R is for Roast Beef

I wish I could say I'm having this very thing tonight, but I'm not. We do love our roast beef. The last one we had was a few weeks ago and was the first time I'd ever cooked a chuck roast. I've always cooked bottom round roasts like my  mother used to do. They don't fall apart as readily as the chuck roast does, but can be cooked until they do if you like them that way. 

Roast Beef with parsnips, carrots, onions & rutabega

Mom used to cook them on top of the stove (I don't remember any roast ever going in the oven) and they were so flavorful and tender. On occasion, she'd cook them until they fell apart and then add barbecue sauce to them for BBQ beef sandwiches. I've cooked them until they fell apart and had hot roast beef sandwiches with the shredded meat. This last time, though, we ate the beef and broth over mashed potatoes and it was wonderful!


Although I don't have any roast in the freezer (except for a small portion of that chuck), I was thinking of putting several steaks in the crockpot and cooking them like I would a roast until they are fork tender. Since we like it shredded anyway, the end result should be the same, don't you think?


I usually add onion soup mix and a bit of water to the pot for flavor and moisture. The last roast I made I used beef broth instead of water. I don't always have any on hand. If I use a full-sized crock, I'll also add carrots and potatoes. I love how the flavors blend in the broth for the gravy.


I've even made German Beef Rouladen which is not unlike bracciole in appearance, but the flavor is tart because of the beef rolls being stuffed with pickles. The gravy you get on this dish is wonderful!


What seasoning do you like to use for your roasts? Do you brown them first? Do you cook them in a crock, on the stove or in the oven? Do you do anything unique to yours that's worth sharing?

Q is for Quiche - I love Quiche!

I've already described how much I enjoy scrambled eggs. As far as I'm concerned, quiche falls into that category since it is a custardized scrambled egg meal. It is so delicious, I think I could eat it every day - yet, I haven't had any in so long. Supposedly, it's fairly easy to make, yet I've never tried making it. What the heck is wrong with me??


It's funny because I've been mulling the letter "Q" over off and on all day trying to decide what the topic should be. While going through my recipe subscription emails, I came upon this one and was checking it out, still not realizing I was looking at the perfect topic. It didn't hit me until I posted it to my Pinterest board of recipes I want to make that the answer was just about to knock me off my chair. How could I look at something for so long without taking note of that "Q" staring me straight in the eye?


Anyway, the recipe I was checking out is a Ham and Gruyere Quiche. I know the traditional quiches are made with Swiss, but really, eggs and cheese - how many different varieties there could be!! I will post an image of that particular quiche here and it will link to the blog where the recipe is in case it appeals to you as much as it appealed to me. 


I think it's long past time for me to make one, though. Maybe while I'm out picking up my prescriptions I'll also pick up some pie crust, cheese, milk and more eggs. It just sounds too easy and too delicious to wait any longer to make one. What do you think?

P is for Peas and Personal-sized Mac-n-Cheese

Peas - those little green balls of goodness that kids (and some dogs) avoid eating all too often. I've always eaten peas. It was one of those vegetables I was willing to eat as a child. I loved them nestled in my mashed potatoes - I'd make a small nest in which to place them and then cover it all with gravy. I also liked the peas and carrots that came in frozen TV dinners.


I still eat them with mashed potatoes and gravy and still enjoy the peas found in frozen dinners, but I also now enjoy fresh peas on salad. Although I tend to drown them with salad dressing, I enjoy biting into their little burst of sweetness as I'm eating my salad.


My mother would grind them with leftover roast beef and gravy into a meat mixture that she'd use as the base for Shepherd's Pie. The leftover mashed potatoes would go on top. You could never see what vegetables were in there and their taste didn't stand out, but their goodness permeated the entire dish.




Do you like peas? How do you enjoy them most?


Personal-sized macaroni and cheese came out a few years back. Just add water and cook the pasta in the microwave and add the powdered cheese and in less than five minutes you have a single-serve of cheesy macaroni. I'd never tried them before, but I did recently buy a four-pack of a generic brand to have for work. Now, I love mac-n-cheese, so I thought this would be perfect. And, it was - in a way. It was easy to make and had pretty good flavor (if you're a Kraft blue box fan, that is), but it wasn't very substantial. I just had another one and added a bit of shredded cheese at the same time as the powdered cheese and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm about to make another one. Considering it's 3PM and that's the only thing I've eaten today, I think one more isn't going to hurt.


Are you a Kraft Mac-n-Cheese fan? Even if you prefer homemade, do you ever enjoy that Blue Box treat?

O is for Ordering KFC

Yeah, it's a stretch, I know. But, my thinker wasn't willing to think beyond the immediate and at the moment I'm waiting for my daughter to get back with some tasty KFC. I don't know why, but I've really been enjoying either KFC or Popeye's lately. Then there was that Spicy Chicken at Wendy's the other day and I'm just really craving chicken. 


The other thing I was in the mood for was their biscuit. The all time best biscuit I've had at a chicken place is the ones I've gotten from Popeye's. They aren't very big, but I love their taste! KFC's aren't bad, either, so I'm looking forward to getting it. 


I'm also getting two sides - mashed potatoes and green beans. My stomach is growling and I think I'm going to enjoy every bite. My daughter used to get the mashed potato bowls, but now she's into the Double Down (the two chicken filets with bacon and cheese in between). I'm sure it's pretty tasty, and I know it smells wonderful, but it just hasn't appealed to me enough to try it. She also loves their potato wedges. I have to admit they are good, but I'd rather have the mashed.


Anyway, she's here and I'm hungry, so it's off to din-din land!

N is for Nonsense and Nothing Much to Say

Well, it was the only "N" word I could think of at the moment. And, I do often talk about nonsensical topics, so I figured I'd work with it for today's A to Z Challenge letter.


First of all - HURRAH!!! We have Internet again!!! We finally got someone to pick up the line at Comcast and they helped get us going again here at home. First the Internet came back on and then they had to do a bit more to get the phone working again. We still don't know what happened, but I am so happy that I can have my Internet again!! Yay!!


Was able to get a double payment from the trust so that I could help Deb get her car fixed. We went out and transferred the money into her account so she can pay for the repairs. It's hard to find a job in an area where public transportation isn't overly convenient if you don't have a car. So, we're hoping that it won't be super expensive and that there will be enough money left to put some on the rent as well.


I got a Spicy Chicken sandwich from Wendy's today. Haven't had one of them in at least a year. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I wasn't as thrilled with the fries. It was tender and moist with loads of flavor. McDonald's still has the best fries of the drive-thru places. Burger King has the best tasting burgers. Popeye's has tasty chicken and shrimp (as well as alligator bites once a year) and KFC also "do(es) chicken right", but they've lost some of the flavor they used to have. I don't believe their gravy is nearly as flavorful as it used to be unless I'm losing my sense of taste. I hope not. But, I do like their green beans - they're spicy hot, but I have no idea with what. Yet, they're really good. I'd have never considered spicing up green beans. Guess I'm just going to have to go ala carte one of these days in the Blackwood area and stop at all of them to create my own platter!! Oh, and then either a gallon of ice tea from Popeye's or a large iced tea from Dunkin. Perfect!! LOL

M is for Must Find a Job

Well, Sunday was my last day of work for this tax season. Even though there are two more days left for filers, I wasn't scheduled for either one. I now have to get started finding work to continue on through the year. I have an appointment scheduled with a temp agency tomorrow, but I'm going to have to change it because I was unable to get the testing done with our internet being down.


Money is another M word that is important here - the reason for the need to find a job. With two of us out of work and already being behind on rent, it is an absolute necessity to find a paying job so we don't lose our home. 


Monday, the next M word, is when I'll be going to get the money I offered to share with my daughter so she can get her engine fixed in her car. It's all I have, but we need a vehicle desperately. With hers having blown a rod when she was only one payment away from paying it off and only a couple of weeks after she lost her job, it has made for a very frustrating and depressing time for her. She's always been someone for whom things work out. Although I know they will work out eventually, she's not used to not having something come through right away for her. She's never been on unemployment before, so it's an entirely new scene for her.


Anyway, this is another foodless post as I play A to Z Challenge catch up by using my friend's computer. We're hoping for some kind of normalcy to return to our lives this next week. Otherwise, it might just get pretty hairy in the near future. 

L is for Longing for Internet Access

I am addicted to the Internet. Right  now, I don't have any. I hate it!!! Even though our bill is paid, Comcast has shut off our phone and Internet while still allowing us to view television. We've called, but sitting on the phone for over an hour and a half without anyone ever picking up is almost not worth the effort - besides draining the cell phone battery.


Another L would be how much I LOVE the access to information the Internet gives. I can find answers to virtually any question at any time as long as I can get online. Yeah, I have a "smart phone", but there are things for which it is barely usable, such as this blog. I cannot play Facebook games on my cell phone because my "device isn't compatible" - despite the fact that it is supposed to be. 


L is also for the Limited satisfaction I do get from my cell phone because I can check email and post statuses on Facebook, check Twitter if I'm of a mind to or take photos and upload them to Facebook to show off whatever it is I want to share.


But, right now, LONGING is the strongest L I'm facing. I'm at a friend's house at the moment and stealing just a bit of time to post this entry. Earlier, I posted my K from work. That was something I could only do once.


How important is the Internet to you? Is it just for games and such, or do you also love all the other benefits such as shopping, blogging, making travel plans and the myriad of other services available?

K is for Killing Time at Work

Well, here I am sitting at my desk waiting for the tax procrastinators to show up for us to do their taxes. My coworker actually gave me this idea because I was bemoaning that I can't get online at home and finish this challenge. She said, then do it here!! WOW! I actually never considered it - I was showing her my blogs because she didn't know what a blog was (she's 30 - who'd have guessed??) when the subject came up. Thought I'd give it a try because I wasn't considering it before.

Hopefully, I won't get into trouble because I'm not trying to make money using my employer's assets and I'm not taking anything out of the office that doesn't belong to me. I'm not doing anything to knowingly to hurt the business in any way, although there are differences of opinion about the mere use of the Internet while at work. For the most part, though, I'm aware of which sites are safe and which aren't and I don't plan to expose this or any other computer to a malware site.

Anyway, I do have my K-Day post written. I might try doing L in a little while. As far as food is concerned, though, it doesn't look like this one will have much food topic in it. Other than I might go to the pizza place and grab something to eat. ;-)

J is for Just Desserts

I don't come from a dessert eating family - at least, not in the sense that we had dessert after every supper. But, my mother loved to bake and both parents loved ice cream (Dad always had Hershey's syrup on hand for that and for chocolate milk), so some sort of dessert-like sweet treat was usually available. Not to mention all the treats Mom would bring home from the bakery when she was there until closing.


Even when I go out, having something sweet at the end of the meal isn't the norm. Personally, I love finishing off with a dinner roll as much as others like something sweet. But, that doesn't mean there aren't sweet treats I don't like or wouldn't want to try. I'm just not the baker my mother was, so it's unlikely I'll be making them.


To that end, I have a Pinterest pin board dedicated to "Desserts to Drool Over". I have several subscriptions to recipe blogs, so I receive recipes or meal ideas every single day. When I find one I particularly like the looks of, whether it is dinner or dessert, I'll pin it on one of my several food boards. (My main board is "Main Courses That Make You Go mmmmmmm".)


Feel free to check it out and go to any of the recipes the images are linked to if you are interested in making any of them. Mainly, I just look at them and savor the image.  


Are you a dessert lover or just a dessert collector like me?


Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Income Taxes - Not Always Appetizing

It's that time of year here in the US. The deadline for filing and paying income taxes is a week from today. Did you know that we are considered the only country that has voluntary income tax? I didn't, either. But, that's what we were told during training when I started working for the IRS in 1983.


Since I don't really know how taxation works in other countries, I can only assume that they mean that they leave the ultimate declaration of income received to us, the taxpayers. Yet, if we don't make that declaration, two years down the road they will run reports showing who received income compared to who reported income. At that point, it will no longer be voluntary. So, even though I enjoyed my years with that organization, I'm still at a loss how mandatory taxation is voluntary.


But, I'm actually working with a tax preparation company this year. I'm enjoying it, although some aspects of the more complicated returns can be extremely confusing. It's a challenge. The simple returns are fun to do because they're quick, but those long form returns - wow! There's so many twists and turns that are just so easy to miss. I can definitely understand the appeal of a flat tax.


So, this post is a food-free post, I'm afraid. Besides, isn't the mere idea of doing your taxes enough to lose your appetite??

H is for Holiday Meals

Yesterday was Easter for many of us. Passover began Friday evening through this coming Saturday for others. In the midst of all this are the celebratory (or memorial) meals that have become traditions throughout the world.


Although the Spring holidays don't have the same food impact as the Fall and Winter holidays do, food still plays a prominent role. Whether it is Easter ham, Seder brisket, Holy Thursday pancakes or fish on Fridays during Lent, food is center stage during these holidays. 


I had the opportunity to enjoy a ham dinner yesterday. I love ham, but my daughter doesn't, so I don't get to eat it much at home. I did bring her a platter, but it was filled with everything but ham. I can understand why some people don't eat ham (or pork), but I can't imagine how someone doesn't like ham after they've had the chance to try it. Unfortunately, I have no leftovers to munch on, so I'll be making myself a hamburger once I post this. 

G is for Greasy Food

You know, there once was a time when I simply loved greasy food. And, once in a while, I still do. But, I have found that as I get older, I don't enjoy these things like I used to. That's not a bad thing, mind you. But, I didn't stop eating it because it was bad - just because I stopped finding pleasure in it.

Fried Seafood Platter

I don't eat some fried foods like I used to. I do still like my seafood fried, but I don't eat fried chicken like I used to. And, if it's particularly greasy, I am prone to avoid it. I think it's a combination of the flavor too much grease imparts and the fact that the grease gets everywhere! 

I grew up where Wise potato chips began as a regional chip and my favorites were the ones that stayed in the fat longer than the rest. You know which ones - they were glossy and still looked wet. I felt the same way about fries - extra greasy, please, with lots of crunch. While I no longer care much for greasy chips, I do still pick out the greasiest fries to eat first. However, I can't eat many because I just don't digest potatoes as well as I used to.

Pizza still in the pan of grease

I used to love Pizza Hut pizza. I couldn't figure out what it was about it that I liked so much. Then, I didn't have it for several years and went back once looking forward to enjoying it again. I was actually grossed out by how greasy it was - I realized that they basically deep-fry their pizza by putting the dough in a deep dish full of oil and then baking it. The last time I had some, it seemed less greasy, so maybe they've cut back on that. But, I was surprised that I no longer liked it like I used to. My tastes had changed.

Bacon in a buffet pan

Bacon is greasy, but I love it - but don't give me bacon that has been sitting in its own grease, please. Yes, I love bacon, but when the fat melts and then you place the cooked slice on a paper towel to absorb the excess, it's not really so bad. However, in a buffet setting, they make mass quantities of bacon and pile them in the pan awaiting customers. They're really great when you get the top pieces, but as you get closer to the bottom, all the grease that has dripped off the upper layers now coats the bacon on the bottom. Thanks, but I'll avoid that.


This isn't really all that informative, but I know most will understand what I'm talking about. We do need fat in our diets because fat soluble vitamins require it. But, I do think that our bodies sometimes tell us what's good and what isn't, so if we're listening, we might just learn what to cut back on without actually eliminating it. Yet, despite all this, a hamburger just isn't worth eating if it's not at least a little greasy. 

Food is my Friend

Yes, food is my friend. Obviously, that is a requirement for any foodie, but I'm talking more about food being used to "cure what ails ya". Where comfort food becomes more of a security blanket than sustenance.

Crazy cat lady

For years, I suffered from clinical depression. I was a nervous Nelly, scared of my own shadow, insecure, afraid to speak in public, feeling responsible for every mistake that I ever made and was slowly becoming the neighborhood crazy cat lady. Besides my cats, I relied on food to calm my nerves, to keep me company, to give myself praise when no one else would.

Cinnamon buns

I was raised by carb-happy parents. It wasn't unusual to find from four to five different kinds of bread in use at the same time, not to mention the goodies brought home from the bakery when Mom got done work or the cakes Mom would bake because she enjoyed making them. Mom loved spaghetti and mac-n-cheese, but Dad had a serious dislike for pasta, so we'd pretty much have those when he was working shift work. Cinnamon buns (aka sticky buns) were a favorite breakfast. When they began to get stale, Mom would slice them in half, butter and pan fry them to renew their freshness and get an entirely new taste sensation.

Chicken potpie was also a very popular meal, particularly in winter. Now, this isn't something that has a crust. This is strips of dough cooked in boiling chicken stock. To give you an idea how much got made each time, Mom used 9 cups of flour to make the dough for just the three of us! She'd make an entire canning pot full of potpie (something similar in the South is called dumplin's) that we would enjoy for days. Pure carbs served with cranberry sauce and chicken on the side (that didn't always get eaten because it was the dough we were after). A dish born out of necessity when times were hard became the ultimate comfort food. I still love it!


At any rate, although I'm no longer clinically depressed, it does still make the occasional visit as does anxiety, so I will find myself falling back on those old days of self-medication through food. I have to be careful since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a few years back, but I do allow myself those days since they are fewer and farther between than they ever used to be.


It's interesting that the foods I turned to most frequently when upset or sad also tended to be high in carbs. Potpie, mac-n-cheese, pizza, cheesecake, pretzels, potato chips (don't eat these much any more) are all on the list. I find these days that tortilla chips and salsa are almost as satisfying as the more carb-laden foods but without the same negative ramifications.

E is for Eggs

My daughter and I went to Golden Corral on Saturday for their breakfast buffet. I've been wanting to go for a while and we were right behind them at America's Best Eyewear for Deb's appointment. 

Scrambled Eggs

The only way I will eat eggs is scrambled (I count quiche as a type of scrambled), but I especially love how eggs taste when they're made in mass quantities like they are at Golden Corral and other breakfast buffets. I don't know what it is about them - maybe because they cook them moist to allow them to sit on the buffet longer. I don't like dried out eggs or even ones that are overly browned. But, when they're shiny and wet (not raw), I'm totally all about them. 

SOS - I can eat it like this, too.

They also had cream dried beef (SOS) on the buffet table. I just love that stuff! They also had hash browns, so that's what I put my gravy on. I'll eat it on toast, but I'd rather have it on potatoes. And, Golden Corral has Texas toast, which isn't my favorite. But, their biscuits were surprisingly good - tender and flaky. Oh, and a tray stacked full of super crispy bacon. Wow, we'd been craving bacon all week. Deb wants to participate in a bacon eating contest if she can find one. We both enjoyed bacon. And, they had grits! Happy days!!

Fried eggs - a lot like home.

My kids like fried eggs. They got that from their dad because I won't touch the things. I know how to cook them, but I will never eat them. Deb likes hers over medium, which in our area means the whites are set, but the yolks are mostly runny. When she's in Utah, she orders over easy, which means she'll get them the same way. Funny how cooking terms mean different things regionally.


But, I do like scrambled eggs - I just wish I could make them at home like those in the steam pan at Golden Corral. Then I could make myself some egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches on toast. (Oops - I think I'm getting hungry. I'd better go to sleep before I decide to cook.)

D is for Diner!

Angelo's Diner in Glassboro, NJ

Diners are among the most popular eating destinations in New Jersey (as well as around Philadelphia). From breakfast to dinner to homemade desserts and handmade shakes, diners offer a variety of choices unmatched by any specialty restaurant. They even offer night owls sustenance during cram sessions, after late nights out on the town, when the shift is done or after the bar closes. Diners are a commercialized "Mom's kitchen".

The 24-hr Club Diner in Bellmawr, NJ

Admittedly, there aren't quite as many round the clock diners as there used to be, but nostalgia is causing new ones to pop up where they weren't before. And, they are being styled in a glitzier version of the original. Shiny steel exteriors and neon lights harken back to their origins, but many have added bars and dance floors to steer the former bar crowds their way.

Phily Diner in Runnemede, NJ

Those of us who grew up with diners have learned over time which foods are best not ordered in a diner. Hoagies are popular in our area of New Jersey because of our proximity to Philadelphia, but diners just can't pull them off the way a hoagie shop can. However, because of increasing Greek ownership, the quality and variety of dinner options is amazing. And, breakfast all day long can't be beat! As my daughter says, it's hard to ruin bacon and eggs.

My favorite local diner

An example of portions. Eggplant Parm.

The Black Horse Diner, Mt. Ephraim, NJ

C is for Cheesecake (See? I told you there'd be food!)

I do so love cheesecake. It's probably one of the last things I should have in any great quantity, but it is so amazingly good - especially when it's extremely rich and loaded with cream cheese.

I absolutely love (there is no superlative that's really adequate here) White Chocolate Raspberry cheesecake made by Cheesecake Factory. Not that I go there to get it - they sell it at the pizzeria next to where I work, which is where I've really gone overboard. I buy a slice a week and it's just so decadent and rich and buttery. And, the chocolate crust is unbelievably wonderful with little chunks of dark chocolate in it. Shaved white chocolate on top and raspberry swirls throughout - it's heavenly!!


Then my friend Tom bought a cheesecake on Friday to treat me to for doing him a favor. Not nearly as good as the previously described cheesecake, but I could still eat a good lot of it if left to my own devices.


Thankfully, my daughter loves cheesecake, too, so when I bring some home, I know I won't be able to eat it all since she'll be eating it with me. Also thankfully, I don't buy it often because I WILL eat it. I've only been buying it because of its close proximity to me, so I've started taking my lunch. That way I won't be able to stand by the display case where the cheesecake's siren call beckons me until I crash my ship upon the rocks of its shores in order to reach it.

B is for Backwards and Blouses

I'm scheduled to work today through Wednesday. I was sure my schedule was 9-5 for three days. I got myself up, washed, dressed, and left for work - late, unfortunately because I couldn't find the keys right away. My daughter had put them in her purse and neither of us remembered that. So, being the diligent person I try to be (I'm not always successful), I called the office when I was two miles away to let them know I was on my way. 


When I was about a mile away, the office called me back to tell me I wasn't scheduled 9-5. What? That can't be, I have the schedule here in the car with me. So, I pulled over to check. 


OMG! I had read 5-9 as 9-5!!! When did I become dyslexic??? I mean, I just got new glasses last week! I then realized being backwards was the perfect B Day topic.


How do blouses fit into this? Well, I just got the mail and there on the porch was a box addressed to me. In it were two really nice blouses that my friend in Virginia had seen and thought of me by buying and mailing them to me. So, I started the day out feeling like a complete idiot, but was able to be here when something really nice happened. Kismet? Who knows, but it gave me another B to talk about!! LOL

April Fool's Day! - Beginning of the 2012 A-Z Blog Challenge

As soon as I came upon this challenge, I knew I had to take it. It would be what I needed to get back into blogging. I haven't been as diligent as I should be, so I hope this makes a difference.

For 26 days in April, I (and those others who have taken the challenge) will be posting short blog entries. They will run in alphabetic order, A - Z, every day but Sunday.



Now, their instructions do say that we will start on April 1st, but they also acknowledge that April 1st is a Sunday. Since it is April Fool's Day as well, I had assumed that they'd actually begin on April 2nd, but true to the day, the joke is on me. So, this April Fool's post is my first.



My themes are generally food related. Whether I'm talking about something I made, something I ate, a recipe I found or a restaurant, I will have a food connection. I hope we all have fun this year! I'm looking forward to seeing what is being said.


Please visit the blogs of other participants found below!

February already? Where's my box of candy??

Yeah, it's almost Valentine's Day. Can you believe it? I've already bought a couple of boxes of Dunkin Donuts Valentine's donuts to share at work and one box for home. I love their donut dough. At least, the raised donut dough. I'm iffy on cake donuts, unless they're moist. Like, most pumpkin and apple cider spice donuts are cake donuts and are pretty moist - not dry and crumby. I never used to like plain donuts - the kind with no coating at all. My dad loved them. But, I've come to appreciate them and really enjoy dunking them in my coffee. As far as having a box of chocolates goes, I can live with out it. If someone gave me a gift card to Dunkin Donuts, I'd be thrilled! I don't need much to know I'm appreciated. Usually my guy friend and I go out to dinner. Nothing romantic - just an acknowledgement that all is well. This year, though, he'll be in Arizona and isn't coming home until Valentine's Day. Oh well. He's leaving his car with me while he's gone, so I won't need to be asking for rides. That's as thoughtful as any dinner out.

Now, as far as Holidays go, St. Patrick's Day is next on the list and McDonald's Shamrock Shakes are already available! I got my very first one today, courtesy of my daughter. It's funny, though. For years I avoided them because I thought mint milkshakes were just a strange combination. Yet, in the past year, I've had Chocolate Chip Mint Milkshakes several times and they're WONDERFUL! So, I decided, "Why not?" They're OK, but I like my CCM shakes better. I'm spoiled.

I ought to also tell you that I started working again last month. My first job in four years! I am an official tax preparer, authorized by the IRS, even, to prepare and sign off on returns. It's a seasonal job, but it feels pretty darned good to be working, I have to admit. And, I like the work, so that's another plus. It has made it difficult for me to hang with my guy friend like I used to, though. With me working and him taking night classes, we just don't see each other as much as we used to.


That's about it for this installment. Sorry it's been so long. I'm getting used to being back in work and not online nearly as often as I used to be. But, I promise that I haven't given up on my blogging. And, I'll have a wonderful turkey salad recipe here soon to share. A coworker made the most amazing salad to share at work and no one was eating it. Needless to say, it came home with me and it was fantastic! I've already begged her for the recipe that she promised to bring in. Can't wait to share it.

For Shame!! Making Promises I Didn't Keep!!! (Chicken Paprika recipe)

Wow - I've really been lax in keeping up with this blog, even though I've apologized and promised to try to do better. Shame on me!! I haven't given up, but when my get-up-and-go got up and went, it done got lost!!!


But, I'm still here and I still want to keep this blog alive, so I do hope you'll hang with me in this not-so-grand effort of mine. I mean, I'm ALWAYS talking food, be it on Facebook or at home or in emails or wherever. What's NOT logical about having a foodie blog where I can do what I'm already doing??


Anyway, I was at the Goodwill a week ago looking for a chair to replace the chair my friend broke - and I do mean broke! It was from the 60s and had come with a desk that we'd given away three years ago. My daughter had put screws in all the joints to reinforce them because it was the noisiest chair to sit in with the squeaking and creaking. So, while she was in Utah, my friend would go on my daughter's computer while I typed up his college assignments. I could always tell when he was there (or when anyone was there) because of the chair's constant complaints. Well, this one day I heard him thrashing about making the chair cry out in agony (squeaking and squawking more than usual), so I hollered up the stairs for him to stop before he broke the chair. About 15 seconds later, I heard it again and this time the chair did more than cry out in pain - it literally screamed. In other words, I heard a loud, thunderous CRACK!! I hollered again and told him he was breaking the chair and to get downstairs since he wasn't able to use it properly. He replied that he wasn't breaking the chair - and then silence. Shortly, a subdued friend began to descend the stairs and when his head cleared the ceiling, he said, "I broke the chair."


When I took a look at it I found that he hadn't broken apart any of the joints - he had LITERALLY broken the wood, splitting the back support away from the seat making the chair unfixable (without a lot of glue and braces being added). UNBELIEVABLE!!! I told him he owed her a chair. That was Friday. By Tuesday, he still hadn't begun looking for a chair and she was scheduled to come in Tuesday night. He kept offering to loan me a chair which I had told him already more than once was not sufficient. He'd found excuses every day (not counting Christmas) for not going to look and I'd had enough. So I went to Goodwill.


I found a perfectly good chair that day, fully padded on the seat and back and only $3. So, I got it. But, I'm not one to go into a thrift store and NOT look around, so I went through my favorite departments to see what was what (jeans, household items, books) and found a neat little paperback cookbook called Potluck Cookery by Beverly Pepper. A quick flip-thru showed me that I would like the recipes therein, so I bought it.


After finding several recipes I wanted to try, I thought about sharing them with all of you, but wanted to see if anyone out in cyberspace had ever made them and had images because, quite frankly, that's easier than making them myself - and it helps me know if the recipe looks as good as it sounds. That's when I learned that my little paperback, despite its well-kept appearance, was actually printed in 1955! I knew it looked vintage (as I am also beginning to, unfortunately), but it was in such good condition, it never occurred to me it was over 50 years old!! Nice!!!


So, even though I haven't made anything yet, I wanted to share with you the first recipe that caught my eye and a picture that links to another blogger who actually made several recipes from this little book. I suspect that her version looks different than mine will but, it's a start.


"Chicken Paprika"
Potluck Cookery by Beverly Pepper, pg. 72

I happen to like Chicken Paprika with its saucy paprika gravy and buttery egg noodles, but I think it would work equally well over rice. This blogger used brown rice and green beans which makes it look entirely different than I had imagined. She admits having burnt this which altered the color of the sauce, so there's another reason for it to not look quite like I expected. I still think I'm going to try it, though, because it's a very easy recipe and because you can use either leftover chicken or some that you've cooked special for the dish. Of course, if you have leftover turkey, that works, too.

Chicken Paprika

LEFTOVER: Cooked chicken
At least 4 slices or 1 ½ cups

AND

Fat, 2 tablespoons
Sliced onion, 1 large
Paprika, 1 tablespoon
Egg yolk, 1 beaten with 1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion in hot fat until golden brown. Add chicken and paprika. Cook 5 minutes. Add egg yolk-sour cream mixture, salt and pepper. Simmer very slowly 10 minutes.

Serves 3 – 4

SUGGESTED: Serve on buttered noodles with Mushroom Croquettes and buttered rye bread slices.