Cooking with Dee

Books

December 3, 2008 · No Comments

Thanksgiving is always a wonderful holiday where we get to see family that we usually meet up with only once or twice a year.

Friday after Thanksgiving was special as the kids were enjoying their old-fashioned toys (Tinker Toys, Scrabble and Jenga) and some napped and others stuck their noses in books and whiled away the afternoon before Margie and I had to get going on another meal.

Looking over goats and bulls in pastures, a rancher’s view of the universe, no sound, no TV, it was remarkable.  Seeing the sun come up through the hay barn, usually I had Zoe out and didn’t get a photo.  One only needs to live in or near a major city to never see stars.  At the farm, the stars are shockingly bright and remind me of the universe at hand.

We remark at the time we get to see family, all a glossy “hello, how’ve you been this year?” type thing.  It’s still exciting to see the folks again, meet new potential spouses (none this year) and new babies (three plus one forthcoming).

Spending a day in the country, even though I did tether my phone to get to this blog, just doing laundry, eating lunch and reading books was a much-needed respite.  To spend an afternoon with three other adults, a few feet apart, without a word spoken was magic!

As to the books at hand, Jim’s father was reading Civil War history.  John, about two young boys who ran away from home and traversed the country in the early 1900’s in search of their father.  Who knows what my Jim was reading?  Perhaps house plans for his folks.  I was reading Waiter’s Rant and laughing hysterically.

Next time I have lunch at your place, make it the freshwater ostrich, please.  Dee

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial
Tagged:

Fair Weather Friends

December 3, 2008 · No Comments

I miss a day to illness and what happens?  While I’m freezing under the covers in flannel pajamas, earache, sore throat and head and shoulders about to explode, where are my faithful readers?

Not there.  As I recover (13 hours of sleep does wonders) I’m planning dinner right now.  Perhaps I’ll have time to make cauliflower soup.  I have some pork chops or chicken breasts to cook.  Then it’s a choice of carrots or fresh beefsteak tomatoes that were on the $.99 cart.  I could cut the tops off, eliminate seeds, fill with a mixture of bread crumbs, herbs, olive oil and parmiggiano and bake them.  It’s good to be hungry again!

First I have to feed and take out Zoe, then another situation has arisen where my time and talents are needed and I’ll have to check that out.  Then I’ll start dinner.

It was quite stormy today, sun then clouds, high winds and storms.  Texas-like.  Come back!  I’m here, just off for a day or so.  There are some good posts coming.  Promise.  Dee

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial

Reading

November 30, 2008 · No Comments

is essential.  I read my news online, changing sources to find different angles on stories and hopefully find a shred of truth.  In the old days we had our local paper and if we were lucky, Walter Cronkite at six.

When one writes more than one knows from reading or other inspiration, that spells trouble.  When one writes stories without inspiration, that does not make a story.

When it comes to food, tasting is everything.  One “chef-testant” on Top Chef recently said that she didn’t need to drive to nearby NYC to taste real ethnic food, she could read her books.  Wrong.

Town library, every Saturday.  Books, knowledge, plays, all dusty and unused.  No Shakespeare there, just dusty books donors gave many years ago.  We made the best of it.  I knew at age eight that library was useless except for reference books and one cook book.

It’s a pity to know that a college town’s only public library is toast at the tender age of eight.  So my life took a different direction….

Now that’s the beginning of a story of which the author knows not the ending but at least the beginning and the material it may contain.

Scrabble was a hit, especially with the newly six year-old, who chose his own letters to spell the initials of his school.  Wow.  What a Thanksgiving!

ps Thanksgiving was always my mother’s holiday.  It was never mine.  I thought of her a lot this weekend and told funny stories about our childhood as they pertained to whatever conversation was at hand.  Scrabble was her game.  Proper names and acronyms were not allowed. To see nephew Joseph play was a tribute to my mother.  If she was alive ten years from now he may have won.

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial
Tagged: , ,

Missed a photo

November 30, 2008 · 1 Comment

John and Joseph and the Boer goats…


With an added surprise of their Yorkie pup Coco.

→ 1 CommentCategories: Editorial
Tagged:

Teacher

November 30, 2008 · 1 Comment

Perhaps I should await student and guest evaluations prior to posting.  Nah, I’ll be honest later.  All I can say is that I had a good time planning a cooking basics class for two of our teen-aged cousins.

Along with trussing, roasting and carving a chicken came braising carrots and making mashed potatoes.  The lesson also included sanitation, salmonella, rudimentary knife skills, and timing a meal.

I left them to finish the meal on their own, with adult supervision.  Not that they need it, except some help with done-ness and carving. Otherwise these are two very impressive young ladies who seemed to enjoy our class and learn from it.

As to rudimentary knife skills, they had rudimentary knives.  Luckily I brought two and they had a usable boning knife.  A cook’s tools include a chef’s knife and a paring knife at minimum.  I hope if their interest continues that they invest in both in time.  I know where to splurge and where “good” is OK and inexpensive.

Seems to me I’ve written something on A Cook’s Tools…

Congratulations ladies!  They made boursin for a Thanksgiving tasting and both thought it out well.  Textures were interesting and very different, some thinking out of the box which I like.  Once they get used to making this cream cheese spread “on the fly” they’ll use what they have and enjoy with judicious abandon.  Both were sparing on the herbs as they were playing with flavors.  That’s better than overloading and having a mess of flavors with no focus.

I’m very proud of you.  Dee

→ 1 CommentCategories: Editorial
Tagged:

When to Call Your Parents

November 30, 2008 · 2 Comments

As one ages, one wonders when to call the folks upon safely arriving home.  We called Jim’s parents to let them know we arrived safely this afternoon, but would not call them if we had flown to Chicago or LA.  It’s strange to be a grown adult and call your parents to say “I got home OK.”

Of course if it was overseas that’s a reason, or working in the Congo.  It must be that parent-child bond that kicks in.  Jim’s mother gave me an antique green glass lemon reamer because she knows that mine was broken many years ago.  There’s more to the story, which makes her gesture even sweeter.

We had an activity-filled several days that was punctuated by quiet time and reading and sleep.  I’d give you the address but you can’t afford this B&B!

Zoe is nearly 40 lbs. and impeccably groomed for her visit.  She’s an Aussie shelter mutt.  Coco is a five pound, five month-old Yorkie.  They played, then slept, like crazy.  At one point yesterday Zoe had Coco’s head in her mouth, but only very lightly for a fraction of a second and to say “Gotcha!”  We had to give them a few “time outs” but they both slept through the night, which allowed us to do so as well.

It was wonderful to see Jim’s family and spend some time together on Thanksgiving.  We got to see Nanny and all sorts of relatives, older and younger.  The weather held up for us on turkey day, with a temperature of 74 degrees, so the kids could go out and play.  It rained all day Friday.

This morning as I was packing the car, it was about 48 degrees and I had to go to the car to get a jacket.  The nippy temperatures must have led to friskiness as within a moment two bulls and two billy goats (in separate pastures a few feet away from me) showed an amorous nature.  Gives farming a whole new meaning.

We saw some fall foliage upon the return but under cloudy skies the colors are harder to appreciate.  Back home, the sun came out and everything is unpacked.  We unloaded the car and I went to the closest store just to take care of dinner and breakfast, as I cleaned out the frig Wednesday morning before we left.

When I got home I started unpacking groceries and Jim asked if there was anything he could do.  I knew I had an hour of unpacking and other things to do, and said “yes, please call your mother and tell her we got home OK.”

→ 2 CommentsCategories: Editorial
Tagged: ,

Photo Tour

November 29, 2008 · No Comments

I just took these a few moments ago.  The sun obliged us with a visit, while it’s still cool enough to require a coat.



First photo is of b-i-l John and son Joseph getting ready to vaccinate and worm the 12 goats.  Next is the hay barn across the street from the house.  The modern farm has all the wood stacked for the wood stove, underneath the satellite dish.  Finally, dog prison, on the floor is a new tie-down so that she can’t escape to the driver’s seat again.

Enjoy your weekend.  Dee

→ No CommentsCategories: Uncategorized

Farm Life

November 29, 2008 · No Comments

I’m sitting here in the living room checking my email, Mumbai news and the blog.  Twenty feet from me are five black bulls eagerly awaiting their breakfast.  Zoe wouldn’t walk anywhere near them this morning!  A few feet  yards away are twelve Boer goats who aren’t getting their breakfast this morning because they’re recieving worming medication shortly.

All the kids are up so I awakened Jim.  There’s a new addition this year, a five month-old Yorkie named Coco.  She needs a bit of work in the training (potty and otherwise) departments but has a sweet personality.  She and Zoe are playing a bit rough (five lbs. vs. 40 lbs.) but are enjoying each other and Zoe slept without moving, except rolling over, for eleven hours last night.

It rained all day yesterday and is cloudy today and we may have a few showers.  Jim has to help with the goats, do some other farm work with his Dad, and we’ll make a visit to Nanny.  I’m teaching a cooking class to two teenaged cousins and have packed the car toward that end.

I haven’t taken the camera out yet, hoping for a few rays of sunshine.  It’s going to be a busy day, and we’re headed for home first thing tomorrow morning.

Oh, my cranberry-orange relish turned out ok, quite tart even when I heated it and added more sugar, orange juice and zest.  We heated up a portion of the spinach balls I brought last night.  Margie (Jim’s Mom) and I made three quiches yesterday, which we all ate for dinner.  They were a hit.  I thinly sliced potatoes, blanched them for two minutes and layered them in a circle on the bottom of all three blind-baked crusts.  Placed crumbled bacon on two, diced ham on the third.  I used a few sprigs of rosemary on the bacon quiches.  Then we added shredded Fontina, poured in the custard and baked until done.

We sat them aside to cool, then lightly warmed them for supper with a salad of romaine, carrots, celery and scallions.  It was a nice dinner.

As for Black Friday, I don’t know the numbers yet but it seems there was a shopping frenzy.  Not here in the country, where Jim and I spent an entire hour yesterday afternoon at three chic shops: TSC (Tractor Supply); Wal-Mart; and the local grocery picking up milk and a few staples for my class.

Thanksgiving day I placed Zoe in the back of our car with the windows down and “doggie prison” in place.  Five minutes later cousin Mary and I went out for ice and Zoe was sitting in the driver’s seat!  Yes, she scratched the leather console for the second time.  So we went to the horse section of TSC and found a tie-down that will give her full range of the back third of our SUV without jumping the barrier.

Off to make breakfast.  Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!  Cheers, Dee

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial
Tagged: ,

A Woman of Valor

November 26, 2008 · No Comments

I just received a package from my Aunt with notes and names of all the people who contacted her about the passing of her sister, my mother, Barbara.

As we pack up and head off to grandmother’s house (Jim’s grandmother, who kindly agreed seven years ago to be mine as well) there is much to be thankful for.

From my piano teacher, school music teacher to the farm stand to the neighbors who had the first color TV and invited my sister and I over to see The Wizard of Oz, everyone wrote a note or sent a contribution to their favorite local cancer center.

It was written that the highest form of praise for a Judaic woman is to be called a woman of valor, and one writer told us that our mother was one.  Thank you all.

What a Thanksgiving this will be.  Dee

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial
Tagged:

Sappy Holidays

November 26, 2008 · No Comments

This will be a year to remember.  There’s one day a year when I’m driving to the grocery store and a holiday song comes on the radio and I’m reduced to tears.  Before and after that I turn off anything that resembles someone’s grandmother being run over by a reindeer.

It’s not even Thanksgiving and I’m waiting for it.  Last year it came en route home from Thanksgiving at the folks.  It was that song about Mary and the bird and the nightengale singing its song.  Tears flowed.

We do sport a holiday wreath on the door but don’t really decorate.  There is no tree to be found, of course Jim’s allergic to anything cedar and I won’t have anything fake.

I wonder if expecting that moment will deny me the catharsis that it brings.  In essence, that is my Christmas epiphany, the moment I’m closest to one-ness with the universe.  It’s a brief moment and I’m lucky to have it every year.

May you have your moment this and every year, Dee

ps Never underestimate the power of music.  I didn’t sleep one night last weekend and was snippy with my husband and dog.  I went out on my own and heard “You Lift Me Up” sung by Josh Groban and went right home from the grocery store and apologized, then took a nap.

→ No CommentsCategories: Editorial