Foods and Fun

This was a week of large and small joys and few true disappointments. At the very least I am not still totally teed off about the road trip being cancelled, so I will take the good times, even if a few bad ones get thrown in the mix.

This week begins SEC football season and the beginning of football season houseguest. The first is due Friday afternoon, so I need to do some intense cleaning. This is not my strong suit. I could use Kim's Sissie right now!

Menu that was planned:

Chicken piccata over pasta, broccoli

Shrimp and grits, coleslaw

Korean beef over rice, Asian-ish salad

Big salad meal

Out to eat at Hot and Hot

We have a family reunion Saturday and most likely will just eat fruit  or tossed salad 

Grilled tuna steaks, tossed salad, croissants 

Joys and how close or not I followed the planned menu

Monday joy: I guess the joy was just getting the laundry done and reading, of course. Oh and did I mention the joy of air conditioning.

Monday dinner: I am trying to get out of the food rut we have been in.

Korean rice bowl, tossed salad

Tuesday joy: The day was slightly cooler, and it was actually pleasant outside Tuesday night.

Talked with Sluggy and had a lot of laughs. I know she is still recovering, but she sounds so much better than she did the last time I spoke with her! 

And another joy was getting the up-lights in front of the house installed. It makes a huge difference in the way our house looks at night. If I were a decent photographer I would post a picture, but I am not.

Tuesday dinner: Still trying to break out of our dinner rut. At least I made a different marinade this time.

Grilled tuna steaks, tossed salad, croissants

Wednesday joy: Someone told me to check out Bravo's  The Housewives Ultimate Vacation, so I did. They were in St Barths and now I know what we did wrong on our vacation. We did not dress to the  nines  have our makeup and hair done every night for dinner, while yelling and screaming at each other across the table. Instead we sat, talked, laughed and reminisced. 

Wednesday dinner: Our dinner was also one fi the days joys. We met 2 of our friends at Hot and Hot. Once again there was no yelling across the tables, just fun and laughter. I think I am very lucky to not be one of those TV famous housewives.

Tomato salad (me), grouper (TheHub) and we shared a slice of blueberry cream cake 

Thursday joy I was thrilled to go to my happy place to volunteer. Since I was supposed to be out of town most of August, we had not made plans for me to be there. As it turned out they had some free time Thursday and My Beloved Sister and I were thrilled to get to go.

Thursday dinner: I brought home a doggie bag left over from Wednesday's meal. The tomatoes needed to be used right away.

Huge salad

Friday joy: Other than running to Publix to get the bogo peanut butter, I was at home. Since I had a choice of housework or reading I naturally chose reading.

Friday dinner: Don't even believe when I went to Publix I only bought the peanut butter I specifically went to buy. I also found another sale item that meant I would not have to  really cook. To me, making a pot of rice and grating a bit of cabbage is not really cooking.

PF Chang frozen meal, rice, coleslaw

Saturday joy: Every year one of my cousins and his wife welcome the hoard to their home for a family reunion. For some reason we were not able to go last year, and it had been a couple since I had seen several of my cousins. Not only was seeing them fun, but the weather really did cooperate. We have had a few days of unseasonal really pleasant weather.  

After the reunion we stopped at a small produce stand and found some things we needed and some we just wanted.

Saturday dinner:  I knew we would not be hungry for dinner after eating such a big meal at the reunion lunch. Instead we met my cousin and her husband who live in San Antonio for drinks.

An adult beverage or two, shared flatbreads

Sunday joy: We started the day with church, came home for a less than stellar lunch, then started watching the golf tournament (or reading). It is entirely possible both sets of eyes closed during our activity of choice and a short nap followed. Sunday is the only day of the week I fall asleep during the day, but an afternoon nap seems mandatory for some reason. Of course we both "rest our eyes"  in the den. Somehow or another a nap in the bedroom would seem too self indulgent.

Sunday dinner: While at the produce stand Saturday we found something we both decided would be great for dinner, and the fact that it only had to be baked was a win in my book.

Tomato pie, mixed greens salad

Meals for the week, maybe

Shrimp and grits, coleslaw

Chicken piccata,  pasta, broccoli

Stuffed baked potato, tossed salad

Burgers, butterbean and corn salad

Ball game dinner (I will be here alone so popcorn maybe?)

Big Salad meal

Grilled pimento cheese sandwiches, coleslaw

Books read in August (I have a busy week so this might be it for the month)

The Skin Collector

Dark Archives

The Rose Code 

The Thirteenth Child

Hillbilly Elegy

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

Meals and other stuff

I enjoyed the beginning of the week while we were still in Portland, but by the remainder of the week, I was busy feeling petty about the cancelled road trip.  Plus it was as hot as Hades when got back to the south. Neither made me happy. 

I continued to sulk for a few days, which did no harm to anyone but me. Nonetheless I continued doing it until Saturday when I decided I just needed to stop.

As part of my sulking I did read your blog but was too busy pouting to comment. Apologies to all. I'll be back to normal soon.

Monday joy:  Pip  came over for breakfast, (cool little pastry shop a block from the hotel)  then left to get her friend and come back over over for a swim and a snack ( yes I am a sucker) I truly enjoyed watching them swim and not try to be/act older than they are. Kids seem to grow up so much faster now, and it was a true joy seeing them just be kids.

Monday dinner: DIL1 made the most delicious meal, then we watched some Olympic highlights. 

Mediterranean-ish/Italian-ish stuffed baked potato

Tuesday joy: Son1 came by the hotel and had tea while TheHub drank tea and I had coffee. He left and we had a little time before we picked up he and Pip to go eat lunch with DIL1's father and stepmother. 

We had one of the most enjoyable visits we have ever had with them.

 While we were at lunch Pip had a great idea. she thought we should go to Collage, a really cute DIY store in Portland, "just to look". Of course we did. She bought a canvas bag  and a set of acrylic paints. She wanted to paint a fall tree on her bag to hang in her room for when the seasons change. 

Fortunately painting is in my wheel house so I had her practice on a couple of blank sheets of paper before transferring her design to her bag. She picked up the technique to make the leaves look mottled very quickly, and in the end, was thrilled with her bag.

Tuesday dinner: We wanted to take them out to dinner and also invited DIL1's mom so we could see her one more time before we left. 

Gnocchi and whatever everyone else had for dinner at Luna.

Wednesday joy: I was extremely glad I bought a sweater when we took Pip to Target. The return flight was a cold as the flight out and the cardigan kept me warm. Of course, once we got off the plane in Nashville the sweater had to come off the minute we stepped off the plane and onto the jet bridge.

We had an uneventful drive home, stopping only at Buccee's for a little relief, (best restrooms ever) and got to our house by about 11:30. Our aim was to be home by midnight, so we were a tad ahead of our self imposed schedule. I will gladly use the Nashville to Portland route for future travel to Portland. Even with the drive, it is easier and about as quick as going through Atlanta.

Wednesday dinner: We stopped on the drive home from Nashville and grabbed a quick car meal.

Chicken fajita from Buccee's

Thursday joy: Portland was unseasonably cool and we had been relishing the 70 degree days. When I woke Thursday morning, Alabama was not quite so generous. It is hard to be joyful going to the grocery store in the relentless heat and humidity. 

I do have groceries now, so that was a joy, but man oh man, was it ever hot unloading them. Still it was done now, and I have eggs and bread, and all the other things I refused to buy because we were supposed to be on the three week road trip. 

Once TheHub came home from work ( yes, he is still going to the office)  I ate a quick dinner then we ran a couple of errands. He wanted to see if our Target had a particular jacket he saw while we were in Portland but was not in his size.

Thursday dinner: The first thing TheHub mentioned when he walked in the door from the office was that he had salad for lunch. I was planning the same for dinner. 

I know part of it is still being angry about the trip, but he is coming perilously close to being kicked off the island.

Sunflower salad* and croissant for me, half a pimento cheese** sandwich for TheHub

Friday joy: I was tired, not tired enough to go to sleep before 3 am, but tired enough that I slept late. Other than sticking a couple of loads of laundry in the machines, I was content to read and drink coffee the remainder of the morning.

By the time the afternoon rolled around I had done some indulgent self care read a little more while I listened to some gorgeous music. It was just too blooming hot to go anywhere, especially since I could stay home in the a/c wearing shorts and flip flops.

Friday dinner: I had cooked some pasta during the morning and planned on having a cold dinner meal.

Pasta salad, iced tea (lots of iced tea)

Saturday joy: TheHub picked our lone apple from our apple trees. It was the only one the squirrels were unable to claim as their own. You might think with 2 producing apple trees we would get at least a few, but nope. 

Luckily they have not really paid attention to the pear trees in the front yard. The trees did not have a big yield this year, but at least other than losing a couple to the birds we were able to harvest them.

We decided to try a new place (at least new to us) for lunch. We met Son2 and DIL2 at Price's on the main street of Pinson, a small incorporated place on the outskirts of town (actually about 35 miles from us) 

In its former life it was a true apothecary with (I am assuming ) a soda fountain. Now, the store's surrounds are filled with old pharmaceutical packaging, lotions and potions from the past, along with cosmetics of indeterminate age. It functions as a mini museum/eatery with sandwiches and of course various ice. ream  based treats.

The food was very good and the ice cream was delicious.

On the drive home TheHub and I decided we need to start going somewhere new each week. If we can't drive across the country we can at least drive a few miles to do something different.

On our list for the next several weeks: 

                   Boondocks in Brierfield

                   J &J Grocery in Bessemer 

                   Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia 

                   Waysider Restaurant in Tuscaloosa

                   Melt in Birmingham

                   And anywhere else that strikes our fancy.

Saturday dinner: Neither of us were very hungry

Cottage cheese, pears or peaches

Sunday joys: We went to church then stopped by a couple of grocery stores to get a few needed things and one total indulgence. Can you say peach ice  cream?

We watched the round of the FedEx golf tournament because we were pulling for a local guy to make it to the next round. He did by the skin of his teeth.

Sunday dinner: Toasted cheese sandwiches, cucumber onion and tomato salad

Possible meals for the week:

1. Chicken piccata over pasta, broccoli

2. Shrimp and grits, coleslaw

3. Korean beef over rice, Asian-ish salad

4. Big salad meal

5. Out to eat at Hot and Hot

6. We have a family reunion Saturday and most likely will just eat fruit  or tossed salad for dinner

7. Grilled tuna steaks, tossed salad, croissants 

Books read in August

The Skin Collector

Dark Archives

The Rose Code 

The Thirteenth Child

Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.

May all your weeds be wildflowers.

Anne

                  

* Thank you, Belinda for turning me on to this salad from Aldi. I had never seen it before and it is delicious.

** While we were at Target Thursday night TheHub decided he would like a pimento cheese sandwich for a late dinner. I told him to have at it, but he needed to buy the stuff already prepared because I was not going home and make it. 

He did, even though it meant an additional stop at ThePig. (I think he is trying to get back in my good graces because he also picked up some of their bakery made white chocolate macadamia cookies he knows I love.)

Whew, just made it

As has become my habit, I am including the meals and joys on the same day. It is just easier for my incredibly forgetful self to handle, but now I seem to be forgetting the dual post as well.  This one will be published with just minutes left on Monday.  Too much, too little, too late?

Monday joy: TheHub went to work while I stayed home. I actually like being at home on Mondays because it lets me do things that need to be done which frees up the week.He came in early and we had a few errands to run. 

Monday dinner: While we were out doing some shopping we decided to stop at the Pita Cafe for dinner

Racer with a side of tabbouleh

Tuesday joy: TheHub is enjoying his retirement by going into the office again. I stayed at home mainly because it was so dang hot.  Air conditioning is a huge joy!

Tuesday dinner: I had decided to use what we had here for meals rather than go to the store and buy anything else.

Au gratin potatoes, tomato slices, pickled okra

Wednesday joy: I was able to go to my happy place again with my beloved sister. This week we were able to make some Olympic themed treats since they were celebrating The Olympics. My favorite people are the participants of The Independence Place. Walking in there feels like I have just had a bucket of joy thrown all over me.

Wednesday dinner:  Even though I got home in time to cook, I did not get home in time to get anything thawed to cook. Instead we did take out.

Whatever we had was not memorable and I have totally forgotten what we bought.

Thursday joy; It was too hot to have my coffee on the porch so I sat at the table, read and drank too much coffee while I read. Now tell me why I decided to read a book on quantam physics. I guess I just wanted to know how little I knew (that statement still applies) 

Thursday dinner: I was still struggling to keep from shopping, but I had a tim of corned beef, about 10 new potatoes that needed to be used and a slightly soft onion. 

Corned beef hash, coleslaw

Friday joy: After a torrential rain storm and high winds that knocked branches from our oak tree  and left trees all over the neighborhood down, we celebrated Son2's birthday. He is truly one of the best people I know. and the joy is knowing what a wonderful man he turned out to be. 

Friday dinner: We met Son2 and DIL2 at sSeasons 52 for his birthday dinner.

Various entrees, but mine was lamb loin, asparagus and truffle mashed potatoes. (about half of it came home with me)

Saturday: THeHub went into the office again. retirement is not taking! While he was gone I entertained myself with olympic fever, while reading more of the physics book. I guess I am a glutton for punishment.

As much as I try to summon my inner Faraday, it is just not working. There is a reason I am not a physicist

My joy is realizing my limitations both in sports and science.

Saturday Dinner: The fridge had a half a jar of hot salsa and a half a jar of queso. A little kitchen magic was needed to turn it into dinner.. TheHub stopped on his way home to grab a bag of salad. I do not usually buy bagged salad, but I did not want anything leftover. I padded said bag with tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and green onions and then I had leftover salad anyway.

Mexican-ish chicken and pasta dish, tossed salad.

Sunday: joy: TheHub and I had a slow morning  watching the olympic golf final. I was happy Scottie Scheffler took the gold medal.Once it was over  he decided to run into the office for a bit. While he was gone I got involved finishing the stupid physics book and watching more olympic games Who would have thought watching women ride bikes through the streets of Paris would be so addicting. THeHub came home when the race was about half over and neither of us moved until the winner crossed the finish line.We celebrated the winner, whose name I promptly forgot.

Sunday dinner: After the race was finished it was time for me to start thinking about dinner.. I had taken a couple of pork chops out of the freezer to thaw and knew we were having that, but had no idea how ai would be making them.

Pork chops with a mushroom, caper wine reduction, saffron rice, leftover tossed salad

p.s. I could not find my glasses, and as much as I tried to proof this, all the words look like ant scribblings, so please be kind!

 

Lunch Trial

 A few weeks ago I was griping mentioning that I was going to be in lunch mode and was looking for some new and easy things for a handy do-it-yourself meal. I have seen that some people use beans instead of tuna for vegetarian sandwich spread. As I was looking through the pantry for the makings for saffron rice for dinner, I happened on a can of garbanzo beans that had been loitering for a while. I figured today was as good of a day as any to try it and see if it would be an option to keep in the fridge.

I am kind of funny about recipes and honestly believe most of them are just a suggestion*. The following is my freeform trial making it.

1 can garbanzo beans, well drained

1 tablespoon minced onion

2 tablespoons diced celery

2 gerkins, finely chopped

seasoned salt (a shake or 2)

nutritional yeast** (about 1/2 teaspoon)

mayonnaise to taste (I used a little over a tablespoon)

Durkee's*** special sauce ( one healthy squeeze)

In a medium bowl, mash the garbanzo beans to your personal desired consistency. I am a tactile eater so I left mine on the chunkier side and it was more like shredded chicken, in look and feel.

Once you have the beans as you like them add veggies, seasoned salt, and nutritional yeast and stir to combine before adding the mayonnaise and Durkee's. Mix well and it is ready to eat as is, but is a little better after living in the refrigerator for an hour or so.

That is pretty much all there is to it. I know it would be good on bread for a sandwich but I am not a huge sandwich eater, especially at lunch. Instead I ate mine on a plate with crackers and celery hearts.

I was actually pleased with the way it tasted and also the mouthfeel. This made enough for 2 generous servings and it is something I will make again and I can see us having it a couple of times a month.

TheHub is still transitioning toward retirement (even though he is officially retired) and has been in the office everyday for two weeks. He says this is the last week, (I will believe it when I see it) so lunches should become a reality soon.

If you give it a try let me know what you did differently.

*Some baking actually requires following a recipe

** I mixed everything except the nutritional yeast together and tasted it. It did not have any real flavor so I added the nutritional yeast. Huge difference!

*** Durkee's sauce has become very hard to find here and it is something I always try to have on hand.  When I finally located it I got 2 bottles. Amazingly shortly after I had bought it, Son1 called (the one who lives in Portland). He was at Safeway when he saw some, and it went home with him He was so excited because he said he was able to finally have a satisfying ham sandwich. Probably it was just reminiscent of what he grew up eating.

When I was on the hunt for it, I asked The Pig manager if they had any. They didn't at that time but the last time I was in the store, there is was, on the shelf. And that is what I love about my local Pig!