Lately, it's been too hot to cook. Or to think. So this will kind of be a lazy post.
I'd like to share what I've been enjoying, as well some of my favorite quotes about food.
From the Twitter feed of Kelly Oxford:
Calling yourself a "good cook" after following a recipe, is like calling yourself a 'good carpenter' after putting together Ikea furniture.
I'd like to share what I've been enjoying, as well some of my favorite quotes about food.
From the Twitter feed of Kelly Oxford:
Calling yourself a "good cook" after following a recipe, is like calling yourself a 'good carpenter' after putting together Ikea furniture.
And some more quotes, which I found on www.quotationspage.com
The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.--Calvin Trillin
Never eat more than you can lift. --Miss Piggy
Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat.--Socrates
You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces--just good food from fresh ingredients.--Julia Child
~What I'm enjoying:~
Farmer's markets are finally in season here in Massachusetts.
Lunchtime concerts on Worcester's common on Fridays this summer, with food vendors and a farmer's market.
Living so close to Trader Joe's.
The goat cheese medallions from Trader Joe's. 1 ounce portions of bliss.
The Trader Joe's version of Triscuits (Woven Wheat Wafers) dipped in hummus (I really like to pick up several tubs of Tribe when it goes on sale. Unfortunately, some of the other brands now use a preservative, sodium benzoate, which makes the hummus taste off.)
CHERRIES!!!!!! :)
Ice cream at Gibson's Dairy on Sunderland Rd. Generous portions, and a little piece of the country in the city.
Stonyfield Yogurt. It's organic, and it comes from New England. Also, they have a rewards program, with codes on the packages which you can submit to get free yogurt or other goodies, such as magazine subscriptions, carbon offsets, and fleece socks.
Cabot cheese. It reminds me of my honeymoon. I saw them make pepper jack cheese. It's a co-op. Lots to love about Cabot.
Kashi GoLean Crunch mixed in plain yogurt.
Smoothies as a refreshing treat and sometimes lunch on hot days. I mix plain yogurt with frozen fruit (no ice, so when it thaws, it won't get watery), bananas, and sometimes a splash of juice.
Grits. OK, just these two recipes I've made. (I would be open to trying more grits recipes.)
With Cheddar, Bacon, and Artichokes
With Goat Cheese and Chives/Scallions
Steak on my Griddler (like a Foreman grill, but more settings and removable plates).
I grilled up some sirloin tonight with thick round slices of vidalia onions. Awesome.
My favorite juice box pick-me-up when I'm on the go or at (volunteer) work: Fruitables by Apple&Eve. It's a mixture of fruit and vegetable juice, and has a lot less sugar than plain fruit juices. (10 grams and 70 calories in a 6.75 fluid ounce Tropical Orange Fruitables, versus 20 grams and 100 calories in the same size Adam&Eve Naturally Cranberry.)
I have trouble with allergies, skin reactions, and sensitivities, so I have to be picky about what I use in my home and on my body. Household products I like:
Everything Seventh Generation makes. Their hand soap and dish soap are the rare ones that don't make my skin break out in a rash. Their dishwasher detergent does not contain chlorine, and doesn't put those vapors into the air. Their feminine hygiene products have also been good for me, since they don't use chlorine in making them.
Trader Joe's powder laundry detergent, about $8 for the box that lasts us (2 humans, 2 guinea pigs) at least a month and a half and doesn't irritate my skin.
The special Woolite for darks, which does a fabulous job of keeping my black clothes as black as they were when I got them and prevents pilling. I usually stock up on it when it goes on sale.
Borax, the Wonder Substance. Once upon a time in my cellar, I had left a pile of laundry next to a leaking pipe. A couple days later, the clothes were soaked and the moldy smell was so terrible, it didn't come out in the wash. I was afraid I'd have to throw out all those clothes. I bought a couple boxes of borax, and washed everything 3 times, and got rid of the mold. I use borax when I wash the towels that line the guinea pigs' cages to eliminate the raunchy odors. Borax is a color safe bleach, as well.
None of the products or merchants mentioned have given me anything. I just like this stuff. (But if they wanted to give me something, I wouldn't say no.)
