again today. It's a new recipe - look in todays' newspaper advertisement for the details. Something about grilled fish. Which we won't be doing as there is no grill, so our sample will be cooked in the skillet on the single burner we have to work with.
Along with some sort of hot slaw recipe. I looked it over before I left the store last night, and it looks tasty. But will give a full report after I have cooked and given it away five times. I've had hot potato salad and thought it yummy, but never hot slaw, so this should be interesting.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
everyone dreads...
...an appointment with the dentist. Even if it should be no more stressful than a routine cleaning visit, in your head it can get blown all out of proportion and turn into a crisis before you walk in the door. Knowing you will walk out of the office with clean sparkly teeth and the freshest breath in the past six months is not enough to overcome the anxiety of knowing you will be walking IN the door of the 'D-word'.
Yesterday was even worser. I knew it would be bad. So bad that I used a variety of lame excuses to reschedule, postpone the appointment I made: literally originally months and months ago. Cancelled after the original appointment early in the year, mostly out of fear, but partially due to work conflict. Backed into a corner when I went back six months later, and began to reschedule, able to postpone a couple of times. And finally went on Tuesday with a bucketful of terror along for the ride.
The appointment was for eight o'clock, so I woke up about 4:30, thoroughly apprehensive, nearly despondent at the prospect of spending the morning with other peoples' hands in my mouth. I knew it was too late to reconsider, turn back, beg off - and laid there for hours deciding for and against drugs. The last time I was facing my fears of the dental chair, I'd begged for meds. to calm anxiety. And was told I could not drive myself when 'under the influence'. I still had meds. and pondered the value of use, or possibly just taking my little rubber mallet to have them whack me on the head. But it was too late to recruit a driver, so had to face my quivering-like-Jello anxiety: stone-cold sober.
Yes - it was a bad as I had anticipated. After more than one injection of pain killers and profound consternation. When he got started, my heart was pounding so, I thought I was having palpitations, expecting to pass out. I survived three and a half hours in the dental chair. There may be some benefit to modern technology as I won't have to go back - he did everything while I was there, and there will be no need for a follow up visit. But it was awful. Rest assured I will not be doing that again without drugs.
So much that it reminded me of the time I was still a teenager and the dentist insisted two wisdom teeth/third year molars needed to be removed. I was so full of fear and trepidation, I found the parents hidden stash of fruit cake bourbon in the closet and had a stiff drink. There was nothing in the house to use a mixer, so I had it in a glass of milk - it's a wonder I lived long enough to get to the dentist?
Yesterday was even worser. I knew it would be bad. So bad that I used a variety of lame excuses to reschedule, postpone the appointment I made: literally originally months and months ago. Cancelled after the original appointment early in the year, mostly out of fear, but partially due to work conflict. Backed into a corner when I went back six months later, and began to reschedule, able to postpone a couple of times. And finally went on Tuesday with a bucketful of terror along for the ride.
The appointment was for eight o'clock, so I woke up about 4:30, thoroughly apprehensive, nearly despondent at the prospect of spending the morning with other peoples' hands in my mouth. I knew it was too late to reconsider, turn back, beg off - and laid there for hours deciding for and against drugs. The last time I was facing my fears of the dental chair, I'd begged for meds. to calm anxiety. And was told I could not drive myself when 'under the influence'. I still had meds. and pondered the value of use, or possibly just taking my little rubber mallet to have them whack me on the head. But it was too late to recruit a driver, so had to face my quivering-like-Jello anxiety: stone-cold sober.
Yes - it was a bad as I had anticipated. After more than one injection of pain killers and profound consternation. When he got started, my heart was pounding so, I thought I was having palpitations, expecting to pass out. I survived three and a half hours in the dental chair. There may be some benefit to modern technology as I won't have to go back - he did everything while I was there, and there will be no need for a follow up visit. But it was awful. Rest assured I will not be doing that again without drugs.
So much that it reminded me of the time I was still a teenager and the dentist insisted two wisdom teeth/third year molars needed to be removed. I was so full of fear and trepidation, I found the parents hidden stash of fruit cake bourbon in the closet and had a stiff drink. There was nothing in the house to use a mixer, so I had it in a glass of milk - it's a wonder I lived long enough to get to the dentist?
it was five more hours ....
...of cookin' at work. The same recipe I made five times on Monday. I did it three times on Tuesday. And had it so 'down pat', I might have looked at the actual printed recipe one time to check on the quantity of some ingredient. But other than that- I don't think I referred to the little laminated card the company prints in quantity to disperse a single time.
So it was pretty much same-old, same-old. A Ready-to-Eat pork roast with a can of black beans and two tablespoons of sofrito sauce, put in the microwave, Just long enough to heat thoroughly and serve over the rice (instant - just add to boiling water and wait while it fluffs up) that is getting ready while you are heating protein. A mixed salad that got lots of good comments, probably due to the fresh squeezed lime juice you add to the Italian dressing.
The helpful hints that were included in our prep. instructions were to let customers know they could also drain the beans well, mix in the rice (and no reason you could not add greens to make it a 'well-balanced 'meal) and roll in flour tortillas. Turn it into a' hand held' that would be appealing to kids.
So it was pretty much same-old, same-old. A Ready-to-Eat pork roast with a can of black beans and two tablespoons of sofrito sauce, put in the microwave, Just long enough to heat thoroughly and serve over the rice (instant - just add to boiling water and wait while it fluffs up) that is getting ready while you are heating protein. A mixed salad that got lots of good comments, probably due to the fresh squeezed lime juice you add to the Italian dressing.
The helpful hints that were included in our prep. instructions were to let customers know they could also drain the beans well, mix in the rice (and no reason you could not add greens to make it a 'well-balanced 'meal) and roll in flour tortillas. Turn it into a' hand held' that would be appealing to kids.
Monday, August 24, 2015
cookin' at work....
...today. A recipe I made five times, and will make three more times tomorrow. I guess it was good - all the tasters said it was yummy, but I did not put any in my mouth. Due to the fact that basically the only two ingredients in the meat dish was pork roast and a can of seasoned black beans. You use one of those RTU heat-and-eat refrigerated vacuum packed meats and just add the can of beans and a couple of tablespoons of sofrito sauce. Some one who tasted the sauce today said it was flavored more like an Italian dish than something Latino. Just passing along the things I heard from all the people who ate it.
You just mix together and heat in the microwave, serve over rice. Or you could drain the beans so there is not so much juice in the dish when you heat it, and roll it up in flour tortillas. There was also a green salad that lots of people commented on, probably to the fresh lime juice you added to the dressing, and the tablespoon of chopped up fresh cilantro that went into the mix.
It was good (according to the passers-by) and tasty. I could not make myself put the pork in my mouth, but brought a small container of left-over home for the guy who will eat anything to try. I will be making it again tomorrow at the store where I normally work, and have the recipe pretty much memorized.
You just mix together and heat in the microwave, serve over rice. Or you could drain the beans so there is not so much juice in the dish when you heat it, and roll it up in flour tortillas. There was also a green salad that lots of people commented on, probably to the fresh lime juice you added to the dressing, and the tablespoon of chopped up fresh cilantro that went into the mix.
It was good (according to the passers-by) and tasty. I could not make myself put the pork in my mouth, but brought a small container of left-over home for the guy who will eat anything to try. I will be making it again tomorrow at the store where I normally work, and have the recipe pretty much memorized.
cookin'...
... in a different place today, due to someone being out. I got a call on Friday, asking if I could replace someone at another store today. Though I had a bit of finagaling to swap work days and be off on Sat., agreeing to work on Monday instead, it all worked out. I will go to replace the replacement at the Macon Rd. store, who has been working full time while the regular cooking demo. person is on vacation. This all sounds confusing, especially when not using names to identify individuals.
But all it really amounts to is working more hours than expected/scheduled this week, and getting a bigger paycheck in two weeks as a result of extra time on the job. When I consider how exhausted I will be after standing on my feets, giving away food while smiling, being congenial, looking like I love my job, for eight hours, it's not certain the pay off is worth the investment.
Especially after that 'situation' occurring back early in the year, where I was informed I could expect a considerable pay cut due to a change in my 'job class'. Even though it will be a fruitless endeavor, I feel compelled to have another conversation related to the loss of remuneration. I likely think more highly of myself than my employer does, but keeping opinions to oneself will not resolve the problem. I am in hopes that 'the squeaky wheel continues to get the grease'.
But all it really amounts to is working more hours than expected/scheduled this week, and getting a bigger paycheck in two weeks as a result of extra time on the job. When I consider how exhausted I will be after standing on my feets, giving away food while smiling, being congenial, looking like I love my job, for eight hours, it's not certain the pay off is worth the investment.
Especially after that 'situation' occurring back early in the year, where I was informed I could expect a considerable pay cut due to a change in my 'job class'. Even though it will be a fruitless endeavor, I feel compelled to have another conversation related to the loss of remuneration. I likely think more highly of myself than my employer does, but keeping opinions to oneself will not resolve the problem. I am in hopes that 'the squeaky wheel continues to get the grease'.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
travelin'...
... to south GA. Drove down yesterday afternoon, and packed my car to the brim with more boxes of stuff. Kitchen things like place mats, pots and pans, glass ware, pancake turners, flatware, canisters for dry goods, ten-year old tea-bags (?). Sadly, stuff I did not personally put into the boxes, so I will have to unpack and make a tedious list before loading it back in my car to take to the women's shelter and donate.
Spent the night in Valdosta with my auntie - which is definitely a story for another day.
Got up this morning and drove up to the north side of the county to visit friends who live in Ocala. They had come to visit their daughter who lives/works in Valdosta and is celebrating a birthday today. There was noise and activity going in on the kitchen at 9:00 am when I arrived, and I thought the 'birthday girl' (who is actually a highly capable young adult) might have been baking her own cake. But she was making cupcakes in anticipation of various and sundry young partiers attending. And her mom was making the birthday cake, with lemon-cheese filling/icing (no actual cheese involved.) Four little people and one lap baby, with numerous adults milling around, eating good stuff, filling all the seats in the house, telling funny family stories. Little people loved the chocolate icing on the cupcakes, but as you would expect, abandoned the actual cake part after licking them clean as a bald pate. Kids running in and out, making the birthday girl a 'dirt cake', that fortunately did not come in the house.
You know how the best part of a vacation/trip is coming home and settling down, getting back to humdrum daily routine? I am sure the best part of the celebration will be when the traveling circus departs for various homes, and peace and quiet reign. Dirty floor, dirty dishes, house in complete disarray, but calm and quiet....
Spent the night in Valdosta with my auntie - which is definitely a story for another day.
Got up this morning and drove up to the north side of the county to visit friends who live in Ocala. They had come to visit their daughter who lives/works in Valdosta and is celebrating a birthday today. There was noise and activity going in on the kitchen at 9:00 am when I arrived, and I thought the 'birthday girl' (who is actually a highly capable young adult) might have been baking her own cake. But she was making cupcakes in anticipation of various and sundry young partiers attending. And her mom was making the birthday cake, with lemon-cheese filling/icing (no actual cheese involved.) Four little people and one lap baby, with numerous adults milling around, eating good stuff, filling all the seats in the house, telling funny family stories. Little people loved the chocolate icing on the cupcakes, but as you would expect, abandoned the actual cake part after licking them clean as a bald pate. Kids running in and out, making the birthday girl a 'dirt cake', that fortunately did not come in the house.
You know how the best part of a vacation/trip is coming home and settling down, getting back to humdrum daily routine? I am sure the best part of the celebration will be when the traveling circus departs for various homes, and peace and quiet reign. Dirty floor, dirty dishes, house in complete disarray, but calm and quiet....
the clean underwear fairy...
... oddly happened to be a story I told two times yesterday, so thought it was worth relating here. People who are not accustomed to doing the family laundry, or even taking care of their own personal clothing will likely not 'get it'. And people who have been doing the chore for years will possibly not see the humor. But I am of the opinion you might as well laugh ...
The long-standing joke (only marginally funny) here is that the man in this house still believes in the clean underwear fairy. He knows his clean garments reappear in the drawer neatly stacked and folded on a regular basis, and never questions how it mysteriously happens from week to week. So the assumption is that some entity possibly related to the tooth fairy of yore must be the responsible party.
Two different people on Friday heard the story of the ongoing mystery that occurs here. There was a time a couple of years ago when no one did the laundry for over a week, when I left town traveling out of the country. Upon my return, the laundry basket full of undershorts and T-shirts, overflowing in fact, due to brand new items suddenly appearing. That would indicate he not only does not do laundry, but he went to the store and made purchase when the supply got dangerously low.
One of the people who heard the story told about a man who had to be trained on how to open the washer and drop his clothing in, along with a lesson in how to operate the machine. I said: 'I can top that.' And told my story. She laughed uproariously and agreed that I won.
The long-standing joke (only marginally funny) here is that the man in this house still believes in the clean underwear fairy. He knows his clean garments reappear in the drawer neatly stacked and folded on a regular basis, and never questions how it mysteriously happens from week to week. So the assumption is that some entity possibly related to the tooth fairy of yore must be the responsible party.
Two different people on Friday heard the story of the ongoing mystery that occurs here. There was a time a couple of years ago when no one did the laundry for over a week, when I left town traveling out of the country. Upon my return, the laundry basket full of undershorts and T-shirts, overflowing in fact, due to brand new items suddenly appearing. That would indicate he not only does not do laundry, but he went to the store and made purchase when the supply got dangerously low.
One of the people who heard the story told about a man who had to be trained on how to open the washer and drop his clothing in, along with a lesson in how to operate the machine. I said: 'I can top that.' And told my story. She laughed uproariously and agreed that I won.
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