Archive for the ‘Considered opinions’ Category
Namecheap.com
Memorial Day
May 27, 2013 Amy

Hello, Dear Readers:

Once again I have been OBE, or “overcome by events,” and it has been another two weeks since I wrote. My apologies. I have one started and in the can (the draft folder) about a foodie adventure I went on recently, and can’t wait to tell you all about it. But today, I have lots to share.

First, let me say that Memorial Day is to honor the fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members who work hard to protect our rights and our lives in the US. (It is not about a day off, or great deals on furniture, cars and carpeting.) Because of those who died protecting this country, I can bring you this silly foodie blog, along with countless other folks who blog about a myriad of subjects. Cooking. Sewing. Cats. Cars. Gardening. Ranching. Homesteading. Theater. Traveling. And yes, (gulp) politics. People in the US who blog about their interests utilize their First Amendment right of free speech, which you don’t necessarily get in other countries. Some have died for what they’ve written because they were not allowed the freedom to express it (and not always politics, either.) You name it, there’s a blog for it, and we in the US all owe a debt of gratitude for the men and women who have given all in defense of our country.

Also, people in Oklahoma are suffering, so if you can donate, please do; if not, at least keep them in your prayers. There are a number of organizations helping tornado survivors, including the Salvation Army, Mercy Chefs (they bring mobile kitchens to disaster sites and hand out hot food to affected people) and others. I like that–and when I get to it I’m planning to give Mercy Chefs some funds myself. I’ve done it before, and I know they’re legit; but if you have a preferred charity, by all means, the great state of Oklahoma needs some help now. Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, also lists these organizations that are helping out.

It’s not always about Texas. Even when it is. Anyway. . .

So what have I been doing? Snoozing on the bus when I’m trying to read going either to downtown or home from it. I’m still hacking my way through a book, but while it’s a good book, and I need to re-read it now, I can’t help but doze off. Glad to have my little travel pillow stuffed in my commuter bag.

I’ve had a weekend where I should have been drinking but wasn’t (not for lack of alcohol), but today I’ve done some cooking and planted the HeatCageKitchen garden (that’s another blog post, with pictures.) I’ve done both flower planting in the front and veg/sunflower planting in the back, and I’ve even bought a Meyer lemon tree. Let’s see how that works out. Unfortunately, didn’t realize that Mr. Snail was inside my dirty gardening clogs that I just intended to rinse off (I wore my tennis shoes and socks to protect my feet.) I found him after I’d rinsed them with hot water in the bathtub, so I’m guessing when I tossed him back over the fence, it wasn’t to a new life, but to a burial plot. Sorry about that, but I don’t like snails much anyway, and no, I’ve never eaten escargot. Nor do I intend to, I don’t care if Giada de Laurentiis makes it for me.

This weekend I did some sewing, too, but didn’t get as much done as I wanted. Later in this post, I’ll give you the recipe for the official HeatCageKitchen yeast-free, gluten-free, dairy-free ultimate Breakfast Quiche. It’s got a lot of eggs in it. (And boy, do I need a shower.)

First, an update: I am thoroughly enjoying having a salad when I get home at night. Lettuce sealed in jars is a fantastic idea and I am happy to report that it’s well worth the small amount of trouble. I’m telling you, if salad is your thing like it is mine, you really gotta try sealing lettuce in the jar for yourself. It works perfectly, and the lettuce is totally delicious a week out. Don’t believe me? Check out this pic I took this morning:

The lettuce lasts all week!

The lettuce lasts all week!

Two heads of iceberg lettuce were chopped, rinsed, spun dry, packed into glass jars and sealed up with the Ziploc tool method. However, the two in the front were packed up 8 days ago. No kidding. Today is Monday, and those two front jars were packed a week ago yesterday. I ate one of them today with a huge tomato. Know what? It was STILL GOOD. Fresh and tasty, just like I packed them. I realize that a month down the road the lettuce might be a little funky, but for lettuce to last a week in the fridge like that, and perfectly crisp. . .yeah. I’m enjoying my salads. Heck, even plain iceberg lettuce with a bit of olive oil and salt is good, too–long as it’s not limp and brown.

This weekend I also put half a pork roast in the crock pot with some homemade BBQ sauce, (I bought a three pounder and cut it in half, froze the other part) and roasted two turkey thighs. I love turkey thighs; they taste so much better than breast meat, they’re available in most bigger grocery stores, and they’re usually a lot cheaper. Also made a batch of Five Minute Hummus. Just ’cause I could.

So. . .drum roll. . .I think I have created the perfect breakfast dish. The HeatCageKitchen Supreme Breakfast Quiche. It’s a hit! (It’s really good.) But first, a little background: I realized that my previous attempts were missing something: MEAT! I love sausage, but conventional sausage usually has sugar in it, so I leave it alone.

I was thumbing through Dr. Hotze’s Optimal Eating Plan looking for something else when I came across a recipe for homemade breakfast sausage. It calls for ground turkey, but I had some ground chicken I wanted to use for something, and it fit the bill. A little salt, a little pepper, a little fresh sage, and it’s pretty darn good. (I bought some fresh sage and planted some organic sage seeds so I’ll have it all year long. I hope it grows.) I cooked it like ground beef, crumbled in a big cast-iron skillet with all the ingredients, and then put it in the greased pie plate:

IMG_1993Topped that with a jar of chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, oh, yeah:

IMG_1995

I didn’t lose any this time.

Then beat the heck out of ten eggs with some almond milk poured in (maybe a quarter cup?) and a few shakes of Chipotle Tabasco. This type of Tabasco has some heat but doesn’t burn you; when you add a couple of shakes to eggs in this fashion, it gives a smoky flavor but no heat to speak of.

IMG_2000

I like this shot best because you don’t see the cat’s homeopathic allergy drops, which are sitting right behind the mixer. I did not add them, despite the formula’s alleged “bacon flavor.” That’s for the cat.

I beat the eggs to a nice little froth with my Suzy Homemak. . I mean, Suzanne Somers super-duper hand mixer. No, there is no milk, cream, cheese or other milk-based foods in this dish (and no tofu, either, forget that.)

My regular 4 cup measure was in the dishwasher (round 1 of 2) so I grabbed the seldom-used 8 cup, which I have for occasions that I need more room. Good choice, ’cause I could beat them eggs but good!

So then you just pour it over the sausage and tomato mixture and bake it at 350F until it’s done.

IMG_2001

I don’t know, you bake it until the knife comes out clean. I wasn’t paying attention. I had dishes to wash, you know. You time it and get back to me on it, OK?

I used the countertop oven. Why? Well, think about it–110v vs. 220v. In Houston. In summer. I use the countertop much more than the regular stove anyway. Because it works. I still have to clean it, though.

So after it’s baked, this is what you get:

IMG_2006

Oh, yeah. . .that’s what I’m talkin’ about. Not too rich, not too light, meaty but not heavy, with the wonderful tomato taste tossed in. Yeah. Oh, and I skipped that crust part. Got sick of it, actually, but I do like the golden flaxseed meal for other things, like that gluten-free sandwich wrap you make in the microwave. I need to make those again soon, they’re so delish.

So, there you have it–the perfect breakfast quiche. No gluten, no soy, no breading, no milk, and all real food. (Yes, sun-dried tomatoes in oil are real food. I can eat a whole jar.)

The recipes are as follows:

Breakfast Turkey Sausage (from The Yeast Connection Cookbook by Crook & Jones)

1 lb ground turkey (ground chicken also works well)

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 to 1 tsp dried sage or 10-12 fresh sage leaves, minced.

Mix all ingredients using a fork or food processor for less than a minute.

You can turn this mixture into patties, cook and freeze, or freeze raw.

For this quiche, however, after you mix the ingredients, put it into a large pan and brown as you would ground beef:

IMG_1990

HeatCageKitchen Breakfast quiche

One recipe Breakfast Turkey Sausage (above), browned

One jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil (chopped)

10 eggs, beaten with 2 shakes Chipotle Tabasco and 1/4 cup almond milk (if not doing yeast-free, milk of your choice.)

Layer the sausage in a greased pie plate, covering the bottom.

Layer the chopped sun-dried tomatoes on top

Pour the beaten eggs over the top and allow to settle. Bake in a 350F oven until a knife inserted into the quiche comes out without liquid eggs.

Enjoy!

Breakfast,Considered opinions,Fast & Easy,Ingredients
The Sunday Cooking Spree
April 28, 2013 Amy

Happy Sunday, fellow Foodies:

Boy, have I been busy today! I’ve been baking, I’ve been cooking, I’ve been washing. We had some good rain last night, and even had gravel-sized hail for a little while. I thought my neighbor’s lovable pug wanted to come in and get at the cat food again. Hoping for lots of basil so I can pack my freezer with pesto this year. Supposed to rain all week, so I’ll be extra careful on the short drive to and from the park and ride.

The dishwasher is running for the second time today, and while I put out garbage yesterday morning, I also had to put it out again a little while ago. I sewed most of the day yesterday, as well as made a pot of chili. I finished some handmade gifts and a little repair work, and will finish that shirt and suit next weekend. But before I tell you about today’s cooking spree, let me tell you about something fishy I read in the weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal. . . .

The European Seafood Exposition was recently held in Belgium, and, if I read it correctly, it is to current trends in seafood is what the Houston Metro Cooking & Entertaining Show is to food and cooking. I think. (I went in 2011 and had a blast; nearly everything I sampled was either chocolate, garlic or olive oil.) Fish wasn’t exactly on the menu at this conference, but other forms of “aquatic cuisine” were available. Craig Harrison of Britain’s Big Prawn Company have been trying to win the Prix d’Elite with all sorts of, um, temptations. Creations like Fresh Seaweed in Sea Water, Black Pudding with Squid Ink and spreadable algae were available to tempt (or test the strength of) the taste buds of judges in Belgium. Oh, and one piece de resistance from last year’s contest was called simply, Jelly Shots, consisting of alcoholic seafood jelly shots with a jumbo shrimp floating in a mojito jelly. Um, what? “Mr Harrison claims that British night-clubbers fell for the drink hook, line and sinker. ‘Unfortunately, it didn’t sway the judges.'”

NOOOOOO. You think????? Maybe it was the alcohol the night clubbers had BEFORE the Jelly Shots, which the judges didn’t have the benefit of?

Then there is the “oceanic greenery” they want to start calling “sea veg.” In other words, seaweed. And now, because “French beaches are strewn with it,” Christine Le Tennier of SAS Globe Export is harvesting and promoting “gourmet algae.”

Algae is what develops in your swimming pool when you forget to put the chlorine in it. “Gourmet algae” is like like “clean dirt.” You can have it.

Now look–I love shrimp, crab, crawfish, regular fish, and the occasional scallop as much as the next seafood fan. But I can sum this article up for you in one word.

EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW.

Reminded of the songs my brother has frequently written (or re-written) about my cooking, I sent him the column. Let’s see what comes back.

So, my goal is not to have to cook at all this week, except maybe for some breakfast, and I’ll think about that soon, too. My toaster oven has been baking nearly all day, and I have completed, since 8:00 am, the following:

Not included is a pot of chili made yesterday and a small spaghetti squash I roasted yesterday, all for lunch and dinner this week. Glad I finished the last of the Spicy Shrimp Marinara, too.

I’m thinking baked eggs and some kind of meat with it. I’ll think about it some more. Since the yeast-free diet is coming soon, I’ll have to think carefully, since so many things are verboten, like cheese, butter and milk.

Oh, and in order to make that meatloaf, I had to go out and get a few things: one carrot, some celery, and. . .tomato juice, which I have never bought in my life. But I do it, ’cause I don’t mess with the recipes the first time I make them. I didn’t go to my my HEB, or even Kroger. No, I went to our neighborhood Food Town. . .and if you are in Houston, you know what that is–local, and basic, No almond milk, gluten free anything or sugar snap peas, but lots of biscuits, pizza and ice cream. It’s close, so I went. I didn’t take a picture, but they had something called Tastykake Dreamies, which look suspiciously like. . . Twinkies!  No, I didn’t buy any, even though they were not expensive. But with all the hoopla surrounding the end and the new beginning of Twinkies, obviously it wasn’t long before someone got the idea to replicate them while they were away. Let’s see what happens when Twinkies begin to populate grocery and convenience store shelves again. Holy Shish Kebab.

Well, that’s the capitalist free market system, isn’t it? Give the customer what they want, customers vote with their dollars, and the best one will win. If the Dreamies taste as good, or better, than original Twinkies, then they’ll be the favored brand. If not, they will be bought once, and if they are found to be inferior, then, nobody will buy them and wait for the Twinkies. If the new Twinkies are bad, then the market is open for someone else to “build a better Twinkie.” It’s that simple.

Yes, in America, we take our junk food VERY seriously the way the French take their wine and escargot seriously. That’s what makes us a great country!!

Anyway. . . .

I had planned to utilize a crock pot today, but I never got around to it, so that’s one less thing to wash up. That’s OK, I’ve gone through some soap this weekend!

I started doing the weekly cooking/ironing on Sunday back when I was a student at Tulane and worked 40 hours a week. THEN I went to work for Tulane while I was a student, and made a salary, had regular employee health insurance, paid holidays, and eventually, an employee tuition waiver. I had to take Sundays for setting up for the week,  because I didn’t have time to get all that done in the morning, especially if I got home at 10:00 or 11:00 pm at night, which I did frequently. If I went to bed late one night, I didn’t get to catch up until Saturday. (Nobody seemed to understand that for a long time.)

Even though I’d mostly kept it up while I was unemployed, I still did some cooking during the week. Now, this may not work with large families, or even couples–but for me it works like a charm. If you’re thinking about how to make it work for you, a crock pot would work wonders, IMHO–but you gotta do what works for you. Freezer meals may be what you come up with, and a lot of people do it that way–either on the weekend or making “one extra” of something and stashing it in the freezer.

In any case, I highly recommend “cooking ahead,” especially if you are of the busy sort. If it’s just you and a spouse and y’all aren’t picky, well. . .but if you’ve got a schedule of any kind and not much time to cook, carving out a few hours and/or putting out that crock pot is essential.

And let’s face it–how nice is it to come home, take your shoes off, get comfy and heat up a home-cooked dinner?  Yeah, I Know, you can just buy frozen dinners . . .well, if you want to. Me, I’m gonna keep pushing the limits of my kitchen and having home cooked dinners ’til I can’t cook anymore. (Remember that Julia Child cooked after the age of 90, although she wasn’t make Boueof Bourignon anymore.)

Now onto the wardrobe setup for the week with our rainy, somewhat chilly Houston weather this week.

Happy Dining!

Considered opinions,Fast & Easy,Ingredients,New Trends,What's for Dinner?
Thursday shrimp and strawberries
April 25, 2013 Amy

Good evening, Dear Readers:

Boy, have I got a new shrimp dish to tell you about, and it’s quick easy and fairly cheap. Best part: you can’t screw it up! (My favorite part.) A few days ago I received the May issue of Martha Stewart Living, and with it was an Everyday Food supplement. (You can download it at that link!!)

The theme of this issue is “get more from the store.” One section discussed using store-bought baking mix–yes, Bisquick–to make homemade muffins four ways: Lighter Blueberry, Banana-Walnut-Date, Chocolate Cherry (I’d almost go off gluten-free for that one) and “kitchen-sink muffins,” swapping out the blueberries for a half cup grated carrots, and adding in a quarter cup of golden raisins, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and chopped pecans, plus some cinnamon. New uses for familiar stuff. Love that–it’s what made Everyday Food so great.

There are two features on stuff from the canned goods aisle, canned tomatoes and oil-packed cat food, I mean, tuna. When buying it for my late kitty Catmandu, all the tuna was in either water or soybean oil, so you would be looking for imported Italian tuna, that they describe as “worth the splurge.” Sorry, y’all, it all tastes like cat food, OK? Cat food with an Italian accent is not, in my opinion, “worth the splurge,” but if you like tuna, go for it. A splurge is that gluten-free cupcake I had at Frost Bake Shoppe last week.

Since tomorrow I return to the land of the employed for a while, I made something delicious that will likely be either lunch or dinner tomorrow, along with two Chocolate Chip Brownie Larabars.  (I’m enjoying my favorite things before I start the yeast-free diet.)  The Syclovir/Yeast Control arrived today, so I’ll be working getting yeast-free situated this weekend, including baking some yeast-free brownies. I haven’t had any since last summer. And this evening I made an Everyday Food recipe from this new issue that is yeast free, gluten free, sugar free, and almost fat free.

On page 14-15 (and it is available online) is a recipe for Three Ingredient Marinara. Yes, three ingredients and it’s quick and easy. The recipe next to it is Spicy Shrimp Marinara, and it takes about ten minutes to make. Admittedly, I did not use the entire 1.25 tsp of red pepper flakes; I just shook a few in.

SOOOO delicious!! You make the marinara, then when it’s nearly done, cook the shrimp according to the recipe, take the shrimp out and dump the marinara in.

I have long told folks that when I cook with tomato sauce, my kitchen looks like a crime scene. I’ve got the yellow tape around the stove while the dishwasher washes up the first batch of dishes. I’ll finish cleaning up that crime scene in a little while.

One of the ingredients is a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes. Of course, what I think of and what they think of are two different things. I think of the 28-ounce can at HEB that was $1.07 when I bought two on Tuesday. What Everyday Food thinks of is a $3.59 can of San Marzano tomatoes imported from Italy or a $4 can of Muir Glen Organic. (Some cans are closer to $5, depending on where you buy them.)

Let me tell you a secret: I have a soup recipe from Suzanne Somers’ first book that uses a chicken carcass and that same 28-ounce can of tomatoes, among other things. For years, I bought the HEB brand (which was 79 cents when I started buying them in 2004.) A couple of years ago I got the leftover turkey carcass from the office holiday luncheon, and did the same thing with it–turned it into a pot of the soup.  This time, I bought the fancy imported organic Italian tomatoes instead. Know what? The soup tasted exactly the same. No difference. Not better, just exactly as I’d made it for many years. I gave two neighbors and a co-worker a container of that soup, and they all loved it. And that was the last time I bought a pricey can of peeled tomatoes.

If you make this quick, easy and tasty marinara sauce for any reason, use your own judgement when buying those tomatoes, OK?

Checking the Everyday Food blog, they also have additional uses for extra marinara sauce.   I like the recipe for baked eggs in tomato parm sauce, and might make it this weekend.

Now, if you’re curious about what dinner finally looked like, well, this is the delicious Spicy Shrimp Marinara:

SpicyShrimpMarinara

A basic salad of lettuce, (yes, THAT lettuce) tomato and cucumber with a bit of oil & vinegar with salt:

BasicSalad

Dessert, one of my favorites–huge strawberries sliced down to a manageable dice, sliced with a sprinkling of Somersweet:

Strawberries

They were on sale, and the size of Roma tomatoes. That’s why I diced them like that.

Strawberries are very special to me. When I was a little bitty kitty, my grandparents used to take me with them to Ponchatoula, Louisiana to get strawberries by the flat. We would get bunches of them for the family, stacking them carefully on the back seat for me to guard. One of the ladies working there handed me a huge one and said, “look, this one Easter-egged itself!”  Like I said, I was a little bitty kitty then, but I still love strawberries. I’d love to be able to make a lovely strawberry dessert for my grandmother, but. . .well, she passed in 2005, so I can only think about making something for her.

Truth to tell. . .she was particular, and probably wouldn’t like it, nor the shrimp dish.  Gourmet food is my forte, my grandmother wasn’t wild about new interpretations, like a chocolate ricotta pudding with strawberries in it.

Louisiana strawberries are the best, followed by Texas’. California’s, unfortunately, aren’t quite as good by the time they get to Texas. But that’s a highly prejudiced opinion on strawberries, too.

Anyway. . .tomorrow is Friday, and if you’re in the mood for something quick, easy, and a little different, give this Spicy Shrimp Marinara a try. If you read and follow the directions, you can’t screw it up!

Happy Dining!

Considered opinions
More Adventures in The Woodlands
April 18, 2013 Amy

Good evening, Dear Readers:

Please continue to pray for the good people of Boston after the horrific attack on Monday. I saw an article online about how they went about misusing a pressure cooker for this incident. Simple, quick, and lethal. I’ve never bought one myself, but now I don’t think I want to. At least we know if we see one lying about somewhere, well, you know.

Also this evening, reports of an explosion here in the Lone Star State, in Waco at a fertilizer plant. Not much is known yet. Please keep Waco in your prayers as well–the casualties are much higher.

Anyway. . . .

As close friends of mine will tell you, I have a thing about The Woodlands, TX, a somewhat exclusive “planned community” north of Houston. It’s everything Clear Lake could be–clean, intelligent, well-designed, and thought out. I know that sounds like I’m being a snob, but I don’t mean to–I just like to go to The Woodlands. It’s beautiful with lots of trees, and so very nice. These last two days were opportunities to spend a little extra time there. I really did pick a doctor up there, but not because she’s in The Woodlands. She’s an excellent wellness doctor, recommended by Suzanne Somers (long story), and a smart lady, too.

Bragging rights: today’s BP was 120/70; pretty good for someone “over 21” and not on medications. OK, I’ve gained a few pounds back, but that’s temporary, and the least of my worries right now.

There is an area in The Woodlands called Panther Creek. I would like to move there, being a “human feline” (cat person) as I am. (That’s a joke.) But only if there are real panthers walking around; otherwise, it’s just a name. There were people out playing golf in that area, even in the misty rain that kept the wipers going all day. Would have been a nice picture, but other drivers would have been a bit miffed if I’d stopped on Woodlands Parkway just to take a picture. Next time.

I should head up there one day just to spend the day; hotels offer weekend packages in The Woodlands. Since the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion offers great concerts, a hotel room is a great idea after the likes of Def Leppard, Chicago, or any other performance. I was exhausted after Def Leppard–what a show!– but drove myself home and made it safely.

So today I went back to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch again, but I either forgot or bypassed Joan’s Broccoli Madness, or maybe they just didn’t have any. That’s OK–I made it to the chili. Theirs has beans in it, so you know it’s not REAL Texas chili, but it’s pretty good, so I give them credit. After lunch I headed to the nearby Container Store, a place I wish I could live in–everything you need, it’s so neat!

Yes, I know–you don’t get organized by buying a bunch of organizing thingies. I didn’t actually, I bought a few things that I have a use for soon. Such as this item from OXO Good Grips made to clean water bottles of all kinds. Saw it on Facebook the other day, and knew I needed one. I got it because I have one of those large double-walled plastic cups with a straw and a screw-on lid. Use it all the time, keeps water cold for a long time. I discovered that black mold grows and develops in the rubber gasket and the threads at the top. I tried to clear out the straw with hot water and soap but didn’t have anything that cleaned it completely. This kit solved that problem, and now I’ve cleaned the whole thing using all three brushes. Highly recommended!

Since I’m slated to return to the land of the employed soon, I found this little item for carrying salt and pepper in your lunch bag:

Portable Salt/Pepper shakers for taking with you.
If you are thinking the tops come off the unit, think again:

IMG_1967 IMG_1968 IMG_1969

One piece with interlocking lid parts, and they end up closed like this, with plugged holes for safe transport. Neat, huh? (I bought two for good measure, and they were cheap.)

After I left the doctor’s office, I found my way to the Frost Bake Shoppe on Waterway, not far away. (Although I don’t know that much about the topography, I am learning my way around The Woodlands.) Dr. Davis’ office has ordered cupcakes from them on occasion, and they were at the recent Wheat Belly Luncheon passing out samples of their very delicious gluten-free chocolate cupcakes. (They also were liberal in letting me sample during the luncheon.) So today, I made it to first their Waterway location within walking distance from that Marriott. DUH. I could have gone there after the luncheon but didn’t realize it was there. So I asked about the other location, which, coincidentally, was across the street from where I was headed next: the foodie’s cult favorite Trader Joe’s!

This is what I actually had, being the newly gluten-avoiding person that I am:

IMG_1947

They call it “Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.” No kidding. Now, it’s a baked cupcake, but it’s intended to taste like raw cookie dough. Go figure! This is what it looks like when you peel the paper off:

GlutenFreeChocolateChipCookieDoughCupcake

How about that? You bite in–somewhere–and you get a bite of soft cake and nearly liquid creamy icing. Not too sweet, is totally satisfying and melts in your mouth. I’m sorry, you just don’t get this kind of incredible taste from a grocery store. They’re freshly baked and hand-frosted every day. Like a wedding cake, it’s not something one would have every day.

Did I mention that it’s gluten-free? Yes. They can make any variety of cupcakes gluten-free on request, but in the store, they are whatever the baker chooses to make that day. No complaints! I’ll write more on them in a separate post–and post more pictures, of course. Here’s one more:

IMG_1956

Isn’t that beautiful? All fondant. . .they’ll make anything you want.

If I could have brought home a cupcake for my two neighbors, I would have. But now that it’s basically summer here in Houston, the icing would have melted all over the floor by the time I got it home.

Trader Joe’s, for those who aren’t familiar, is a California-based specialty grocery store, that’s, well, what I’d call quirky. In a nice way. I was in Seattle 2 years ago and never made it into one, but everyone kept telling me, “you gotta go to Trader Joe’s, it’s so great.” I won’t dispute that–but I will also add that it won’t change your life overnight. Glad I went, great place, and will make it a regular part of my in-town shopping, too.

I did ask to take pictures in the store, but they asked me not to. I agreed, but have shots of some of the products I bought after I got them home. It’s a small store in The Woodlands in the Indian Village area, so I don’t know if that’s the norm or what. (No sign of anyone named Sanjeev, either, or is that not what they meant?) Their stock is mostly store branded, but they do have some national brands as well. Nice people, very helpful, and they enjoy what they do.

I bought stuff I would normally buy, but this included Trader Joe’s branded products that were, by the description, the same as national brands, but less expensive. I saw but did not purchase, a clamshell package of two fennel bulbs completely trimmed and cleaned for $1.99. Trust me when I tell you I definitely WANTED to, but could not remember all the ingredients for my favorite coleslaw recipe, which calls for fennel bulbs. (It’s in Suzanne Somers’ third cookbook on page 220, and is absolutely delicious.) I also bought a bottle of their Italian olive oil, $4.99, and of course, a requisite shopping bag, as I’ve done on several occasions while visiting out-of-town grocery stores like another favorite, Publix.

Trader Joes!

Their produce section yielded these beautiful little jewels, as well as the best price on Manchego cheese I’ve seen in a long time, as well as goat cheese which will become a Corsican omelet now that the mint is growing back.

IMG_1965

Guess where some of those gorgeous heirloom tomatoes went? Yep, on top of the last jar of lettuce, with freshly whizzed-up dressing, which was perfectly crisp nearly one week out. Woo hoo! Don’t worry–I bought more lettuce to seal up in those jars. Here’s the rest:

IMG_1963

All told, I spent about $39. Now, this is not retail therapy in the Galleria; these are foodstuffs and sundries I would buy anyway at my local HEB, Target, or Walmart, with the cheeses being a bit of a splurge. Sometimes I go to my local Bed, Bath and Beyond to get sundries because I have coupons that come in the mail. On an ordinary day, it would cost more in gas to drive up there to get these items than I would save by getting them there. However, I was already in The Woodlands today, and there are two more Trader Joe’s in the city, one of which is close enough to be convenient to the Houston Buddhist Center. So just like IKEA and Central Market, I can, if I want, do a little shopping at Trader Joe’s after a Buddhist activity.

Don’t YOU plan your shopping trips that way?

Dear readers, I hope you have enjoyed my adventures this week as much as I have. I’ll write again soon. I’m getting tired and need to hit the sack. Tomorrow I have phone calls to return and fresh lettuce to pack into jars for the week. Today and tonight, though, even though I have stuff scattered about, and the cat’s fussing about her food again, I count my blessings, one and all, and if you’re reading this, I encourage you to do the same.

Enjoy, and happy dining.

Considered opinions,Desserts,Health & Wellness,Tools of the Trade,What's for Dinner?
Odds & ends and an update on the lettuce experiment
April 16, 2013 Amy

Good evening, Dear Readers:

First, please say a prayer for the city of Boston. They’ve suffered a horrible tragedy, and while I make snarky remarks from time to time, this is not one of them. Not when it comes to what happened yesterday–using an ordinary kitchen pot, no less. Please, keep them in your prayers, they need it right now. Thank you.

I’m a little late updating you, since the sink backed up in the HeatCageKitchen last weekend, and I’ve been trying to catch up ever since. Today, I headed to The Woodlands (suburb just north of Houston) for a doctor’s appointment, and am going back again tomorrow for a different reason–they couldn’t do two things in one day. A late lunch at the beloved Sweet Tomatoes, studiously avoiding anything like croutons, baked goods or anything with wheat in it, with an extra helping of that delicious Joan’s Broccoli Madness, (raw broccoli, raisins, chopped walnuts, bacon, sunflower seeds and a creamy garlic dressing, also gluten free) and it was a pretty good day!

Also in The Woodlands Mall is a wonderful little place called Oil & Vinegar. As you might imagine, they sell. . .oil and vinegar. However, this is NOT the stuff you get in the grocery store. No, this is extra virgin olive oil infused with things like rosemary, black and white truffles and blood oranges, as well as and a selection of vinegars with things like pomegranate, cranberry, strawberry and fig; the newest is cranberry. My favorites from here: lemon oil and raspberry balsamic vinegar; blended together, they taste amazing.

There are only 15 O&V stores in the USA, two in Texas (and one in New Orleans, surprisingly.)  The Woodlands Mall store is run by a very nice couple, Karla & Anton Kharoufeh, who have been open for 3 or 4 years to my knowledge (likely longer, I’m slow to catch these things.) They have a number of other small food items, herbs & spices, chocolate and other desserts as well as gourmet gifts supplementing the oils and vinegars in large containers lining the walls. O&V is a great place for a foodie to visit, and Miss Karla is always welcoming.

So I get to go back tomorrow, and will try to make it to Trader Joe’s, a grocery store well loved in the northwest. I’ve never been, and didn’t have time to go when I was in Seattle two years ago. Also want to see about visiting Frost Cupcakes for a gluten free chocolate cupcake. Or two. Dunno if I’m going back to Sweet Tomatoes; I’ll decide that tomorrow.

Also passed through a bookstore and flipped through Nigella Lawson’s new Italian-inspired book, Nigellissima. I’ll get it eventually, but today, I just looked through it. What did I find? Something gluten free! (There is actually a gluten free cake in her last book, Nigella Kitchen, Flourless Chocolate Lime Cake with Margarita Cream, on page 281, so it’s not her first.) Specifically, something called Olive Oil Chocolate Cake. Oh, I’m not waiting for my birthday for this one. Whenever I do acquire this book, that will be the *first* thing I make! Yes, there is the requisite chapter on pasta (Giada de Laurentiis wrote a whole book just on pasta) but there are other delicious looking recipes as well. Like that cake. Beautiful book in the classic Nigella style with an Italian flair. I’ll keep you posted.

OK, back to the original topic. Lettuce in a jar. This is a serious subject.

So I have one jar of lettuce left in the fridge now, and it is still sealed from last Thursday night. As I write this, it’s Tuesday, and so far, so good, for six days out. I had some twice this week using two of the jars of lettuce I sealed up. I am happy to report that the lettuce was perfectly crisp and tasty as it was when I sealed it up last week.  The remaining jar in the fridge looks to be the same, and I will likely finish it off this week, maybe wait until Thursday or even Friday. I don’t see any browning or limpness from outside the jar, and I anticipate that it will stay that way until I open it.

If by Thursday the lettuce is still as tasty and good as it was, I’ll soon be making lots more salads in jars for a week at a time.

Now, if you’re a bit skittish about putting the dressing in the bottom, especially if you’re going to be transporting it somewhere, there’s also a solution: Dressing To Go, a little silicone bottle with a tight-sealing lid that holds 2 ounces of salad dressing. I got one last summer, thinking I would need it for work. . .well, I still have it, anyway. Haven’t used it yet, but it’s a solution. I actually saw someone buying little bitty one-serving containers of bottled salad dressing in Target, and suggested the Dressing To Go bottle. Buy a regular or larger size bottle of your favorite, and use the little bottle to take it with you. MUCH cheaper than single-serving sizes! (Dunno if they actually did it or not.)

Sorry to be so short, but I’m tired, and have a long day tomorrow. Just wanted to give an update on the lettuce, and brag a bit about my adventure.

Next time I’ll tell you about the Zombie Outreach Response Team I saw today. . .later!

Considered opinions,Ingredients

Skip to toolbar
Verified by MonsterInsights