Simple Plan

 Beyond a simple practice of exercise, eating right, and thinking good thoughts the key is to be gentle with yourself.

Rice is kind of my nemesis. I don't own a see through pot so I can never tell when my rice is done. It's never the beautiful single grain standing on it own accord type rice. It's gummy, wet, and chewy. Or on more than one occasion, crunchy.
Whole foods has prepared Basmatic rice to enjoy when ever you want! So until rice and I come to an understanding with the aid of a see through pot I will procure my rice from Whole foods.

Of course I put a spin on it! I always try to put as many vegetable into a dish as possible. Or at least use the ones that are about start hiding in my fridge as I purchase more and more.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

To the basmatic rice I added

2 handfuls of Purple Cabbage chopped tiny
2 small Carrots chopped tiny
and 1/4 cup or so of Pineapple chopped tiny
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Put everything into a round baking dish with a lid. Stir lightly then put in oven for 15-20 minutes.
The butter will melt so when you take it out make sure to stir it up again. The lid will keep the steam in until your ready to serve....and I did with steak!

Mindfullness without meditation is just a word.

Peace be with you.

Comfort Food

While I made some lunches last night for the following day I whipped up some tomato soup for myself. Whipping up means opening the box of Organic tomato soup and pouring it into a sauce pan. I added some cut up carrots that were just about to wilt and some green onion that I chopped a couple days ago that would not of made it one more day. It gives me great comfort to not waste food. I buy a ton of food from my own budget so to see it go to waste feels very frustrating. Like paying rent at a place you never stay.

Organic Tomato soup
2 small organic carrots - chopped
handful of chopped green onion
3 cubes of cheddar cheese


I brought the soup to a boil and then let it rest then reboiled it to make sure the carrots were nicely soft and incorporated into the soup. I added the cheese cause it was left over from the sandwiches and poof. A creamy, vegetarian dish made just for me, by me. I take great care of myself. And I'm very happy when I do. You see when I take care of me I'm much better at being a Mom.

Food Fetish

Delicate flower and I are Hollandaise connoisseurs and we are snobby about it. Rarely venturing out of White spot or De Dutch for our fix we sadly spend many a nights not ingesting this thick, buttery, tangy french sauce.
Then last night I attempted and soared above the chefs that must make this sauce in huge batches.

Hollandaise sauce - I took the recipe from food networks website. With of course my improvisation technique. You see what the heck does a 0.670 of a cup look like? 

• 0.670 cup unsalted butter
• 3 egg, yolks
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt
• 1 pinch pepper

Directions

1. Remove 2 tablespoons (25 mL) of the butter and keep cold in refrigerator. In small saucepan, melt remaining butter; keep warm.
2. In heavy-bottomed saucepan or in stainless steel bowl, whisk egg yolks until thickened and pale. Whisk in water and lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the cold butter.
3. Set saucepan over low heat or place bowl over saucepan pf 1 1/2- inches (4 cm) barely simmering water; whisk until bottom of pan can be seen between whisks and wires of whisk become lightly coated, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, immediately whisk in remaining cold butter to stop the cooking of the yolks.
5. By driblets, whisk in enough of the melted butter to thicken to consistency of whipping cream. Increasing amount of butter slightly, whisk in remaining butter.
6. Season with salt and pepper.

I ended up using more melted butter, a dash more lemon and salt and no pepper. The secret of the sauce I felt laid in the WHISK. Mine was a large one that had loosey goosey wires.  Big like a real french chef would use but with a plastic handle in blue!
I got excited while whipping the egg yolks to a faded color. Just the act of it self brought me immense pleasure. Doing something I've never tried, seeing it succeed before my eyes. Instant gratification.
When asked for a quote my delicate flower of a husband simply stated "A creamy, tangy.....that made me...." Perverted hand gesture followed to emphasize his choice. Ah my delicate flower.

For the meal I made turkey patties

Organic ground turkey - 1 pound
1/2 cup of broccoli tops - chopped up fine
vegetable seasoning, basil, rosemary, anything you desire.
3 slices of cheese loaf bread crumbled
1 egg
1 stalk of celery - chopped
Olive oil - lots heated to just before smoking

Using my hands I combined everything till it's totally mixed and gummy
Using a heavy bottomed wide fry pan I heated up oil and then added the turkey patties I had formed with my hand. Cooking so they are fully cooked and slightly crispy on each side.
Transfer to paper towels

Plate some mashed

2 Sweet potato's
3 Regular potato's
1 large yam
Butter, and some more butter

Make a well in the potato's and put some Hollindaise into it.
Place some of the turkey patties on the side and enjoy.

This was a huge success for me. Small and attainable in such a useful way. 

Carmalized Onions with a toddler

I had the best time managment yesterday. The best new me I'm becoming has a really nice way of treating me.
So when after the day breezed by I began dinner. I had picked up a wonderful loaf of cheese bread earlier and thought I'd put together a sandwich. My delicate flower of a man LOVES sandwiches as do I. Who doesn't really? Next to super soft toilet paper nothing is better than a sandwich.

His
Toasted Cheese loaf - 2 slices
Miracle Whip - I like lots
5 Slices of turkey
A bunch of Caramalized onions
5 slices of marble chedder
6 thin cucumber slices
Pepper

Then the secret ingredient was Caralized Onions.....well kinda. I attempted to make them but they take so long that my daughter and delicate flower come home and want to play. So I turn them off, then turn them on again, then off again. What I ended up with was beautiful golden brown crispy onions. I let them soak into a paper towel before adding them to the sandwich on top of the turkey.
Sandwich fixens are a lot like a dance. The fixens need to be added in an order that makes sense.
Ie: Cheese onto the warm bread after putting mayo on it. This way you can capitalize on the warmth of the freashly toasted bread to melt the cheese just ta touch.

Mine
Toasted Cheese loaf- 2 slices
Miracle whip
2 long cut slices of Goat brie Cheese
5 slices of turkey
A bunch of the Crispy Caramlized Onion!
4 thin slices of tomatoe
4 slices of cucumber

This with a bunch of Potato Chips on the plate was crunchy and sweet.
I also added a salad that was cut up romaine, cucumber, green onion.....but I over did the green onion. Pungent was the word.

We have a play date today with a friend of Madalyn's from school. I think they'll have a tea party while we Mom's chat.
I called a Volunteer Service yesterday and I think I've found my niche. A Sandwich maker is needed 3 blocks from here. High transient area but I'm used to it. The commitment is 6 months. More on that later.

To the tea party!

My cure for a cold

Today I got over being sick.

I hadn't been sick in so long. But a kiss in an acting class along with a stressful week brought me to that place where you're Star-fished in bed. My cure is solid. I make a tea using 9 lemons and any other citrus I have lying around. Drink that down.
Then I order Lemon Coconut Milk Soup from Mali Thai.
I am lucky enough to have a mother in law who is in love with our child. So while my delicate flower of a husband and I camp out on the couch watching the Superbowl moaning in our combined snot we know our child is safe from germs and monsters.

Tomorrow is my new beginning. Along with wanting to be the best me I can be so I can be the best Mother I can be; I want to do these things: feed people. Travel. Write this blog.
I need some experience. I am going Volunteer at a soup kitchen. More on that later.

My recipe today Pita Pizza - Using leftovers as was too sick to leave home.

2 White flour Pita Breads
4 big spoonfuls of tomato sauce from the left over ravioli's - spread to the edges
1 cooked meatball - cut a divided between both pizza's
12 Mozza balls - cut in half
Dash of basil, and vegetable seasonings
10 small cubes of marble chedder
6 roasted garlic cloves- chopped
Once cooked sprinkle Green onion on top

Cook at 350 Until cheese melts