September Morning Still Can Make me Feel that Way

Homemade Stovetop Frittata - delicious!

And the next day more bacon for breakfast at Mike's Coffee Shop to celebrate P's safe return from the road.  

not pictured, a mound of buttered rye toast

I just want to give a shout out to diner coffee.  Cups change a bit throughout time but generally, it's a nice solid thick ceramic off-white cup.  The coffee is piping hot and fresh.  It's especially nice somehow when an old male waiter brings it to you or an older woman that calls you honey.  I can't do refills as I'd fly right outta my seat but I love the sound of the refresh pour. 

Since I Met you Baby, My Whole Life has Changed

Slowpoke Rodriguez

September is Hispanic Heritage Month and I decided to honor one of my favorite cartoon characters, Slow poke Rodriguez.  Yes, he was a stereotype but with a twist.  He came to visit his cousin Speedy Gonzalez on occasion.  He was the opposite of Speedy, not running around but deemed the slowest mouse in all of Mexico. They hailed from Guadalajara. He had the lazy drawl accent, yet he always outsmarted the gringos in the end.  In Looney Tunes world, that meant the cats.   When I say always, apparently even though I have such a fond memory of this character, he only appeared in two episodes.  Thank goodness for reruns and poor memory.  However, I do recall watching the episode with my dad and him laughing so hard when Slowpoke pulled out a gun.  A hilarious unexpected ending, however we were far less triggered back then and realized this was a cartoon.  In honor of him, I bought a shirt that so far, no one seems to appreciate as much as me.  But in reality, these depictions were so very comforting to see in popular culture, especially way back in the 60's, when diversity was limited to say the least. 

Deer in my sister's yard now on the regular. Gorgeous!

Still riding solo in Brooklyn while my husband cats around on the road somewhere.  I'm nothing if not predictable, so I had to make myself a nice tomatoey pot of spaghetti.  

Let me Remember Things I Love, Lord

Yesterday's taco sauce became today's Green Goddess dressing for a side salad and a burger patty.  

It's interesting how some days you awaken just fine and others you question why you even exist, your purpose if there is one, and if there is any meaning to any of this nonsense.  Don't get me wrong, I prefer it to the opposite, the non-living, but still, some days you need more answers.  

Come on Home to Green River

When the world has turned green, it is the best feeling to also eat as many greens as possible.  

These simple chicken tacos with green bell peppers and onions made on the stovetop grill pan to keep the heat down, were light and fresh and exactly what you want on a hot day.  I added jalapeno to my green sauce and an avocado.  The canned black beans also were tossed around with cumin, jalapeno, cilantro and lime. 

Summertime Grill Pan Tacos

Everything is done in one pan for ease.  The corn tort is brushed with oil and toasted on one side before flipping and adding cheese.  The filling is grilled on high heat beforehand.  Then they are filled and folded, then flipped again to toast both sides.  Let that green sauce flow over like a river!  The only thing missing is Cotija cheese. 

Green Sauce

- 1 avocado

- 2-3 jalapenos

- 1 garlic clove

- yogurt (or sour cream)

- lime juice and zest

- one bunch of cilantro

- cayenne sprinkle & s&p

Throw in a blender and press that button girl! 

 

Just Walk in My Shoes

Trying out my new kicks on a solo walk around the neighborhood. Around the corner is a new community garden that looks a step above the rest, with these cool head statues.

Later at home, I botched my Spaghetti Carbonara.  The surefire way to screw this quick dish up is to scramble the eggs and that is exactly what I did.  No creamy, silky sauce but egg whites mixed in.  It's still edible of course and I did eat it but the magic was not there. 

Tomorrow Who's Gonna Fuss?

For a moment, I thought that maybe I could rock this look above.  That is, if I had enough hair on the top and sides of my head for bangs.  I've always fantasized about wearing sideburns but didn't want to look like Lady Gaga in drag.  Actually, now, I think that might be fun to rock an androgynous look with great hair and no makeup. Someday maybe it won't be strange at all to dress and look as you please each day. 

I rocked a nice cilantro lime sauce over this roasted chicken and potatoes that made all the difference.  Cilantro, yogurt, lime, garlic and cayenne blended.  

I stuck a can of garlicky chicken stock up this little fellah's behind and he stood up straight for me throughout his roasting and stayed nice and moist. 

I'll Always Love you New York

The test run for the lights on 9/11.  Even on a cloudy night it's still a powerful vision. 

Behind work I found dozens of lantern flies falling from the giant cranes and making little tapping sounds on the hot pavement and remembered how they were the devil just one year ago and now they're like Trump.  You see some value over all the creepiness.

There is always a threat of a violent storm when I'm alone, which is both exciting and fodder for self pity 

Eggs Ranchero or Mexican Shakshuka, if you will

and oh, I will

so good!

There's No Place That I Want To Be

Somewhere else

P takes trips and sends me odd pictures from the road.  Of course I want to resent him. I stay and work but secretly, I'm pretty happy.  I love to be together but I also love to spend time alone.  I'm a lone wolf by nature and need time to recoup, refresh and reboot.  My only problem has been, I tend to revert to my uncultivated core and live like a caveman when solo.  Or worse, stay in a state of anal anxiety, aware of any tiny mess I make and immediately clean up, unable to relax and enjoy the apartment.   But more recently, I've begun to understand we only have this one life to live.  There will not be another round.  This has lead to guiltless cooking, preparing slightly better meals that are satisfying and catered to my specific likes.  In the past, I've eaten my lonely feelings with mounds of pasta, or bad processed foods during these times.  But switching it up has been a game changer. 

Steak Ranchero with Eggs

This might be the ultimate Biggie girl breakfast, topping ham and eggs and omelets.  A thick juicy fried steak topped with a spicy pepper and tomato sauce and the delicate poached eggs there to add richness.  You need flour tortillas with this to sop up all the goodness.  The full meal would include beans and rice but that might just send me into orbit.

Fire breathing dragon in a cornfield

Bad weather always seems to hit when he's gone too but fortunately, this time everything fizzled out before it hit land. 

This Could Be the Last Time

Home Alone

When I'm all alone and can make any snack or meal just for me, I usually won't take the time to make it look appealing.  More often, I eat over the stove or even from the pot, like a drunken bachelor.  I'll eat bad food from back in the 60's when I was a latch key kid.  Ravioli from a can for example.  This behavior screams of all kinds of psychological trauma, so I ignore it. But occasionally I do make something just for me and just the way I like it.  Like these simple cheese and jalapeno nachos with homemade hot sauce.

and this fresh tomato skinny pasta below 

I think both things are good for a person.  Here and there we should eat as though we are the least important person on earth but once in a while, treat ourselves to something nice when alone because it could always be the last meal we enjoy.  We are made in God's image so we must be worth at least that little bit of effort.