As I’m consumed by 24/7 cooking, baking, and cleaning, I have been remiss in responding to comments and blogs.
Please accept my apology — I’ll be back in a few days.
Until then, I’m on….
Will Return Soon…
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Tag Archives: Cooking
The Last Supper: An Indian Feast
When my tugboat man abandons me goes off to work oceans away, I like to make a special goodbye dinner. Last night it was Indian food. I tried to recreate the delicious dinner we had at Mt. Everest restaurant in Berkeley and I don’t know if it was exactly the same, but it was a pretty good effort, and much appreciated by my hubs.
Some of the ingredients…whew!
This is Raita, an amazing dipping sauce for Naan. It’s so simple.
Plain yogurt mixed with shredded and chopped cucumber, cayenne, cumin, pepper, and fresh cilantro. It would be good on anything, every single day.
I think it was the best part of the meal– and so beautiful!
Lentil Daal (recipe below) So fragrant and healthy.
Naan Bread
Naan Bread Rising
And while I’m not confirming NOR denying where he’s going, this might be a clue– or maybe not.
Recipes
Naan Bread:
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/naan-bread/
Raita:
http://chefinyou.com/2011/04/cucumber-raita/
Related articles
- Top 5 *Indian* Food Musts in New Delhi (thecultureur.com)
- Food / Indian (tahsinthegood.wordpress.com)
- Tempered Cucumber Raita – South Indian Style (kelipaan.wordpress.com)
- My First Attempt At Homemade Naan (lilsuburbanhomestead.com)
She sees seashells and shelves near the seashore
That “sometimes he’s here, sometimes he’s not” tugboat captain of mine is leaving again in a couple of days.
I’m working hard on a meal for tonight that recreates the lovely Nepalese and Indian food we had in Berkeley.
I’m making Lentil Daal, Curried Rice, Naan Bread, and Raita, a delicious yogurt-based dipping sauce.
I’ll document it all for tomorrow’s post.
In the meantime, I took photos of a few new shelves hubs so kindly made for me to display my ever increasing hoard of shells, his craft of marlinspike seamanship, and my small but growing collection of mudmen from China, and fans.
Yes, those really are seashells covering the screws in the lower part of the shelf.
Seashells can be so very useful, can’t they? Useful and beautiful.
Related articles
- The Matticus Kingdom # 200 (enchantedseashells.com)
- ‘Shelling’ with family led to lifelong love of seashells (napavalleyregister.com)
- A Seashell Quest (seashellsbymillhill.com)
- Welcome to Bali Seashell (balishell.wordpress.com)
- Seashell Bowl (idontgiveacraft.wordpress.com)
Part Two: Countdown to Sexy Time
UPDATE on my friend’s son. He’s home from the hospital with no clearcut diagnosis, but he seems to be feeling better. Thank you all so much for your kind words. I’m very glad it all turned out OK.
And now, back to me — my favorite subject — and my Countdown to Sexy Time.
The welcome home table… see the tugboat shaped rock attached by a “towline” to a barge shaped rock? Those were our special finds on our hike in Palm Springs. (Click to read about it) I’ve loaded the barge with cargo of dark chocolate chips. Cute, huh? He’ll really like my creativity.
.Just started the Princess Rosebud Bake-Off:
1. Granola
2. Overnight French Bread
3. Chocolate Chip Cookies
4. Carrot Cake (you can see that I already tasted it–I DID have to make sure it was OK, didn’t I?)
(Recipes are posted below)
I’m not sure what to make for his welcome home dinner; he hasn’t given me any suggestions yet. Possibly Vegetarian Lasagna?
That would be great with the Overnight French Bread although I might save that for Friday when my son and DIL are here.
All I’ve had to eat all day is two hard boiled eggs and one of my special secret formula wheat grass smoothies, so I’m totally ready for food.
The big question…
What should I wear?
Dear me, how did that sneaky Chanel handbag manage to photobomb every pic?
I never had the chance to shop for a new outfit but I do have new boots; his unexpected afternoon arrival wreaks havoc with my original plan of an evening gown and spiky heels.
Although….I’m not ruling out an evening gown; I’ve been known to wear one to the airport, but we have a couple of stops on the way home–I’ll need to figure something out.
He tells me to dress “normal” and I always ask him if he has any idea who he’s married to, or should I say “to whom he’s married”. LOL
Any ideas? I’m open to suggestions. And if you’ll excuse me, I gotta mow my legs now…
RECIPES
Lowfat Carrot Cake
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/4 teaspoon, plus 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream (I used nonfat yogurt, a great substitution)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup loosely packed carrots shreds, about 2 medium carrots
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (Optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 6 cup nonstick Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream, the oil, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack, remove the pan and let cool completely.
3. Using a wooden spoon, mix cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread or drizzle on top of cake only.
Lowfat (there’s a theme here) Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp grated raw apple or applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. I cannot live without parchment paper. It makes clean up soooo easy! In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, apple/sauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.
Overnight French Bread
I attempted to inbed the html, but it wouldn’t work, but if you click on the title, it should take you to the recipe I use.
Related articles
- Mini Chocolate Chunk Cupcakes with Choc Chip Vanilla Frosting… to die for! Absolutely AMAZING!! (sugarandspicebaking.com)
- Food from Scratch (fullofgraces.com)
- Super Moist Carrot Cake. (sallysbakingaddiction.com)
- A Perfect Cake and a Mediocre First Post (airrunn.wordpress.com)
Another Grateful Monday along with a Sad Goodbye
Monday
In the midst of the cyclone that is this house–the detritus of planning and packing for my Merchant Mariner’s long assignment–it’s as good a time as any to share a little gratitude, this time to everyone who submitted recipes for the “last meal”.
It was dark and extremely foggy when we made the thirty-five minute drive to the airport at 5:30 a.m. It takes a day and a half for my tugboat man to reach his ultimate destination, and he was worried that a delay could mess everything up, but he just called to let me know he arrived at the first leg of his journey with enough time to catch the next flight.
I should be cleaning but I’m sitting on the sofa watching Jewelry Television based out of Tennessee. It’s fun to watch the low budget sets and extremely nasal Southern accents of the hosts. I promise…just five more minutes and I’m gonna start on the mess. Do I really NEED 3.20 carats Round Mystic Topaz stud earrings? Do I? They’re $39.99. I think NOT. Really. It’s a little too soon to justify any retail therapy.
Sunday
We walked to the beach before the Superbowl–a six-mile round trip. This is what the sun looked like. WTF???
I snapped a pic of this nasty little rodent, perhaps a cousin of the ones who tormented me in the backyard.
When we got home from our walk, I prepared Guapola’s Stuffed Mushrooms and Benzeknees Spinach Salad along with Guacamole and Vegetarian Refried Beans with Flax Seed Chips from Trader Joe’s. He loved all the yummy food!
Many thanks to Running on Sober for her eggplant recipe and Marsella’s Book Ends potato salad recipe. I’m saving those for hub’s welcome home dinner.
OK, the dishes aren’t going to wash themselves, are they?
A little tugboat music…
Related articles
- Another Grateful Monday (enchantedseashells.com)
Our nautical Christmas 2012
My tugboat man brought back some treasures and cool marlinspike seamanship projects he worked on while he abandoned me was away for two months.
What do you think of the captain’s welcome home signs?
This picture frame is huge–2 ft. x 3ft.
This is a close-up view of his masterful work.
My mariner found a float in the harbor and crafted a delicate netting in black.
And then we worked together to make it into a lamp! The base is a piece of driftwood. The captain’s making some fancy knotwork to embellish the shade.
Princess Rosebud was spoiled with a necklace from a craft fair somewhere near where Santa lives.
Sparkly! Shiny!
He fashioned a pretty little handmade tray with copper tubing sides and handles and filled it with shells and driftwood!
We had welcome home festive cocktails of cranberry juice and vodka with a fresh cranberry in our antique champagne glasses.
And yummy ginger cookies…
Our Downton Abbey-inspired dinner table.
His mess, which has since been cleaned up!
Now he has a new project–when he’s not surfing– refinishing a rowboat and making it seaworthy.
Such is the life of a tugboat captain’s wife! I’m a happy girl, that’s for sure!
Related articles
- Merry Christmas 2012 (justrestingup.wordpress.com)
- Holidaze 2012: December 18: Christmas At The Driftwood Inn (stephenkellycreative.wordpress.com)
- 23 Recycled Wood Furnishings – From Driftwood-Designed Furniture to Salvaged Scrap Closets (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
- Finally…Christmas Elf (crampedwriting.com)
- Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with Cranberry Raspberry Compote (goingbackwards.wordpress.com)
T’was the night before the captain comes home!
A miracle occurred and at the very last minute, my tugboat man has been released from his assignment and is on the long journey home. Because of the great distance he must travel, it takes two days but he’ll be arriving on Friday, which means another drive to the airport at midnight. It’s an unexpected joy, and in honor of this great occasion, I have written a poem based very loosely on “Twas The Night Before Christmas“. It won’t win any prizes, that’s for sure!
Twas the night before arrival
when all through the house
there was a lot of vacuuming and bleach
with not a single dust bunny too far to reach.
The sign says Princess Rosebud but it’s hard to see.
The f-me boot was hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Capt Cranky wouldn’t be too tired to…you know, (overshare).
The sheets are perfumed and ironed with care
because FINALLY my tugboat man would soon be there.
There’s granola and cookies and cupcakes, too
And vodka and whiskey, and champagne flutes.
Let’s all hope I can find that missing corkscrew.
I did a mani and a pedi and some ‘scaping, too
for the reason that you-know-who would heed the clue
I’ll drive to the airport and what might I find
but a very, very tired husband who’s ever so kind.
And what to my wondering eyes will appear
but last minute gifts so shiny and sheer.
And I in my vintage Valentino
and he in his new fuzzy robe
will sit by the fire and sip champs ever so slow.
NIne more days ’til Christmas
Relax, have a cup of ginger tea or something stronger, and remember…
Abandoning the mother ship
Soon to be pumpkin stew
DIL and sister wife left this morning to drive back up to SF. I still have my son until tomorrow. He flies out mid-morning to the east coast and I’m not looking forward to the thirty-five minute drive and the lunacy of the airport. At its best it’s not pleasant. Now they’re undergoing major construction delays and it’s another level of Hell. For the moment, home is reminiscent of the old days; he’s sitting at the dining room table with a computer surrounded by piles of books, only this time he’s not writing a report or research paper, he’s grading essays.
Photo of a Yale professor in action
I can’t believe this little sk8r boy of mine goes to work and fifteen college freshman call him Professor Angel Boy. Of course, they don’t REALLY call him Angel Boy, but I think they should. It’s hard to wrap my brain around the concept. It’s mind boggling. Especially since he still derives the greatest pleasure by shocking me with offensive earsplitting and vulgar expulsions of intestinal gas that serves as his initial form of communication when he opens the front door (Insert loud breaking wind sounds here) “Hi, mom, I’m home!” or belching as commentary while we’re enjoying a lovely meal at the dinner table, like Thanksgiving. Apparently, my laughing is an ineffective method of dissuading that kind of behavior. Sometimes I tell him he’s disgusting but he finds that a compliment rather than a criticism. His wife thinks he’s funny too; even the captain finds him humorous, shaking his head, “That’s our boy!” almost, no, not almost–completely proud of him– so it’s hopeless. The dichotomy between his academic braininess and his juvenile antics is-uh-refreshing. It’s no wonder I treat him like he’s still in the third grade. It’s as if he never left elementary school with the stupid arm farts and the other robust sounds and smells that emanate from all of his orifices. I keep my fingers crossed that when he meets with his department heads or his publisher that he remembers all the lessons in good manners we practiced and he only acts out here as the living embodiment of the prodigal son. Like I said, fingers crossed.
Smells DELICIOUS
I’m in the kitchen baking another loaf of Whole Wheat Bread. Tonight we had Moroccan Pumpkin Stew (recipe below) with steamed brown rice and Seared Ahi ‘cos I have to make sure he gets enough protein.
It’s kind of cold, damp, and foggy; after dinner we made a fire and played Scrabble. He won, of course–232 to 219.
An assortment of desserts; apple pie, black bean brownies, oatmeal cookies
Beautiful flowers from my Angel Boy
Moroccan Pumpkin Stew
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 6 small potatoes, well-scrubbed but not peeled, cut in half
- 1-1/2 cups fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1-1/2 cups canned tomato, chopped
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons raisins
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrot, potato, and pumpkin and saute for 5-10 minutes, stirring from time to time. When vegetables have softened, add the ginger and garlic. Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon stick. Cook for another 5-8 minutes, then add the canned tomato and 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, then add the raisins. Allow to cook for 18-25 minutes until all vegetables are soft – but don’t overcook. Serve over or with brown rice.
Related articles
- Sweet Potato Hummus (professorarmstrong.com)
I sat at the children’s table
That’s because there was only me plus the kids here, so I was outnumbered. No tugboat man nor BioDad this year. I know it might seem crazy, but am I the only one who can’t seem to think of their grown son as an adult? I still see him as a four-year-old, and I’m still bringing him tissues when he sniffs and I wait until he blows his nose. I still praise him for the simplest things, “Look who’s reading a book, what a good boy!” Then there’s, “Please take out the trash”. A few minutes later, “Please take the trash out.” After fifty requests, I give up and take out the trash. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. The more things change, the more things stay the same. I’m short on time while everyone’s still here–cooking, driving, shopping, cleaning–but I’ll be back as soon as I’m free. All my little birdies’ll be leaving the nest on Monday, but while they’re here, my time is not my own. It’s 6:30 a.m. Soon they’ll be awake, needing a first breakfast of homemade granola and Greek yogurt before a surf sesh, which’ll leave me time to get their Breakfast Burritos prepared.
Breakfast Burritos are so easy! Refried beans with cheese, scrambled eggs, sliced avocado, tomatoes, salsa, and sour cream–all rolled up in a huge tortilla. That’s what the cool kids eat!
Our T-day table and one of my son, DIL, and sister wife (on the left). 
