Sour Dough'n Hoochie Mama Part Deux

<----King Arthur is da'bomb

Below is my left over starter I will put back in the crock in my fridge and feed again so I will have starter when I want to make bread again. I feel Amish......kind of like when everyone was getting ready for Y2K and they thought every ATM machine was going to implode....and they bought generators and cases of campbells soup and lots of toilet paper. I am self -sustaining.....bring it on UFO's....I can hide in my basement and live off of bread on the BGE while the world around me evaporates......until of course, I run out of charcoal......i don't have a basement either but makes for good effect.

So today I tried to make sourdough bread bowls for my potatos soup. They turned out pretty good. This was my first attempt at making sourdough bread, let alone making it on the Big Green Egg (BGE).

<----Baking on the BGE <---- LOVE THIS!!!!!

I will definately try these again. I am actually surprised they turned out....I must of had really good starter because I was doing 3 things at once....making potato soup, making sourdough bread and starting my pizza dough for tomorrow and later on in the day I found a ramekin behind a towel on my counter that had the OTHER 1/2 of the salt/sugar mixture I was supposed to put in my dough. UGH! I love the BIG GREEN EGG, I LOVE IT!!!!!

Is it Dinner or Supper???

I call it Supper most of the time. I guess it seems if you are eating at home you are having supper.....unless you invite someone over and then you invite them for Dinner. Or if you go out to eat, you always go out for Dinner. Weird.

....anway I made 2 bean, corn and cheese quesadillas. We did corn, refried and black beans, monterey jack/cheddar/cotija cheese on sundried tomato flour tortillas....topped off with shredded romaine, light sr. cream and salsa.

Tongues of ~FIRE~

Fagiolata Italian Bean Soup Mix

This stuff is SUPERB!!!

Now before I go any further with just yet one more of My Favorite Things (sorry Oprah I have'm too), I have to dedicate this post to my cousin Molly (you will see why as the story progresses). Anyway, I love these beans (no I don't want to marry them). heheheh remember when you were a kid and you said you loved something and then your friend would pipe up and say "If you love them why dont' you marry them". ADD again. I used to buy these beans at Williams Sonoma. They came in a jar for $8.50. I know you can buy dried beans anywhere but this particular mix is ONLY Italian Dried Beans. The ingredient list of the beans is also in Italian so it was hard to search on the internet to see if anyone else carried them. About a year ago I went in to get a jar and they were all out. The girl behind the counter stated they didn't have them anymore......WHAT???? I started to get a bit dizzy, my head was spinning, palms were clammy........how was I going to make my Italian Sausage and Bean Soup???? A pleasant surprise happened in November when I trekked up to the WS outlet in Memphis and saw they had the beans in the store. I bought 3 jars but I am now down to my last jar. The outlet is 2 1/2 hours away and it is not a pleasant drive. The regular WS store no longer carries these. I am going to go on a dried bean search on the internet when I get a free moment to see if I can at least buy them individually. Anyway....back to the Molly dedication. Molly had come with her hubby and son to visit us from MN when we were in NE. I made my famous Italian Sausage and Bean Soup. One of the really large beans in this mix is called an Extra-Large Violet Bean.....it looks like a huge purplish butter bean. Molly proceeded to say that she really liked them and that a lady at her church told her they were called "Tongues of ~FIRE~". Well being the recovering guilt-ridden scaredy cat Catholic I am in my mind I am thinking "oooooh Tongues of ~FIRE~" that is kind of scary in a religious kind of way.......should I be worried.....kind of like if I am not good I am going to get 10 lashes from the Tongues of ~FIRE~.......should I eat them?? Should I put them in a shrine like the (Jesus Cinnamon Bun or the Mother of Mary Tortilla.....see previous posts). Should I invite Benny Hinn for supper or perhaps the other guy that you call for your FREE Miracle Spring Water or your FREE Green Miracle Cloth (don't ask it is the south). So now everytime I eat this soup I think of Molly and get a little twinge of spiritual frightness while I am eating my Tongues of ~FIRE~. I don't know Tongues of ~FIRE~ just sounds religious to me.........I am catholic though so keep that in mind or am I????

Tomorrow We Dine With the Governator

I WISH.........I would rather have dinner with Arnold than Beebe.

Thursday night my presence is requested at a Chamber of Commerce dinner with the Governor of AR. I can hardly wait...........SHA RIGHT! In fact, I don't even know if we are getting dinner. My husband never knows anything about anything if it is not work related. He comes home 2 weeks ago stating we have a dinner to go to with the Governor for the Chamber...2 weeks heads up is a HUGE deal for him...usually I find out 4 days before something. Anyway, he said dinner but the reminder email I received said nothing about dinner and said something about a 5:30-6:30 reception. I did not get a little rsvp card requesting my chicken, steak or fish or ~other for all you pita's (pain in the asses) out there that need a vegetarian or diabetic meal etc. Reception usually means lousy cold appetizers or whore's of yours (see prior posting 12/07/07). To top it all off we have a table right up front which means I will have a hard time rolling my eyes from boredom w/out the whole room seeing me.

Tree Hugging Granola Veg-Head

I wouldn't say that I am a Tree Hugging Granola Veg-Head. I do possess many of those qualities. I am not 100% anything. I am not an extremist on ANYTHING. I believe there are many areas for grays and not everything is black and white. I do some green things and some not so green things. I eat meat but I have my limits. I know PETA says that "In every package of chicken there is a little bit'o pooh"....I really don't care....I am over it. VEGAN's are a whole other story which I dont' have time for today. No meat, dairy or any animal by products??? C'mon already.......I am thoroughly convinced this group of people just HATES food period. Anyway, I am waaaay off my subject. I try to buy organic as much as possible.....do I only eat organic??? No. I try to stay balanced in everything I do in my life. I don't always succeed but I do always bring myself back to the middle when things get out of whack and rebalance as much as I can. Everything in moderation is my motto. I do very much believe that we have foods out there that can hurt and heal our bodies. Foods that can prevent illness. My favorite drink that I have everyday for lunch.....no fail....is what I call my Artery Plaque Busting High Blood Pressure Preventing Drink. I mix a concoction of POM 100% Pomegranate Juice with a Red Ruby Grapefruit that I juice myself and then 1/2 of a lime with 2 Tablespoons of Flax Seed Meal (if you are drinking on a Saturday morning and have nowhere to go....omit the flax seed meal and throw in some citrus vodka heheheheh). Now mind you, I don't have any said ailments to speak of (knock on wood) but I don't want any either. I figure if I can head any of this stuff off at the pass what better way to do it than with foods that are healing in nature. I don't eat completely healthy....but I don't eat completely bad either. I try and balance my options out. Some more of my favorite ailment busting foods are black beans, cinnamon, flax seed, old fashioned oats, unsalted almonds, pecans and walnuts, spinach, olive oil, tea and salmon.....oooh and sundried tomatoes and roasted red peppers (did you know that a red pepper has more vitamin C than an orange). Just looking to do the right thing but with a little fun thrown in from time to time.........definately not going to go through life not having eaten a cookie or pizza or artisinal bread and cheese........that to me would be a living HELL. oooooh and blueberries too!!!

New Recipe on Recipes Schmecipes

I have posted my recipe for Quattros Leches Cake on recipes schmecipes if anyone is interested.

On a Happier Note~

Stage Left:

Here is a pic of the Chicken, Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Potato Pizza with lemon wine butter sauce. That is a mouthful.......I love it when the edges are nice and black and crispy. I could eat pizza every night off of the BGE.

Below: Here is a pic of the Apple Pie Pizza! It turned out soooo good, but still felt as though something was missing. I ordered some sweet dough extract off of King Arthur Flour last night and that should fit the bill. If I add that to my dough next time it should give it a sweet vanilla buttery flavor that you taste in all of your bakery pastries.

R.I.P. My Good Friend

R.I.P. 1997-2008

Dear Good Buddy,

Thank you for being there. You were a trooper. When I couldn't afford a commercial size food processor you held your own. You chopped, whirled, and pulverized things with the greatest of ease even though you were a mini prep. Things you weren't even equipped to chop. We had good times. Last year when Dana brought home the restaurant size Cuisinart from Sur La Table that cost a small house payment for our anniversary.....I didn't forget about you. I didn't cast you aside, I still used you for small jobs, but I took the load off your aching joints. I still kept your spot on the counter even though you looked dwarfed and in need of a facelift compared to my new bigger and better toy. Tonight I took advantage of you and I ask for your forgiveness as you go to the grave. I am sorry. I put pecans, walnuts, AND coconut in your half lifeless body and filled you up to the brim. I heard you struggling but didn't listen, I was too lazy to use the workhorse...that would have required getting out another blade and lid. For this I apologize. You struggled and tried to hold on.......finally taking your last breath. I shall never forgive myself. R.I.P. good buddy, rest in peace.

Does ANYONE Have a Clothespin???

For all of y'all out there who think I don't make mistakes cooking or everything I do turns out purrrrfect you are sadly mistaken. I have as many f*ck-ups as I do successes. What is life without setbacks??? BORING I SAY!!! This afternoon I placed my garlic in the oven to roast for my pizza tonight. I then proceeded to put some walnuts in a pan to toast slightly so I could sprinkle them over the apple pie pizza. I then continued over to my laptop on my kitchen counter and proceeded to read ALL of YOUR blogs. You know who you are. I was so engrossed in Wedding Planning and Football Games w/no alcohol that I completely let MY NUTZ BURN!!!! And as any man can tell you, it is no good when your nutz are burning. I kept smelling something god awful but did I turn away from the blogs I was reading???? NO. Finally I said to myself.....SELF, something does not smell right. I kept thinking it was my garlic because I completely BLANKED that I put nutz on. Burnt nutz are one of the most hideous smells. Thankfully there are woods right off my deck so I could chuck the nutz. My house smells as if you are sitting around a campfire in one of those native islands where the men wear those long sticks on their dong dongs and we are burning monkey bones to sacrific to the Gods. I need a clothespin for my nose.

Oh and my sourdough starter blew up all over my fridge because I got cocky and added 1 cup of flour and water instead of the 1/2 cup it called for. I tend to do that once in awhile. Get too big for my britches as one would say. Cocky should be my middle name.

In Honor of Chicken and Rosemary POTATO Pizza This Weekend

This qualifies as a food posting in my rule book due to the fact these are "Potato Heads". It should come as no surprise that my love of food spills over to other parts of my life. My favorite toy of all time is the Potato Head. My children have 2 buckets of them and we play with them all the time. This is of course me on the left.

My Lil' Taters











Potato Heads have come a long way through the years with their new and improved outfits....no longer does Mrs. Potato Head have to settle for plain ol' Mr. Potato Head. She can have her pick of Firefighter Potato Head or Rock Star Potato Head, even Happy Birthday Potato Head. I think Potatoes themselves have come along way too. No longer do we have to settle for lumpy mashed potatoes. We can roast them with herbs and olive oil, we can bake them off and top them with cheese and veggies, we can boil off some baby reds and smash them with a tub of herbed cream cheese. One of my favorite ways to serve mashed potatoes is to stir in some shredded Asiago cheese and a couple of tablespoons of sundried tomato pesto. Potaotes are so good for you, full of potassium. So when you find yourself getting bored with plain ol' Mr. Potato Head go ahead and stir in some pesto, herbed cream cheese or a little asiago and you will find you have rediscovered Mr. Potato Head all over again.

Boy, I must really be hurting for material here!!!

Basic Economics.....I NEED THIS

One of the most basic concepts of economics is want vs. need.
What are they exactly? A need is something you have to have, something you can't do without. A good example is food. If you don't eat, you won't survive for long. Many people have gone days without eating, but they eventually ate a lot of food. You might not need a whole lot of food, but you do need to eat. A want is something you would like to have. It is not absolutely necessary, but it would be a good thing to have. A good example is music. Now, some people might argue that music is a need because they think they can't do without it. But you don't need music to survive. You do need to eat.

http://www.aerogrow.com/

Now that we have cleared this up.....onto bigger and better things.

I had another lightbulb moment this morning.....I know, I know....lately there have been so many it is no wonder I am still standing upright. I am a phenomenon. Kind of like when that lady claimed she saw the Mother Mary burnt into the cinnamon bun in Memphis or Nashville or somewhere and they kept the bun in the case for all to look at this wonderful phenomenon. Or the time Jesus' face was burnt into the flour tortilla and they opted to not make a quesadilla out of it. They put it in a case for all to see. I guess I am not nearly as cool as that. Anyway....the mind wanders....the thoughts come....and voila.....Apple Pie Pizza. We have been making pizza every weekend now with the BGE. It truly creates a pizza worth of CPK (california pizza kitchen) or anyone that has a $50,000 brick oven. After my post yesterday about the cinnamon schmear, of course I wanted to make bread or buns, but kept myself from doing so because I knew I would be making pizza this weekend and we went out last night etc. so I don't want to overdo on the carbs. I really wanted the cinnamon schmear. So this weekend I am going to make a roasted garlic w/chicken and rosemary potato pizza with a white wine butter sauce and I am going to make a pizza schmeared with the cinnamon schmear and then top it off with apples sauteed in brown sugar, some vanilla and probably a little cinnamon maple syrup and a sprinkle of walnuts then drizzle some cream cheese/pwder sugar glaze after it comes off the BGE. APPLE PIE PIZZA!!! I know others have done dessert pizzas before me but I bet none of them have used the cinnamon schmear as the base or the sauce as you will. GENIUS, GENIUS, GENIUS!!!!

Last night was date night w/hubby: Crew Restaurant--I had iced tea, deep fried crab ravioli on a bed of fresh spinach w/jalapeno jelly dipping sauce and a salad with roasted chicken and mixed greens. We also shared a pecan tart w/a scoop of vanilla. The pecan tart created a huge discussion on Pee-CAN vs. Pecan......I say both.....whatever comes out of my mouth. I say it both ways. My husband only says Pecan.....like he has a clue anyway....he can't even make a PB&J.

PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN PEE-CAN

Cinnamon Schmear Another One of My Favorite Things

Okay, so who says that Oprah gets to own "Favorite Things". I know we have talked about some of my fav's in the past.....Torani Syrups, Tomato paste in a tube, The Big Green Egg but this little brown bag from King Arthur Flour has got to be a staple in anyones home if you love cinnamon. I LOVE CINNAMON. I just happened upon this product. No one recommended this. I was looking to buy the finest cinnmon in the world.....vietnamese cinnamon. King Arthur Flour carries it in their store in Vermont and also does mailorder. Also, if you bake and don't get this catalog go to http://www.kingarthurflour.com/. Now, I know you are saying to yourself....I can buy flour, extracts etc. in the store why would I mail order flour. Some stores do carry their items but definately not all of their items. Their flour in my opinion is one of the best to bake with. The one item I have never seen anywhere is the "cinnamon filling". You get a 24 oz. bag for $5.95 which is enough to make several batches of buns or 4 loaves or so of bread. You mix 1/4 c. of mix with 1 tablespoon of water......THAT'S IT. It makes this gloopy gloppy schloppy wonderful cinnamon schmear. You just spread on your dough and bake. It will be better than any cinnamon bread or bun you have ever made yourself. It is truly bakery quality......it stays thick and moist. I have to pace myself or I would eat a whole loaf of this stuff. I cheat and buy frozen bread dough from schwans....thaw in the fridge overnight.....pull it out to rise.....roll it out....schmear it on and bake for 40 minutes. Shipping is only like $5.95 also so it is worth trying. You won't regret it and if you do I will send you a check for $5.95 less shipping and handling. What are you waiting for??? GO ORDER IT NOW!!!!!!!!! This stuff is soooo good that one of the girls that babysits for us on our date night requires this cinnamon bread as payment and will except NO MONEY. THAT IS HOW GOOD IT IS!!!

Sourdough starter update: Sourdough starter is looking good. Had my first signs of hooch yesterday which is a good thang. We are going on 3 days today. I feed it everyday at 4:00. In about a week we will be looking at making sourdough bread bowls to fill with some kind of homemade soup. Who's coming for supper??

Barista Bennies=Happy Momichka

Our oldest son Ben has been a Barista for Barnes and Noble since we moved to AR. He just started a new job last week as a Barista for Starbucks. Yesterday he comes home from his job and there is a brand new box of Tazo passion fruit tea on the counter. Son is nowhere to be seen. I think to myself......hmmm how nice. My son brought me a present home from work. I raised such a thoughtful young man....tears welling up in my eyes. I call him on his cell phone to thank him, meanwhile asking first where the tea came from. His reply "You get something free each week you work there so I picked out tea for myself". He picked out tea for HIMSELF.......there blew my theory of thoughtful young man. Meanwhile the selfish little hamster in my head gets on his little wheel and the thoughts start rolling. hmmm something FREE EACH WEEK....what is in it for ME. I mean I did raise him, I pay his college tuition, the least he could do was cough up a pound of coffee. So my wonderful son has agreed to grab me a pound of coffee at least once a month so now I don't have to buy coffee. Although, Starbucks is not my favorite, Caribou Fireside blend is, FREE IS MY FAVORITE.

Sour-dough'in Hoochie Mama

I had one of those "lightbulb" moments today. They just come in randomly. Are they really "lightbulb" moments??? I don't know. I will just all of a sudden have an idea come to me for no reason. Idea=lightbulb in my head of unorganized thoughts.

Sourdough Starter
What comes to mind is Bread.....sourdough bread, but there are a plethora of other things you can make with it. Pancakes, cookies, muffins, cakes, biscuits etc. It is really a very interesting thing.....this starter. I was talking to my dad and apparently there are bakeries out there that have been using the same starter for over a 100 years. They just keep feeding it. Sourdough starter is a "living" thing. I started reading about it today on some different sites and decided to start some starter, if that makes sense. You have to feed it every 24 hours for the first week and then once it is established you can just feed it once a week, or put back as much as you use when you use it. You start with one cup of flour and one cup of water and put it in a crock or a canning jar. Each day you take half out and replace half for the first week. You can use a little yeast to get it going but it states REAL sourdough snobs wouldn't hear of it. I think I am going to try it both ways just to make sure at least one turns out. Once it is established, aside from feeding it once weekly the only other issue is "hooch". Hooch is a layer of watery liquid (often dark) that contains alchohol. It smells a bit like beer, because it is a bit like beer - but don't drink it! Hooch builds up in your starter, especially in the fridge. Just pour it off or stir it back in. It doesn't hurt anything. If your starter is looking dry, stir it back in. If your starter is plenty wet, pour it off. Just remember that hooch is nothing to worry about! It also states that once it is established it is almost impossible to kill off......even if you forget to feed it weekly. Which for someone who owns NOT one houseplant due to untimely deaths this is a good thing. And also anything that has the name "hooch" in it is alright with me......sounds like we are doing something illegal. It also feels very Little House on the Prairie.....like I should break out an Amish Bonnet or something. This could be life changing.....this could revolutionize the way I bake. Or it could just blow up in my face and not work at all.

What's For Supper Tonight

Our friends The Lindsay's are coming over for Pizza Night on the Big Green Egg (BGE). I am doing Chicken Caesar Salad Pizzas on Honey Wheat Dough and Cheese Pizza's on Rosemary Dough for the kids. Blood Orange Italian Sodas topped off with some Limoncello. I really like doing pizza's with the salad on top. For the chicken caesar I marinate and grill the chicken prior with the olive oil, lemon, fennel seed marinade. Instead of sauce I coat the dough with olive oil and herbs and a small amount of parmesan, asiago and mozzarella cheese. I bake the crust in the BGE for 5 minutes. Take it out of the BGE and top it with romaine and red leaf lettuce, the sliced grilled chicken, toasted almonds and shaved parm and then a caesar dressing or dressing of your choice. They are beyond yummy!

www.recipesschmecipes.blogspot.com

We Gon' Drink Yo'Baby's Like It's Your Birthday

Since this blog is intended to only be about food, culinary experiences, food, liquor, food, recipes, food, and food obsessive behavior I still feel this post deserves a small spot since the song is about a libation. When our 2nd son was born 15 years after our 1st son the song "In Da Club" by 50 Cent was quite popular on local radio stations (we were in California at the time). Our child became addicted to Yo'Baby Stoneyfield Farms yogurt drinks. We called it Yo'Crack. Here is the song by 50 Cent.........

50 Cent - In Da Club Lyrics[50 Cent]Go, go, go, go, go, goGo, shorty It's your birthday We gon' party like it's your birthdayWe gon' sip Bacardi like it's your birthday And you know we don't give a phuck cause it's not your birthday!

Here are the Swanson's lyrics that we sang and still sing to our now 3 1/2 year old and our 1 year old everytime they drink a Yo'Baby: Go, go, go, go, go, goGo, Maxwell It's your birthday We gon' party like it's your birthday We gon' drink Yo Baby's like it's your birthday And you know we don't give a hoot cause it's not your birthday!

It has become our household Anthem.

What's For Supper Tonight

Grilled Chicken Panini's and Baby Romaine Salad w/Balsamic

Lemon, Olive Oil and Fennel Seed Marinated chicken breasts grilled outside
Garlic Rosemary Bread
Drunken Carmelized Onions
Roasted Red Peppers
Garlic/Herb light Boursin Cheese
2% Mozzarella

Assemble and put in panini press.

Not Your Average Girl Scout Campfire

Fire up the bar-b we are making s'mores.....well not really, fire up the oven we are making whole wheat s'mores cookies.

S'more appears to be a contraction of the phrase, "some more".[4] The informal nature of this term reflects the environment in which s'mores are traditionally served. Some have jokingly surmised that the name originated from people who were so busy eating the tasty treat that they did not have time to speak in complete sentences, or alternately, that their enunciation was compromised by the fact that their mouth was still full of the previously mentioned s'more.
While the origin of this popular campfire dessert is unclear, the first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the Girl Scout Handbook of 1927. (per wikipedia).

We all have to evolve, right?? Even the Girl Scouts. So yesterday when I received my February issue of Bon Appetit magazine I couldn't wait to dive into it. There it was, staring back at me on page 125......a picture of what looked like the most delectable homemade cookies....accentuated by half drunk or is it drank?? I don't know, half drank glasses of milk and crumbs littered all over the counter. WHOLE WHEAT S'MORE COOKIES.......are you serious??? Is this a joke??? Don't play with my emotions. I was ELATED to say the least. This past week I had really been craving some plain old chocolate chip cookies. I have started to experiment with whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour and these cookies seem just like the ticket. Plus you get the whole grain component and the dessert component so even though you are being bad you do have SOME good. I am really excited to make these.......perhaps tonight even. I think the Girl Scouts should adopt this as their new cookie. I mean if they are going to peddle their crack every year perhaps they should add a little whole grain to it, eh?? I will let you know how they turn out. Perhaps I should get my hat out and my green sash with all my patches to pay homage to this lovely group while I prepare this upscale version of their campfire morsel, SHA RIGHT, that could be a problem since I quit the brownies and never made it to Girl Scouts........chalk it up to a bit of an attitude problem (on my part or so I was told)........go figure! So here I come, whole wheat flour, golden brown sugar, buttermilk, molasses, butter, eggs, milk chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and walnuts...............

Great Tip---No buttermilk?? In a pinch, use 1/2 cup milk soured with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let stand at room temp 15 minutes before using.

Update on Recipes Schmecipes

I am also going to try and start posting some of my favorite recipes on Recipes Schmecipies. Do what you will........change them up to make them your own. I only want positive comments. If you make something and don't like it........I don't care.......STFU and keep it to yourself. They are my own recipes, I have made them many times, they are good and they turn out........I can't be responsible for your own operator error or your immature taste buds. Otherwise, ENJOY!
http://recipesschmecipes.blogspot.com/

The Third Eye

Artist: Albert Dubout (May 15, 1905 – 1976) was a French cartoonist, illustrator, painter, and sculptor.

These are known as the Dubout Cats. This particular illustration is called "The Third Eye".....yes it is a bunghole staring at you.

This is my favorite piece of kitchenware.

I had actually received 2 of these mugs w/saucers years ago from my Aunt Mary Lou. I think the story behind them was that her daughter had received the pair for a wedding present. Whether they did not like them or didn't use them, I don't know and I don't care because I was the lucky regift recipient of these. Thanks Mary Lou. At the time of receiving these..........I had been collecting for years this blue spatterware from Robinson and Ransbottom Pottery of Roseville OH (since I was 19 years old). I tucked these away because I loved them but they didn't go with my current dishware. March '07 I decided that I was over the blue spatterware already......I sold the whole collection on ebay in a few days and I went WHITE!!! I have so many great white pieces that I love but these are my favorites. I actually did some internet research and found a place in LA that sells Parisian Imports and they carried these same mugs. I ordered 4 more so I would have a set of 6. These are huge and are great for soups, great conversation pieces and great for entertaining. I have a whole wall of glass cabinets w/glass shelves and they light up and these look great amongst my other white pieces. Maybe some might find them offensive, but I think they are hysterical, kitschy and fun. They say "This person has an attitude problem but you love them anyway". Albert Dubout has done a whole kitchenware collection of the Dubout Cats. They are all black and white and the illustrations are really kitschy. My particular style is to have very neutral items and then just a couple of pieces that jump out and really hit you. If these don't come up and smack you in the face I don't know what does. Who knew a cats ass could be so stylish???? Meeeoooowww!!!

Date night update w/hubby last night: Rumba Revolution down in Market District. Tapas and Mojitos. It was good but could have been better. Bacon wrapped scallops, mini cubanos, chorizo flatbread, empanadas, chicken taquitos, pork & apple skewers, and a raspberry mojito.

Gluttony or Gourmand.....you decide

gluttony
noun
1. habitual eating to excess
2. eating to excess (personified as one of the deadly sins)

gour·mand

noun
Definition:
food lover: a lover of food who often eats excessively or greedily

My latest and greatest obsession is Torani syrup. I love Italian Sodas. Now I am not much of a regular soda person. I never drink a coke, sprite, or fanta, dare I say "mellow yellow" (which they still sell prevalently in the south). I drink a diet pepsi on occasion.....that is about as far as it goes. I don't like sweet drinks. I could live off of iced tea. I like fresh brewed unsweet tea with lemon and a pinch of sweet n low. Yes, I know that in labratory animals large amounts of sweet n low has shown to produce cancerous effects, you are falling on deaf ears, my argument being that since I outweigh a labratory rat by about 140 lbs I don't think 1 packet of sweet n low a day is going to kill me. Anyway, I digress. So it is really odd to me WHY I like Italian Sodas. They are pretty sweet....I mean sugary sweet not Carmen off southpark sue-weeeeet but they are sue-weeeet also. Digressing again......it is the ADD. Torani syrups are kind of hard to come by in Little Rock. No one seems to carry the fruity varietys. Ordering from the internet is actually kind of hard also because they only like to sell to distributors so your options are very limited. Our 19 year old son was in Omaha visiting vegetarian girlfriend turned meat-eater. She no longer be an herbivore. So, I call Ben on his cell phone 2 days before his flight is to leave. Giving him plenty of time to go to Cost Plus World Market to get said Torani syrups. He calls me and reads off the flavors dilligently and I give him my order. 1 strawberry, 1 raspberry, 1 caramel, 1 guava, 1 peach, 1 blood orange, 1 almond rocha, 1 sugar free almond and 1 sugar free raspberry (for a friend). Thinking these were the smaller size bottles they ended up being wine size bottles. No worries, I won't have to stock up anytime soon. He then treks off to the UPS store and has them package it up for the plane ride. He actually didn't do as much complaining as I expected either. Although both he and my husband know that when they are out and about whether here or in another state, they can expect a call from me at anytime requesting food items from various places. Deal with it. Anyway........I love these syrups. My favorites so far are 2 Tablespoons of Torani Syrup, 2 Tablespoons of fat free 1/2 & 1/2 (which is another of my latest and greatest obsessions......fat free 1/2 & 1/2 whouda thunk it???), and then mix with club soda..........it turns into a cream soda.......the raspberry and caramel are soooo good. I get on these kicks with certain culinary items and this is one of my new ones. I have a couple more and will post on those in the future. If you come across a Torani.....buy some and try it. The drink is delightful and refreshing. It is also great with the splash of lemoncello or limoncello. I guess the meaning of this post was.........when I get on an ingredient kick or find a food or drink that I am enthralled with.......I can't just buy one. In this case I bought 9 and spent $60 on syrup and then another $29 to have UPS pack it up so my son could bring it on a NWA flight from Omaha to Minneapolis to Little Rock. I will go to great lengths to get whatever food item I am interested in at the time. Dr. Phil, Why couldn't I just have bought 1 or 2 bottles like a normal person instead of 9. Gluttony or Gourmond.........you decide.

Simply One of the Greatest Inventions Ever

I LOVE this stuff. Tomato paste in a tube. Who would of thunk it??? They even do sundried tomato paste and anchovy paste. I mean, is it really rocket science?? I don't think so......who was the moron who invented canned tomato paste?? When have you ever had a recipe that called for a can of tomato paste?? My guess is NEVER. It always calls for 1 or 2 tablespoons. I guess if you are making 24 batches of something you might use a whole can. Why didn't I think of this......Kudos to tomato paste in a tube!!!!

Primates May Treat Sex as a Commodity....Now That Is What I Am Talking About!!!

I realize this is not really a food related post and I vowed to never stray from what really matters here FOOD. I could not resist this. And to my defense I believe that the monkeys pick critters off their fur and eat it........so in essence it IS a food post in a round about way.

You have to read this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22516331/

A Clean Fridge Means a Sane Mind....(perhaps Britney needs her fridge cleaned)

I had decided to clean out my ice box tonight while I was waiting for my pizza dough to rise. We are doing cheese pizzas on the BGE tonight with the kids. Steelers are playing so I am sure hubby will lose his appetite.....oh well, more for us.

Anyway.....I love cleaning out the fridge. Well not the actual ACT of cleaning it out, but I love a clean fridge. All of the shelves pearly white, the glass sparkling clean, all the condiments on one shelf, yogurt/cottage cheese on another etc. You feel so purged and wonderful when it is all done. Like a new person. Like you could conquer the world. You walk with a spring in your step, your head held steady, your chin up just a little..........chest all puffed out. It is quite concerning what you find while cleaning out your fridge. You mean I have THREE kraft light ranch dressings???? uh......who used the Tahini last??? hmmm I have a whole jar of $7.00 stonewall kitchen holiday jam left........should I keep it, should I pitch it........dilemma......hmmmm, I mean the holidays are over..........can I really eat HOLIDAY jam if the holidays are over???? I just know that the holiday police are watching.......well, I will put it back on the shelf and throw it out in April.......now I don't feel so guilty. Ok, really....how many different jars of grey poupon do we need???? In my defense, one of them actually said on the bottle it was FROM FRANCE. Okey Dokey.....who spilled the chocolate soy milk and half assed cleaned it up??? There is soy milk on the oranges. How many 1/2 sticks of butter do we need. Maybe if we slightly melt the ends of them we can reconnect them and then have a whole stick. Just looks better that way. Oh my gosh, GULP......ewe.....is that really 2 strands of my hair in the vegetable bin.......uh, good thing I am cleaning this out.

Anyway, the BGE is outside heating up. So far the only thing I have managed to make really well is the pizza. Nothing like buying a $1000 grill to cook pizza on. Made Italian salads earlier. This may sound a little odd but they are really good. Chopped romaine hearts, ground italian turkey sausage sprinkled on, dark red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cucumber, shredded carrot, shredded parm, and a mustard herb viniagrette that I added sundried tomatoes to. Totally yummy.....it is a take on Everyday Italian from Food TV but I added some extras.

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk but in My Case Spilled Corn

Today I am whipping up some corn chowder. I just blew part of a bag of frozen corn all over the floor. I hate it when that happens. Luckily it was a big bag from Schwans so no harm no foul. I love corn chowder and make it a variety of ways. Usually never the same way twice. Today I used frozen schwans corn, potatoes, celery, carrot, onion, olive oil, thyme, chicken stock and fat free milk and make a slurry with some corn starch to thicken it. Delicious, nutritious and very low fat. I am pretty much over putting cheese in corn chowder. I think the taste of the cheese gets lost in the soup. If I can't taste it then it aint worth the calories.......use them on a brownie or something. I am going to make some cheese/jalapeno quesadillas to go along side. I love the spinach and sundried tomato flour tortillas and I am going to layer a small amount of pepper jack and some mexican cojita cheese and roasted peppers and grill them. Mmmmm gooooood.

Last night was Date Night with the hubby......
Bonefish Grill: A fairly good meal. My food was lukewarm though and I HATE that. I love my food to be steaming HOT. Bonefish Martini (vodka, cranberry, w/splash of champagne and orange garnish), Chicken egg roll for appetizer, Grilled Shrimp and Sea Scallops with a warm mango salsa, island rice and zuchini matchstix for entree and Macademia Nut Brownie Cake w/vanilla ice cream and raspberry puree for dessert. And of course intriquing conversation with handsome man topped the whole evening.

Thank goodness for Flax Meal Smoothies everyday for lunch. This is a boring post. I can't think of anything comical to say today. I hate that! BLAH!

Boston Butt Update: Much to my dismay but not to my surprise the Boston Butt did not turn out. I don't know what went wrong. I am sure it was operator error again. Perhaps it was Alton Brown's recipe (I highly doubt it though). I will try again but I will not brine. Maybe I could call Food TV and ask Tyler Florence to come and do a Food 911 with me and my Big Green Egg. oooooooh wouldn't that be fun. Me and Tyler, Chilling on the Deck, Drinking Mojitos, wearing a low cut blouse, short shorts.......purrrrty smellin' perfume. Who's having fun now SUCKA!!!!

The BEAST has been TAMED!!!!!!!!!! At least for now.

We sparred for a bit.........finally I won. 520 searing degrees......oooh I love the glowing coals........my seasoned pizza stone (aint she a beaute).....finely stretched dough, fresh tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, romano and thinly sliced pepperoni. Four 9 inch beauties were created last night. They were amazing. Cooked to perfection in 4 minutes. Ever so crisp outside w/slightly chewy tenderness inside and not too thin, not too thick. Just what wet dreams are made of.......at least mine hahaha. I am soooooooo relieved I am back in control of this monster. He was making me look bad and I don't like to look bad. We are having friends over tomorrow night for PIZZA on the BGE. I will post more later. My Hubby and I are off to the Tran-Siberian Orchestra this evening. Yes, my life is rough, I know.

Things that make you go hmmmmmm

I recently have been using FAT FREE Half & Half in my coffee. Now I always thought the purpose of half & half was that it was half cream and half milk so it wasn't as bad as heavy cream. So if it is Fat Free......what is in 1/2 or the other 1/2 of this half & half??????

Tonight...............WE TANGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or Grill Pizza on the BGDE

So for Christmas a friend gave me the CPK (california pizza kitchen) cookbook. I spent today making pizza dough. It is currently resting in the fridge. I made a double batch so if this Guapo pulls a Garcha on my arse and sends me packing back to me Barrio I can give him the Dedo and come back packing with another pie. I will not be defeated!!!!!! I am taking the lead in this dance. Aaaaacarrrrrrummmmmbaaaaaa!!! (yes I am wearing a puffy sleeved shirt, kind of like the one on that Seinfeld episode).

Translation in Tango terminology: I made a double batch so if this Guapo (handsome green egg) pulls a Garcha (to screw one over) on my arse (ass) and sends me packing back to me Barrio (neighborhood), I can give him the Dedo (finger) and come back packing with another pie.

Just Chew Me Up and Spit Me Out You EGG BEAST

The BGE is cruel, cruel, cruel. It has chewed me up and spit me out. I feel like I have gone 7 rounds with a welter weight champion and been knocked out. After much encouragement from my husband (and the Jennings heheheh) I will trudge forth and conquer this beast. It might outweigh me but it will not outegg me (I guess we will find out). I can see it peering at me now as I write this......mocking me through my french doors out to the deck. Trying to psych me out. Sitting in its egg nest all green and shiney w/its black racing stripes. My ever so cool thinking husband tried to explain to me last night that there would be a learning curve just like anything else and I would eventually get the hang of it. Learning curve??? I hate learning curves. I just want a huge flying egg to come in the night.....drop its big suction probe from the sky........attach it to my head and electronically transfer the eggknowledge to my head so I can wake up and be a master griller....... kind of like a UFO abduction where they find you laying naked 47 miles out of town on a dirt road curled up in the fetal position and you swear you were abducted by aliens and probed anally for hours. Minus the probed anally part preferrably. Oh and minus the naked on a dirt road for hours part also.......it is a bit chilly here.

I did manage some boneless chicken breasts last night that turned out on the BGDE. This is the best marinade for chicken. I swear by it. It really imparts the chicken itself w/flavor. Just not the outside of the chicken. At least a 4 hour marinade or 8 is better but 4 works really well. I put it all in a ziploc bag and stick it in the fridge. 1/3 c. of extra virgin olive oil, 3 T lemon juice, 1 1/2 t. fennel seed toasted on stove top and then crush it inside a plastic bag, 1/2 t salt, 1/2 t pepper. You also don't need to toast the fennel that is just my anal cooking thing. This chicken is great just alone or used in BBQ chicken quesadillas (email me for the recipe if you want it). I serve it alone with risotto alot. Last night we made the chicken into sandwhiches. I loaf Ciabatta bread, spread one side w/sun dried tomato pesto, other side with light caesar dressing, sprinkle on good paremesan, arrang sliced chicken on bread, load up on shredded romaine lettuce and top w/other side of bread, serve w/sweet potato fries. YUM!

Big Green Dud or Operator Error

Quite frankly the BGE (acronym for Big Green Egg) is pissing me off. I wanted to desperately bake bread in my egg. This is what I have been waiting for. I have been hinting for a year. I love artisinal breads and brick oven pizzas. The BGE was to make all my culinary dreams come true. Now it is just pissing me off. I started at 10:00 pm last night......I had to make a "sponge" for my ciabatta bread that had to proof for 12 hours. At 10:00 am I started the rest of the bread and started the 60 minute rise and then another 90 minute rise. Then I whisk the loaves outside in the 39 degree pouring down rain and get 2 on..........they don't turn out. I think I know my problem. I whisk the other 2 out.........they burn on the bottom. )&^%_+^%#@#?":>{}!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am all out of dough:(
I know it is "operator error" but for now I am going to blame it on the BGDE (big green dumb egg). I will spend the night regaining my composure and I will conquer this 200 lb. beast. It will not defeat me!!! Plus it is too heavy for my husband to return hehehehehehehe.

Christmas Miracles DO Happen!!!

Candy is Dandy, Wine is Fine, Liquor is Quicker but a Sherry Enema=Death

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0203052sherry1.html



So last night I decide to run an errand to the liquor store. I needed to buy Godiva White Chocolate liquor, Vanilla Vodka, and some White Wine. Now mind you, my bar area at my home looks like a professional quarters player lives here (I think they still play that game, it is a classic). Funny thing is, none of it is really for drinking. All the alcohol on my bar is for cooking. Most of you know alcohol is not cheap. Usually when you move the van lines will not take open bottles of alcohol. Much to my delight, this move they told me if there was a lid on it they would pack it. I was soooo relieved. I probably have several hundred $$$ in bottles of booze that I have only used a couple tablespoons out of for different dishes. I tried to explain to the Van Line Rep that it was for cooking and he just looked at me and winked and said "sure it is". Our friends call me the "Liquor Lady" because they know if they need a tablespoon of Bourbon or some Rum for a recipe I am just the sucker to give it to them for free so they don't have to go out and buy a whole bottle.

Side Note: I am standing at the liquor counter checking out (of course waiting to be carded because when you are kissing 40 you look forward to being carded, it is a compliment). An older woman, mid 70's, comes gimping in store with a cane huffing and puffing. She looks totally panic stricken. She comes over to my side of counter and looks up at the gentleman checking me out and shouts "YOU MOVED, OH MY GOSH, DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT", she was shaking and out of breath. The guy behind the counter says "I will go and get your usual". He leaves the counter and comes back with a 5th of whiskey. LOL, apparently they had recently moved their store just a couple of doors down and this lady is a regular and went to the old store and panicked when she could not get "her usual". Make note to self: Drink whiskey when I turn 70. Just like I want to be like old guy as an honorary VP in my 80's, I will also add that I want to be a regular at the liquor store and everyone will know "my usual" when I am in my 70's. My list of what I want to be when I grow up is ever growing.

Sad side note: I did not get carded this time. Not even a shifty eye glance like they were mulling it over. DAMN!

Disbursement of alcohol as follows. Vanilla Vodka=Chocolate Peppermintini's, Godiva White Chocolate Liquor=White Chocolate Egg Nog Trifle, Calvaldo's (Apple Brandy)=nut topping used in Sugar and Nut Glazed Brie, Grand Marnier=Chocolate Grand Marnier Ice Cream w/almonds.

JUMPING JEHOSAPHAT!!!!

Jumping Jehosaphat, I think I have got it!!!!!!!
The old expression was "Jumping Jehosephat." Just a polite expression of surprise. Like "Holy crap!" might be today.Historically: Jehosaphat was a wealthy king of Jerusalem. One day an army from the east march on Jerusalem to take his gold. Jehosaphat told the people not to worry that the battle would be his and Judas's on the following day. The people let out a joyous cry "Great Jumping Jehosaphat." That's the "story" anyhow. I wasn't there. :)

I love it when a light bulb goes off.......especially a food revelation. Like it was in front of your eyes all the time but you kept missing it. Thinking and thinking, going over ingredients in your pretty little empty head. Wondering how you can make it different or better or spectacular so your dinner guests are envious and feel quite inferior to your culinary capabilities (that's not nice, I know! But you would if you could too heheheheh).

Anyway, lately I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out a dessert item for an appetizer get together I am having on Sunday evening. Last year a friend gave me an Eggnog Pound Cake Mix from Williams Sonoma. On most occassions if someone gives me a food item I like to prepare it when I have them over so they can share in what they bought me. The mix was good until 2008 so I decided to save it for this Christmas. Of course, being the culinary superior being I think I am (keyword is THINK), I can't just bake off an eggnog pound cake and serve it. I have to make it into something no one has ever dreamed of. As I was exercising today it came to me like a pizza delivery guy during a football game (doesn't everyone think of food while exercising?). I am going to make a White Chocolate Tiramisu w/eggnog pound cake. Instead of Lady Fingers I am going to slice up my eggnog poundcake and use Godiva White Chocolate liquor to soak my slices and then make a white chocolate filling with marscapone, white chocolate, eggs and cream. Then I will use white chocolate shavings and perhaps put a side of balsamic strawberries for topping. Plus it will look like a Giant White Christmas Snowball sitting in my clear trifle bowl.....added bonus. Sometimes I amaze myself!!! I think I need a nap.

Date night update: Last night was date night with the hubby. http://www.capersrestaurant.com/
Goat Cheese Baguettes:
Buttered Sour Dough Baguettes topped with imported Goat Cheese and served on Baby Arugula with homemade Tomato Jam
Herb Crusted Tilapia:
A sweet Tilapia filet encrusted with a Melange of fresh herbs. Finish with your favorite sauce of a Wild Mushroom Ragout or Lemon Meuniere. Served with Cranberry and Apricot Wild Rice
White Chocolate Bread Pudding

This Little Piggy Went To The Market.....I Mean Williams Sonoma

This little piggy went to market;This little piggy stayed home;This little piggy had roast beef;And this little piggy had none;And this little piggy cried, "Wee, wee, wee!"All the way home.


Okay, so sometimes I go a bit overboard. I like to cook but I also love to go out to eat and I also love to order food items in the mail. Whoever invented dry ice is a GENIUS. Okay I stand corrected see following information:


As a natural substance, Dry Ice is not an invention, Dry Ice was discovered, however, the name was trademarked. The Dry Ice Corporation of America first trademarked the name Dry Ice in 1925.


Who knew?? Anyway....I love Kansas City Steaks.....especially the bacon cheese steakburgers preferrably the 4 oz'ers. I always have them in my freezer. I love the chicken breasts from Schwans and also always have those on hand. Caribou Coffee Fireside Blend, which I now have to order because there is NO Caribou in LR. Baker's Cinnamon Filling from King Arthur Four in Vermont (makes the BEST cinnamon rolls hands down).
Williams Sonoma has had some of the yummiest treats in their catalog for the Holidays and so my list goes: Cheddar & Bacon Gougere's (Dr. Oz would not be happy), Arancini--creamy risotto balls breaded and fried to a golden brown (this is why I eat 2 Tblsp of flax meal seed a day), assorted empanadas (a shout out to all my Latin American friends cause everyone knows I have so many), and least but not last assorted Tamales (ooooooooh Santa, I have been a baaaaaad girrrrrrrrl). Of course I am going to bake a wheel of Brie over the Holidays, eat my homemade ice cream and do some other appetizers of my choosing, but I can't help but take some help from my friends at Williams Sonoma. So I think it is very important this Holiday Season to bow your head in a moment of silence and be thankful we have Fed Ex Next Day, UPS Overnight, and of course DRY ICE. Without these wonderful modern day inventions This Little Piggy Might Actually Have To Go To The Market!!!

Saddle up the Oven we are Baking Ham Loaf

My grandmother is hysterical. She never fails to make me laugh. She is 82 and doesn't look a day over 72. She lives in NW PA. Grandma-ma calls me on the phone yesterday laughing her keester off. Says she had a dream the night before that our oldest son took a girl out on a date. Well apparently this girls mother showed up at our house stating she wanted to talk to us. This woman would not leave. I then apparently called my grandmother on the phone saying "oh my gosh, what do I do, this swamp-ass won't leave (I apparently was calling this woman swamp ass)". Grandma then tells me to go and load the rifle up and put a new part in swamp ass's hair and that should do the trick. GO GRANDMA!!! Apparently grandma-ma dreams in the technicolor dreamcoat.

Anyway......for years when I was growing up our tradition at Christmas was to go to grandma-ma's house on Christmas Eve for Ham Loaf and snacks and presents. Hmmmm Ham Loaf you say. Yes, I know, the next question is What is Ham Loaf???? Well I am not really sure. I assume it is ham ground up like hamburger. There is a small grocery store in Hydetown, PA called Hawk's Grocery and they always had ham loaf there. I have never encountered it anywhere else I have ever lived. I have never heard anyone else talk of it. She would form it into a loaf and heat it with a sweet glaze on the outside and then slice it like a meatloaf. It was actually pretty tasty......salty but tasty. It was great in a sandwhich with mustard and rye bread. It was also really good cold the next day. I looked forward to ham loaf. So if anyone finds themselves in Hydetown, PA stop by Hawk's grocery and saddle up for some Ham Loaf. You won't be disappointed. I had to dedicate a post to "Ham Loaf".

Frittata Hater=FRITTATER

Okay, so I have a gazillion egg whites leftover from all the egg yolks I had use up during my ice cream-athon. What better way to use up eggs than to make a frittata. I love Frittatas. I thought everyone loved Frittatas. What is not to love??? Eggs, some cheese, veggies or meats of your choice a touch of cream...cooked on the stove top until almost set and then whisked away to the oven to broil for a few minutes until set, golden and fluffy delicious. The great thing about Frittata is that it can be eaten hot, cold and it is wonderful at room temp. A Frittata is an Italian Omelette.

So my husband holds a staff meeting every Thursday of the month for all of his peeps. He says.....can you whip us up something. Sure I say.......I will whip up a Fritatta......so versatile, so yummy. I make a Frittata with potato, prosciutto (italian ham), and parm regianno and a little roasted red pepper. TO DIE FOR.........even more yummy on a toasted onion roll drizzled with Olive Oil. Remember..........delicious cold, hot or even ROOM TEMP......hence the reason I made it. You don't have to worry about when you eat it. Everyone gobbled their sandwhich down except one little ungrateful man. This man even comes up to my husband and says the dessert was great but the sandwhich not so much. He wanted to know what it was and where I came from??? Like it was monkey brain stew and I was from picky wicky island off the coast of ishu bishu. Being the brilliant MBA holding business man my husband is that runs a 500+ person facility he says "uh, she is from the land of the food network"............HUH??? You just cant win. Like I am some freak from outerspace. Whatever DUDE!!! Hence the becoming of the "FRITTATER". This man is now known as the Frittater. He no longer has an identity.........he is the Frittater. His whole life existence is for nill now. He is only known as Fritater. I don't care if he cures cancer or helps old ladies or feeds the poor or takes in hurt stray animals. He is forever known as the FRITTATER.

I Scream, You Scream, Y'ALL Scream for ICE CREAM

I did "y'all" in honor of the south.

Churning out ice cream today like a Blue Bell Bunny......or perhaps more like a Ben & Jerry's non-growth hormone holstein.

I have spent part of yesterday and part of today making the mixes I need to churn. I have gone through 4 cartons of eggs, 2 pints of heavy cream, a quart of whole milk and 4 quarts of half&half, 5 bars of Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark, 4 bars of Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate, some Grand Marnier and a handful of almonds. I had to make 4 batches of peppermint ice cream (2 for moi and 2 for a present), 2 batches of the dulce de leche w/bittersweet chocolate shards (both for a present) and least but not last one batch of chocolate Grand Marnier with almonds (for my self to go along with eggnog poundcake). I probably could have given a small family a heart attack with all this cream.....I kept the paddles close by while cooking all the custards off just in case someone needed to shock me off the fumes.

Last night we attended Operation Light Sabre, I mean Life Saver dinner. I kept wanting to say Light Sabre all week....no idea why. There were no trekkies there, no darth vader, no princess leigh (although I loved her hair back in the 5th grade). Operation Life Saver is all over the country. It is a commulation (sp) of all of the railroads coming together to teach and bring awareness that you shouldn't walk in front of a train...........DUH!!! They really do a lot of good going into the schools and teaching small children to stay off of tracks. Although I am thinking they need to work on adults also because just this past week some dingo was texting on his cell phone and walked right onto the tracks and played flat stanley. I don't get it........maybe I am just not that in love with my cell phone. Mounds of fried food at Cock of the Walk, chicken, catfish, hushpuppies, fries, onion rings, pickled onions, fried pickles, coleslaw and collard greens and peach and blackberry cobbler. Just what my thighs had been asking for for Christmas. Nothing like unwrapping your gift early.

Thursday night is dinner at 1620 Restaurant. www.1620restaurant.com I will report back. I am sooooooo excited as there is a goat cheese tart on the appetizer list and I LOVE GOAT CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May the force be with you Luke, nanoo nanoo.

There is a Sssssnake in my Boots and a Hogs Head in my Freezer

You know, I have always envied families that have all these strong traditions during the Holidays. Some chop down their tree and decorate on xmass eve, all the women of the family get together and bake and make candy, some have certain family recipes passed down from generation to generation and they make them every holiday. Some adult children go home for xmass to the same house they grew up in and their bedroom is untouched from when they grew up (really that is kind of creepy hahahahah).

I have had 8 different transfers to 8 states in the last 17 years. The longest I have been anywhere has been 2 1/2 years. I have spent xmass in snow and in boiling heat. If I remember correctly I have only been home for xmass once in 17 years. My husband and I decided that when we moved away that "our home" was wherever we are living at the moment. My home is no longer from NW PA. I am from NW PA but my home is where I am at. Although I do miss relatives and parents during the Holidays (and year round) I thought it was and is important to raise strong and emotionally healthy children that can function wherever they find themselves on holidays or anytime of the year. Children that didn't feel they HAVE to be home. I think I have succeeded with the 19 year old now I have 2 more to train hahahaha.

I guess our Tradition has been steeped in food for some time. I always try and make something based on the heritage of our location. I will never forget in 1996 when we were living in San Antonio and the grocery stores carried HOGS HEADS during the Holidays for the Tamales all our mexican friends would make for xmass eve. In honor of being in the south this year we will have a Red Velvet cake for dessert on Christmas Eve along with my own homemade peppermint ice cream. I have ordered this moist bundle of cocoa joy from Perfect Endings Bakery through Williams Sonoma.....yes I could make my own but I am making the ice cream. One thing I have learned through the years is not to kill yourself. You can't do it all. You do some and let someone else do some. I like to enjoy myself. Although I will miss the beady little eyes of Mr. Hog staring back at me in HEB this Christmas, I am looking forward to trying this Great Southern Treat.

Burnt Boxcar Brownie Sundae------UGH

Recap of Friday Night:

Mikes Place restaurant, Conway, AR......retirement dinner. After about a 30 minute drive in heavy traffic with said driver driving like a friggin maniac because he does not want to be late, well guess what??? I don't want to be dead. I am used to being late. I don't take issue with it. If others have a problem so be it. It is rude, yes but better than being DEAD.

Tea was quite nice
Crab bisque.........mucho delicioso but bordering on less than lukewarm
Salmon with citrus dijon sauce was out of this world, baked potato (loaded of course) and soggy vegetable medley
Grand Finale (drum roll puhleaze)....brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrum BURNT BOXCAR BROWNIE CAKE SUNDAE. Sad thing was they tried to cover up the burntness with LOADS of fudge sauce. Such a disappointment. So sad. Come home and eat a cinnamon roll. Boo Hoo.

Hopefully the "Heavy Whores of Yours" will surpass my wildest tastebud imagination tonight and make up for last night.

Funny side note: Blessing starts over the food..........agnostic friend says "What is this?? What is going on here???" Me being the not so practicing Catholic I am "Shhh it is the blessing, shut up and fold your hands, bow your head and close your eyes----sheesh we can't take you anywhere".

Heavy Hors d'œuvres, Awards and Merriment

It is no secret how much I love food. This past week and weekend were supposed to be some of the yummiest food soires of the holidays.

Tuesday night: Chamber of Commerce Event for Little Rock with light Hors d'œuvres and Broadway show "Hello Dolly". Mucho excitemento for me-o . I obsessively listened to the Hello Dolly Soundtrack or should I say "record" when I was a young tot. My grandmother had the record and I spent every Saturday dressing up in her nightgown, high heals and sipping ginger ale out of a wine glass deep in a Hello Dolly coma. Unfortunately, Tuesday=Sick Wussy Husband with flu so we had to cancel.

Thursday night: Bonding night out with Husband for late supper at Bruno's of Little Italy. House salad and Ravioli Ricotto ending with pistachio cannoli and zabaglione w/crunchy lady fingers.

Friday night (tonight): Retirement dinner for Shop Director at the ramp at Mike's Place in Conway. www.mikesplaceconway.com Looks like quite a yummy place and they have salmon with a citrus dijon sauce so you know what I am getting.

Saturday night: Union Pacific Christmas party at the Alletell Arena. Invitation stated "Heavy Hors d'oevres, Awards and Merriment". Those Hors d'oevres better be damn heavy because I planned on loading up my gullet and stuffing my purse. Nothing worse than leaving a party hungry. I better experience plenty of Merriment also or I will be complaining to said party planner.

Side note: Instead of Hors d'oeveres my husband and I through the years always call them "whores of yours" and then do a Beavis and Butthead laugh like 13 year old boys. It is impossible to resist. Ya gotta keep laughing or it is all over!!!!

Superficial Perhaps, Upsetting Nonetheless

For all of you out there that find it completely acceptable to burn candles that have the sweet smell of the sustinance we take in on a daily basis to survive, you are sooooooo wrong. Candles that fill the air with delectable smells of baked products are a cruel cruel cruel trick. I don't get them, I don't understand them, I don't want to. Why? Why? Why? Why? Who wants a jar of wax that smells like a sugar cookie???? or perhaps a brownie??? or an apple pie??? Who wants to walk in the house after a long day at work and smell fresh baked apple pie only to find out there is a jar of soy wax aflame on the kitchen counter and no frickin apple pie anywhere to be seen. What child wants to run home from school in the wintry outside, frost on his face and snow on his boots, to be greeted at the front door with the sweet smell of sugar cookies fresh out of the oven only to find out his wack job mom is burning a candle in the kitchen. A true foodie would never commit such a heinous crime as to purchase one of these candles.....they spit in the face of everything we stand for. A true food addict would regift this present as soon as it is humanly possible, not only because it is just wrong, but because it may be mistaken for a late night snack on a 1:00 am binge in the dark pantry. Sure in the grand scheme of life this is probably one of the most superficial topics that anyone could have an argument for but it in my world of food it is most upsetting.

You say Tomatoe.....I say Tomato, You say Potatoe...... I say Potato, You say Grilled Cheeze........ I say Toasted Cheeze

It is really rather amusing how in different parts of our country, let alone the word, food or drink can be the same item yet called something totally different. Some people say To-may-toe and some say To-ma-toe or the Po-tay-toe vs. Po-ta-toe. Is it pop or is it soda??? Some people go as far as to call it all coke (yah, you know who you are California). Needless to say I have found myself in quite of a quandry here in the south. Like any normal children.....mine LOVE the cheese sandwhiches, not just any cheese sandwhiches, "TOASTED CHEEZE SANDWHICHES". Yes, I said, "TOASTED CHEEZE" if you please. I grew up on Toasted Cheeze. So of course when our family eats out at least one child orders a Toasted Cheeze. Or so we have tried. Doesn't everyone say Toasted Cheeze.

FLASHBACK: Loco Luna restaurant, Little Rock, AR 11/18/2007, night before my 19th wedding anniversary, Dana, myself, Ben, Max and Griffin proceed to sit down. I go to order from the menu and I order a "toasted cheeze"........waiter looks at me like I just had asked him for a kidney and with wide hollow eyes says "You want a what???", I say "Child's toasted cheeze". He starts fumbling through the menu and says "what is a toasted cheeze?", I then start to doubt myself (knowing we have order this item off the menu before) and start fumbling through the menu again pointing at said picture of a child's toasted cheeze. Waiter looks at me with disgust and says "Oh you mean a Grilled Cheese sandwhich".................DUH, isn't that what I said???? A toasted cheeze.

FLASHBACK: Dixie Cafe restaurant, Memphis, TN 11/27/07 5:30 pm, evening out with girls at the Pottery Barn/Williams Sonoma outlet (ooooooooh yes, I said outlet). Waitress comes over and again I proceed with a "child's toasted cheeze".......cocky woman with long southern drawl (kind of like Flo on Alice that says "kiss my grits") says we don't have toasted cheeze.........uh yes you do as I point to picture on child's menu. Waitress (with tip dwindling as we speak) says "oh you mean a grilled cheese"...........DUH ISN'T THAT WHAT I SAID??????

My so called "friends" at the table then proceed to laugh and look at me. I am quite irritated and say "WTF is the difference, grilled cheese or toasted cheeze" it is the same. The table says " oh yeah, we thought it was really odd when we first met you that you said toasted cheeze, but we have heard you say it for 5 years now so we now you mean grilled cheeze". Mind you they are from CA originally and have lived in the South for almost 20 years heheheheheh.

So is it really a "Grilled Cheese"??? Is Toasted Cheeze a northern saying or have my parents utterly failed me??? I don't grill my cheese........that would require me walking outside and placing my sandwhich on the bbq grill, which I know is a whole other topic as you eat bbq in the south but you grill on a bbq in the north......hence the reason "YOU TOAST YOUR CHEEZE" and not grill it. And just for the record..........SODA IS REALLY POP!

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

I know that most people are "Dreaming of a White Christmas" or so the song goes. I on the other hand, am dreaming of a Green Christmas......A Big Green Egg Christmas. My newest cooking vehicle obsession is The Big Green Egg. Talk to the hand panini maker--you have been replaced. I know other women want diamonds or furs or perfume for Christmas, but I am not your normal high maintenance lass. So as I pathetically continue to drop hints in my husbands direction (which I am sure are falling on deaf ears). A medium egg will do me just fine.......I am not greedy, I don't need the large or extra large. Perhaps the planets will align and the gods will look kindly upon me and I will have a Green Christmas. I won't hold my breath.

If Only I Could Have My Cake and Eat It Too

Isn't that how the saying goes "If I could only have my cake and eat it too" or "You always want what you can't have" perhaps "The grass is always greener on the other side". These sayings very much apply to my world of food.

I have lived in 8 different locations over the last 16 years. There are many culinary items only indigenous or readily available in those particular areas. Yes, of course with the age of the internet and federal express and dry ice you can get most any item (for a cost) shipped to your home. Missing a local restaurant is a total other ball game.......you can't just have a ravioli dinner shipped to you, it is not the same.

I grew up in NW PA. I will never forget my first move to CA in 1992 and my first snack food shock. Back in PA about 45 minutes from where I grew up was a potato chip factory.....Troyer Farms. I grew up on Troyer Farm's chips. I thought everyone in the world ate Troyer Farms Chips, being the naive 21 year old I was. I enter the local Safeway in Monterey, CA ready to load up on a salty bag of potato bliss and there are NO Troyer Farms Chips. How could this be???? And so on and so forth the story begins:

I miss: Troyer Farms chips from NW PA, Valerios Restaurant in Erie, Pa (pepperoni balls and wedding soup), I mix Ox Roast from Greenburgs, I miss Rachels restaurant in Grove City (deep fried soft pretzels and bean soup), I miss Wegmans roast beef subs, I miss Carpino's restaurant in Apple Valley, CA (kudos to the rosemary focaccia, ravioli w/meat sauce, antipasto salad w/mortadela and the princess cake and cannolis), I miss the tamales at Marias in CA, I miss my CA Pizza kitchen (although it is a chain restaurant I have NEVER had a bad meal there), I miss my salmon sandwhich on focaccia bread w/bacon, onion and roasted red pepper at Upstream in Omaha. I could go on and on. I know most people refer back to their travels or prior places of residence with things they have seen and people they have met ,but this food obsessed blogger tracks her travels by all the wonderful foods I encounter and all the yummy places I have the priviledge of dining. I love that I have seen our wonderful country from one coast to the other and most places in between, I will remember a good meal before I will remember your name if our paths cross in the night.

It is a sad day when that craving strikes my taste buds (like a pregnant woman that can't get her ice cream and pickles) and I can't run down to CPK and get my favorite brick oven pizza. I am excited to start trying all the new local joints in Little Rock and finding a favorite to miss once we are transferred again. Loco Luna your cheese dip is amazing and Bruno's of Little Italy......OH MY GOSH YUM and I can't forget the Whole Hog ---they made me fall in love with BBQ all over. And I can't forget McAllisters Iced Tea.....our friends call it "crack", you definately can't go a day without it and who wants a wife w/the shakes, sweats and bitches???

I am grateful for this life I live and lead and for the wonderful family that I have. Food is truly a blessing and no one should go hungry at the end of the day.