It's Alright if You Love Me, It's Alright if You Don't

Cooking while sick can be a challenge. You sort of put the ingredients in by rote system but it proves you really do need to add love and intent for great results. Its not just technique and ingredients.

For dinner I made a half-assed toasted sub with provolone, avocado, red onions and some fancy chicken sausage I found at the fifteen dollar store. The sausage was a little sweet but not in a good way. I tried to get a little fry on it to make it crisp on the edges but didn't quite get that right either.
But the great thing about eating is there is always a next time. Its survival, so you can have the most basic meal and as long as you are satiated, I guess all is good.

Breakfast that morning was a bit tastier but sort of an equal fail. A western wok scramble with ham, red bell pepper, onions,tomato and potato. Meh.

Being kinda sick while cooking is a big bummer. Its like not being able to play the guitar, your fingers not working during a live performance. You know its happening yet you need to finish and all the while you know its probably gonna suck and the reviews will be bad. And although P's always appreciative of my cooking, we both sort of acknowledged it was not my best work. Next!

Knowing Me, Knowing You

Another great brunch at the Smoke Joint! I got the beef brisket sandwich again. My reasoning being the chicken and pulled pork is great but I eat tons of those meats weekly but when do I get brisket? Decision made. Case closed. Plus the fat on brisket is truly one of life's greatest treasures. They will serve it as a snack in my heaven.

We went with the seasoned fries, Bed Stuy potato salad and baked beans again - all super good sides, no surprises there. J had some pepper-infused tequila bloody Maria that took everything for me not to grab and suck down for some sweet mental and emotional relief. But no, not drinking, not gonna do it. Thank you, I'll have the iced tea please. sigh.

I was weak that morning. I didn't want to miss brunch with J but P had me out on a bike ride that morning and I was under the weather. The hill in Prospect Park almost did me in, plus there was a cancer walk that in my opinion was poorly planned because it became an obstacle course of bikers, joggers, kids and cancer walkers. What should have been a nice day in the park turned into a cursing sweaty hateful resent-fest. If you're a biker, you resent the walkers and the joggers. They are in your way. It's simple. Get out of my way. If you were walking, you probably felt it was your day and the park should have been closed off to bikers and joggers. If you're jogging well sorry but to me, you're from another planet anyway, so you don't count. What normal human could take running up those hills?!

You Don't Have To Be a Star Baby (To Be in My Show)

Sometimes you can create amazing stuff with little effort. I had these bananas getting nice and ripe for my Monkey Bars, a great low cal recipe from Woman's Day. I've made these before and my dad even makes them at 87! I got my mom a subscription to WD, hoping she'd look at the pictures and turns out my dad reads it which is kind of cute.


You get just enough of your bake on to enjoy making these but it doesn't require all that concentration and skill, so you almost can't screw them up. Plus you use whole wheat flour and they're only 90 calories a bar. They taste impressive and super moist. www.womansday.at/Recipes/Monkey-Bars-Recipe.html


For the main meal, I had all that great leftover roasted butternut squash so I cubed some pork meat and braised it until tender then added frozen vegetables, corn, peas and carrots for a nice Fall type dish to scoop up with warm torts.


I seasoned the meat with my flavorful Cajun mix, and after browning I just added a splash of orange juice and some water to deglaze the pan and keep it nice and moist while braising.


I like when things take little effort and they don't suck. Life is hard enough, dinner should be easy.