Well, friends - it's been fun but my blog is moving for technical reasons. Please find me at my new home .
Just incase something goes awry with that link it's :
http://boychefgirlwonder.blogspot.com
See you there! =)
Make dinner, that is.
Boy and I don't cross paths much during the day, and towards the end of the week, even less due to boy working at night. So, our dinners are interesting ones usually because we both equally contribute in the thinking, buying, and cooking process. It usually starts out with a midday text.. an idea that spurs banter about past meals and things we'd like to try.
By the time we are home together, some protein is thawing or tofu (or the like..) is marinading. Once I've kicked off my shoes and settled into comfy clothes, the creation wheel starts to spin and we both flawlessly scurry around our tiny kitchen blurting out - how about a little of this or what if you sprinkled some of that to zest it up a bit? Before you know it things are in the oven, or on the stove. Then me, boy and moose are out on our nightly walk.
Last night we started out with thawing pork.. then decided on an Asian influence, which was eventually blurred a bit in the production.. Anyhow, we did zucchini noodles which hit the wok for a minute, and then a cold zucchini, tomato, red onion relish and jasmine rice. The pork was cooked low and slow in a ginger vinaigrette, hickory liquid smoke and s&p. The dish was very clean, fresh and alive - it turned out to be one of the very best dishes.
So, yes.. we all hate them, all of them. But do we hate them? The cliche itself - no. Why? Beeeecause..
They are always true, always! I think we just mostly hate people saying them to us because normally when they DO say them to us we are in NO mood to listen to them.
Now students, one I would like to focus on today is... "When life gives you lemons..." - Ok, I won't take it that far, but I do realize this is a very, very true statement. I think it can be seen and received in a lot of different lights. In my case the other day I was feeling particularly sad because of where I am living. I like FL, but I do not LOVE it. I admit wearing flip flops in January is nice but it gets old. Anyhow, the other day I got home from work and was so annoyed that it was nearly 80 outside, no turning leaves, no snow in the future and of course that sort of vibe, that sort of warm feeling is not embraced here in the sunshine state. Sooo.. I decided to make my home my own little autumn getaway.
It was pretty simple actually, I hit a boiling pot of water with sprinkles of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves - before you know it the house smelled as though 15 pumpkin pies were baking. Then I lit every pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, gingerbread candle in the house - to...enhance..the..pumpkiness. After that I cranked down the ac to 60 (not for long, just enough to make pajamas and socks comfortable..) I made some coffee, grabbed some maple pastries and settled into the couch with my favorite blanket and a good movie.Boy also largely contributed by bringing home some prune, walnut & black pepper goat cheese and fresh made chicken and duck liver pate - it brought autumn right home.
So.. what's the moral here people? Cliches are annoying, yes. People say them too much, yes. They are ALWAYS true, yes. Ok, the real point is life really isn't always going to be as you want, or even like a lot of the times... if you don't put in some amount of effort to make it good for YOU then it never will be, no matter where you live, what you do, how much money you make.. it's a big lesson I had to learn in life, not too long ago - and I am very, very glad that I did. Thanks Boy.
Strolling thru a vineyard.. the wholesome soil beneath my bare feet, the faint smell of grapes in the air..a warm breeze beckoning me toward the stone house.. the savory scents wafting thru the air, intriguing my mind, and my stomach.
Ok, no - not even close to strolling thru a Tuscan vineyard BUT my dinner tonight took me there, in a big way. I must admit - italian style cooking isn't a huge play in this house but when we do make it, we strive to perfect it.. Tonight boy said he wanted a pasta casserole.. with bacon, the very mention of it sent images of pizza hut, boxed yuck floating thru my mind, I nearly dry heaved - then I had an idea.
Boy threw some organic ground chuck, bacon, onions and garlic in a skillet and walked off - heh.. thats ok, he's had an interesting week already. So after that I cut up plum tomatoes - tossed them with parm, fresh garlic, parsley and basil paste.
basil and rosemary.. just plucked.
tossing the pasta, marinaded tomatoes and the protein..
I also somewhat did the same with a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, except I plucked some fresh rosemary and basil from our herb garden to toss in. I cooked rotini pasta, layered - make some garlic toast and holy shit.. it was really some of the best feelgood food I have had in a while, it was the right amount of sweet, garlicy, baconesque*.. yea, boy thinks bacon is another food group? oh well.
pasta peeking out from the blanket of parmesan..
the finale.. with garlic toasts..
Now I'm going to go get in my spring fed, bubbling, mineral pool to soothe my... no, Im just going to my 1950's style pink tub.
Enjoy!
GOBAMA! =)
7:30 p.m...
Cooking, blogging, watching...
Aren't youuuu?
Pics eventually.
10:15 p.m...
Ok, back to me..
So, I'm not even going to go there.. Anywho..
I had a vision of what I wanted for dinner tonight.. and boy made it happen! Nothing special I tell ya, actually quite simple and...southern? That's right - coleslaw, chicken drumsticks and a baked potato.. now, of course we added our own take on everything, like adding dijionaise, basil and thyme to the coleslaw, the drumsticks were marinaded in coffee, hot sauce, molasses, garlic, rosemary, and brown sugar, and of course hit the potatoes with chopped garlic and olive oil, s&p before popping them into the oven - Mmmmmmmmm. So, so good, it completely hit the spot! Apologize for no pics of the slaw or potato.. couldn't catch a great one tonight, lighting, focus.. etc.
We paired all that goodness with Blue Moon...and now coffee, with an intermission of raisinets, whoppers & milk duds - hah. It's movie night, right?
yea, im in fl but today was a very, very overcast, cold, wet day.. make me think of nc..
well, more like this day but..
The weekend was a good one, full of plentiful sunshine, cold breezes and baseball!
Whaaa now..? Yes, Boy & I decided to throw the ball around this weekend out by bluff... wow, haven't worked THOSE muscle's in some time.. it was a lot of fun to run around, laugh and taunt each other with the very idea of missing a ball.. hah.
Monday has so far gone off without a hitch! Sorry for the quick post but I have some researching to do and some curry to eat! =)
no clue what these blooms are but i love how i caught the stone house in back..
pink hibiscus and a row of very neatly trimmed trees at the estate..
from the ground up at a friends house in NC..
peering out of the Corner Kitchen, upstairs.. NC..
logs stacked up for bbq'in..
a quick garden pasta salad for lunch..