Meals at Midnight

That's right. You don't have to be a college student to decide to cook dinner at midnight (or just past, in our case). I just didn't feel like cooking yesterday and my daughter had a date, so she wasn't here to eat. But, when she got home from the movies, she asked if I had made anything because she was hungry (apparently, the date didn't include dinner). 


I had thawed a pound of hamburger, but when it's hot and humid, I'm not always anxious to go into the kitchen to work on a meal. So, we will "graze" rather than dine. But, by midnight, it had cooled some, so I offered to make some hamburgers (which I have been craving for a while). Or spaghetti and meat sauce. But, she wanted green beans and tomato sauce. I knew we only had a single can of tomato sauce which wouldn't be enough for this very simple, yet tasty, meal. 

She went to the pantry and pulled out that can and a can of diced tomatoes and two cans of French style green beans and I went to work. I browned the beef, then added the drained green beans followed by the tomato sauce and tomatoes. We usually serve this with fried potatoes, so I quickly cooked up some frozen French fries to go with.


I prefer this with straight tomato sauce, but it wasn't bad. My personal tastes are to use a single can of beans with their liquid plus ground beef and at least one can of tomato sauce. But, my daughter is a huge fan of French style green beans, so we got a double helping. Season to your taste - we added fresh ground salt and pepper. 


Although it was late, it was just what we both were looking for. Something a bit more substantial than tuna or peanut butter, yet reasonably healthy. Yeah, it was late, but heck - you're only young once (well, I can dream, can't I?)

Dining at Midnight (sort of)

Well, actually it's just past 1AM and I haven't left yet. My friend decided to bar hopping with friends in the city, but his brother is hungry as am I, so I am about to leave and will finish this when we're back. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the episode of Storm Chasers where they actually intercept a tornado. Bah!


Home again and there was more to this than something to eat, unfortunately. But, we did go to one of several 24-hr diners in our area (Colonial Diner) where I had a delicious cup of seafood bisque and one of their pulled pork specials called "The Big Pig". YUM! Mounds of pulled pork on a Kaiser roll topped with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and onion rings with French fries on the side. I also got a Diet Pepsi which I immediately knocked to the floor with the menu because I never even saw her bring the drinks. Scary, huh?


So, while we were eating, I get a call from my friend (my dining companion's brother) who wants to know where his brother is and can we come get him in Philly because he's had too much to drink. OMG! This is the third time in a month that he's pulled this stunt. I've told him I would never again "rescue" him because he's old enough to be responsible for his own actions. But, no, he calls me over and over again until I give the phone to his brother and then keeps calling to find out if we're done eating, etc. I finally hung up on him telling him to call his own brother since he had his phone number and to leave me alone so I could finish my meal!


His brother tells him we'll be there in 40 minutes (after telling him everything I'd already told him about where we were and what we were doing because he didn't listen the first time). We get done, I pack up the half sandwich and fries I had left and we leave the diner, getting on Rt 295 to go to Philly to pick him up.


We're just about to our exit when my phone rings yet again and he wants to know where we are. When I told him, he tells me he's already on the train from Philly to New Jersey, don't come to Philly. OMG!! WTH??? So, OK - we saved bridge tolls, but will you please stop this craziness? Before we can even get to the next exit to go to the train station, the phone rings AGAIN wanting to know where we are. He is so damned annoying when he drinks. Then a mile later, ANOTHER call wanting to know where we are. I had to holler at him to stop calling, that we were on our way and we would be there. He drives me crazy, this one. Seriously crazy - like I really need to be pushed any further in that direction.


So, at the train station, despite the fact that they are both going to the same destination, the brother drives his car home alone and I drive my friend home in his car and now I have his car at my house. Lunacy!!! What did I do to deserve this?? They say no good deed goes unpunished. What the heck did I do???


So, now I'm home, my friend is in possession of my leftover half sandwich and fries (and a single onion ring), and my cats were beside themselves at the fact that I was out at such an odd hour and only now coming home. All three of them looking out the front windows, pacing back and forth. My unusual behavior apparently got their attention big time.


I'm glad, though, that we have such diners. Big cities have pizza places and the like that are open round the clock, but the suburbs don't usually have that. But, diners in Jersey - they're a special breed. I have to admit, that's one of the things I like about being a Jersey girl.

Colonial Diner, Woodbury, NJ