Sunday, January 29, 2012

...and guess who's back to being lazy.


Duh. Don't act like you didn't see that coming 'cause I sure did.

Accomplished nothing in the kitchen all week. If anyone comes over to watch Downton I'm going to feed them takeout from the Thai place on the corner. I may not even vacuum my floor.


I made madelines last Sunday but they were really sticky so weren't photo worthy as most of them got stuck to the fluted pan. Bastards. I think my recipe has too much sugar, which (tragically) in this case, is a bad thing. Taste good but don't look pretty. Anyone have recipe that doesn't stick???


And though I couldn't eat it, the only thing I've done in the kitchen this weekend is work on The Cabinet


The  Plan was to sand the chipping paint off the top and put a nice stain on it. Of course that was a crap plan as there are several layers of old paint on it so sanding (by hand) just made it smooth. Not un-painted. So now I'm either going to strip it with chemicals or just re-paint it. Woot.




I did put some stinkin' cute shelf paper in though! So cuuuuute!!!

Now excuse me, I have to go finish eating my pudding cup.

Monday, January 16, 2012

I'm Back in the Kitchen Again


Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a confession to make. Other than making cookies I really haven't cooked anything since November. December is just too hectic with work for any culinary adventures, I basically survived on poached eggs with swiss chard, pasta, bagels, and food other people made for me.
I suppose that explains why in the last week I've gone completely apeshit in my kitchen.

Last Sunday it was the chicken and rosemary dish from back in November for my Lady Friends who came over for Downton Abbey (which I assume you all are watching).


On Monday these baked sweet potatoes with sage.


Friday was Brussels Sprouts and Apples (Choux de Bruxelles aux Pommes) from my new cookbook, When French Women Cook, which was a present from Miss A. Dick. An interesting dish, not entirely sure I'll do it again, but who knows! I think I still prefer sprouts roasted to any other way of preparation.


Saturday, pasta with Pepper and Tomato Puree (Pates a la Fondue de Poivrons), again from the French Women book. It's delicious, but the directions to allow the 8 juliened peppers to cook down until the skins fall off, then fish all the skins out is a bit ridiculous. Do you know how longs it takes for peppers to reduce to pulp? A long ass time that's what. And then picking out 1/4" slices of pepper skin? After three hours, it was 8 PM, I was starving, the skins were still on the peppers and so I just put the damn stuff in my blender and pureed it. An old French woman may be spinning in her grave but hey, I was hungry!


Yesterday Miss Ashley came over to watch Downton and we feasted on rosemary and potato pizza...



...with a salad of blood oranges, red onion, walnuts and white balsamic vinaigrette. Swedish chocolate crisp cookies and biscuits for tea.


Today, I threw together some of Molly's scones for breakfast as I took down my wee tinsel tree. I didn't have lemons to zest so I doubled the amount of crystalized ginger and added 2 Tbs of marmalade. They're as good as when Miss Linda makes scones. Well almost as good...her mere presence adds 5 bonus points.


I also changed around my kitchen a bit, I moved the clock from the rack to above my new cabinet. And this little guy, Consul the Educated Monkey, came home with me from Ohio and now can do my calculations for me!


Why yes Consul! 3x11 is 33! He was a Christmas present (last year) from the Aunties!


And my 1900's poster has been relocated to above my stove where it gaily watches over my kettle. Boil kettle! Boil!



We finally got some proper snow, 6"-8"! And after walking about in a thin shirt last Friday it was nice to wear winter appropriate clothes again!


It called for some Serious Boots to be bought. I've had waaay too much fun splashing through puddles of slush and clambering over snowdrifts in these suckers. 


You know it's cold when the condensation from the radiator freezes as the outside of the metal window is so cold! But I'm cozy and warm inside with tons of food and hot tea. Huzzah!

(Of course I have so many left-overs in my fridge I don't have to make food again until Friday, so who knows what I'll have to talk about next week!)

Saturday, January 7, 2012

New Years Rulin's


As much as I love being back in my city, part of me wishes I was sitting here on this stool in my parent's house.


I had a delightful Christmas, lots of good things from Santa, and of course lots of food with family and friends!


Bacon on pancakes with maple syrup.


D-Mon ate his with a side of chocolate reindeer.


Tea with my Darling Lizbeth (and again later with the Delightful Amy!).



It took half a week to eat all the leftovers from our big Christmas dinner but on my last night Miss Linda asked if I had any requests. And all I wanted was spaghetti and meatballs!


Oh, and in this house, you grate your own damn cheese.


Other than eating and visiting old friends I spent most of my week home here, on the couch.


Finishing this.


Drinking lots and lots of tea out of my favorite mug.


Watching other people do things for me (I miss that sometimes!). Like make me food. And bring it to me. And take away the dishes. AND WASH THEM!


Miss Linda joined me on the couch in the evening for snuggling and watching of holiday movies.

Each night I slept up in the attic, which was my bedroom for many years, snug under layers of quilts. Jupiter was bright in the sky and I stared at it through the skylight before falling asleep. So lovely.

After a beautiful week, despite many offers by Miss Linda to kidnap me, I was back on a bus heading north leaving Ohio behind. I dove right into my city girl life side-stepping tourists, taking a cab up to my apartment from downtown, and getting take-out for dinner.



Of course this was all over a week ago. Last year! And half of my reindeer has been eaten. :-(

I keep thinking about Resolutions. Everyone seems to be doing it. I'm typically not a big fan as it requires effort, but then I stumbled upon some of Woody Guthrie's from 1942.


Dr Karl and I have decided to live this year like Woody says (he was a seriously cool guy): 

-Wash Teeth If Any 
-Take Bath
-Eat Good-Fruit-Vegetables-Milk
-Read Lots Good Books
-Learn People Better
-Don't Get Lonesome
-Stay Glad
-Keep Hoping Machine Alive
-Dream Good
-Save Dough
-Have Company But Don't Waste Time
-Dance Better
-Make Up Your Mind
-Wake Up And Fight
-Love Everybody!


So far so good, Happy New Year everyone!