I have been trying to straighten up and came across a printout that I made from Vegetarians in Paradise.
Great handy reference for those of us who like to try new beans and grains.
Through the power of Excel (my crush on Excel rivals my crush on Joe Biden), I made some changes. I introduced the new chart to my pocket laminator. Then I applied some magnets.
And now, if I want to cook buckwheat groats, all I have to do is consult the fridge.
The small things make me happy!
There I was peering into the fridge faced by the things that needed to be eaten . The piece of naan called out to me.
I asked it what it had in mind. It told me to be creative.
Then I remembered the chicken salad I had made not too long ago. Then the mozzarella called out in with an attitude rivaling anything in West Side Story, straight up pissed at me for looking it over. Then I realized that a pizza of some sort was before me. So I spread the naan with the chicken salad, drizzled it with Matouk’s and topped it with cheese.
Now this is one of the moments when I am all out grateful for my ex-husband’s influence. Without him, I would have never known Matouk’s. Matouk’s has enhanced my life.
It all came together beautifully. And the naan has been eaten, along with the recycled (sorry) chicken.
I am both a recipe cook and an a-little-of-this-a-little-of-that cook. What I don’t often do, however is deliberate adaptation.
Sure, I substitute ingredients here and there, but never with a specific flavor and texture profile in mind. This, I think of more as substitution.
Adaptations are intimidating. Adaptations can quickly point out just how much you don’t know. Adaptations can signify personal failure and defeat.
I absolutely love Heidi Swanson’s Curried Egg Salad. This is a major statement. Typically, I don’t eat many savory foods that could be described as “creamy.” In fact, if I think of the word, it is likely that I’ll lose my appetite. So egg salads, potato salads, most coleslaws, pasta salads, tuna salads and chicken salads are things that I rarely (read: almost never) eat. I am the one who never has any of these things on her plate at a potluck. I am the one who tries to ignore these things at a potluck. And if I am on a date, the consumption of any of these items during the date by the date really, really messes with his chances.
So, it is remarkable that when I found myself with some baked chicken in the fridge that I thought, I bet I can use that egg salad recipe and come up with something. I thought about doing some shopping to get the rest of the ingredients. Then I realized that I could use Greek yogurt, garlic scapes, almonds and nectarines in the salad instead of plain yogurt, chives and onions, pecans and apples.
An adaptation was born. And it was good.
Oh, delicious potatoes, you make me want to bathe in a vat of you. What pleasure you brought me this morning! Mmmmm!
You look so pedestrian, so unassuming. But it turns out that you…well, I don’t even have the words. Mmmmm!
You were particularly magnificent as a Potato Sage and Onion Cake. The way you blended with the onions, the swiss and the sage. I think you should make a movie.
How else can I have you? What does our future hold?
Dear Simplicity,
You sort of make me feel like a trollop or hussy.
Don’t give me that innocent look. I performed my measurements very carefully; I took honest measurements. Then, I began my plans to sew.
But there was something in the back of my head that told me I should check the finished measurements of the garment. Sure enough, I discovered that there was way more ease that I am used to. So, I made the shirt two sizes smaller than the one my measurements called for.
And this top, which, despite it’s somewhat homely color, was supposed to be summery and flirty. It is downright loose. Or is it, Simplicity? Are you telling me that I just wear my clothes too tight? Are you calling me a tart? A slattern?
I will have to rely on my standard tactic, adding a belt, in order to wear this shirt. Maybe we can reach a compromise.
I made a dress this weekend! It has been a long time since I sewed anything, really, to wear aside from a Halloween costume here or there. Alex wasn’t even one yet!
Anyway, I made this dress from the Built by Wendy book about dresses. This is the dirndl dress. I followed her recommendations to get a dress that fits well. I love the way this dress fits. I feel so free in it. I feel like I have seen some sort of garment light. In this dress, it’s like having all of the unencumbered freedom of nudity without the liabilities that come with that most natural state.
I am looking forward to trying the other patterns in the book.
The fabric has been hanging about in my life since before Alex was around. I think I got this from the The Scrap Box for like 2 dollars.
This scarf was born from a t-shirt so large that it didn’t fully fit on my 18X 24 inch cutting board. And yes, I did have the shirt spread across the long side.
I love orange though, and this was the reason I could never bear to part with this shirt. But now it is a scarf and I fantasize about wearing it through the fall subtly suggesting the harvest.
But for a Michigoose who loves the summer, now is not the right time to talk about that other season, so I will stop now so that I can fully enjoy and appreciate my 90 days of goodness.
I was surfing along minding my business when I came across Self-Stitched September. I accepted that sometimes, yes, that I am a joiner and spontaneously signed up to participate in this online event.
I have said that every day in September 2010, I will wear an article of clothing or accessory that I made. I can do this.
I have been meaning to sew more. Actually that was in last year’s goals, but that is one that I didn’t make happen. Maybe this is the push I need.
I already have those scarves. There’s a knit item or two that I have. There’s at least one dress. And then there are three months between now and then.
The shame is that I probably have enough fabric in my possession that I could probably fulfill this challenge without buying anything but notions.
I joined a CSA this year, something I have thought about in the past. Some friends had done this with Needle-Lane Farms, which I kept wanting to call Pine Needle Farms, and I followed suit.
Today I picked up my first delivery. I am very excited.
My goal here is not to waste any of the goodies from the CSA.
Here you see: green garlic, bunching onions, lettuce, radishes, chives, a mix of kale and some other greens, and stinging nettle. I am very intrigued by the stinging nettle and hope not to be stung.
I like the challenge of taking what arrives and building meals around it.
I also love that the CSA share guarantees that there is enough fiber in my life. I am very passionate about fiber. I have said to my mom that “I am going to be a prune-eating old lady.” I was serious. I am also thinking about stocking up on Metamucil. And if I see a short person reaching for something fiberful in the grocery store, I am always happy to help. I believe in fiber. Fiber begets happiness. This is going to be a good summer.
Like everyone else you know, I have accumulated far too many t-shirts in the last few years. In my recent attempts to get myself in order I was forced to acknowledge that I just have too many of them. Seriously, I don’t even store them with my other clothes. Well, not exactly. I keep them with my work out clothes, but I don’t work out in them because I feel like I am going to get tangled up in them. I tend to like my shirts snug. I like to know they’re there. I like shirts that give me a hug. I like hugs. Anyway, Here I am with a bunch of shirts which I never wear. Not even to sleep in. If I try to sleep in these, I really DO get tangled up.
BUT, I am somewhat sentimental about my t-shirts. They’re hard to part with. Even when they still stink when they come out of the washing machine. So, I decided to re-purpose them. And with that, three scarves were born.
I made the first scarf and third scarfs according to a video on youtube, by Megan Nicolay, author of Generation T and its sequel. The second scarf required no sewing and was inspired by another video, which I can’t find right now.
No frogs were harmed in the making of these scarves.