In Order to Fight the Powers That Be

Tostadas!

Refreshing layered Beef Tostadas for dinner

As I pondered the problems of the world on my bike ride home, my stomach had ideas of it's own with   a giant craving for Beef Tostadas made fresh.  My mind is second in command to my stomach, the big boss.  To appease, I made a nice bright salsa cruda on top using jalapenos, tomatoes, nectarines, cucumbers, cilantro and onions.  Layers of guacamole, smashed spiced black beans and seasoned ground beef, iceberg lettuce and sharp white cheddar.  At least some things are simple. 

White protesters gather in Downtown Brooklyn to march for George Floyd

Pizza slice for lunch - Mass staff cafeteria call out bonus

I Got A Right To Be Hostile

In long term relationships your partner can morph from your nemesis to a superhero in a matter of an afternoon.  And many times, back down again.  Very little thought is given to these ebbs and flows after many years together.  Its refreshing in ways that you come to appreciate.  But there is a good deal of unfair resentment directed at your mate depending on unrelated circumstances of your own day.  I'll admit when I'm burnt out and spent but still need to do chores or errands, and I see P sitting looking too relaxed and happy, I feel the need to burst his bubble a tiny bit, rain on that parade, pee on his Cheerios just a little. But our companions are not the innocents in all of this either. Its a proven fact that some people will go so far out of their way to do the worst possible job just so that they'll never be asked again to help.  I've seen it all.  Sloppy sinks, water everywhere, murky glasses, the 5 lb soaking wet dishrag left to die in it's own stank.  All really effective.  I tip my hat to his most inferior work and make a point to showcase it when I can.  So yeah, I'm well within my rights to call my buddy on his bullshit.

But once in a while, people do surprise you. Out of the clear blue sky on this day, P decided to vacuum without me having to ask.

I had to take pictures because I don't recall ever seeing it live. He's definitely done it before but usually to suck up wood chips after sanding in the living room.  Something I can't even think of without having deep anxiety.  This was a beautiful site. Something likened to watching a manatee quietly pass along a canal. I stopped in my tracks and became silent.

And then he went to get pizza slices.  Particularly good ones with peppers, sausage and onions.

Sometimes your companion gets it right.  I can only imagine the terrible things he must have done to trigger such deeds but tonight I'll just enjoy the moment.

We've Got to Fight the Powers that Be

Lemon Pepper Chicken with cabbage and red bell pepper.  I've made this before and put it atop a nice bed of corn meal masa.  I also like it on it's own for a light supper.

Cabbage is still fairly cheap and I saute it to maximize it's nutritional benefits.  Its a cancer fighter and cholesterol reducer. It's good for digestion and it's antioxidant rich.  It's perfect with strips of chicken breast.

Speaking of chicken breasts.  So I bought this family pack.  5 chicken breasts.  Regular price was $21.04.  Okay.... WTF!?  Twenty ONE dollars!  And this wasn't the free range good stuff, just the run of the mill Purdue Chicken breasts.  Of course I wasn't crazy enough to pay that.  It was on sale for $8.64.  What the hell though?  Does anyone pay the full price?  Are we all just waiting to buy our chicken on sale?  Why the game people?  Why such a huge mark up?  We the shopper people need to start fighting back to get this shit back to making some sense.  Fight the Power!

I Shut Em Down

Quickest lunch in history.  I was jonesing for a giant plate of linguini with lots of butter and meat sauce.  I needed it like you need that first cup of coffee in the morning.  It was gonna make me 'right'.  Nothing does it like pasta.  Pasta says, there, there darling.  There, there.  I need my pasta.

But I'm not eating white flour right now and whole grain wheat pasta or rice noodle schmoodle were not cutting it lately.  It's not the same, no matter what.  Sometimes I can placate the foodies inside of me but at certain times of the month it gets dire.  We needed the golden, silky, buttery loving. No substitutions.  A riot was forming in my head so I had to act fast.

I had to shut it down.  I had two things in the house, black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes.  I only slightly drained the beans and poured both cans in the pan with lots of chili, garlic, onion powder and lime.  I used Mexican oregano for the fragrant quality. It became a tangy, spicy soup that was filling and way better than I expected.

I know that my spaghetti cravings are both psychological and physical.  When I was alone as a kid, which was a lot or feeling any kind of sad, I'd use spaghetti like a sedative.  It continued all through my adult life.  It was the warm blanket I could bring with me anywhere I lived. 

But the beans worked too.  Instead of saying, 'lie down dear and sleep it off, they were more like 'hey, why don't we go do something after we get something in our belly!'

Cold Lampin' with Flavor

Eggbeaters are not cool. That is just fact. After all they are a liquid egg product.  How cool could they be. Was I ever cool?  I did get a wild hair and purchased the Southwestern Style version and then I had my theme.  I like themes to food. For me, it helps to dumb down the process needed to make a dish, especially breakfast.

If you already know you're going for a Southwestern leaning then the red peppers, onions and jalapeno are easy choices along with a little tomato avocado relish.

Since I had about three pounds of mushrooms left over from Thanksgiving, I threw those in too but chopped very small. You know, like they do in the South West.  I'm still not cool and neither is this no-fat breakfast but at least it had lots of flavor.