so easy? yup!
Here’s a quick simple low fat soup recipe:
12 ounces portobello (or your favorite kind) of mushroom, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic (more or less -we LOVE garlic around here!) finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups broth (vegetable or beef)
salt & pepper
sauté mushrooms & garlic in olive oil. when cooked place in blender with 1/2 cup broth -blend till smooth adding broth to desired consistency, salt & pepper to taste – if it gets too cold reheat in saucepan …… voila soup! serves 2 to 4 depending on how thick you like it! is great with a nice crusty bread on a cold afternoon
October 7, 2011
With tonight being likely our first frost & tomorrow’s “high” being 43F I decided to harvest the last of the vegetables. Which was quite easy as we’ve had hardly any garden this year between hailstorms & me being out of commission post-surgery for a critical 6 weeks this spring. So, all that was left was the pots on the porch. Even my flowers are all now brown and shriveled as I quit watering them last month.
So the remaining “take” was 2 tomatoes, a tiny cucumber, a scrawny bell pepper and a pot of basil I’m hoping to keep for a few more weeks indoors. I’d post pictures but it is too depressing and well…. I already ate the bell pepper!
September 29, 2011
Missy
Well, Missy had her one year check up today and despite gaining more weight, on her soy-free diet her liver enzymes have normalized! She is currently on “Blue” brand food for small breeds. To try to get her weight down we’ll switch to a senior type of the same dog food, and try to keep Kurt from sneaking her people food. Her new vest is a custom job courtesy of: mypupstuff.
September 17, 2011
Today’s lunch is simply lovely spread some leftover roasted garlic on french bread, top with grated mozzarella -popped in the toaster oven till cheese melted. Then topped with fresh from my garden chopped Roma tomatoes and basil and oregano. Colorful & delicious.. Nope smells too good – no pictures since I still can’t find my camera….
“what good is a book without pictures or conversation?” -Lewis Carroll
