Mostly I'm Silent

Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats...Ships really.  Each vessel lasted for 3 meals.

I made the 'good' spaghetti sauce, with lots of garlic, onion, bell pepper, basil, hamburger meat, crushed tomatoes and fresh oregano to fill my boats.  It's a good idea to toss up your squash strands a bit with salt and pepper, Parmesan, to get them all seasoned before topping with the sauce.  But because life is short and hard, I also had to add some mozzarella and turkey pepperoni to seal the deal. This ain't no dress rehearsal folks.  We're in it!

I have a fresh start with a fairly new friend and I have been cautious about what to share and what to keep to myself.  In the past I would right away put my big dark ugly facts out there, right in the open. Felt it was the easiest way to show my scars. This was in the hopes that it might help explain peculiar behavior that inevitably would happen down the road.  But this time I don't want to have any such crutch.  I don't want to give myself any excuses. Instead I want to be taken at face value. Let them decide who I am. But even some of the small things that I share, I end up questioning. Every time I open my damn mouth there is someone inside frantically trying to turn the boat around. Shut up!  Don't say That! Good Lord, look at her face now, you're gonna screw this up!

 Suddenly I have Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh living up in head attic.

I've had issue with social media sharing lately too, reluctant to post any single item without feeling too exposed or questioning my intentions.  So much so that I feel the need to shut down the sites all together lest I be swallowed up by unnecessary thoughts and concerns.  After all, it's quite enough living in the real world. To intentionally subject yourself to such mental instability, I don't know if the trade off is worth it.  These are the unique problems and ramblings of an introvert.  Probably the most misunderstood personality type.

In both situations what I truly seek is quick bursts of genuine human interaction.  But it has to be sincere, easy and leave no bitter after taste.  I long for real contact that goes deeper than the generic niceties people are used to sharing.  I want to gain feedback and hear other's perspectives.  Consider fresh angles and then proceed back to my cave to digest the new findings.

Lately though, what I see most is a mirror.  So I must be doing it wrong.  I don't want to see more of me, I want to know you.  On the other hand, I'm not trying to be a voyeur either.  The whole idea is joint participation, the even exchange of information.  Its just a fun social interaction for most but for an introvert like me, these glimpses inside the heads of strangers is the source for the very blood coursing through our veins.

You Take It On Faith, You Take It To The Heart

Here lies the most perfect baked bone-in chicken breast that I can recall ever making.  So juicy.  I think Amazon sent me the 'better' breasts by mistake but I also got just the right temperature to time ratio or something. If my recollection is correct that was 375 for 40 minutes. The skin was crisp yet the meat was super moist and fully cooked through.

I am not sure if Fall hasn't quite happened yet or it's going to skip the whole miraculous beauty process and go straight to bitter cold but these are the first trees that I've noticed changing colors.

Colour My World With Hope

I am looking for the next way to progress as a cook.  I've come to some sort of wall.  I don't have cable or watch regular television.  I continue to comb the web for fun videos or great bloggers that post recipes but that seems like just scratching the surface on how to truly receive instruction.  My sisters who are amazing accomplished cooks live in other states and even though we do exchange some ideas, so far we've not created a way to rightly share specific how to's.  But I sincerely believe that inspiration comes to us in a plethora of ways.  I just have to remain open and listen.  Use all my senses and accept it in any and all unconventional ways that present themselves.  That is the general feeling I have for everything upcoming in life, that we'll need to understand new methods of bettering ourselves. We've entered a new realm.  Life is not just the daily grind. Its as if our eyesight has broadened to see far beyond our day to day mundane reality. 

I love Brooklyn for the creativity especially around Halloween.  There is a new street art by homeowners in the last years, not for the children but for adult consumption.  And it's a reminder to keep receptive to new concepts or philosophies that may influence my cooking or a meal.  Something as simple as the colors of the fall holiday for example inspire us to use pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Root vegetables come to mind after all the color is stripped from the trees.  The cold weather and winds provoke us to heat up the oven or make hearty stews or braise meats.  When its spooky outside, warm comforting, soft meals give us that embrace from the universe that even grown-ups desire.  

Art, especially that generated for no financial gain triggers all kinds of emotion in me. I recognize another bright soul out there without even meeting them.  Its like the perfect gift.  It sparks joy and a responsibility to take the baton and now pass it along to someone by trading your own invention.  And the positive cycle is allowed to continue.

It's not essential that every contribution be brilliant, as a matter of fact there is much  encouragement in some of the not so spectacular offerings.   Like this non-meat spaghetti sauce over Parmesan polenta.  

I think participation is the only price for admission to this delightful school for the engaged.

Breakfast Migas

Breakfast Migas

Migas are great because you can use leftover corn tortillas broken up in your regular scramble.  Crisped up or made soft, either work.  In the next weeks I will attempt chilaquiles with determination.  It occurred to me recently that I need to get these two very satisfying dishes correct in my mind and on the plate.  I'm more partial to chilaquiles but not a fan of making a huge production out of either since they are born out of scrap recipes.  These should be made out of leftover hot sauce, chips.  However, I guess making them out of fresh ingredients could elevate them entirely.  Why not?
Homemade fried tortilla chips are heaven so why not make hot sauce especially for this occasion and nicely spiced shredded chicken?

She Did the Mash

Woke up on my day off excited to bake a healthy version of banana bread.  One of my favorites.  With roasted nuts and dark chocolate chips.  Recipe courtesy of http://gimmedelicious.com/2017/01/11/healthy-moist-banana-bread/

And it was super moist and delicious.  I would definitely do this one again.  If you don't eat a lot of sweets, it is just the right balance.  I think I mashed up 1 1/2 more bananas then the recipe called for.

And then I was treated to a ghoulish walk with my mate. 

Later, Lettuce Dogs with White Bean Avocado Salad.