Wonder if my license is still good?

I burned my dinner in the microwave tonight. Again! And the odor from the piece of chicken I cremated in it last week hasn't fully dissipated yet. It wasn't as bad tonight but not much could top that small, blackened piece of stinky blob I turned that into. If I keep this up, my "license to cook" may be revoked. Or changed to "license to kill." Getting too careless in my so-called golden years~ more like charcoal ones right now!


One more day with Little Bit this week and her Dad is taking over for a while. He's rearranged his work schedule so he can go in later. Hopefully, she will be over this croup thing and the weather will be nicer for them next week. Today she found a knitted cap, pulled it on her head, went to the door, and said, "Please, can I go outside?" Aside from the fact she was barefoot and wearing no jacket or shoes, it was raining cats and dogs. She's bound to have cabin fever from being shut in for almost a week and I felt really badly that I couldn't take her out.

With my cooking mishaps, I am now forced to go grocery shopping. I really needed to stop on the way back today but I saw too many stall outs and accidents and decided I wanted to get in and stay in while I was still unscathed.

It's been a fairly quiet day (for me) and I have lots to do. Maybe my life will start being a little more interesting soon...

Shoulda Listened!

Just got back from Trivia night, fun as usual. We came in third but would have been first if certain people had listened to me on a couple of answers. I knew that purple was the favored color of Roman emperors and "Let's build something together" is Lowe's slogan. Some of the guys disagreed and I let them prevail.

The funniest thing about it was one of them works for Lowe's and he said Home Depot. Good thing we play for the fun of it, lol. In the meantime, I need to work on that assertiveness thing. One of the culprits said I need to practice saying, "Listen dumba****, I know I'm right!" Hmm, wonder if that would work? Kudos to him though for knowing King was the first name of Gilette. And to my neighbor A**** for being so smart!

I shan't linger long here tonight. I'm staying with Little Bit again tomorrow. Rain has already set in so I'm going to turn in early so I can get and early start if it's storming in the morning as predicted. She also has croup (again) so we will have to stay in again. She's been in all week and I fear cabin fever may be about to set in. Hopefully, it will wait until I go home!

Until later…

"Another Pleasant Valley Sunday"

It's, "Another Pleasant Valley Sunday...My thoughts seem to stray to places far away, I need a change of scenery." (With apologies to the Monkees.)

It really isn't that bad. What I need more than a change of scenery is the impetus to get up and get out and then I would have a change of scenery. We didn't have class today so I didn't go to Sunday School. Unlike the past two days, I did get out of my PJs before time to take a bath and put on clean ones though. I even walked around outside for a few minutes.

I confess to a little cabin fever but just cannot bring myself to fight those after Thanksgiving shopping fanatics. I avoid stores and shopping centers like the plague this time of year. Even ate dry cereal for breakfast Friday because my milk was out of date and I refused to go to the store until after well after most of the crowds had gone home. Thank goodness for a 24-hour Kroger!

In the little bit of walking about I've done since moving to this area, I've discovered this place is quite hilly so I suppose I shouldn't call it a valley. The grounds are very pretty and I've truly enjoyed the short time I've been here. Only one complaint so far (other than the endless remodeling noise upstairs) ~ the bartender at the restaurant cannot make a decent mixed drink.

I only thought the Margarita I ordered a few days ago was awful until I tried a Cosmo next time I was there, only to discover it was even worse! I did manage to keep sipping the Margarita until the taste sort of grew on me but I had to leave the Cosmo. Too expensive to keep experimenting to see if she gets anything right so I think I may just stick with a soft drink from from there from now on.

I won't have a choice about getting out and around this coming week though. I promised to stay with Little Bit all three mornings while her other grandmother is in Louisiana with her very ill father. The drive is a bit tiring but I enjoy my time with her. Well, most of it anyway. There's one thing for sure though. If she holds true to form, I'll have more interesting material than this to post after spending that much time with her! Watch for updates, lol.

English Journal Installment 15

Despite the chilly spring weather, spring flowers were beginning to bloom in this memorial garden on the grounds of All Saints Church in Chelmsford last March.

Sweet-smelling Eccles Cakes fresh from the oven provide great accompaniments to a fresh pot of tea or coffee.

Excerpts from an English Journal, Part 15

March 25: My last day here! These past three weeks have slipped by so quickly it’s as though the days were on wings. I’ve been sleeping well while I’ve been here but was restless last night. I think it’s because I’m feeling really sad about leaving. I had no idea I would feel this way but it’s such a lovely place and I’ve felt so welcome that I’m missing it already. There’s also lots more places I’d like to see but my time here has almost run out.

The day has started off bright and sunny, as have most days I’ve been here but rain is predicted for later. I got a kick out of the way BBC2 predicted “scattered lusty showers” this morning. Typically British and very funny.

For a change, I didn’t feel hungry but did manage a Diet Coke and part of a protein bar. Not a bad thing considering the way I’ve been eating since I’ve been here. In fact, I’m pretty sure my tummy appreciates a reprieve, however short that may be.

Richard ate a hearty breakfast though and is out delivering Easter cards for the church. I’m about to sort things out for packing and double-checking to be sure my suitcases aren’t overweight. His friend Derek is coming over for tea later and we’ve promised to drop by to see Julie, Ian and the children after we’ve had dinner this evening. That’s probably all the excitement I can stand for today.

Later: The card “deliveryman” is back. It took a full hour for him to deliver about half of the 117 cards he volunteered for so he will finish the rest tomorrow after he takes me to the airport. He says he takes on extra cards because he needs the exercise. I should have gone with him but the wind is strong and quite nippy at times. Besides, I think if I wanted to walk around and deliver cards from house to house that I’d apply for a job with the Royal Mail Service and get paid for it.

On a related note, there are no mailboxes at the kerb (curb) here. Most homes have mail slots in the door and the carrier simply rings the doorbell if he has a package that won’t fit through. Having access to these (as well as not having to talk to each recipient individually) also speeds up the church’s Easter and other holiday card delivery process.

He’s also cleaned the treads of my shoes from yesterday’s “cow patty” incident and is outside now picking up trash that has blown into the driveway and front garden (yard). All this before 10a.m.! I find such a display of energy amazing. I can sit and watch it all day without being tempted to join in.

10:45 a.m.: Derek arrived for tea and a visit as promised. Richard wasn’t very pleased because he brought a tape measure and brackets to put up a shelf for the birthday microwave gift that wasn’t wanted in the beginning. I “tactfully” excused myself and went to my bedroom to pack my books and shoes.

I don’t know how they sorted things out but there was no extra shelf in the kitchen when I went down for lunch and Derek took the brackets home with him when he left at 12:15. (Sometimes it’s better not to ask.) I’m not sure how they stay friends. Derek is nice enough but he would drive me nuts if I had to be around him all the time. He gets way too fixated on things!

3:00 p.m.: It’s only about half a mile but with the sky looking ominous, we decided to forgo the walk and drive to All Saints Church for me to take pictures. Regretfully, it was locked so I didn’t get any shots of the interior. I’m sorry I didn’t do this earlier. It’s a beautiful old church, about 3-400 years old, and is absolutely gorgeous inside and out.

The sun was shining when we left the house but the dark clouds soon rolled in and by the time we got back 15-20 minutes later, a hard rain and wind had begun. The sun came back out just a few minutes later. It’s been like that all day, raining one minute, sunny the next. Hopefully, it will subside for good before we go out to eat tonight and visit Julie and family afterwards.

I’m also hoping it won’t be a rainy drive to the airport tomorrow. These motorways are narrow and there are a lot of accidents because people drive so fast on them. (Sounds familiar except Interstate roads in the U.S are wider.)

Evening: We had dinner at Prezzo, an Italian restaurant located near Town Centre and right on the edge of River Chelmer. The atmosphere was quite relaxing and the inside was sparkling clean. There are tables outside as well but with the weather being so mercurial, we elected to sit inside. Richard had a chicken pasta dish he said was very good and I had Bruschetta and Risotto Mediterraneo.

The Bruschetta was made with sliced cherry tomatoes marinated with fresh basil, red onion and garlic served on baked focaccia bread and the Risotto Mediterraneo was risotto with tiger prawns and petit pois (peas) in creamy saffron sauce. Fantastic! I’ve noticed saffron is used in a lot of dishes here and I’ve enjoyed it. I’m going to miss this great food. The weather cooperated too and we visited with Julie, Ian, Joseph and Amelia for about an hour before heading home.

Late evening: We passed on dessert at Prezzo’s but I think I hear an Eccles Cake calling my name. I’m trying to resist but afraid I will lose this battle if I don’t go to bed soon. This is yet another new dish for me and, unfortunately, I like it as much as many of the other new things I’ve tried.

I’m not ready to leave but don’t want to overstay my welcome either so my travel clothes are laid out and I’ve gotten all my things together except for the stuff I will need to use in the morning. So far I’ve resisted the urge for the Eccles Cake so I’d better turn in before it calls so loudly that I can’t ignore it.

*********

Salford City Council’s recipe for Eccles Cakes

Ingredients:

500g flaky pastry

25g melted butter

Nutmeg

50g candied peel

100g sugar

200g currants

Method: Pre-heat your oven to 425°F/220°C. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and butter and cook over a medium heat until melted. Off the heat, add currants, candied peel, nutmeg and allspice.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry thinly and cut into rounds of about half a centimetre thickness and 10cm diameter. Place a small spoonful of filling onto centre of each pastry circle. Dampen the edges of the pastry and draw the edges together over the fruit and pinch to seal.

Turn over and press gently with a rolling pin to flatten the cakes. Flatten and snip a V in the top with scissors. Place on a baking tray, brush with water and sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Bake in a hot oven for 15—20 minutes (425°f/220°c), or until lightly browned round the edges. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool. Preparation time: 20 minutes.

NOTE: Some recipes call for using Puff Pastry sheets and some add cinnamon as well as nutmeg but I think this is probably closer to the original cakes baked more than 200 years ago. The Eccles cake I had in the UK was purchased at Marks & Spencer but they are simple to make at home. You can follow this simple recipe and/or add seasonings according to your taste.

Saffron and Shrimp Risotto

1/2 t. saffron threads

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved

2 T. unsalted butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1-1/2 c. Arborio rice

2 ripe plum tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small non-reactive saucepan, warm the saffron and wine over moderate heat for one minute. Place shrimp shells in a pan with 6-1/2 cups of water and boil over high heat for 5 minutes. Strain stock into a medium saucepan and keep hot over moderately low heat.

In a large non-reactive saucepan, melt 1-1/2 T. of the butter over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until just opaque, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add onion and the remaining 1/2 T. butter to the pan and cook over moderately high heat until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, add saffron liquid and boil until liquid is almost completely evaporated.

Add one cup of hot shrimp stock or just enough to form a thin veil over the rice. Gently boil rice, stirring, until liquid is absorbed. Repeat this procedure, adding the hot stock one cup at a time, until it is all used and the rice is tender but firm. Add shrimp and cook just to warm through. Fold in tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once. Serves 4.

I could not find a recipe for the Risotto Mediterraneo like I had but this sounds very similar. If you wish, fold in 3/4—1 c. steamed green peas to make it even more authentic. The following recipe for Bruschetta is also very similar to the one served at Prezzo’s.

Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

16-18 oz. cherry tomatoes

1/2 red onion, sliced

2 t. fresh basil, sliced

2 T. red wine vinegar

8 slices Focacia bread

1 clove fresh garlic, halved

Extra virgin olive oil

1 T. sea salt

Cracked pepper to taste

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and set aside. Combine onion, shredded basil and red wine vinegar in a bowl and add tomatoes. Allow to marinate at least half an hour or longer.

Toast bread slices. After toasting, rub each slice with the open side of the cut garlic halves and arrange each slice on a small white serving plate.

Using a tablespoon, place equal amounts of tomato mixture onto each slice and drizzle a little olive oil over each heaped tomato mixture. Sprinkle with salt and add pepper to taste.

No Black Friday for Me!

Somehow, I don't think I would have chosen the name "Black Friday" for a day that is supposed to be a bargain-filled fun shopping day. The name itself connates something ominous. And no, I'm not old enough to remember the Black Friday market crash in 1929 but I do know enough about it to know it definitely was not fun.

Come to think of it though, camping out all night outside a store entrance to try to be first in line, fighting crowds, fighting traffic, spending lots of money, maybe it is aptly named after all. It would be a "black" day for me if I had to do it!

To each his own. I'm having my own version of Black friday fun. Lounging around, still in my PJs at 2:00 p.m. ~ my personal idea of fun and I'm doing just that.

Thankful

Today is the perfect time to reflect on all the things we have to be thankful for. I've had some medical glitches that have stressed me out but when I look around I realize I have so much more to be grateful for than many others do.

I have a warm home, a good car, clothes, food, and all the essentials that many are lacking. My children and grandchildren are healthy and happy despite the setbacks in their lives from the economic downturn. They are happy to have jobs no matter what they are instead of trying to subsist on unemployment, etc.

A young man I kept at my day care center when he was just a young child himself lost his wife from an auto accident day before yesterday. It's difficult to find something to be grateful for in that but their baby she was carrying survived and is doing well so there’s a bright note even in this much pain. When I think of this and similar situations, it gives me even greater pleasure to see my grandchildren laughing and playing and thriving in general.

The years left in my life seem to be speeding by at warp speed but even now I am in awe of my real blessings. I hope everyone else is also.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

This is the column that followed one for Thanksgiving. I had to rush this one for early deadline so please overlook any glaring errors (little ones too!).

Too many Thanksgiving leftovers? Not a bad dilemma at all!

Mince it, curry it, make a stew

With lots of veggies. Plenty to do.

Sandwiches, omelets, make a pie.

Fry it, freeze it, this is why:

An unlucky turkey had to die.

~ Author Unknown

Among Thanksgiving blessings I can count this year, a major one is not worrying about what to do with a ton of leftovers, especially turkey. Not that this is really a bad thing. Quite the opposite. We should be especially thankful if we are among those fortunate enough to afford a turkey in today’s economy. It’s just tiresome to try to decide how to use/dispose of its remains.

You can add leftover cranberry sauce to different dishes or serve it with other pork or chicken recipes, even freeze it, but turkey is another story. For one thing, you usually have lots more of it than you do of side dishes and it’s often difficult to present it in an appealing way, i.e., disguised so it doesn’t look like turkey.

With Christmas coming up and yet another turkey looming on the horizon, you probably don’t want to freeze that leftover carcass so you want to find a way to dispose of it without feeling guilty. Personally, I hate all that work so much that I’d be tempted to freeze it and recycle it for Yuletide but that idea might be a hard sale and could even result in a small mutiny if your family is heavily tradition-bound. If you do plan to start over with another bird so soon, some of the ideas offered here may come in handy.

If you are fortunate enough not to have Thanksgiving leftovers, or have managed to get rid of what you did have, you may want to save these ideas to use with your Christmas fowl’s remains. Perhaps these suggestions on how to get rid of it that does not involve giving the remains a decent burial, the garbage can or family pets will be helpful to you then if you can’t use them now.

Turkey Gobblers

1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. mayonnaise

2 T. sour cream

1/4 t. hot pepper sauce

12 slices cooked turkey breast meat

12 slices tomato

12 slices American or cheddar cheese

12 strips bacon, halved, cooked, crumbled

6 English muffins, split and toasted

In a small bowl, mash the avocado; add lemon juice, mayonnaise, sour cream and hot pepper sauce.Spread over muffin halves; top with turkey, tomato, cheese and bacon and broil 6 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Yields 6 servings.

Easy Turkey Salad

6 eggs, boiled and chopped

6 c. chopped cooked turkey meat

1 16-oz. jar sweet pickle relish or chopped sweet pickles

15 oz. mustard-mayonnaise blend

3/4 c. mayonnaise

Sea salt & coarse black pepper to taste (opt.)

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed. Chill approximately 3 hours before serving. Seasoning may be adjusted to personal preference.

Different Turkey Salad

3 T. cider vinegar

2 t. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. ground black pepper

1/2 t. granulated garlic

3 T. olive oil

4 c. cooked, diced turkey

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and garlic together. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add diced turkey and celery; toss to mix well. Serve turkey salad on your favorite bread for sandwiches, serve over salad greens, or fill scooped out avocado or tomato halves with it.

Variations: (a) Prepare turkey salad as above. Stir in 1 large navel orange, peeled and coarsely chopped, 2 chopped green onions and 2 t. grated orange peel. Serve salad over greens. (b) Prepare turkey salad as above. Stir in a cup of leftover cranberry sauce or cranberry relish, one cup of toasted and chopped walnuts and one cup of golden raisins. Raisins are optional but add a nice touch to this version.

Turkey & Cranberry Wreath

2 8-oz. pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2 T. honey Dijon mustard

1/2 t. coarsely ground black pepper

2 c. cooked turkey, chopped

1/2 c. celery, sliced

3 T. fresh parsley, snipped

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1 c. (4 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded

1/4 c. chopped walnuts

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375º F. Unroll crescent dough and separate into 16 triangles. Place wide ends of 8 triangles toward the center, arranging them in a circle on a large baking stone or large baking sheet. The corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend one (1) inch beyond edge of baking stone. Match wide end of each remaining triangle to wide end of each outer triangle and seal seams. Points should overlap in the center but do not seal them together.

Combine mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir in turkey, celery, parsley and cranberries. Add cheese and mix well. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle; then sprinkle chopped walnuts over the filling.

Beginning in the center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating outer strips, allowing them to slightly overlap to form wreath shape. Tuck last end under first. Brush beaten egg white over dough. Place in preheated oven and bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 2-3 minutes before slicing. Yield: 10 servings.

Turkey Hot Browns

8 thick white bread slices

1 lb. roasted turkey slices

1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

8 bacon slices, cooked and drained

2 large tomatoes, sliced and halved

Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)

Trim crusts from bread slices, place bread on a baking sheet and broil 3 inches from heat. After one side is browned, turn and toast on other side. Arrange 2 bread slices in each of four lightly greased individual baking dishes or place all 8 slices in a lightly greased 15x10 jellyroll pan.

Top bread with turkey slices and pour hot Cheese Sauce evenly over turkey. Sprinkle with Parmesan and broil 6 inches from heat for four minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from oven, top evenly with bacon and tomato and serve immediately.

Cheese Sauce for Hot Browns

1/2 c. butter

1/3 c. all-purpose flour

3-1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Few drops hot sauce to taste (opt.)

Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly for one minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, whisking constantly for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in cheese, salt, pepper and hot sauce, remove from heat and use in Turkey Hot Browns recipe.

Gobbler Cobbler with Cornbread Crust

1 10-1/2 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 c. milk

1 c. frozen peas, cooked

1 T. chopped pimiento

2 c. cubed, cooked turkey

3/4 c. sifted all-purpose flour

3/4 c. cornmeal

2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. salt

1/4 c. shortening

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 c. milk

Combine soup, milk, peas, pimiento, and turkey in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Transfer to a shallow 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together. Cut in shortening. Combine egg with milk, mixing thoroughly. Add to dry ingredients and stir together with a fork. Pour over turkey mixture and bake at 425° for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Turkey Tidbits

6 c. cooked turkey, cubed

2 c. jellied cranberry sauce

1 c. favorite barbecue sauce

1/4-1/2 t. ground allspice

1 t. grated orange rind

Combine cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, allspice and orange rind in a large saucepan, over medium heat, and whisk to blend. Stir in cubed turkey and heat through. Place in a chafing dish and serve with toothpicks for easy pickup.
This party food recipe dish is a great way to get rid of leftover turkey and leftover cranberry sauce at the same time.

Turkey Stroganoff

2 c. broccoli (frozen, chopped style)

1 T. butter

1/4 c. onion, chopped finely

3 T. all-purpose flour

1 14-1/2 oz. can chicken broth

2 c. cooked turkey, cubed

1 c. sour cream

1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 t. dried rosemary

1/4 t. salt

/4 t. pepper

Hot cooked noodles for 4 servings

Cook broccoli according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Use leftover steamed broccoli if you have it, making sure it is well drained. Melt butter in a 2-qt. microwave safe casserole. Add onion, cover and cook on high until tender.

Add flour and blend well. Whisk in broth and cook on high for 4-6 minutes or until thickened and bubbly, stirring every 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except noodles. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. Serve over noodles.