Posts tagged ‘vegetables’
Labor Day Weekend. A joy of three days off I have not appreciated near as much as now that I am a full time working stiff. But a dark cloud is looming. My little dog has a hurt knee that will require a 1300 dollar band aid. My car has a faulty gear shifter that will likely cost at least an arm if not a leg. So what do we do when we are a little anxious about the awful part of being a financially independent grown up? We eat, of course. Eat well.
While my little boo girl was getting her x rays on her knee I popped over to the farmers market and grabbed some “barbie-sized” orange tomatoes. They are like candy. I can put back a box of these faster than I can a box of junior mints. And you know how much I like junior mints. In the spirit of trying something new I also got some kale – a leafy green I have heard good things about. I heard you can steam it, soup it, salad it, but what I really got excited about was making baked kale chips with olive oil and salt – which were described as being as addictive as potato chips. Say no more…
After 15 minutes in a moderate oven these kinky leaves turn extremely crispy, flaky, and as gross as it sounds the only way I can describe what I shoved in my mouth by the handful is like what fish food texture is – only it didn’t taste like fish food smells. I’ve never eaten fish food. That I can recall. Regardless. Totally worth the 2 bucks I paid for gobs of kale. Yum. But what’s with all this vegetable goodness? Can I get a sweet thing in here? It’s Saturday after all…
After reading about Natasha’s Mulberry and Mott bakery for months now on this or that food blog I decided it was time to hop into our other car with no A/C in the 90 degree heat and have a little treat. I walked in, ordered an iced coffee (as if that’s what I came for -ha!) and asked for a suggestion about what flavor of French macaroon to try. We agreed strawberry would be the best choice since strawberries are going out of season soon. What I imagined a macaroon is like (a ball rolled in coconut in a can at my great-grandmother’s apartment) was nothing like the soft and sweet creamy fresh amazingness I enjoyed two feet from the front door of the place.
It was a good day for new foods. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll become inspired to do some new paintings. Stay tuned.
Summer work (the official kind with a real paycheck) is over for me. For the next two weeks I can be an independent artist/amateur foodie/domestic goddess – all of which reap different but worthy “paychecks”. Then back to the real grind when school starts back up. I don’t want to think about that…look at my pretty veggies. I grabbed a feast from the Merriam Farmer’s market this morning. I will have to use it up before I leave town for a couple nights on Monday. Any good tomato recipes out there? Eggplant? I also got something called “noodle beans” from the Thai farmers.
Also of note this weekend are these three paintings I am working on. I think they are almost done. They are in the stage of painting where they just have to set there for a while…let the flavors blend….tomorrow I’ll figure out if they have reached their full potential. Kind of hard to see…but basically I was working on a snail, a flower, and a tree branch. And of course adding all kinds of crazy colors, lines, and shapes.
What are you doing this weekend?
How much fun it is to spell the word nincompoop? You hear it all the time but never write it down. Fun stuff.
I’m in a bit of a “what does it all mean” phase of my life and I’ve decided the meaning of life requires growing plants. I have a black thumb. I could kill a plastic tree if left in my care.
But I want to fix this. I want to grow a garden. And if I successfully grow my own food I would be so proud of me! Last weekend I pulled out (almost) all the weeds, got some serious hives, and am nearly scratching myself to death. But this didn’t stop me from planting some 
veggies with my daughter yesterday. Tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and some cherry tomatoes….I’m a farmer! I am totally open to your advice, tips, tricks, and other words of encouragement.
Especially if you know how to stop these crazy itches. I’m dying over here. Seriously. I look a little pox-y. I actually made a doctor’s appt which I NEVER do so you know it’s bad.
We only filled half the garden box. What could I plant that won’t die? What will grow with minimal effort?
Do I have any chance at success here? Time will tell.
Obviously I like to talk about and take pictures of my food. It’s become a slight obsession. It hasn’t taken over my life yet – YET.
Baking is a lot of fun – so science-y and sweet. The perfect marriage of comfort and precision. But there’s more to food than cookies. I can’t believe I just typed that! In the last year I have ventured into the wonderful world of vegetable lust. Read more
