Hungry Times Two

Many thanks to my step-dad for sending this link ! Who knew you can run a car off bourbon? Of course, even during Prohibition, there was indeed " medicinal bourbon " (check out photo a mid-page, honest to God!).

Amongst foodies who love public radio, Lynne Rossetto Kasper of The Splendid Table is kind of a rock star. As a good friend noted, just her buttery voice coming across the airwaves can soothe you, and then she speaks of food - pasta, cheese, wine, herbs, veggies, baked goods - and even her words are manna from heaven. She also has a spiffy cookbook called How to Eat Supper that I find to be one of the best cookbooks I've read. Lynne loves flexibility in the food she prepares, which I like also. Out of fresh buttermilk? Make do with a cup of regular milk mixed with some lemon juice. No zucchini in the crisper? Try yellow squash instead. Kale gone missing? Use spinach. Last night I cooked dinner solo - and Lord knows I can eat some weird stuff when there's no husband around to protest, "But that's not a square meal." I had some wilting Swiss chard from the B-more market begging to be consumed, so I went straight to a LRK recipe that sounded just about perfect af...

Yes, it's a worn-out topic at this point, just a mere five days past the official Summer Solstice - it's really freakin' hot outside. So let this be my last grumbling about the heat on this here blog - can't speak for Scott, but I do want to just let the bitching about the heat go, as it's nothing I can personally control. Unless God (or the great Creator, whomever he or she may be that controls the Almighty Global Thermostat) decides to help us all about and turn down the temps any time soon, we just need to flat-out deal. And chill. The best way to do so? No, not Gin and Tonics, though they are a close second or third behind stripping down naked and finding someone to fan you down while feeding you iced and peeled grapes. It's iced tea, people - the good, old-fashioned, non-alcoholic (though you could add some Firefly if you're feeling frisky) beverage of choice, and sweetened for those of who grew up south of the Mason-Dixon. Scott and I have enjoyed rou...

So yesterday evening started out pretty crappy, with one of the Hungry Times Two peeps coming home after a No Good Very Bad Day. Refusing to sign our evening off as DOA, I set about making a dynamite ( said in the style of J.J. from Good Times ) meal from a kitchen that, from all outward appearances, didn't seem to be chock-full of food. Using Pam Anderson's (not that Baywatch one) book as my guide, I put together a pot of creamy grits with prosciutto, Parmesan and a little milk. I then chopped up for a salad some mixed greens, a Gala apple, toasted walnuts, an overwhelmingly stinky yet creamy hunk of Gorgonzola cheese, and cherry tomatoes. I also whipped up a pretty tasty dressing from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little OJ, and some Nature Seasoning (yes, of the Adams Family Seasoning Hall of Fame .) I poured glasses of a much-deserved Chardonnay and we sat our beleaguered asses down to what I thought was a pretty sophisticated arrangement of bites that took just half an...

A certain male who posts to this blog unfortunately had dental surgery Tuesday due to an infected abscess and forthcoming root canal. With stitches and swelling, it's not pretty, as Scott does look like he's hoarding nuts for the winter in his right cheek, poor thing. As a result, grocery shopping on Tuesday eve was a challenge, especially when trying to navigate a Kroger store besieged by Southerners freaking out over the so-called "snowstorm" coming today. (Alas, no freakin' snow. Figures.) The bread and milk supplies were, of course, depleted, but so were the mushrooms and salad greens. Who knew us Dixie types considered the healthy stuff to be essential snow day fare? In my rush, I neglected to bring my list of "soft foods" that the dentist's assistant recommended, so I had think on my feet as I wheeled around the uber-crowded Kroger. I came up with a couple ideas, which were: - Scrambled eggs and grits. Breakfast for dinner - one of the ultimate...

This just sounds amazing right now. Especially since my daily dose of Dayquil just isn't cutting it. Oh, Ms. Rossetto Kasper, how I love you so. Seriously. You're the best. Not since this recipe , introduced to me by a good friend who also knows her way around a butternut squash, have I loved the idea of vegetables gussied up and drool-worthy. *If you know your Sondheim, you know from whence this post title cometh. Yep, showing my inner musical theatre dorkitude.

Yep, it's yet another rant about the malarial heat of Nashville, when you just want to lay around without any clothes on...oh wait, that's not appropriate for this blog. Instead, how about when you just feel downright maniacal as the temps reach 90 degrees and the mosquitoes are out and you just don't look too cute with those visible beads of moisture crowding your temples and upper lip. Yeah, it's so hot. And not in a Paris Hilton kind of way. Thus, it's time to make some iced tea and chill the hell out. For tea, I like to use my blue pitcher, formerly used by my beloved late Grandmother Coxey to make her fruit tea - a disgusting mix of brewed iced tea and whatever fruit juice happened to be accessible, such as orange juice or the remaining syrupy juice from the canned peaches, pears or pineapple in her oh-so-1950s style ubiquitous fruit salads. Don't get me started on her favorite throwback of a salad, the half of a chilled canned pear nested on iceberg lettuc...

Apparently Cupid decided the Adams didn't need a whopping shot of luv this Valentine's Day - he gave us big ol ' head colds instead. As Scott and I mega dose on Dayquil , Nyquil , and any other - Quil we can find, I'm noticing that I'm getting more picky about the foods I'm eating while my nose is stuffed, my eyes totally gloss over, and my throat gets tickled more than Elmo ever could. On my list for fave comfort foods when the cold season hits: Tea, hot, any kind, but especially Lemon Zinger from Celestial Seasonings (I'm a sucker for those inspirational quotes on the box!) Soup. Duh - first dibs on Chicken Noodle. Avoid the Trader Joe's version - I actually prefer Progresso's - less canny-tasting and the noodles are more substantial. Spaghetti and Meat Sauce. One of my ultimate fave comfort foods. Hot, meaty, and filling. Whoa. Oatmeal. Again, hot, steaming and filling. My favorite add-ins are Craisins , a little cinnamon , walnuts, and a slosh...