Wow - it is only 8:30 and I have been out here at least 20 minutes -- usually I am cleaning up the kitchen - but tonight I did a very simple and light dinner -- and made a small pudding later -- I'll tell you about all of that later! I've told you about my babies - Harley, Lexie and Beemer! Well that "Harley Boy" (only 9 years old) is a true mess! Last night after I had written my blog, cleaned my face, etc., etc., I remembered I was going to put valentine hearts and stickers on the newsletters (PILOT LIGHT) for Pilot Club today -- so I went to the car, got the newsletters and stickers and started working on them. Travis and Lexie and Beemer had gone to bed. Harley would stand in front of me, start a low growl, then offer his hand to shake and I would tell him I needed to finish this job. He would walk around, butt anything he could find - including a package of tolit paper that had been set down on the scales (anything to hide the scales!) and come back - rare up and growl again. He wanted to go to bed but would not leave me. When I finally got the 30th newsletter all decorated with valentine stickers - and put the stuff up - he took off trying to anticipate my every move. I still had to put all the moisture stuff on my face -- so he finally got to go to bed about 12 a.m. Well - I don't know if this was retaliation - or just my playful boy - I walked into the bedroom to go and change clothes this evening and all over the floor was torn up tolit paper -- I followed the trail all the way to the living room where I found the roll - and some all the way to the dining room. I know he instigated the whole game -- but I am pretty sure the other two thought it was great fun and joined in. Half a roll of a giant Charmin roll was in shreds! Those kids!!! Now we really know why we don't leave them out when we are gone!!!!
Tonight I cooked a really simple and easy (and most would consider gourmet) dinner. My boss was the inspiration for this meal -- he had done something similar the other night and mentioned it. I bought a package of very thin sliced veal and after rinsing and drying, I rubbed salt and pepper (MY PENSEY'S FRESH GROUND PEPPER) on both sides. Then I quickly and carefully browned slightly each side in very warm (hot, but not too hot) olive oil. Then I removed the veal from the pan, added three pressed cloves of garlic, some(about 1 tsp.) Mural of Seasoning (spices, shallots, onion, garlic, lemon peel, citric acid, chives and orange peel), a sprinkle or two of Tuscan Sunset (Basil, Oregano, red bell pepper, garlic, thyme, fennel, black pepper and anise) and a little extra French Thyme - all from Penseys!), and about 1 cup white wine -- no not white wine vinegar - not apple juice - white wine. There are some dishes that require the real thing and all you need to do is keep a bottle of white wine in the pantry for this very purpose. Then I covered this and let it simmer for about 25 minutes - while I cooked angel hair pasta (I only use whole wheat because it is heathier and you can't tell the difference in taste or color after it is cooked!) Drain the pasta after it is fork tender (not too tender -- you don't want gummy -- and then add a couple of tablespoons of a good olive oil (tonight I used B R Cohn "Meyer Lemon Olive Oil") and chopped a Roma tomato in it! Then I made a Papaya and Avacado Salad - slices of about one half of a small (about 4 or 5 inches long) Papaya and 1 Avacado. I put a little lime juice on it and then topped it with about a tablespoon of the Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. I heated up some bread I had bought at Super Mercado yesterday. Serve several slices of the veal over the pasta! WELL - Travis loved it all except he would not eat the Papaya -- which I told him is good for digestion! Finally he took one small bite and said "I told you I didn't like it!" Sounded just like Maura when she doesn't want to even try something. (Maura is my seven year old niece!!) So dinner is over and I am left with a half of a papaya - could have made salsa - but I had tried to look up a "Papaya pudding" last night and what they called "pudding" was not what I call pudding. SO - I had a challenge and took the dare. In a saucepan I put 1-1/2 cups sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons flour, dash of salt. I beat up 3 egg yolks, and added enough half and half to make one cup. In the meantime I had peeled the rest of the papaya - puree'd it in the blender, and it made about 1 cup. I first stirred the egg yolk and half and half mixture into the sugar/flour mixture until smooth and then added the cup of papaya puree. Also added about 3 tablespoons of butter. Cooked until it started to thicken, added 1 TABLESPOON Vanilla and stirred until mixed well. Put some vanilla wafers in bottom of bowl, poured in pudding, added more vanilla wafers and topped it off with the rest of the pudding. Crushed a couple of the vanilla wafers on top and vil-la-- a pudding you can't even find on the internet!!! (At least I couldn't!) I did all of the pudding while Travis walked the dogs! I took him a bowl with a little cool whip on top and HE LIKE IT AND ASKED FOR THE SECOND BOWL!!! See - just create -- God created us in His own image and we can create too! I think He made us that way!!
Well - all of the Toffee Bars were eaten at work today, and I promised if they were liked, I would give you the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 Cup light brown sugar 2 Sticks butter (softened)
1 Egg Yolk 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Cups All Purpose Flour 1 TABLESPOON vanilla
12 oz. pkg. Semi-Sweet chocolate chips 1 cup walnuts (chopped coarsely)
Cream brown sugar and butter and add egg yolk - beat. Slowly add flour and salt. Mix until well mixed and add vanilla. Butter a 9 X 12 pan and press the batter into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (yes - 35 and yes - I thought it was a long time too -- but do it!!) Remove from oven and layer the top with the chocolate chips. Return to the oven for 4 minutes. Remove and smooth the chocolate until top is smooth and covered. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Allow to completely cool before cutting and serving. Enjoy!!!
Well - I don't know about you - but that is about all of the cooking I can handle tonight - hope you try some of this -- it really is simple, easy and a little gourmet! See gourmet is not complicated - just good seasoning and a great looking dish!! God Bless and Happy Cooking.
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