Poof
Posted: February 25, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: dirt, kiddo, Life in WV Leave a comment »There goes another week. I still haven’t managed to get the bacon pictures off my husbands camera. The house is a total wreck, I’ve barely caught up at work from being home with the kiddo. It’s Friday and I feel like I am just getting started with the week.
On the bright side, it’s so much lighter outside. There are signs of Spring everywhere (minus the snow forecast for this evening), it has me dreaming of a nice tiny garden and pots of herbs covering the back porch. I am a horrible gardener, but I really want to give it some effort this year. Simple stuff, some lettuce, tomatoes for canning and lots of fresh herbs. I need a garden mentor. Most everyone around here has backyard gardens, it’s partly why our Farmer’s Market it so pathetic, everyone grows their own. Surely someone can help me get started.
RSV in the house
Posted: February 21, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: can't get there from here, kiddo, Life in WV, weekend Leave a comment »and so are we. The kiddo is out of daycare for a few days while the contagious period passes. Although from what I understand pretty much the whole Tiny Tots room has it; we should just let them be miserable together. Just kidding.
He’s not that sick, a pretty good cough and a slight fever. The two teeth that are trying to come in are probably causing more trouble than anything else. So no exciting baking projects this weekend with velcro baby by my side and I still haven’t posted about the bacon. Hopefully I’ll get to it this week when I have a few moments.
I did make a quick break from the house yesterday to go to the ‘good grocery store’. I managed to accumulate Starbucks, takeout sushi and a cupcake on my way home. It made the hour drive both wonderful and torturous all at the same time.
Rewards
Posted: February 16, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »I bought an orange today instead of a candy bar. I am thinking that means it’s okay to make cookies tonight.
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Posted: February 15, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Charcutepalooza, not from a box, things you can make yourself Leave a comment »I am not even a big fan of bacon and it’s all I can think about today. I let the cat out of the bag and showed my husband the big surprise last night. I put the bacon in the over last night so it was too hot to slice. We will definitely try it this evening.
English Muffins
Posted: February 15, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: breakfast, food, not from a box, things you can make yourself, yeast Leave a comment »To go along with the secret Valentine’s Day bacon I wanted to make homemade English Muffins. When I first came across a post about making English Muffins I couldn’t believe they were cooked in a skillet and not in the oven. Honestly I never thought about how English Muffins were made, why would I? You buy them at a store, pop’em in the toaster and top with deliciousness. What more do you need to know?
That’s the point of all this, thinking about where our food comes from. I’ve been an ingredient reader for a long time, ever since my mom put me in Weight Watchers in the 5th grade (that’s another story for another time). I pay attention, some times I chose not to care, like I will not read the box when the Girl Scout cookies arrive because I don’t want Thin Mints to turn into a moral quandary. More and more I find myself rejecting well loved food because of what it contains. Not the fat and calories, although I probably should pay more attention to those as well, but the acronyms and the unpronounceable words and food should not share the same ingredients as anti-freeze. Is that to much to ask of food?
Right, back to the muffins…so after I realized that the creation of English Muffins doses not belong to Thomas alone I used my best Librarian skills to find a good recipe. First I turned to Alton, because nerds tend to congregate. But it seemed overly complicated although i did like the no rolling part. I found very similar recipes here and here . Since I am still new to this whole yeast thing I followed the recipe closely. Oh boy were they delicious! Yeasty and light with real nooks and cranies! I still can’t get over that. It really worked. And here is the proof.
Dark vs. Cold
Posted: February 10, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Life in WV, snow Leave a comment »No one wants to hear people complain about the weather. I mean it’s the weather, you can’t change it, for the most part I don’t want to move so you get what you get. But the last two winters have been harsh. Last winter was snowy for sure, but it just felt so dark. I think the dark had more to do with my serious lack of sleep cause by a certain someone named Henry, but intensely wintry none-the-less. It just seemed to last for so long.
This winter has been snowy but more so;cold. Like as in Henry knows how to say “brrrrr” and shiver a little when you ask him if it’s cold outside. One of our heat pumps at work has been out for the last 2 going on 3 weeks so that’s not helping my frame of mind. I am tired of the cold. The TV tells me it’s going to be in the 60s next week, hard to believe when it hasn’t been above the mid-20′s for the past few days.
I just hope it’s easier to shake the cold than it was the dark.
Pop-Tarts
Posted: February 9, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: food, not from a box, things you can make yourself Leave a comment »I made a first try at the pop-tarts this weekend. They were delicious but I am not completely satisfied. I made a blackberry and a Nutella version. Surprisingly I liked the blackberry better. The crust was so full of buttery goodness I hate to criticize but it just wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I have another recipe to try out, hopefully soon. But until then…
Pop-tarts take 1
Ode to Target
Posted: February 4, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: can't get there from here, dirt Leave a comment »I miss you. I really want to visit. But I just don’t have three hours to spare in the car plus another hour wandering your sparkling aisles. Please understand it’s not you; it’s me. Or rather it’s the onslaught of visitors we are expecting this month and their expectations of a clean bathroom.
A Plan
Posted: February 4, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »is in the works! Pork Belly is on it’s way! The bacon probably won’t be ready for Valentine’s day since I can’t pick it up until Monday. But it’s the thought that counts, Right?
Charcutepalooza!
Posted: February 2, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Charcutepalooza, Superstore Leave a comment »I started seeing these post everywhere last month, “The Year of Meat.” Um. Okay, I thought we were supposed to be eating less meat? And then I looked a little deeper and was amazed at what people are doing. There is a monthly challenge to make your own preserved meat.
The first challenge was Duck Breast Prosciutto. Duck Breast Prosciutto, oh my goodness that sounds so delicious but I brushed it off. It’s not like I can get duck breast at the Superstore. But then I saw the February challenge and my heart stopped. Not from the cholesterol or for my own joy but the crazy idea of making your own bacon. This would make my husband happier than anything I could imagine. It is the perfect Valentine’s Day present. So I signed up.
I am on the list. No one even knows this blog exists and I am on the list! I am so excited to try this. So today I have to figure out how I am going to get a hold of 5lbs of pork belly. This ought to be interesting. Everything at the Superstore comes prepackaged, and I am pretty sure they don’t take special orders. I have to get it by this weekend to pull it off for Valentine’s Day. I am on a mission.
