Losing My Mind

There are days that I think I am undeniably losing my mind.

If I don't add it to a list, I will not make the purchase at the store. If I have to walk into another room or up and down the stairs, I probably won't remember what I wanted to do when I get there. If I start cooking something that needs to simmer, I had better set the timer to check on it later, or it will probably boil dry from neglect. I had to turn the alerts on my washer and dryer back on because even though I seem to constantly be doing laundry, without a reminder, the last load of the day will sit in the machine until it stinks with gross dampness. I probably won't remember your name when I see you; so if I seem stuck up or aloof, I am sorry. In the middle of conversation, a word will leave me completely and totally and I will stammer like an idiot. And, to top it all off, one day not that long ago, I couldn't figure out how to shut off the water in our basement shower. I swear that it took me five minutes of frantically cranking the handles one way or another with the water changing from hot to cold, but never stopping.

The recent push for public awareness of Alzheimer's and other dementia does raise my level of hypochondria. There is a history of some issues on one side of my family, and my husband's family is living with the heartbreaking challenge of a member's diagnosis. I worry that my slips could be some early onset warning signs.

And then, there are times when my forgetfulness is delicious.

While vacationing, one of our lunches was at a bistro with Golden Beet Borscht as the soup of the day. Served with a simple quiche and a fresh tossed salad, that soup was light and delicate, but still flavorful. I knew it was something that I wanted to recreate when I returned home, and after finding a recipe to play with, I began cooking.

I sauteed onions and garlic, added potatoes, beets, cabbage, and zucchini, and simmered all the vegetables in stock. Turmeric boosted the color while dill and lemon brought a brightness. A dollop of sour cream on top was a departure from the bistro's borscht, but was a great contrast for the rich, earthy vegetables. My pot of soup was exquisite, and I proudly thought that I had nailed it.

Then, I looked back at the photos snapped during that trip and see that the bistro's golden beet borscht was creamy. It was still a brothy and light soup, not thick like a chowder, but absolutely creamy. Perhaps instead of that dollop of sour cream on the finished soup, a splash of heavy cream was swirled through the entire pot? It was decidedly not like mine. I had not nailed it.

My soup isn't, after all, a recreation of what we savored on vacation. My memory has, yet again, failed me. However, it failed me in a very delicious way.

Golden Beet Borscht

(Adapted from Blue Apron)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 medium golden beets, peeled and cubed

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

6 cups vegetable stock

1 small zucchini, cubed 

juice of one lemon

1-2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (plus more for garnish)

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons sour cream

Heat olive oil in a large pot.
Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened.
Add the garlic and heat just until fragrant.
Add the turmeric and cook, stirring, until toasted.
Add the beets and, again, season with salt and pepper. (May need to add a little more oil at the point to keep ingredients from burning.)
Cook, covered, but stirring often, until slightly softened.
Remove the lid and add the vegetable stock, potatoes, and cabbage. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Add the zucchini, lemon juice, dill, and honey and simmer a few minutes more until zucchini is slightly softened.
Remove from heat and serve each bowl topped with a dollop of sour cream and additional dill for garnish. (Serves 4)

Cinco de Mayo

May 5th. Cinco de Mayo.

Bloggers all across North America are featuring spicy Tex-Mex foods and tequila drinks in honor of this Mexican holiday.

Since I already offered up Thyme Tequila Lemonade to Mother Nature as a peace offering, it's only reasonable that I also heat things up with some flavorful tostadas to serve along side.

Crisply fried corn tortillas are piled high with all the best fish taco makings. Cilantro-lime slaw is bright and fresh and topped with mild tilapia and a hearty, earthy corn salsa. Squeeze a lime over it all to spark just a hint of acidity and you won't want to wait for the celebrations of Cinco de Mayo for Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa to be on your plate.

Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Salsa

(adapted from Cooking Light)

1/4 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced

2-4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

2 green onions, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced finely

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

canola oil

8 corn tortillas

8 tilapia fillets

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/2 cup milk

1 cup corn kernels (freshly cut from cob, or defrosted frozen)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chipped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

queso fresco

lime wedges

Whisk the mayonnaise and lime juice together in a medium bowl.
Toss the cabbage, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeno with the dressing.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
Heat about 1/2-3/4 inch of canola oil in a large heavy skillet.
One at a time, fry the corn tortillas, turning as needed, until browned and crispy.
Drain on paper towels and set aside.
In a seperate skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil.
Add the corn, red pepper, onion, and jalapeno.
Season with salt and pepper and saute until onion is tender and translucent; set aside.
Combine flour, corn meal and chile powder in a shallow dish.
Dip the tilapia fillets in milk and then dredge in flour/corn meal mixture.
Fry the tilapia fillets in the oil used for the tortillas until flesh is tender and breading is golden.
Drain on paper towels.
To serve, arrange fried tortillas on plates, spoon on cilantro-lime slaw, layer the fried fish, top with the roasted corn salsa. Add crumbled queso fresco and serve with lime wedges. (Serves 4)

My Problem with Corned Beef and Cabbage

With St. Patrick's Day on the calendar for tomorrow, I thought it would be an opportune time to share the tried and true recipe that I fall back on for Corned Beef and Cabbage. Slow cooker haters be warned: it is made in the crock pot.

I am not exactly a fan of the crock pot. I guess I have a love/hate relationship with it. Love the ease. Hate how textures can suffer and flavors often meld...and not into that happy marriage that mingles on your taste buds...flavors meld into a pot of everything tastes the same.

Corned beef seems to be the right type of meat for crock pot cooking. It benefits from the low and slow process. Several hours of braising in flavorful broth produces tender servings of this cured meat. Most commercially available corned beef briskets come with a seasoning packet of pickling spices. Feel free to add it to the broth, if you wish, but I don't. Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and caraway seeds spice up the cooking liquid for me.

The vegetables are where this recipe is a problem for me. It is the point where I feel crock pots fail. I have tried to prepare my corned beef without a layer of potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of the casserole, but these roots do add something to the flavor of the cooking liquid. It isn't the same without them, but overall, I don't want to eat them. I like the pickled flavor of a corned beef brisket. I don't want everything on my plate to taste like it, though.

The tender leaves of the cabbage don't need a super long cooking time, and when I finally add them to the simmering stock, I often start prep for alternative side dishes. Mashed potatoes whipped with spinach and bowl of buttered corn vary the textures and offer contrasting flavors for the meal.The potatoes, carrots and onions cooked with the corned beef make it to the serving platter, but not on my plate.

 Corned Beef and Cabbage

2 to 2-1/2 pounds corned beef brisket

1 medium onion, cut into wedges

4 medium potatoes, quartered

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1 cup beef broth

2 bay leaves

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1-2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 small cabbage, cut into wedges

Trim the fat-cap from the brisket and (if necessary), cut to fit into crock pot.
Arrange onion, carrots, and potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot; place the brisket on top.
Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and caraway seeds.
Pour over the corned beef in the crock pot.
Add the bay leaves and garlic cloves to the broth.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
During last hour or so, add the cabbage wedges to the crock pot and cook until tender. (Serves 4)

Sunny Delight

First, I used the excuse that the gloom that permeated most of June with cloud cover and drizzle prevented me from snapping acceptable photos for this blog. Then, when the sun did come out, I was so wrapped up in my attempts at yard and garden care and lounging under that glorious golden orb that I still neglected to post anything. The sun has felt too good to tie myself indoors with the computer. (Nevermind that I have wireless and can easily take the laptop outside...which is where I am right now.) I have been a slacker about sharing my recipe discoveries and wildly interesting *insert sarcasm* life.

Truth be told, daily cooking at home has dwindled. It is that time of year when if Hubby can work, he does. His hours are long and dinner doesn't usually happen before 9pm, if not closer to 10pm. He makes hay while the sun shines, and in the age of technology and headlights on field equipment, often longer. Our menus have been lighter and sometimes nothing more than odd assortments of snacky stuff pulled from the fridge in a hunger induced haze (when I ignore the signs of my plummeting blood sugar levels and wait for his return home to eat anything at all). At that point, food is just another necessity and has lost all fun and appeal. Anything will do; and anything usual does. (I think that there was a day that my "nourishment" totally consisted of Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels from World Market and Diet Cherry 7-Up...unfortunately.)

Occasionally, I have planned a bit better and our dinners were made up of quick, cool, and simple salads and something tossed on the grill. A fresh, sunny coleslaw from Martha Stewart Living caught my eye and paired really well with some extremely lean buffalo hotdogs (samples provided by a friend at the Tanka Bar company). It was a perfect summer supper...except that the Citrus Slaw and Tanka Dog landed On My Plate about the same time as the 10pm news. It is just that time of year.

Citrus Slaw

2 navel oranges
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded (2 cups)
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup fresh basil, leaves torn
3 scallions, thinly sliced
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut peel and pith from oranges. Slice oranges along membranes to remove segments, letting segments and juices fall into bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes over segments and discard membranes. Remove orange segments from bowl and set aside. Combine champagne vinegar with orange juice. Slowly whisk the oil into the juice and vinegar until emulsified. Combine cabbage, parsley, basil, scallions, and orange segments in serving bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Serves 4)

Dinner for a Super Hero

I am married to a Super Hero. I had no idea. I knew that he works hard to provide for us. I knew that he tries hard to make me happy and not disappoint me, but I had no idea that he possessed super human powers. It took an everyday matter that was scored with bad luck in only the way that my appliance purchases can be (which reminds me that someday I need to share the dramatic story of the purchase of my new range) for me to recognize the extent of my hubby's talents and devotion.

Our 20 year old washer died the other day. There was a small debate about purchasing locally or making a trip to the big city. It was pretty easily decided that having the local service available would be beneficial, and after a couple of phone calls and a little online research, I made a quick trip to an area business. The front window of the store was quite alluring with a beautiful red washer and dryer. I was incredibly tempted. I have written before about my infatuation with RED and my collection of red dishes, Kitchenaid, LeCrueset, shoes, scarves, iPod, (former) phone, and just about anything else in a crimson shade.

Red is a brilliant color, but considering that we only purchase new appliances every 20 years or so, was it right for my laundry room? Would I love it today, but a few years from now walk down the basement stairs and cringe as I would if I saw an avocado refrigerator of the 1970s? I still have some 80s hunter green in my upstairs bathroom, but that can be repainted when I have the time and energy. A red washer and dryer would be for keeps, for eternity, or so it would seem when I got tired of them.

So it was decided that I would order the dull, boring white version of the beautiful red washer and dryer. It would take almost a week for them to arrive, and a mountain of laundry would accumulate in that time, but that is just the way things go out here on the prairie. Purchases are seldom instantaneous.

The day of the appliances' arrival came. I called the store to confirm and was surprised to be told that they didn't know if the washer and dryer were there, or not. Huh? How do you not know if 2 big boxes are there? This should have been my first clue of how things were going. I should have known that my track record for appliance purchases was not improving. I should have just went back to bed and waited for the storm to pass. However, I didn't. I foolishly forged ahead with multiple phone calls until it was confirmed that the appliances were in the store, but could not be delivered that day. Ugh.

Hubby decided to step in and save the day by picking up and installing the washer and dryer himself. Great news, right? A seasoned DIYer, he had easily moved and installed our last set when we moved into this house. No problem, right? Hindsight tells us now that all future appliance purchases will include delivery, even if it means waiting until pigs fly. In my mind, flying pigs are infinitely better than what happened next.

There were high wind warnings that day, and my email inbox was full of weather alerts. The trees were whipping back and forth with the 50 mph gusts. But, living on the prairies of SD, wind is an every day occurrence. Unfazed, Hubby set out to the store, and the appliances were loaded into the box of his pickup. He has a toolbox that sits directly behind the cab, but there was still room to first load the dryer and strap it in, then the washer was securely tied into place. He set off down the road to return home, but travelled at a snails' pace as the winds hit the tall boxes in the back of his truck.

He had no clue that my bad appliance luck was going to slap him in the face. He was shocked and heartsick as a semi passed him on this windy day and SUCKED THE DRYER RIGHT OUT OF THE BACK OF HIS PICKUP. It did somersaults on the highway before coming to rest in the lane of traffic. Pigs didn't fly. My dryer did.

I was doing some last minute laundry room cleaning in order to be prepared for the arrival of my brand spanking new appliances when the phone rang. Hubby was quiet. He told me that he had some bad news. Given that he is a known prankster, I didn't panic at this moment, but did hold my breath as he revealed that the dryer had bounced on the highway. I couldn't help it. I sobbed.

When he arrived home, we were silent, and I fought back tears as we assessed the damage. The frame was obviously twisted, the side panels were dented, and the plastic front was cracked and broken. The glass door was miraculously still intact, though. Hubby insisted that I call the store and inquire about a new dryer. I hesitated about making a second thousand dollar purchase, but placed the call and learned that the closest dryer of the same make, model, and color was in Mankato and would take over another week to arrive. I put that thought on hold and went back outside to the mangled mess in the driveway.

At this point, Hubby had seen all he could stand of the dryer. He was pulling the cardboard packing from the washer and asked me to help him maneuver it into the house. Holy buckets of washer parts! I could shove my old washer around the basement all on my own. This new front load machine is heeeaavy, something-is-going-to-burst-in-a-place-that-I-never-knew-I-had heavy . We shoved, and pushed, and even with the handcart, could barely shift the thing into the basement entry of the house. My husband may be big and burly, but I am a wimp. I couldn't offer enough assistance to get the machine down our steep, old house basement stairs. We were forced to move it back into the driveway to sit forlornly in the snow.

Feeling very discouraged, our focus moved back to the dryer. Some discussion determined that it would be worth a try to move it into the house and see if it worked. What would we be out? Any glimmer of hope was better than the total loss we seemed to be looking at. The earlier flying act had proven that the dryer was obviously much, much lighter, and a few minutes and grunts later, we had it sitting in the middle of my now empty laundry room. Packing material fully removed, and electrical cord installed, we plugged it in, and held our breath as I pressed the power button. The drum turned. Heat vented out the back. It seemed to work, except for a bang, bang, bang as the rotating drum rubbed against the bent side panel. The electronics that allowed the dryer to function had not been damaged.

This is when Hubby's super powers started to come alive. He began to take apart the dryer, screw by screw, panel by panel, piece by broken, bent, twisted, and seemingly destroyed piece. Soon the dryer was in piles on the floor of the laundry room floor. I covered my ears as Hubby used a rubber mallet to pound the distorted pieces of metal back into shape. I stayed out of his way as he delicately used a heat gun and epoxy to mold the plastic front and glue it back into one piece. Several hours later, I celebrated when he stepped aside to reveal a dryer that looked nothing like the piece of junk that had been unloaded in my driveway. It wasn't exactly good as new, but to me, it appeared perfect. Yes, you can see a few dimples where the mallet was a little rambunctious, and there is no way to hide the cracks in the face around the controls, but it doesn't look bad, and most importantly, it works. My husband, the Super Hero, saved the day. Again, I cried.

Our tears were mostly dried by the time friends stopped by later that evening to help move the washer into place. Their muscles maneuvered it easily, and the empty test load was already running when they bid us a good night. Hubby was emotionally and physically exhausted (yes, that happens with super heroes, too), but I was still full of nervous energy and cleaned, rearranged, and reorganized the laundry room and did 4 loads of laundry before turning in for the night. When Hubby awoke the next morning, I could joyfully report that both appliances worked superbly.

Of course, if you know me, you know that I tend to show my appreciation with food. So...what does one feed a Super Hero? Whatever he requests, of course. My Super Hero has a thing for Asian food and particularly loves my homemade egg rolls. It is a recipe created by a friend and tweaked to suit things I have on hand and our tastes. They are not difficult, but for some reason, I just don't make the effort that often. The next evening, I brushed off the recipe and made the night of my Super Hero. Paired with Egg Drop Soup, it was heaven on the plate for him. In fact, of the dozen egg rolls that I created, Hubby ate 7 at that dinner and also devoured 3 servings of the soup. Yes, my Super Hero is also a bit of a pig, but he is mine, and you have no idea how much I appreciate all that he does for me.

My Take On Riff's Egg Rolls

1 lb ground pork (I use Jimmy Dean Sausage)
1 large onion, chopped
6 tablespoons garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoon fresh ginger
2-3 tablespoons Spicy Sweet Thai Chile Sauce
2 packages of coleslaw salad mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
salt and pepper
25 egg roll wraps

Brown the meat in a large pan, breaking into small crumbles.
Add onion, garlic, ginger, and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the chile sauce and coat all ingredients well.
Remove from heat and stir in coleslaw mix.
Drain this mixture VERY WELL. As Riff says, "moisture is you enemy in this recipe."
Place in a colander with a plate on top and a weight to press out the liquid.
Stir occasionally in the colander to release additional moisture and allow to cool completely.
To wrap the egg rolls, lay the wrapper so that one point is towards you.
Put about about 3 tablespoons of mixture across the wrapper.
At this point, you may want to add a bit of cilantro, green onion, chopped hot pepper, if desired...make it your own.
Fold the point that is pointing at you up over the mixture.
Now fold the corner on the right over that, now the point on the left and begin to roll till you get to the end.
Moisten the last point and finish the roll.
(At this point, you may freeze individually on a cookie sheet covered with plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags.)
To cook immediately, place in hot fryer (350 degrees) and cook until golden.
You may have to rotate the egg rolls to brown all sides in the fryer.
Enjoy with Sweet and Sour Sauce and/or Soy Sauce. (Makes 24-25 egg rolls