Monday, August 25, 2014

Monday Morning This and That

 A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe. 

Thomas Keller

Good morning. As we start this new week I hope you are all rested and raring to start a new week.  What a beautiful weekend it was!  Saturday actually felt more like fall than summer.  Doesn't bother me any.  I am grateful we haven't had those heat waves like those of last year.  They say the temp is going to rise on Thursday, but by the weekend it will be comfortable once again.

Not much to report this Monday.  Had a rather quiet weekend.  Did the usual... trips to the fruit stand and Rite Aid, tidied up the apartment after my walk on Saturday, and went to Church on Sunday.  My sons came for dinner on Saturday.  Meat has gotten so darn expensive, it was so hard deciding what to buy so I settled on some Italian sweet sausage and spaghetti in garlic and oil for dinner. I just get tired of throwing together a pot of sauce every time they visit, and although they never say anything, I am sure that they are more than eager to have something else.


I also put together a nice salad.


And made my own special salad dressing


Funny how little things bring up memories.  It must have been about 17 years ago that we had one of hubby's friends for dinner.  The poor guy was enormous while his wife was so tiny and petite.  It was the 'Odd Couple' to be sure.  So, I  cooked my spaghetti with garlic and oil and roast two large chickens.  Oh my.  He ate so much that his wife felt she had to apologize to me.  Here I'd thought I'd be able to make some chicken soup with the leftovers, but he cleaned every last bit of meat from the bones of both chickens and at two big plates of the spaghetti.  I'd not thought of this in years.  

Hubby and I laughed about it for years.  It was one of our 'remember when's'.  I don't know what happened to the friend and his wife.  They moved away soon thereafter and were never heard from again.  Just another example of how people come in and out of our lives.

You know, I do enjoy cooking when it comes to making something special for guests, but I'm not too enamored with everyday cooking nowadays.  I first began cooking in my early teens. My mom and dad both worked, and when I got home from school, it was one of my chores to fix dinner.  No one taught me how.  I learned it on my own, and throughout the years became quite a good cook, I must say.

In fact, many years ago I took up a certification course in catering, and worked along with my sister-in-law had a little wedding business.  She set up the hall, did the decorating, and even taught the wedding party how to dance.  Meanwhile, I did all the cooking. Any cuisine they chose...Spanish, Chinese, Greek, Italian etc.  I could throw together a five course meal.  It was a lot of work, especially after working all week 9-5 and going to school 3 nights a week, but I enjoyed it.  Of course I had so much more energy back then.

Even hubby never knew what to expect. I even used to make my own noodles. I'm just not into cooking anymore.  After all, I've been cooking for over 50 years. It's time that someone cooks for me.  Of course, realistically, I know that is never going to happen.  But, one can dream, can't they?  Hoping when the cooler weather comes about, I'll have more interest.  I really do want to bake this year.

Sunday I stayed home.  I just didn't feel like going out.  No stores.  No Church.  Just a total 'me' day.  Watched 'Candid Camera' and 'The Golden Girls' on TV Land.  Had more than a few laughs and enjoyed the old memories that 'Candid Camera' stirred up. 

Well, that's about it.  Time to get a move on over here.  I like to shower early so I can have an hour or so to sit with Miss Minga before I leave.  She expects that in the morning.


Hoping you all have a good one.






2 comments:

  1. We are a lot alike. I too was in charge of starting or making dinner as my mother worked and didn't get home until later. I liked doing it though and I am a good cook as a result. Meat is horribly expensive here too. We were eating vegetarian meals for a while but we both gained weight (too many carbs) and I really noticed the extra expense when adding the meat back into the diet!

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  2. I knew someone once who could eat like a horse but oddly enough, she was this skinny little thing who could just pack it away and never gain weight. There's no justice in this world.

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