Thursday, November 29, 2012

The Girl Can't Help It

P told me today that he's always thinkin' and it just hit me so funny. I knew what he meant but I couldn't help but wonder if he thought perhaps that I have many moments of pure void. Actually come to think about it, maybe I do. Especially lately.
I'm coming around the ugly end of 50 years old and I do have to say it does make a difference of sort, I mean, getting a little older. Let's just say there are lots of changes going on and not all of them bad by the way but I do admit I feel half doped up more days than not. Like someone shut the lights out up here.

But not everyday! This week I actually came up with a fun challenge to recreate my two favorite Campbell's Soups, Bean with Bacon and Beef with Vegetables and Barley. And by doing this I also took care of dinner for the week. It took no effort and it was just as easy to make two huge vats of soup than it was one. It's also a great way to use up the whole bag of carrots and celery. You chop one onion, you can chop two.
A little Liquid Smoke in the bean soup was an excellent idea!

Women go through so much. We make people! Okay, I haven't made any but all my sisters have and obviously my mother and now my nieces. We maintain households and we put up with odd men and their little idiosyncrasies. Then we have all these hormones and changes, pain and moods. Hot flashes and anxiety. Most of us hold much higher standards than men. We are harder on ourselves and don't give ourselves proper credit.
On the other hand men have the ability to take pride in the simplest of accomplishments like doing what we women call 'being awake'.



Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I Had A Vision Of Love

We live in a tiny three story apartment building with just one apartment on each floor and the bottom floor is a toy store. The folks that live below us are elderly and have been there for 34 years. They have become good friends and I enjoy taking little treats down for them. We've shared some really cool moments. My highlight was Beatrice singing a gospel song to me on the stairwell in her hair curlers and robe. She was to visit her sisters for a reunion and apparently they always share a talent, which in and of itself is super fantastic. I remember researching the song directly afterwards but have forgotten the name at this point. Whatever it was it was so moving that I went from trying not to laugh at the site of this woman in this ridiculous outfit on the higher steps in front of me beginning to sing, to outright weeping at the end, so touched I nearly wet my pants. The beauty of her singing this glorious gospel song to her sisters was about the coolest thing I could imagine. I wanted to be with all of my sisters at that moment, all happy around some table eating and celebrating, sharing our talents. I would stand up and suddenly bedazzle them with some currently unknown exceptional ability. Sigh.

Bea and Mr D have given us many heartfelt moments like this. And like many real New Yorkers we've also been woken up from dead sleeps to Mr D screaming like he's gonna murder someone and also to someone banging on his door like they want to murder him. I also found him bleeding and drunk one morning where he'd just woken up from being out on the curb (yikes!) for who knows how long. I tried to pretend not to hear the plopping of the blood hitting the cracked linoleum in the entryway while we were exchanging pleasantries.

Anyway, unfortunately they are moving away. But yesterday, I came home to find a few packages of these cute little orange Mexican grape tomatoes left for me on the steps. I sauteed them with chopped jalapeno slices this morning and then put my eggs right on top, sprinkled a snap of cheese onto the eggs, then covered the whole thing and got the best skillet breakfast. This will be a returning dish.


Sunday, November 25, 2012

The Second Time Around


Buying specialty food for the holidays sometimes gives back. The three cheese ravioli I purchased for the fried ravioli appetizer became dinner the next day with the leftover marinara sauce. I just added some artichoke hearts and Parmesan.

This is more like reconditioned food but I've always felt in general that leftovers needed a new name. They get a bad rap. Advertising is everything. To me they are more of a delicacy. If heated properly, many times the leftover holiday meats and sides taste even better the second time around. How about 'remaining surplus'!?


Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Way to Come Together And Make Things Better

Thanksgiving morning. Pecan pie with orange scented whipped cream atop. Really hot coffee. We don't take this day lightly. It truly is about giving thanks. It really does help to remember why your life doesn't suck.

I'm writing this a month later so its a bit of a blur but I remember a lot of football, at a very loud volume...maybe also watching some coverage of the Macy's Day parade. As usual we had snacks. To commemorate P's St Louis roots (even though he's from Illinois), I made fried ravioli with marinara dipping sauce. This was a fun choice and nice starter.

Next I put out some deep fried pickled jalapeno slices with ranch dressing dip. Also very sort of midwestern. Cornball appetizers.

Then to class it up a bit I did an Arugula Salad with Pomegranate seeds and Walnuts in a lemon garlic vinaigrette. Moving.

This year I decided to try something new with the turkey. I took it down south for a Smothered Turkey in Cajun gravy. I had previously cut up the bird like a chicken for frying. I seasoned and massaged the skin with spices, butter, fresh herbs and pan seared it before putting in the oven to bake.

The gravy I started making a stock with the giblets, celery, onion, garlic. I made a roux, used the stock and a little wine, thyme and Cajun seasoning with a little cream at the end.

After the meat was tender, I poured on all the hot savory gravy to smother and heated until all flavors combined.



While the turkey was making that smell that fills the house, I prepared the sides. A nice creamed leek casserole. //www.womansday.com/recipefinder/creamed-leeks-parmesan-crumbs-recipe-122758

I baked my potatoes early and scooped out the insides ready to make some seriously outrageous stuffing, including lotso bacon, sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, butter and milk with more cheese on top.


I basted my turkey with the gravy until it was falling off the bone and the smell was almost unbearably good.

The leeks casserole was done and bubbly.

Now to make the Utimate Mexican cornbread. This is made with canned creamed corn, buttermilk, fresh penos, canned green chiles, cheddar cheese, but no sugar. No words.

Anytime you go against the traditional you wonder if you will miss the green bean casserole or the stuffing. This time I have to say, nothing was missed. The potatoes were so decadent. They reminded me of a stocking stuffed with gifts. And the leeks were dreamy and angelic. But the turkey was so juicy and succulent. And with that cornbread to absorb all that extra flavorful gravy it just hit that spot. I'd do that again for sure. And it would be a cool thing to do only with legs or wings for single people not wanting a whole bird.




Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Put Your Troubles Down, It's Time to Celebrate


So it's traditional to make the Thanksgiving pie the night before so that we can have it for breakfast as P doesn't 'do after-dinner desserts'. (roll eyes). Actually its better that way because you get the big fatty dessert in the morning and you have more time to work it off. However, on these big holidays we're never too concerned with moving much. It's time to celebrate.

The best part about Thanksgiving is we usually get a pizza the night before because I'm too busy doing prep work on the sides. We kept it lighter with just two slices each from Not Ray's Pizza. SO good. Perfect New York pizza.

The other cool thing was I found a new pie recipe where you make the filling into almost a caramel sauce before baking by heating the sugars and butter longer. Pecan pie is one of the most fattening of the holiday pies. But it is P's favorite and I love it too. With real whipped topping it says Thank You better than I ever could. Also the fresh orange zest made it nice and bright.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Tell It Like It Is


My sister R is a much better baker than I'll ever aspire to be but she's definitely inspired me to make healthier sweet treats with less sugars and fats using honey, apple sauce, and even lessening my fear of experimenting. However, I don't dare try to get all fancy pants or anything. I stick to recipes that are ranked 'easy' on the web. Because baking scares me frankly. It's serious grown up stuff. Plus like I've said before, I practically have an Easy Bake oven. It's tiny and the heat regulation is way off. Actually, its probably about what I can handle. I made these blondies with whole wheat flour, 1/2 the sugar and tons of toasted walnuts and chocolate chips. And they didn't suck!
Disclaimer: Look, I know blondies are hardly Baked Alaska or anything but this was the first time I actually took a regular recipe and tweaked it based on additional information I got on the web. So it was a small step for some but a giant leap for me.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

The Way You Do the Things You Do



My Christmas cactus has bloomed for Thanksgiving. I myself have felt all turned around now that I've had to work nights and weekends. So in keeping with my whacked out life instead of roasting the turkey and then making leftover turkey soup, I decided to do things in reverse.

I parted out the bird, and quite nicely I might add, for my Southern Smothered Turkey I'll make on Thanksgiving day. Froze all that. Then I took the carcass and made a very fragrant broth with onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns.

I deboned any left over meat off the carcass and put aside for use in the soup. Then strained the broth, let it cool in the fridge overnight so the fats would separate out. Mental note, get a freakin' fat separator cup already would cha?!

Then the most fun part, chopping up the carrots, celery and adding the noodles and simmering until everything bonds and blends and fuses. You know, whatever the word is that soup's do. Soup's with homemade broth and gorgeous hunks of turkey that is!


Saturday, November 17, 2012

You Didn't Have to Feed Me Like You Did, But You Did


Once in a blue moon P will throw the old girl a bone and go out and fetch dinner without me having to be involved at all. This to me is a dozen roses. This is a diamond ring from Zales. I'd rather come home from work and see this big hot plate of shrimp lo-mein that I didn't have to call in myself than almost anything. But as an unexpected extra, he actually ordered a poo-poo platter. The dish we always joke about getting but never even knew what it was. By the way, uh, its a whole artery clogging plate of fried things and meat. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're young and hung over which thank God I'm neither.

However P looked a little green around the gills on this night come to think of it...

Friday, November 16, 2012

So Move It On Over, Drag It On Over


Long story short we have two rooms in our tiny apartment. P thought it would be best to finally switch the rooms around so the layout makes better sense. Our bedroom was a foot from the front door but we live on a main street and it is so noisy that you almost can't fathom sleeping in the front room.
However, in the winter with the windows closed and a white noise machine, its doable. We'll have to cross the spring bridge when we come to it. So, we commenced to switching it all around and I put up the pictures and paintings today. Got it all set.

One perk was that I was able to make a tiny eating area and a little country corner that bleeds out from my teeny kitchen. This was inspired by a crocheted fruit bowl cover that my mother in law sent me as a gift. Sweet! This provides me with space for my Cuisinart, blender, mixer, spices, etc.

It was a lot more work than I would have wished for on my day off, dragging everything around, but I do have to say Patrick was right to push it. He did move the heavy stuff but his support ended there. Thank goodness I had my leftover Thai to heat up and refuel before tackling the bedroom.


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Que Sera Sera, Whatever Will Be Will Be


Wealth is relative. We do not have lots of money. But we do have what we need and some of what we want, which is wealth to me. We both hate to shop so that might be part of the lack of material things. We both love to work hard but not at anything stupid or pointless. We certainly don't want to spend time chasing the dollar in this short life. Or any.

However, we have our minor indulgences just like the next guy. Because we are also rich in amazing take-out restaurants... Hollah! Go Brooklyn! ...once in awhile when we're both feeling a little beaten up by the city and life and the voices in our heads, we order up a trio of entrees from National Thai. Within 20 minutes, one of my Mexican brothers will show up at the door with their signature clear bags filled with THE BEST Thai food you can get and for a fraction of the price. The curry, especially the green coconut is memorable like seriously. The pork with pineapple fried rice is choice and perfect alongside the silky spicy noodles with beef. Three dishes will feed six so plenty for leftovers.

When I was little my mother didn't tell me to find a rich man, she said to find a good person and that's what I did. Not perfect mind you, but inherently good.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Season's Change and So Did I


There is an amazing sweet potato pork stew that you make extree special by adding homemade roasted tomato salsa to your braised pork meat. It's a two-day affair. After all your meat is browned, you braise it in the oven with wine, beer or stock for two hours with lots of onion and garlic. Take the meat out of the juices and fridge both overnight. Then you get the defatted juices as your broth for making the stew the next day...mmmmm. You put in all your vegetables and at the end add your cup of salsa and that just spins it out of control. I've made it a couple times and once it was out of this world...like, Nasty good! When there is snow on the ground, its the dish to make.
But its not that cold out yet and it's Tuesday, so I had to make revisions and short cuts. I flash browned the meat coated in a seasoned flour, then added chicken stock, spices,covered and cooked that stove-top for about an hour. Then just added all the chopped vegetables, red and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, corn until tender and served. Top with a nice fresh herb and you're golden.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

You Had To Be a Big Shot Didn't Cha


Layin' low. Snow is melting and even though I could have really gone for a nice hot gooey tuna melt tonight, I'm still off the cheese. So, its canned tuna burgers for me. This time I added a can of chick peas for more of a bite and it worked well with the jalapeno pepper and mustard. Just add egg and Panko bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

I don't like to give tips because then it sounds like I know something you don't but I've noticed that its better to use tuna in oil rather than water for the burgers because its too hard to drain all the moisture out. And you need the patty to be dryer to hold its shape.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Burn the Palms of Both of My Hands, If I Could Walk Righteously Again


Okay now Mother Nature is just screwing with us. Is she trying to tell us something? A threatening Nor'easter came to town tonight just putting salt on the wounds.

It just makes you feel, as I have for years that you better be gettin' right with God. It's just a storm and we get them, I know. Its almost winter. But there is just something different in the air. Lately, I feel the earth is like a big ripe piece of fruit, just ready to be plucked. What that means, I'm not sure, but we're ready for something. Sum'pin's up.

Even if we're not ready, seems change is 'gon come' as they say. But I'm really hoping that its positive and a betterment of sorts.

These stuffed baked tomatoes were a good start. I filled them with ground turkey, parsley, tomatoes, onions, corn and lemon zest. Fresh and lively!

Served them over a big scoop of barley and also some juicy hot stuffed mushrooms.

The huge scary snow storm didn't help but it didn't do much damage thank goodness. The wind was vicious though, so I'm listening to what momma is sayin'.