I think, today, I met a kindred spirit. A tea drinking, deep thinking, ship sinking woman with a love for the everyman, everywoman, everyone in all of us. She has a tongue and a mind for language, and a great deal more than that. She taught me to knit and said such wonderful things about my beginner's swatch. We talked and knit vulvas and drank tea for hours with nary an awkward silence.
The funny thing is I have been curious about her from afar for nigh on two years, fearing I were not of her kind. And maybe I'm not, but she treats me as though I am one . . . of a kind!
The best part is that (I feel) we have so much in common, and it is always joyous to be in the presence of someone who knows your customs and shares your attitude about life.
I am nothing if not grateful.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
27.1.09
2.1.09
A brief update
My seasonal part time job wound up working me full time for nearly three weeks! Great for the money, but bad for writing and stuff. Sorry 'bout that. I gatta say, the after Christmas sales have been outrageous. I got a 5 foot Christmas tree for $17 so next year we will have a proper tree. This year Dana made a tree out of construction paper, beer caps, and little pompoms. It was darling, there are pictures, but it was not meant to weather the years unfortunately.
Monday afternoon we adopted a cat. His name is Jacques Cousteau. Don't blame me, Dana named him after our third favorite song, "Foux du Fa Fa". We had friends over for the last night of Hannukkah and as we sat on and politely requested noms, which we gladly provided to him. You should have heard the happy noise he made! It sounded like "yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!" Poor guy was so hungry. It took us awhile to figure out his sex, but after our friends left, I noticed his furry little balls, teehee!
I wanted to take him to the vet, and I was perfectly content to leave him outside until such time as I could take him to the vet. Dana used to be a pet bather, though, so she decided that we should take him right away. She brought him inside Monday afternoon, clipped his nails and gave him a bath. Later on we brought home a collar for him and flea treatment for all the animals. Tuesday I took him to the vet, who confirmed that he had no microchip and said, "I think he has adopted you!" And so he has.
It's hard to really name my Flight of the Conchords favorites, though. I mean. There's Business Time which has become an inside joke among all my beloved. And the first I ever heard was Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros ... totally hilarious. I'd say All the Ladies in the World is among the top five, as well... "lady many lady!" Speaking of beautiful girls, another fave is The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room... is that a compliment?? My personal all time favorite has got to be Inner City Pressure!
Mom came to visit for a couple of weeks, but it was a whirlwind trip for her because she was packing up my grandmother's house with her the whole time because she found a buyer. Owning two houses was too much for her (totally understandable, don't you think?) So she'll be getting a motorhome for my uncle's backyard for times when she is in this area, and she's going to be adding on to her mountain home. Grandma's a tough gal though, so they got everything finished! Dana got to meet my beloved dachshund, our childhood pet. A very sweet thing. And mom acknowledged to me that she knows I'm with Dana, and that I live with her and everything. She's not happy about it, but we've decided that if we keep everything on a very superficial level when it comes to Dana, that mom doesn't mind talking about her. She made the hominy casserole that I brought to Christmas dinner and everyone loved it - mom made a joke about D being able to cook better than I can and I can see that she's not going to spend her life crying over me. That's a good thing.
Grandma's giving us her kitchen table, a couch, and a chair - how awesome is that? We're getting ever so close to the end of Dana's lease and I'm a little nervous, but excited too. The homes in the area have decreased quite a bit in the last two months - I've found several 3BR homes renting for $800 monthly which is fantastic, so I'm hoping to snag one asap and get the hell outta this apartment complex, and out of apartment life... hopefully forever! Of course there are lots of costs involved and I'm not going to be working much... there's so much up in the air, it's crazy!
Sorry for the long rambling update. And the lack of sex. We've been so busy, tired, menstruating and having yeast infections from antibiotics because of swollen tonsils that we haven't had any wild and crazy sex. Except for that threesome... I've still forgotten to tell you about that! I'll save it for another night.
One final note, after grocery shopping, I made cream cheese cracker dip with pepper n onion relish, corn bread pudding, and an oatmeal pear crisp. Love it!
Goodnight darlings!
Monday afternoon we adopted a cat. His name is Jacques Cousteau. Don't blame me, Dana named him after our third favorite song, "Foux du Fa Fa". We had friends over for the last night of Hannukkah and as we sat on and politely requested noms, which we gladly provided to him. You should have heard the happy noise he made! It sounded like "yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!" Poor guy was so hungry. It took us awhile to figure out his sex, but after our friends left, I noticed his furry little balls, teehee!
I wanted to take him to the vet, and I was perfectly content to leave him outside until such time as I could take him to the vet. Dana used to be a pet bather, though, so she decided that we should take him right away. She brought him inside Monday afternoon, clipped his nails and gave him a bath. Later on we brought home a collar for him and flea treatment for all the animals. Tuesday I took him to the vet, who confirmed that he had no microchip and said, "I think he has adopted you!" And so he has.
It's hard to really name my Flight of the Conchords favorites, though. I mean. There's Business Time which has become an inside joke among all my beloved. And the first I ever heard was Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros ... totally hilarious. I'd say All the Ladies in the World is among the top five, as well... "lady many lady!" Speaking of beautiful girls, another fave is The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room... is that a compliment?? My personal all time favorite has got to be Inner City Pressure!
Mom came to visit for a couple of weeks, but it was a whirlwind trip for her because she was packing up my grandmother's house with her the whole time because she found a buyer. Owning two houses was too much for her (totally understandable, don't you think?) So she'll be getting a motorhome for my uncle's backyard for times when she is in this area, and she's going to be adding on to her mountain home. Grandma's a tough gal though, so they got everything finished! Dana got to meet my beloved dachshund, our childhood pet. A very sweet thing. And mom acknowledged to me that she knows I'm with Dana, and that I live with her and everything. She's not happy about it, but we've decided that if we keep everything on a very superficial level when it comes to Dana, that mom doesn't mind talking about her. She made the hominy casserole that I brought to Christmas dinner and everyone loved it - mom made a joke about D being able to cook better than I can and I can see that she's not going to spend her life crying over me. That's a good thing.
Grandma's giving us her kitchen table, a couch, and a chair - how awesome is that? We're getting ever so close to the end of Dana's lease and I'm a little nervous, but excited too. The homes in the area have decreased quite a bit in the last two months - I've found several 3BR homes renting for $800 monthly which is fantastic, so I'm hoping to snag one asap and get the hell outta this apartment complex, and out of apartment life... hopefully forever! Of course there are lots of costs involved and I'm not going to be working much... there's so much up in the air, it's crazy!
Sorry for the long rambling update. And the lack of sex. We've been so busy, tired, menstruating and having yeast infections from antibiotics because of swollen tonsils that we haven't had any wild and crazy sex. Except for that threesome... I've still forgotten to tell you about that! I'll save it for another night.
One final note, after grocery shopping, I made cream cheese cracker dip with pepper n onion relish, corn bread pudding, and an oatmeal pear crisp. Love it!
Goodnight darlings!
29.11.08
cooking love.
You'll never believe what I found at 4 a.m. (after having shopped for three hours) at an outlet mall. A kitchenaid mixer for $160. Everywhere that I looked on the internet, it was way more expensive than that, plus shipping!! I just made more beer bread dough in the mixer tonight, and the loaves are cooking as we speak! I would truly love to be able to bake breads for a living. All kinds of breads! I am so in love with the kitchen right now. Our tiny kitchen, with cabinets that start a foot above our heads, with two drawers, and hardly any counter space. I am in love with making food come alive. I am enchanted by the way I can take many things and make something wonderful out of them!
The recipe I'm using is located here. It has a few unusual ingredients... mustard powder, powdered milk, and sesame seeds. You can buy sesame seeds at the grocery store, but I would go to a health food store or somewhere that sells them in bulk for cheap! I just substituted the mustard powder with a nice big glob of dijon mustard. We started drinking powdered milk because it's so damn cheap and if you keep it real cold in a container that closes you'll hardly notice the difference! Then again, we also drink soy milk and almond milk in addition to regular milk, so perhaps our variety of milk consumption also makes it easier to like something that a lot of people dislike. I swear of poor people who pay almost $4 a gallon for milk knew that you could get ten litres for $8, It would be flying off the shelves!
I did a booboo in my breads tonight, so they're not coming out quite right. When I was making the yeast mixture, I accidentally put the salt into it, instead of the bowl of dry stuff I was mixing up. Oops! I had to make another batch of yeast and soak it back into the sticky icky non-yeasty dough. They came out fantastic last time, I made six loaves (instead of two or four, like the recipe suggests) and Kay and Ash took a couple home with them and loved them! I have a lot of beer hanging around the house that I don't really drink much anymore and it seems like a good use of an used thing. I used a dark beer the first time and that seemed to work out a lot better, color wise. And besides, a thick, sweet, dark beer makes a good breakfast!
The recipe I'm using is located here. It has a few unusual ingredients... mustard powder, powdered milk, and sesame seeds. You can buy sesame seeds at the grocery store, but I would go to a health food store or somewhere that sells them in bulk for cheap! I just substituted the mustard powder with a nice big glob of dijon mustard. We started drinking powdered milk because it's so damn cheap and if you keep it real cold in a container that closes you'll hardly notice the difference! Then again, we also drink soy milk and almond milk in addition to regular milk, so perhaps our variety of milk consumption also makes it easier to like something that a lot of people dislike. I swear of poor people who pay almost $4 a gallon for milk knew that you could get ten litres for $8, It would be flying off the shelves!
I did a booboo in my breads tonight, so they're not coming out quite right. When I was making the yeast mixture, I accidentally put the salt into it, instead of the bowl of dry stuff I was mixing up. Oops! I had to make another batch of yeast and soak it back into the sticky icky non-yeasty dough. They came out fantastic last time, I made six loaves (instead of two or four, like the recipe suggests) and Kay and Ash took a couple home with them and loved them! I have a lot of beer hanging around the house that I don't really drink much anymore and it seems like a good use of an used thing. I used a dark beer the first time and that seemed to work out a lot better, color wise. And besides, a thick, sweet, dark beer makes a good breakfast!
4.10.08
Manly Meals for Males
Since I can't seem to do "Meals for Males" on a weekly basis, I'm changing the name to "Manly Meals for Males" so that I will not feel guilty for not posting. Without further adieu, Chapter One: Manna for the Meat and Potatoes Man
In an age where gourmet cookery has become popular, and dishes from the French cuisine classique are no longer reserved for the nobility and the wealthy, the male trencherman commonly referred to as the "meat and potatoes man" seems to have fallen into disrepute.
Not so. The meat and potatoes man has simply moved uptown... While copious amounts of protein and carbohydrates continue to make up the nucleus of his diet, a new dimension has been added. Zesty seasonings, tangy sauces, piquant flavorings and tantalizing food combinations formerly savored only occasionally when eating out are now becoming very much a part of eating in.
Something else has changed, too. There was a time when the ravenous male frequently had to make a choice between quantity and quality. Now, he wants both... At a typical businessMAN's dinner in almost any large American city, this would be an acceptable meal [steak, potatoes, and a salad].
The recipes that follow in this chapter have all been carefully chosen and tested on discriminating meat and potatoes men. They are basically simple in construction, substantial in volume, and stimulating to the taste. In short, these dishes positively will stanch those persistent nagging hunger pangs which characterize a voracious male appetite.
Since a well-fed man makes good company, it is earnestly hoped that the effort involved will yield handsome dividends.
Carrots Flambe
1.5 lbs baby carrots
pinch salt (for boiling)
1/3 c bourbon
1 tbs brown sugar
4 tbs sweet butter
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
Simmer carrots until tender. Place carrots in a skillet with butter, lemon juice and brown sugar and saute until the sugar is dissolved. pour in bourbon, allow it to warm, ignite and blaze, stirring until all alcohol has burned off. Sprinkle parsley over carrots and serve immediately. 4 Servings.
Carrots can be served with Braised Loin of Pork and Potatoes Grand Marnier
In an age where gourmet cookery has become popular, and dishes from the French cuisine classique are no longer reserved for the nobility and the wealthy, the male trencherman commonly referred to as the "meat and potatoes man" seems to have fallen into disrepute.
Not so. The meat and potatoes man has simply moved uptown... While copious amounts of protein and carbohydrates continue to make up the nucleus of his diet, a new dimension has been added. Zesty seasonings, tangy sauces, piquant flavorings and tantalizing food combinations formerly savored only occasionally when eating out are now becoming very much a part of eating in.
Something else has changed, too. There was a time when the ravenous male frequently had to make a choice between quantity and quality. Now, he wants both... At a typical businessMAN's dinner in almost any large American city, this would be an acceptable meal [steak, potatoes, and a salad].
The recipes that follow in this chapter have all been carefully chosen and tested on discriminating meat and potatoes men. They are basically simple in construction, substantial in volume, and stimulating to the taste. In short, these dishes positively will stanch those persistent nagging hunger pangs which characterize a voracious male appetite.
Since a well-fed man makes good company, it is earnestly hoped that the effort involved will yield handsome dividends.
Carrots Flambe
1.5 lbs baby carrots
pinch salt (for boiling)
1/3 c bourbon
1 tbs brown sugar
4 tbs sweet butter
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
Simmer carrots until tender. Place carrots in a skillet with butter, lemon juice and brown sugar and saute until the sugar is dissolved. pour in bourbon, allow it to warm, ignite and blaze, stirring until all alcohol has burned off. Sprinkle parsley over carrots and serve immediately. 4 Servings.
Carrots can be served with Braised Loin of Pork and Potatoes Grand Marnier
24.9.08
Monday Meals for Males #1
I think I'm crazy! My favorite hobby is to nitpick old cookbooks for their sexist sentiments, and make fun of the weird food! I swear I am so weird.
Today I'll be debuting yet another out of print book that I'll be excerpting (it will be on Mondays, I'm late this week). It's called Meals for Males. I couldn't find a good link for it, sorry. I found it at a used bookstore we have around town for $8, which sounds like I got ripped off considering that I saw one copy for $.40 on Amazon. If you're a cookbook geek like Dana and like me, $5 will surely tickle your fetish. Not that I'm suggesting you buy a sexist text, but the original author isn't making any money off of it, so why the heck not?
About John J. Poister
John Poister began his writing career as a war correspondent for Stars and Stripes in Shanghai, China. Since that time he's tackled virtually every kind of writing. His 1965 documentary "Change for the Better" won the best documentary motion picture of the year award at the International Film and TV Festival of New York. Meals for Males is his second book. His first, The Pyromaniac's Cookbook" received wide critical praise as the first comprehensive book on flambé cuisine ever published in America.
Some credentials eh!
intro/duction
In the introduction he says, "This is as book for men with heart appetites - and women who love to satisfy them." He's trying to be inclusive rather than exclusive, can't you see? He continues: "This is a book for everyone who likes to cook and all who believe that good food and drink are an important part of the total enjoyment of life." Count me in!
This book contains no chapter on desserts because rich, heavy, calorie-packed dishes at the end of a substantial meal are less in demand by weight-conscious, on-the-move men and women. Accordingly, this space has been given over to other areas of rapidly growing interest and popularity, such as outdoor cooking. Hors d'oeuvres come at the end of this book, where they are utilized within the context of a social situation calling for light fare.
This social situation he's referring to is a date! Chapter 8 is: Of Succulence and Seduction: Carefully chosen food and drink for an evening for two designed to fortify love's alchemy whilst assiduously avoiding gluttony and inebriation; complete with many foolproof recipes and tested elixirs, some of which are reputed to possess aphrodisiacal powers."
It gets even better! He describes Chapter 7, "Drinks for Wine Lovers" this way:
The rather long sections on mixed drinks may seem disproportionate compared to those in traditional cookbooks. But since this is a book dealing with food and drink having a special appeal for men, and since men are usually responsible for drink preparation in the home, it is entirely appropriate that this branch of culinary arts be treated importantly. There is also a chapter on mixed drinks using wine as a basic ingredient. This reflects the increasingly widespread use of wines in the home.
Finally, John's goal is to make every man a gastronaut. That's right ladies, gentlemen, and gentlequeers.
gas-tro-naut; n: 1: a person who explores, investigates, or experiments with all aspects of good eating, esp new kinds of edibles or cooking methods.
No lie. This is one the very first page, before the copyright page.
If you missed Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining by Dixie Dean Trainer, you should go back and read them they're hilarious!
I leave you with the "Poisterizer" - YES it's named after the author:
1 oz orange juice
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz coconut milk
2.5 oz Barbados rum
Shake with ice, pour into a collins glass, fill with lemon lime soda and float half oz Demerara rum on top.
Today I'll be debuting yet another out of print book that I'll be excerpting (it will be on Mondays, I'm late this week). It's called Meals for Males. I couldn't find a good link for it, sorry. I found it at a used bookstore we have around town for $8, which sounds like I got ripped off considering that I saw one copy for $.40 on Amazon. If you're a cookbook geek like Dana and like me, $5 will surely tickle your fetish. Not that I'm suggesting you buy a sexist text, but the original author isn't making any money off of it, so why the heck not?
About John J. Poister
John Poister began his writing career as a war correspondent for Stars and Stripes in Shanghai, China. Since that time he's tackled virtually every kind of writing. His 1965 documentary "Change for the Better" won the best documentary motion picture of the year award at the International Film and TV Festival of New York. Meals for Males is his second book. His first, The Pyromaniac's Cookbook" received wide critical praise as the first comprehensive book on flambé cuisine ever published in America.
Some credentials eh!
intro/duction
In the introduction he says, "This is as book for men with heart appetites - and women who love to satisfy them." He's trying to be inclusive rather than exclusive, can't you see? He continues: "This is a book for everyone who likes to cook and all who believe that good food and drink are an important part of the total enjoyment of life." Count me in!
This book contains no chapter on desserts because rich, heavy, calorie-packed dishes at the end of a substantial meal are less in demand by weight-conscious, on-the-move men and women. Accordingly, this space has been given over to other areas of rapidly growing interest and popularity, such as outdoor cooking. Hors d'oeuvres come at the end of this book, where they are utilized within the context of a social situation calling for light fare.
This social situation he's referring to is a date! Chapter 8 is: Of Succulence and Seduction: Carefully chosen food and drink for an evening for two designed to fortify love's alchemy whilst assiduously avoiding gluttony and inebriation; complete with many foolproof recipes and tested elixirs, some of which are reputed to possess aphrodisiacal powers."
It gets even better! He describes Chapter 7, "Drinks for Wine Lovers" this way:
The rather long sections on mixed drinks may seem disproportionate compared to those in traditional cookbooks. But since this is a book dealing with food and drink having a special appeal for men, and since men are usually responsible for drink preparation in the home, it is entirely appropriate that this branch of culinary arts be treated importantly. There is also a chapter on mixed drinks using wine as a basic ingredient. This reflects the increasingly widespread use of wines in the home.
Finally, John's goal is to make every man a gastronaut. That's right ladies, gentlemen, and gentlequeers.
gas-tro-naut; n: 1: a person who explores, investigates, or experiments with all aspects of good eating, esp new kinds of edibles or cooking methods.
No lie. This is one the very first page, before the copyright page.
If you missed Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining by Dixie Dean Trainer, you should go back and read them they're hilarious!
I leave you with the "Poisterizer" - YES it's named after the author:
1 oz orange juice
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz coconut milk
2.5 oz Barbados rum
Shake with ice, pour into a collins glass, fill with lemon lime soda and float half oz Demerara rum on top.
31.8.08
Ramazan
Tomorrow I'll begin celebrating the fasting/feasting month of Ramadan, where millions of people all over the world will not drink alcohol, not have sex, and not eat, drink, or smoke unless it the sun is down. I am not Muslim, but my trip to Turkey in 2006 was timed around Ramazan (the Turkish spelling) and I enjoyed every minute of it. I get out of fasting because of my health concerns, but I will be pleased to practice some self-discovery, some times of prayer and meditation, and some times of reconciling myself with past actions I may regret. Some people call it repentance, but I don't think it has to be all that formal. Ramazan is just a time to get right with yourself, to give to charities that you value, to spend time with people you love, and to be conscious of your spiritual being. It's more than that, but that's what it is to me.
My favorite thing will be ezo gelin corbasi and iskender kebap.
I've been thinking about covering me hair, too.
It wouldn't be the first time that I've worn a hair/head covering. In 2005, as I was preparing to leave for missionary discipleship school, I spent two weeks with my head covered any time I left the house, or if I was in the company of women. I did this as a personal exercise of solidarity with women who are not allowed to show their hair. I may not do it for thirty days, I may not do it every day, but I in a way, it does make me so much more conscious of myself in my environments.
In other news, I'm not getting a new job, I'm not moving to New York, yet. I am seriously thinking about applying to grad school to get my Master's of Information and Library Science. Whattya think? Sexy librarian? Dana and I are thinking about renting a house in the Gayborhood here. Something with a yard and a tire swing and a vegetable garden. I'd like a spare bedroom which we could transform into a library/office. Or - a spare room for sexy time with anyone!
Ask me anything. As me a question. Say anything you'd like, and I'll do my best to answer truthfully. I'm an open book.
My favorite thing will be ezo gelin corbasi and iskender kebap.
I've been thinking about covering me hair, too.
It wouldn't be the first time that I've worn a hair/head covering. In 2005, as I was preparing to leave for missionary discipleship school, I spent two weeks with my head covered any time I left the house, or if I was in the company of women. I did this as a personal exercise of solidarity with women who are not allowed to show their hair. I may not do it for thirty days, I may not do it every day, but I in a way, it does make me so much more conscious of myself in my environments.
In other news, I'm not getting a new job, I'm not moving to New York, yet. I am seriously thinking about applying to grad school to get my Master's of Information and Library Science. Whattya think? Sexy librarian? Dana and I are thinking about renting a house in the Gayborhood here. Something with a yard and a tire swing and a vegetable garden. I'd like a spare bedroom which we could transform into a library/office. Or - a spare room for sexy time with anyone!
Ask me anything. As me a question. Say anything you'd like, and I'll do my best to answer truthfully. I'm an open book.
12.7.08
two things
sex is so freaking good right now. i didn't think we could have a successful repeat of the cock endeavor of last night. lemme just tell you people. it was fantastic
and the other thing. sex makes me so hungry! dana made this amazing mushroom stuffing, with broccoli and baked chicken. fabulous.
i'm going to go bask! ahh. so great.
and the other thing. sex makes me so hungry! dana made this amazing mushroom stuffing, with broccoli and baked chicken. fabulous.
i'm going to go bask! ahh. so great.
18.5.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 10
Good to the Last Bite - or, What to do with Leftovers:
Unless you live exclusively on steaks and chops, you'll eventually be confronted with leftovers. They can be a terrific problem if you don't know what to do with them. Personally, I find three days of cold leftover roast beef slices a depressing prospect. Yet I hate to throw out the meat because it's perfectly "good food." A friend of mine saves leftover "good food" long enough so that eventually it molders into "bad food", and then cheerfully throws it out without a qualm. That has always seemed a rather sneaky subterfuge.
The English solution to a leftover roast and vegetables is to cook it all up together in a pot, and mash the vegetables with a fork just before servign. It is then called "Bubble and Squeak" and is considered quite a delicacy. If that doesn't appeal to you, the following pages may give you some ideas. [Obviously her way is better?]
A word of warning: Often, a little bit of chicken or beef incorporated into a brand new dish makes an awful lot so that at the end of the meal you're faced with more leftoveres. Throw them out instantly. There is nothing meaner or more dispiriting than warmed up leftover leftovers.
Pork Goulash: Very Hungarian, and very tasty.
1/2 stick butter
1.5 c chopped onions
2 c leftover pork roast, cut in cubes
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 squeezed or minced garlic clove
1 tsp marjoram
grating of lemon rind
1 TB paprika
1 c water
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onions and cubed pork and saute until the pork is brown and crispy. Sprinkle caraway, marjoram, garlic, paprika, and lemon rind over the top, stirt to mix. Add the water. Cover and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Serves 4
Unless you live exclusively on steaks and chops, you'll eventually be confronted with leftovers. They can be a terrific problem if you don't know what to do with them. Personally, I find three days of cold leftover roast beef slices a depressing prospect. Yet I hate to throw out the meat because it's perfectly "good food." A friend of mine saves leftover "good food" long enough so that eventually it molders into "bad food", and then cheerfully throws it out without a qualm. That has always seemed a rather sneaky subterfuge.
The English solution to a leftover roast and vegetables is to cook it all up together in a pot, and mash the vegetables with a fork just before servign. It is then called "Bubble and Squeak" and is considered quite a delicacy. If that doesn't appeal to you, the following pages may give you some ideas. [Obviously her way is better?]
A word of warning: Often, a little bit of chicken or beef incorporated into a brand new dish makes an awful lot so that at the end of the meal you're faced with more leftoveres. Throw them out instantly. There is nothing meaner or more dispiriting than warmed up leftover leftovers.
Pork Goulash: Very Hungarian, and very tasty.
1/2 stick butter
1.5 c chopped onions
2 c leftover pork roast, cut in cubes
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 squeezed or minced garlic clove
1 tsp marjoram
grating of lemon rind
1 TB paprika
1 c water
Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onions and cubed pork and saute until the pork is brown and crispy. Sprinkle caraway, marjoram, garlic, paprika, and lemon rind over the top, stirt to mix. Add the water. Cover and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Serves 4
11.5.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 9
Now you are ready to tackle the menu itself which is half the battle of successful entertaining.
First of all, let's assume that you're going to have three courses - a soup or appetizer, a main dish and vegetables and dessert. The basic rule in planning that everything must contrast in terms of texture, color and flavor. For instance, if you're serving a creamed soup to begin with,, don't follow it with creamed chicken and ice cream. Similarly, serve foods of different colors and tastes at each course. A meal that is a symphony in shades of green will probably make your guests feel somewhat the same way by the end.
The same principle applies to the dishes in each course. For an appetizer, serve creamed shrimp on crisp lettuce for contrast in all three departments. For a main course, try slices of pink baked ham, flanked by deep green spinach and orange yams. Or accent the dark brown of a grilled steak with tomato slices, yellow corn, and a baked potato (piled high with sour cream topped with green chives for contrast on contrast[!!!]). By way of comparison, visualize one of the worst meals I ever had in my life: broiled white haddock, white cauliflower and white boiled potatos - served on a white plate.
Generally speaking, you won't go wrong if you keep in mind the following points:
1. Serve only one sauced or creamed anything to a menu.
2. Avoid repeats. If you're going to have carrot sticks to start, don't have cooked carrots with the main course.
3. Proceed from a simple dish to a complicated one to a simple one (or vice versa). For instance, simple cheese appetizers to complicated beef Bourguignon to simple raspberry sorbet. Or, complicated sauced shrimp to simple grilled lamb chops to complicated stuffed dessert brioches.
For a "busy" dish like a casserole, which has lots of bits and pieces, serve simple solid things in large pieces. Cantelope quarters would be dandy after a casserole, a "busy" fruit compote would be de trop.
First of all, let's assume that you're going to have three courses - a soup or appetizer, a main dish and vegetables and dessert. The basic rule in planning that everything must contrast in terms of texture, color and flavor. For instance, if you're serving a creamed soup to begin with,, don't follow it with creamed chicken and ice cream. Similarly, serve foods of different colors and tastes at each course. A meal that is a symphony in shades of green will probably make your guests feel somewhat the same way by the end.
The same principle applies to the dishes in each course. For an appetizer, serve creamed shrimp on crisp lettuce for contrast in all three departments. For a main course, try slices of pink baked ham, flanked by deep green spinach and orange yams. Or accent the dark brown of a grilled steak with tomato slices, yellow corn, and a baked potato (piled high with sour cream topped with green chives for contrast on contrast[!!!]). By way of comparison, visualize one of the worst meals I ever had in my life: broiled white haddock, white cauliflower and white boiled potatos - served on a white plate.
Generally speaking, you won't go wrong if you keep in mind the following points:
1. Serve only one sauced or creamed anything to a menu.
2. Avoid repeats. If you're going to have carrot sticks to start, don't have cooked carrots with the main course.
3. Proceed from a simple dish to a complicated one to a simple one (or vice versa). For instance, simple cheese appetizers to complicated beef Bourguignon to simple raspberry sorbet. Or, complicated sauced shrimp to simple grilled lamb chops to complicated stuffed dessert brioches.
For a "busy" dish like a casserole, which has lots of bits and pieces, serve simple solid things in large pieces. Cantelope quarters would be dandy after a casserole, a "busy" fruit compote would be de trop.
8.5.08
ills.
So. According to this new doctor I've been seeing, and I have a feeling she's right, I am afflicted with the diabetes, hypertension, high LDL cholesterol, obviously I'm overweight and it's all situated in my midsection because of the diabetes. I've already spent three days jabbing myself to check my blood glucose and I can't understand how it's always too high. Even when it's been hours after my last bite of any food. Whatevs. So I'm trying to make changes gradually, starting with all the drugs I'm on, now. I'll write more after I've sorted things out a little more.
6.5.08
Um. Tuesday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 8
INTRODUCTION (to the book)
Comes the day when you have your own apartment and your own life, and there you are standing in the kitchen wondering what on earth to eat besides tuna-noodle casserole. Half-remembered recipes swirl through your head, alternating with images of that sensational meal you had on your last dinner date. Should you try to improvise, thus duplicating your dreams? Don't - unless you've got a flawless palate and a lot of culinary experience.
I once tried duplicating chicken Tetrazzini from memory on the theory that it is impossible to louse up anything made with chicken, mushrooms, and spaghetti held together by a wine based cream sauce. I loused it up by inventively substituting red wine for white. The entire dish immediately turned a ghastly shade of maroon, and that ended that dinner. For my relatives, no less.
This book is written for the single girl with limited time, limited money, and limited experience in the kitchen. The recipes that follow are all simple to prepare, tasty, and non-junky, by which I mean those terrible combinations of stale bread, milk and grated cheese that provide nourishment for pennies. They do, but they're inedible.
Nor do these recipes take hours of cooking, or demand the skill in sauce-making, or require outre equipment deemed necessary by gourmet cookbooks.
They will, however, give you some fundamental notions of techniques, tastes, and combinations of foods for a base from which to tackle some of the more advanced complications of cuisine.
Gazpacho: An absolutely delicious fresh summer soup. You must have a blender for this one, though.
3c cored, coarsely chopped fresh tomatoes
1.5c peeled, coarsely chopped cucumber
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2c water
5 TB olive or corn oil
1/4c wine vinegar
2 slices untrimmed fresh bread, cubed
salt to taste
Put everything into the container of an electric blender and blend at high speed until thoroughly pureed. Pour mixture through a strainer into a mixing bowl, pressing with the flat of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids in the sieve. taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and vinegar if it seems a little flat. Chill thoroughly for a few hours before serving. Serves four.
Comes the day when you have your own apartment and your own life, and there you are standing in the kitchen wondering what on earth to eat besides tuna-noodle casserole. Half-remembered recipes swirl through your head, alternating with images of that sensational meal you had on your last dinner date. Should you try to improvise, thus duplicating your dreams? Don't - unless you've got a flawless palate and a lot of culinary experience.
I once tried duplicating chicken Tetrazzini from memory on the theory that it is impossible to louse up anything made with chicken, mushrooms, and spaghetti held together by a wine based cream sauce. I loused it up by inventively substituting red wine for white. The entire dish immediately turned a ghastly shade of maroon, and that ended that dinner. For my relatives, no less.
This book is written for the single girl with limited time, limited money, and limited experience in the kitchen. The recipes that follow are all simple to prepare, tasty, and non-junky, by which I mean those terrible combinations of stale bread, milk and grated cheese that provide nourishment for pennies. They do, but they're inedible.
Nor do these recipes take hours of cooking, or demand the skill in sauce-making, or require outre equipment deemed necessary by gourmet cookbooks.
They will, however, give you some fundamental notions of techniques, tastes, and combinations of foods for a base from which to tackle some of the more advanced complications of cuisine.
Gazpacho: An absolutely delicious fresh summer soup. You must have a blender for this one, though.
3c cored, coarsely chopped fresh tomatoes
1.5c peeled, coarsely chopped cucumber
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2c water
5 TB olive or corn oil
1/4c wine vinegar
2 slices untrimmed fresh bread, cubed
salt to taste
Put everything into the container of an electric blender and blend at high speed until thoroughly pureed. Pour mixture through a strainer into a mixing bowl, pressing with the flat of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids in the sieve. taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and vinegar if it seems a little flat. Chill thoroughly for a few hours before serving. Serves four.
27.4.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 7
A WORD ABOUT ENTERTAINING
Entertaining is a lot of fun. that's why people do i, and that's why other people are always glad to be entertained. Your guests will arrive happily expectant, for they anticipate an evening of food, drink, and good conversation, as opposed, say, to an evening of Uncle Bert's and Aunt Min's home movies of their trip to Toledo. By the time they arrive, your major chores will have been completed so that you will be free to relax and enjoy both your friends and the fruits of your labor.
this is known as being a serene hostess. However, achieving a state of serenity is not altogether easy, since you must do a sizeable (sic) amount of planning and work in advance. I have found that the secret is not just abstract planning, but making a list, a written list that includes every last item from flowers to wine to extra soup bowls, if necessary. You must write everything down - do not rely on your memory - or you will forget at least one absolutely necessary item.
First on your list belong the standard items for a dinner party: candles for the table and a bunch or two of freshly cut flowers to brighten the place up. These two items immediately set a festive and even elegant tone to the proceedings.
In addition, you should think of a bottle of wine. Not only think about it, but buy it (that is always my rule of thumb! don't just think ponder it, do it!) , unless you can count on your guests or your beau to bring a bottle. Most people, understanding the tight finances of single girls, will show up with a bottle of wine, but it's just as well to have the proper one on hand. Your guests may bring the wrong wine or - worse yet - none at all. If you've already bought a bottle, save it. It won't go bad.
The general rule for wines is that you serve a red wine with red meats, such as beef, lamb, or pork; and a white wine with white meats, such as chicken, veal, and fish. Roses go well with both red and white meats, and are always a good choice, if you're in doubt. Champagne, if you can afford it, goes with everything.
White wines and roses should be served thoroughly chilled, while reds profit from a half hour sojourn in the refrigerator to bring them down to the proper European room temperature, which is usually lower than that in the normal American apartment. Try to remember to open the wines (except sparkling wines) half an hour before serving to let the wine "breathe." Fill the glasses no more than two-thirds full so that the lovely wine aroma (or bouquet) is trapped in the upper part of the glass.
If you're on a tight budget, California wines are very good and quite acceptable. They are often a better bet than the cheap imported French wines, which, sad to say, are frequently sour Algerian products masquerading behind a phony French label. Ask the man in the liquor store for help - tell him that you want a dry red or white wine for dinner and he'll be happy to give you some suggestions. Don't get a sweet wine to go with a meal; you'll ruin both.
Entertaining is a lot of fun. that's why people do i, and that's why other people are always glad to be entertained. Your guests will arrive happily expectant, for they anticipate an evening of food, drink, and good conversation, as opposed, say, to an evening of Uncle Bert's and Aunt Min's home movies of their trip to Toledo. By the time they arrive, your major chores will have been completed so that you will be free to relax and enjoy both your friends and the fruits of your labor.
this is known as being a serene hostess. However, achieving a state of serenity is not altogether easy, since you must do a sizeable (sic) amount of planning and work in advance. I have found that the secret is not just abstract planning, but making a list, a written list that includes every last item from flowers to wine to extra soup bowls, if necessary. You must write everything down - do not rely on your memory - or you will forget at least one absolutely necessary item.
First on your list belong the standard items for a dinner party: candles for the table and a bunch or two of freshly cut flowers to brighten the place up. These two items immediately set a festive and even elegant tone to the proceedings.
In addition, you should think of a bottle of wine. Not only think about it, but buy it (that is always my rule of thumb! don't just think ponder it, do it!) , unless you can count on your guests or your beau to bring a bottle. Most people, understanding the tight finances of single girls, will show up with a bottle of wine, but it's just as well to have the proper one on hand. Your guests may bring the wrong wine or - worse yet - none at all. If you've already bought a bottle, save it. It won't go bad.
The general rule for wines is that you serve a red wine with red meats, such as beef, lamb, or pork; and a white wine with white meats, such as chicken, veal, and fish. Roses go well with both red and white meats, and are always a good choice, if you're in doubt. Champagne, if you can afford it, goes with everything.
White wines and roses should be served thoroughly chilled, while reds profit from a half hour sojourn in the refrigerator to bring them down to the proper European room temperature, which is usually lower than that in the normal American apartment. Try to remember to open the wines (except sparkling wines) half an hour before serving to let the wine "breathe." Fill the glasses no more than two-thirds full so that the lovely wine aroma (or bouquet) is trapped in the upper part of the glass.
If you're on a tight budget, California wines are very good and quite acceptable. They are often a better bet than the cheap imported French wines, which, sad to say, are frequently sour Algerian products masquerading behind a phony French label. Ask the man in the liquor store for help - tell him that you want a dry red or white wine for dinner and he'll be happy to give you some suggestions. Don't get a sweet wine to go with a meal; you'll ruin both.
20.4.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 6
Suppose you have six or eight guests approaching and only a couple of dollars in your pocket. Or dreary Sunday night is approaching and you'd like to have some people up for dinner to help you chasse the blues, but you're stuck with a thin wallet. What's a girl to do?
The answer is to make something good, filling, and cheap. So that your guests won't be expecting a triumph of French gourmet cooking, loaded with truffles and caviar, it's a good ploy to tell them in advance what they can expect -- e.g. "I just felt like making a big pot of chile con carne. Wouldn't you like to come and join me?" is good. And ask them to bring a couple of cans of beer to go along with it. Or, you could say, "Would you like to come by for a simple Sunday night supper?" Then bring out huge bowls of thick, fresh soup, lots of garlic bread, a green salad and one of those bottles of red wine you've saved. (Or ask a male to bring a bottle of wine.)
The recipes in this section are old reliables that begin from scratch; if you've got half a cold chicken in the refridgerator or some left over pot roast, check the leftover section for other ideas. You'd be surprised how many people you can feed on the remnants of a cut-up chicken.
Do sit down and make a list of everything you'll need, for you may discover that you've got on hand nearly all the makings of a full dinner. You'll never have all of them, but at least you won't have to shell out much hard cash.
Chile con Carne
2 TB olive oil
2 TB cold water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1.5 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne (or some Tabasco)
5 tsp chile powder (or more, to taste)
1 lb. chopped meat
1 cup onions, sliced thin
2 large cans kidney beans
1 can tomatoes, drained
Heat the olive oil, brown the chopped meat and onions until the meat is brown and the onions golden. Drain the kidney beans and rinse under cold water. Put the meat, onions, and beans in a large pot, and add everything else. Cook slowly for one hour. Add more chile powder if you like it really hot. Serve with saltine crackers and cold beer. Serves 8.
The answer is to make something good, filling, and cheap. So that your guests won't be expecting a triumph of French gourmet cooking, loaded with truffles and caviar, it's a good ploy to tell them in advance what they can expect -- e.g. "I just felt like making a big pot of chile con carne. Wouldn't you like to come and join me?" is good. And ask them to bring a couple of cans of beer to go along with it. Or, you could say, "Would you like to come by for a simple Sunday night supper?" Then bring out huge bowls of thick, fresh soup, lots of garlic bread, a green salad and one of those bottles of red wine you've saved. (Or ask a male to bring a bottle of wine.)
The recipes in this section are old reliables that begin from scratch; if you've got half a cold chicken in the refridgerator or some left over pot roast, check the leftover section for other ideas. You'd be surprised how many people you can feed on the remnants of a cut-up chicken.
Do sit down and make a list of everything you'll need, for you may discover that you've got on hand nearly all the makings of a full dinner. You'll never have all of them, but at least you won't have to shell out much hard cash.
Chile con Carne
2 TB olive oil
2 TB cold water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1.5 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne (or some Tabasco)
5 tsp chile powder (or more, to taste)
1 lb. chopped meat
1 cup onions, sliced thin
2 large cans kidney beans
1 can tomatoes, drained
Heat the olive oil, brown the chopped meat and onions until the meat is brown and the onions golden. Drain the kidney beans and rinse under cold water. Put the meat, onions, and beans in a large pot, and add everything else. Cook slowly for one hour. Add more chile powder if you like it really hot. Serve with saltine crackers and cold beer. Serves 8.
13.4.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 5
Roast Meats
Roasts should begin with repertoire. They are easy, impressive and sure to please any man. Any roast (with the exception of ham and pork) profits from the addition of arlic, salt and pepper, plus a bit of additional seasoning proper to the type of meat. You should allow one pound of meat per person.
Roast Veal
4-5 lb boneless veal roast
2 coves garlic
salt, pepper, thyme
bacon
melted butter
dry vermouth
Sprinkle the roast with salt, pepper and thyme. Lay the bacon strips neatly over the top of the roast so that all the meat is covered. Cut the cloves of garlic in half and toss them in the pan. roast at 325 degrees for about 2 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Baste frequently with melted butter and vermouth
Roasts should begin with repertoire. They are easy, impressive and sure to please any man. Any roast (with the exception of ham and pork) profits from the addition of arlic, salt and pepper, plus a bit of additional seasoning proper to the type of meat. You should allow one pound of meat per person.
Roast Veal
4-5 lb boneless veal roast
2 coves garlic
salt, pepper, thyme
bacon
melted butter
dry vermouth
Sprinkle the roast with salt, pepper and thyme. Lay the bacon strips neatly over the top of the roast so that all the meat is covered. Cut the cloves of garlic in half and toss them in the pan. roast at 325 degrees for about 2 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Baste frequently with melted butter and vermouth
6.4.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 4
RUSH HOUR MENUS
One of the hazards a single girl faces in the kitchen at night is the necessity of working during the day. Unlike the home-bound housewife, who can start cooking at noon for a dinner party that evening at seven, the working girl has got to do it all in a matter of minutes (probably with guests in tow) or else the day before.
Yet, it can be done - one way or the other.
For real spur of the moment elegance, keep on hand the ingredients for one or two favorite dishes that can be prepared in a jiffy. Most of them come in cans, s you don't have to worry about spoilage. Then if you decide to invite friends from the office, say, at the last minute, you'll be prepared.
Another alternative is to pick up everything on the way home at the local delicatessen. Expensive, yes, but fast and better than dragging through the lines at the supermarket. Or you can do all the shopping and preparation the day before and simply put everything together quickly at the last minute.
Last, but not least you can prepare some dishes the night before that only need reheating when your guests arrive. To save you the trouble of leafing through all the previous pages trying to envision menus, ingredients and preparation time, specific menu suggestions and make-ahead directions like ahead.
CAN OPENER COOKING
These recipes assume that your cupboard and refridgerator are no entirely bare. any perishables that you might not have on hand (and therefore would have to buy) are in italics.
BEEF AND ARTICHOKES SUPREME
1/2 lb. chipped beef (2 small jars)
2 tb butter
1 pt. sour cream
1 jar or can artichoke hearts
cayenne pepper or paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
1 large tb grated parmesan cheese
Pull the chipped beef into shreds, cover with water and parboil for a minute or two, the drain. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low flame. When it is melted, add teh sour cream and stir untill all the lumps disappear. Slice the artichoke hearts thin, and stir into the sour cream with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or paprika. Add the wine, the Parmesan cheese and then beef. Stir constantly and heat slowly but thoroughly. Don't let it boil or it will curdle. If the sauce is too thin, ad a little bit of flour. If it's too thick, add a little water. Serve over hot buttered toast and sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on the top. This is a very rich dish. Serves 6.
One of the hazards a single girl faces in the kitchen at night is the necessity of working during the day. Unlike the home-bound housewife, who can start cooking at noon for a dinner party that evening at seven, the working girl has got to do it all in a matter of minutes (probably with guests in tow) or else the day before.
Yet, it can be done - one way or the other.
For real spur of the moment elegance, keep on hand the ingredients for one or two favorite dishes that can be prepared in a jiffy. Most of them come in cans, s you don't have to worry about spoilage. Then if you decide to invite friends from the office, say, at the last minute, you'll be prepared.
Another alternative is to pick up everything on the way home at the local delicatessen. Expensive, yes, but fast and better than dragging through the lines at the supermarket. Or you can do all the shopping and preparation the day before and simply put everything together quickly at the last minute.
Last, but not least you can prepare some dishes the night before that only need reheating when your guests arrive. To save you the trouble of leafing through all the previous pages trying to envision menus, ingredients and preparation time, specific menu suggestions and make-ahead directions like ahead.
CAN OPENER COOKING
These recipes assume that your cupboard and refridgerator are no entirely bare. any perishables that you might not have on hand (and therefore would have to buy) are in italics.
BEEF AND ARTICHOKES SUPREME
1/2 lb. chipped beef (2 small jars)
2 tb butter
1 pt. sour cream
1 jar or can artichoke hearts
cayenne pepper or paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine (or vermouth)
1 large tb grated parmesan cheese
Pull the chipped beef into shreds, cover with water and parboil for a minute or two, the drain. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low flame. When it is melted, add teh sour cream and stir untill all the lumps disappear. Slice the artichoke hearts thin, and stir into the sour cream with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or paprika. Add the wine, the Parmesan cheese and then beef. Stir constantly and heat slowly but thoroughly. Don't let it boil or it will curdle. If the sauce is too thin, ad a little bit of flour. If it's too thick, add a little water. Serve over hot buttered toast and sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on the top. This is a very rich dish. Serves 6.
29.3.08
i always cry at weddings but not because they are sweet
This afternoon one of my spiritual brothers is getting married to a girl that he's crazy in love with. I want to go, I truly want to go, to support my brother and to express to him my joy that he has found someone with whom he can share the struggles and triumphs of life. But I really can't.
I can't because I'll have to answer to probably 50 people about where my career in world missions went. They're going to wonder where spreading the "gospel of peace" went. It went back into my mouth after I had said it, down my throat and deep into my heart where I knew that the gospel of peace that brought salvation to hungry souls comes from the love that we harbor for ourselves and others.
Even the person on whom I had the most influence on during my globe-trotting spells didn't "receive christ" necessarily. What she received was the gift of knowing that she was valuable. I showered her with gifts and I listened to her concerns and genuinely tried to understand where she was coming from. When I left her, she knew that someone had loved her, if only for a moment, someone had loved her enough to turn the mirror of her self-acceptance upright, where some heart-shaking typhoon had blown it down. I showed herself to her again in a different light, hoping to bring her back to the origin of her salvation.
I think I did.
But I can't bear the thought of going to this wedding in exactly 1 hour. I'm going to feel so incredibly anxious. I'm going to want to tell them all the good news - that I have a beautiful girlfriend who appreciates me, a sometimes-handsome girl who knows how to bring me back to the origin of my salvation. I already want to, but my respect for my mother holds me back. Her fragile understanding of my way of life keeps her from telling our spiritual family. I'm not telling these people outright because she is still holding on to the hope that maybe it really is just a "phase" (yeah - a 10 year phase? right.) or maybe I'm really just bisexual and one day I'll meet a really nice boy... And you know what, I could just say "fuck you all, I'm doing my own thing" but that's not my style. I'd rather people know where I'm coming from, to see things from my heart's perspective rather than being flippant aout the ways in which I come out to people. My mother has done nothing but love me from the bottom of her heart. She has deserved the respect that I give her, and so while it may look like an easy out - just show up looking like a big dyke and talk nothing but queer politics for the entire wedding reception! - that's not how I am going to handle things, and it's not just because I'm nervous abotu saying it. I'm concerned about saying it the right way.
In the meantime, I plan to talk recipes with my chefly girlfriend and enjoy the meals that I am scheming up for her. Last night it was spaghetti - i sauteed the chicken, onions, garlic, mushrooms and fresh basil and oregano myself - with toast and pesto, and a dessert of chocolate mini cakes, strawberries sauteed in wine and brown sugar, and whip. Tonight we're looking at chicken spring rolls, jasmine rice and beef stir fry, and then tomorrow night I might do Mexican. Because my beautiful girlfriend, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University, deserves good food cooked at home, with portions that swell with my love for her.
I can't because I'll have to answer to probably 50 people about where my career in world missions went. They're going to wonder where spreading the "gospel of peace" went. It went back into my mouth after I had said it, down my throat and deep into my heart where I knew that the gospel of peace that brought salvation to hungry souls comes from the love that we harbor for ourselves and others.
Even the person on whom I had the most influence on during my globe-trotting spells didn't "receive christ" necessarily. What she received was the gift of knowing that she was valuable. I showered her with gifts and I listened to her concerns and genuinely tried to understand where she was coming from. When I left her, she knew that someone had loved her, if only for a moment, someone had loved her enough to turn the mirror of her self-acceptance upright, where some heart-shaking typhoon had blown it down. I showed herself to her again in a different light, hoping to bring her back to the origin of her salvation.
I think I did.
But I can't bear the thought of going to this wedding in exactly 1 hour. I'm going to feel so incredibly anxious. I'm going to want to tell them all the good news - that I have a beautiful girlfriend who appreciates me, a sometimes-handsome girl who knows how to bring me back to the origin of my salvation. I already want to, but my respect for my mother holds me back. Her fragile understanding of my way of life keeps her from telling our spiritual family. I'm not telling these people outright because she is still holding on to the hope that maybe it really is just a "phase" (yeah - a 10 year phase? right.) or maybe I'm really just bisexual and one day I'll meet a really nice boy... And you know what, I could just say "fuck you all, I'm doing my own thing" but that's not my style. I'd rather people know where I'm coming from, to see things from my heart's perspective rather than being flippant aout the ways in which I come out to people. My mother has done nothing but love me from the bottom of her heart. She has deserved the respect that I give her, and so while it may look like an easy out - just show up looking like a big dyke and talk nothing but queer politics for the entire wedding reception! - that's not how I am going to handle things, and it's not just because I'm nervous abotu saying it. I'm concerned about saying it the right way.
In the meantime, I plan to talk recipes with my chefly girlfriend and enjoy the meals that I am scheming up for her. Last night it was spaghetti - i sauteed the chicken, onions, garlic, mushrooms and fresh basil and oregano myself - with toast and pesto, and a dessert of chocolate mini cakes, strawberries sauteed in wine and brown sugar, and whip. Tonight we're looking at chicken spring rolls, jasmine rice and beef stir fry, and then tomorrow night I might do Mexican. Because my beautiful girlfriend, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University, deserves good food cooked at home, with portions that swell with my love for her.
16.3.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining #3
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Cooking and Entertaining
BRUNCHES:
A long, lazy Sunday brunch for two or more people is an occasion to remember. The atmosphere should be languid, relaxing, and easy as opposed to, say, the brittle, cheerful glitter of a cocktail party.
If you are having drinks - and they are a nice treat - try one of the suggestions on the following pages. Martinis and scotch-on-the-rocks are simply too brutal a way of beginning the day. If you're not having anything alcoholic, then just serve an assortment of fruit juices served from pretty pitchers and poured over tall glasses filled with ice.
Investigate your bakery for small Danish pastries, brioches, croissants, or other breakfast rolls. Or try frozen rolls or brown and serve rolls from the supermarket. Many of them are really excellent.
Plan to have plenty of coffee - figure on two cups per person at least.
A word of warning: if your male guests are football buffs, and if your brunch occurs on a Sunday during the football season, make your plans accordingly. If you don't have a TV set, you may have to forget the whole idea of a brunch party until after New Year's. If you do, plan to finish the meal at least 15 minutes before kickoff. No true fan will miss a moment of the thrilling action once the game starts. I have heard of girls who tried to entice their men away from the game to serve food and get nothing but snarls and black looks.
[wait for real? snarls and the look of death? jeez louise!]
Drinks: Bullshot
1 can beef bouillon
1 soup can water
Vodka
Dilute the canned bouillon with water. For each person, fill a "rocks" glass with ice, add 1 jigger vodka and fill with bouillon. garnish with a thin slice of lemon if desired.
[one word: gross!]
BRUNCHES:
A long, lazy Sunday brunch for two or more people is an occasion to remember. The atmosphere should be languid, relaxing, and easy as opposed to, say, the brittle, cheerful glitter of a cocktail party.
If you are having drinks - and they are a nice treat - try one of the suggestions on the following pages. Martinis and scotch-on-the-rocks are simply too brutal a way of beginning the day. If you're not having anything alcoholic, then just serve an assortment of fruit juices served from pretty pitchers and poured over tall glasses filled with ice.
Investigate your bakery for small Danish pastries, brioches, croissants, or other breakfast rolls. Or try frozen rolls or brown and serve rolls from the supermarket. Many of them are really excellent.
Plan to have plenty of coffee - figure on two cups per person at least.
A word of warning: if your male guests are football buffs, and if your brunch occurs on a Sunday during the football season, make your plans accordingly. If you don't have a TV set, you may have to forget the whole idea of a brunch party until after New Year's. If you do, plan to finish the meal at least 15 minutes before kickoff. No true fan will miss a moment of the thrilling action once the game starts. I have heard of girls who tried to entice their men away from the game to serve food and get nothing but snarls and black looks.
[wait for real? snarls and the look of death? jeez louise!]
Drinks: Bullshot
1 can beef bouillon
1 soup can water
Vodka
Dilute the canned bouillon with water. For each person, fill a "rocks" glass with ice, add 1 jigger vodka and fill with bouillon. garnish with a thin slice of lemon if desired.
[one word: gross!]
11.3.08
Pumpkin Carrot Butternut Squash Soup
In leu of your Sunday "Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining" I will provide you with a recipe of my own:
Pumpkin Squash Carrot Soup
1 large can 100% pumpkin
1 butternut squash (baked into mush)
1 lb bag of carrots (boiled, then pureed in their broth)
1.5 qts chicken or veggie stock
1 sauteed onion
1 large container sour cream (or anything else creamy)
Pepper 1 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
Cinnamon 1 tbsp or to taste
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Cook everything for hours and hours in a crock pot, and serve hot, with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of diced chives to garnish.
It's been a big hit, next to my infamous split pea soup.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that you can put half the container of sour cream, or you can put some heavy cream into the soup to make it creamy, then garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and chives.
Pumpkin Squash Carrot Soup
1 large can 100% pumpkin
1 butternut squash (baked into mush)
1 lb bag of carrots (boiled, then pureed in their broth)
1.5 qts chicken or veggie stock
1 sauteed onion
1 large container sour cream (or anything else creamy)
Pepper 1 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg
Cinnamon 1 tbsp or to taste
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Cook everything for hours and hours in a crock pot, and serve hot, with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of diced chives to garnish.
It's been a big hit, next to my infamous split pea soup.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that you can put half the container of sour cream, or you can put some heavy cream into the soup to make it creamy, then garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and chives.
2.3.08
Sunday Single Girl's Guide to Entertaining 2
A dinner party for two has got to be one of the most romantic occasions in the world (unless it's a girl from the office) [Wait - that would be awesome!]. Assuming it's a man you're entertaining, pull out all the stops: nice records or a good, unobtrusive radio station for background music, a small bouquet of flowers, lots of candlelight, hot plates, polished glassware and silverware, your nicest tablecloth or placemats, and, of course, perfectly delicious food. Men [or butches, or whoever] really love the whole production.
The Entrees in this section are designed just for two in order to make the shopping and preparation as easy as possible. (No leftovers to worry about, either.)
Nearly all of the preparation - cutting, slicing, dicing, whatever - can be done very quickly and in advance, so that all you'll have to do is put everything together at the last moment. You'll find that the actual cooking will go even faster if you put all your utensils on the stove in advance. Then all you'll have to do is throw things into various pots and skillets.
These recipes do rely on relatively expensive cuts of meat - veal scallopine and steak, for instance. I've found that it's possible to afford two veal scallops (about 3/4 lb.) and 1/8 lb. of proscuitto (sic) ham - which are horribly expensive per pound - because the amounts are so small. The same ingredients for four or six people would be financially ruinous (RUINOUS!) So splurge a little and enjoy. It won't cost that much more than hamburgers.
Suggestions for appropriate appetizers, soups, vegetables and desserts are described in the previous chapter are given. (Not that the mathematical combination of just a few standards or favorites are endless).
HAM ALSACE: This is a French favorite from the province of Alsace - Lorraine.
1 precooked ham slice
1.5 TB sweet butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2/4 cup grated Swiss
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream
Preheat the broiler. Saute the ham in butter in a skillet. When heated through on one side, turn and heat the other. Mix the grated cheeses with the mustard and beat in just enough heavy cream to make a spreadable paste. Don't let it get thin or runny. Smear the ham with the mixture and put it under the broiler until the top is melted and browned.
(Note: Dijon mustard is hot, spicy brown mustard. The American yellow hot dog mustard won't work in this dish).
Precede with Onion Soup (p. 23). Serve with hot buttered spinach and buttered noodles. For dessert, try Flan (p. 37).
There you have it. Your weekly excerpt from "Single Girl's Guide to Cooking and Entertaining: How to go straight to the heart of your man... easy and delicious recipes and menus for the working girl in a hurry." by Dixie Dean Trainer, which is nowhere to be found on the internet otherwise I would link you to it. I like most of the recipes in this book but I'm simply astonished by the commentary and chapter introductions!
The Entrees in this section are designed just for two in order to make the shopping and preparation as easy as possible. (No leftovers to worry about, either.)
Nearly all of the preparation - cutting, slicing, dicing, whatever - can be done very quickly and in advance, so that all you'll have to do is put everything together at the last moment. You'll find that the actual cooking will go even faster if you put all your utensils on the stove in advance. Then all you'll have to do is throw things into various pots and skillets.
These recipes do rely on relatively expensive cuts of meat - veal scallopine and steak, for instance. I've found that it's possible to afford two veal scallops (about 3/4 lb.) and 1/8 lb. of proscuitto (sic) ham - which are horribly expensive per pound - because the amounts are so small. The same ingredients for four or six people would be financially ruinous (RUINOUS!) So splurge a little and enjoy. It won't cost that much more than hamburgers.
Suggestions for appropriate appetizers, soups, vegetables and desserts are described in the previous chapter are given. (Not that the mathematical combination of just a few standards or favorites are endless).
HAM ALSACE: This is a French favorite from the province of Alsace - Lorraine.
1 precooked ham slice
1.5 TB sweet butter
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2/4 cup grated Swiss
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup heavy cream
Preheat the broiler. Saute the ham in butter in a skillet. When heated through on one side, turn and heat the other. Mix the grated cheeses with the mustard and beat in just enough heavy cream to make a spreadable paste. Don't let it get thin or runny. Smear the ham with the mixture and put it under the broiler until the top is melted and browned.
(Note: Dijon mustard is hot, spicy brown mustard. The American yellow hot dog mustard won't work in this dish).
Precede with Onion Soup (p. 23). Serve with hot buttered spinach and buttered noodles. For dessert, try Flan (p. 37).
There you have it. Your weekly excerpt from "Single Girl's Guide to Cooking and Entertaining: How to go straight to the heart of your man... easy and delicious recipes and menus for the working girl in a hurry." by Dixie Dean Trainer, which is nowhere to be found on the internet otherwise I would link you to it. I like most of the recipes in this book but I'm simply astonished by the commentary and chapter introductions!
8.10.07
date with myself
This evening I thoroughly enjoyed my own company. Maybe I wasn't ready for a date. Maybe my guest read my blog about it being my first date? Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way. Or maybe things just didn't work out as planned. Who knows? I got a text message just as I sat down at my table. What a way to go, but I didn't let it get to me.
I enjoyed my food, a glass of wine, a sweet dessert and a hot little cup of Turkish coffee. Beforehand, I sat for about 2 hours in Central Park writing about my experience this weekend, trying to explain it all but having a rough time with the details. I almost don't want to write too much about it, as if it would become just a story or a dream if I were to write what exactly happened. I wrote about my muses who guided me. I wrote about my struggle to push past the wall that I bumped into. I wrote about the immensity. It was a nice afternoon. I've found my way around Manhattan with not a wink of trouble, even when I'm not quite sure where I'm goingr.
And since I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go, I think I'm going to make my way over to one of the gay bars in town. After a bit of a rest, of course. Maybe I'll read some more of my homework...
I enjoyed my food, a glass of wine, a sweet dessert and a hot little cup of Turkish coffee. Beforehand, I sat for about 2 hours in Central Park writing about my experience this weekend, trying to explain it all but having a rough time with the details. I almost don't want to write too much about it, as if it would become just a story or a dream if I were to write what exactly happened. I wrote about my muses who guided me. I wrote about my struggle to push past the wall that I bumped into. I wrote about the immensity. It was a nice afternoon. I've found my way around Manhattan with not a wink of trouble, even when I'm not quite sure where I'm goingr.
And since I'm all dressed up and nowhere to go, I think I'm going to make my way over to one of the gay bars in town. After a bit of a rest, of course. Maybe I'll read some more of my homework...
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