Sad (as in strange) Eatings

I know a lot of kids leaving home and off to live on college campus's all over this country. I've already heard of some interesting food consumptions going on. When I went to college, a very long time ago, I didn't live in a dorm. I lived in an apartment so I had to cook for myself from the get go. My mom put dozens of little baggies with strange and familiar herbs and spices with twist ties in my bare kitchen cupboards. I think they cleaned out the camper of all the cooking stuff and gave it to me. Not quality stuff but what did I know? Not much. I remember one of those baggies was marked "Marjoram." Mar what?

Channeling my inner college student I've stooped to a new culinary low. Worse than Top Raman, worse than boxed Mac and cheese. Popcorn tossed with a can of anchovies. You read that correctly. I'm in Northern California helping my mom move to Southern California. When I arrived the refrigerator was already gone. There was some fish in a cooler but I wasn't feeling super great about the amount of time it may have been on ice or in cool ice-chest water. For dinner I had a hard boiled an egg, a piece of toasted white sandwich bread, salt and pepper. By bedtime I was h-u-n-g-r-y. What to eat, what to eat? Looking in cupboards; Found 1/2 jar full of salsa in the pantry area. Hum? No. Flour that any good elementary science teacher would be envious of. No. Microwave popcorn. (I do not like popcorn) Ok, popcorn with cheese sounds promising. No cheese. Then I see it, the can of anchovies. I think savory, salty and protein. Those are the things that help me sleep best. So what if I put the two together? I mashed the anchovies into a paste and tossed it into my hot popcorn. Actually not too bad. The ratio of grain to fish could have been better but that's a lesson learned I suppose.

This morning I was hungry again. "Oh no," you might be thinking. I was thinking that too so I borrowed mom's stuffed to the windows car and headed to the grocery store. What I wanted was a bagel but I don't know if they have a bagel shop in this town. Because we're in farm country the abundance of produce greets you in giant bins outside the store doors. In a subconscious effort to redeem last night I instinctively reached for a giant naval orange and an equally sized peach. Then I saw rows of bagels hanging on pegs inside a case. I learn they all cost .99 ea. and they have a toaster in their coffee bar area AND they throw in cream cheese for free. Jackpot! Bagels weren't marked but they're big and smell good. Several look to have cheese so I naturally know my choice will be one of these. Last time I had a jalapeño cheese bagel it was so spicy I couldn't enjoy it so that's out. In my greed I make my decision based on size. The first bite reveals I've chosen a pizza bagel. Ug. Whatever. For lunch I ate 2 chili cheese dogs. I think the old saying, "Going to hell in a hand basket" must have been directed at marginal food. I need to get out of food hell. Have a desperate food story? I'd love to hear it. Please, it will make me feel better about my strange late night choice.

 

Garden Tomatoes

I LOVE HOME GROWN TOMATOES. I want to shout it from on high. There is nothing like them. When I was a kid we would visit my grandparents on Ohio where they had a killer "garden." I wish I could remember everything they grew but I remember green beans because we had to snap their ends and pull their stings and I didn't really want to do that. I didn't like green beans. That was until grandma cooked them with smoked pork. The reality is I only liked and really still only like grandma's green beans. They grew corn. Not a lot but enough for us to spend lots of time husking ears on the back porch. Too bad I didn't pay attention to how she cooked them to make them so sweet. Now I'm sure it wasn't the cooking method but the fact it grew in their backyard where my grandpa lovingly tended to every plant. But the thing that stands out most of all were the tomatoes. Oh those tomatoes. Grandma would walk us out to the plot of soil all lined up with different plants and tell us how to look for tomato worms. Then she'd try to get us to pluck them off the branches and squish them underfoot. I wanted to do this but I couldn't stand the green juicy stuff they squirted on my fingers. Instead I would pop tomatoes in my mouth. They were warm from the sun and so sweet. Grandma had a salt shaker in the pocket of her apron for her tomatoes but I was a purest. These days I enjoy a little sprinkling of salt on my vine ripened tomatoes. I better understand how our taste buds work and how they begin to diminish with age so I fully get that shaker in the apron. (She always wore an apron.)
You couldn't call where my tomatoes much of a plot but I've got tomatoes. Lots of sun ripened fruit, warm waiting for me to eat them. I go out several times a day and just pick a few and pop them in my mouth right there in the yard. I wipe them a little on my night gown first of course. Wanting to use my tomatoes in a creative way I've found a recipe I'm excited to try. Tomato Tart with Mascarpone. Everyone knows I like cheese and that I like to make cheese. Mascarpone is the first cheese I ever made. It's easy. Did you read that? It is easy. It's probably cheater cheese or make-believe mascarpone but it is cheese to me and I'm the one eating it. This recipe has a tart crust baked then topped with mascarpone mixed with lemon juice with sliced tomatoes on top and drizzled with a basil oil atop that. The hard part now is waiting form my mascarpone to be ready tomorrow. I'll keep you posted on how delicious this tart will be.

 

Apricot Oat Bars

I record quite a few cooking shows. Because the DVR tends to fill up I have to consistently watch shows and delete them. Since Prince Charming is traveling this week I've had a bit more time to catch up. I am not normally attracted to sweets or desserts but there was something about Giada's bar recipe that made me take note and anytime I have all the ingredients for a recipe and can make it right away I usually do. This makes a big 9x13 pan of gooey Apricot Oat Bars. I did nothing but follow her instructions and the results were perfect. These got rave review from everyone who tried them. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/apricot-oat-bars-recipe/index.html

You gotta try 'em.

 

 

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

4 mint leaves, optional, more for garnish

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 64 mint leaves

Handful hulled strawberries

Sparkling water

 

Heat sugar and water in pan until sugar dissolves.

Tear mint leaves in half and add to simple syrup while it cools.

Hull strawberries then purée. (cut off the tops)

Combine lemon juice and purée. Add about 1/2 cup simple syrup and taste to your sweet tooth remembering that flavors will be stronger until water is added. Add more syrup as desired.

In a tall glass add ice then add approx. 1/4 cup strawberry lemon mixture. Top with well chilled sparkling water. Add more simple syrup if sweeter drink is desired.

Garnish with mint leaves and a strawberry.

Serves about 5