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HOPE IT'S A GOOD GOOD FRIDAY, Reader Dear!
And by all means, I'm wishing you: A Happy Happy Easter!
Presenting: Bunnies in the Breeze
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Friday, April 6, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
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I'M NOT A REAL COOK, Reader Dear, but I try to play one in real life. Today I bragged to The Yard Man, when I had dinner steaming and ready to eat, "A half hour from store to table!!" Now, considering that the trip from store to home is fifteen minutes (though it may have been only twelve minutes today, so heavy was my foot), I feel I truly outdid myself!
I was speeding home from the
grocery store, schlepping those bags of food into the house and flinging chicken tenders into the frying pan so fast I think I was just a streak. I hardly had time for any photos. Then, once I had those fresh broccoli florets steamed and that mile-a-minute salad on the plates*, the skillet full of chicken and veggies was done to perfection, and I was so busy exclaiming over it and gobbling my dinner that...when next I thought of it, there was nothing there but empty plates! (The Yard Man, himself, pronounced it Very Good, [equaling two moans and an mmmmmm, this is simply to die for in my rating system!].)
Fast and Furious Flavorful Chicken:
About 2/3 of a 1-lb. Package of chicken tenders
(Or use the whole pound and add half again as much of everything else; or use the whole pound and add whatever vegetables you've got, in whatever quantity [though, if you're going to do that, well....harrumph, I know just what you're thinking!])
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
(preferably flavored)
1 Whole sweet onion, roughly (and speedily) chopped
3 Cloves of garlic (straight from a zip-lock bag in the freezer, already peeled--how handy!) put through a press
3/4 Cup of chopped red pepper
(also from the freezer, already chopped)
1 Teaspoon (or to taste) All-Seasons Salt
(I can hardly cook without the stuff, Reader Dear! Could never put on the cooking act that I do without it! One could likely substitute with salt, paprika, cane sugar, garlic, onion, celery seed, oregano, turmeric, and [yummy, yummy] silicon dioxide; but I should think it would behoove the would-be chef to buy a bottle of the already mixed-up ingredients. It certainly enhances one's odds of pulling off the "fast and furious" aspect of this dish!)
Several dashes of black pepper
....
Saute the chicken in the oil
for about five minutes
Flip tenders over, push to one side of skillet and
Add all remaining ingredients.
Cook, covered, for an additional ten minutes or so, gently stirring and rearranging everything every so often for even cooking
......
If you don't live more than fifteen minutes from the store, Reader Dear, (and are brave enough to [slightly] exceed the posted speed limit** [and have the good fortune of all green lights], and wish to give this fast and furious "recipe" a try, you just might be able to pull it off!) Bon apetit!
......
*For the complete experience, head home with a head of fresh broccoli and some salad greens all ready to go; wash, trim and put that green head of yours to steaming in a separate pan during the first five minutes of chicken-cooking (In spite of the fast pace, please try to keep the other one on your shoulders!) Arrange salad greens on plates and add some carrot slivers (be sure you've got a bag of baby pre-scrubbed carrots) and any other "salad fixin's" during the last ten minutes of chicken-cooking. Quick now--set the table!
**It's tasty, Dear Reader, but honestly NOT worth a speeding ticket;
so keep that in mind! I don't wish the "furious" part to be...er....you know...
......
I'M NOT A REAL COOK, Reader Dear, but I try to play one in real life. Today I bragged to The Yard Man, when I had dinner steaming and ready to eat, "A half hour from store to table!!" Now, considering that the trip from store to home is fifteen minutes (though it may have been only twelve minutes today, so heavy was my foot), I feel I truly outdid myself!
I was speeding home from the
grocery store, schlepping those bags of food into the house and flinging chicken tenders into the frying pan so fast I think I was just a streak. I hardly had time for any photos. Then, once I had those fresh broccoli florets steamed and that mile-a-minute salad on the plates*, the skillet full of chicken and veggies was done to perfection, and I was so busy exclaiming over it and gobbling my dinner that...when next I thought of it, there was nothing there but empty plates! (The Yard Man, himself, pronounced it Very Good, [equaling two moans and an mmmmmm, this is simply to die for in my rating system!].)
Fast and Furious Flavorful Chicken:
About 2/3 of a 1-lb. Package of chicken tenders
(Or use the whole pound and add half again as much of everything else; or use the whole pound and add whatever vegetables you've got, in whatever quantity [though, if you're going to do that, well....harrumph, I know just what you're thinking!])
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
(preferably flavored)
1 Whole sweet onion, roughly (and speedily) chopped3 Cloves of garlic (straight from a zip-lock bag in the freezer, already peeled--how handy!) put through a press
3/4 Cup of chopped red pepper
(also from the freezer, already chopped)
1 Teaspoon (or to taste) All-Seasons Salt
(I can hardly cook without the stuff, Reader Dear! Could never put on the cooking act that I do without it! One could likely substitute with salt, paprika, cane sugar, garlic, onion, celery seed, oregano, turmeric, and [yummy, yummy] silicon dioxide; but I should think it would behoove the would-be chef to buy a bottle of the already mixed-up ingredients. It certainly enhances one's odds of pulling off the "fast and furious" aspect of this dish!)
Several dashes of black pepper
....
Saute the chicken in the oil
for about five minutes
Flip tenders over, push to one side of skillet and
Add all remaining ingredients.
Cook, covered, for an additional ten minutes or so, gently stirring and rearranging everything every so often for even cooking
......
If you don't live more than fifteen minutes from the store, Reader Dear, (and are brave enough to [slightly] exceed the posted speed limit** [and have the good fortune of all green lights], and wish to give this fast and furious "recipe" a try, you just might be able to pull it off!) Bon apetit!
......
*For the complete experience, head home with a head of fresh broccoli and some salad greens all ready to go; wash, trim and put that green head of yours to steaming in a separate pan during the first five minutes of chicken-cooking (In spite of the fast pace, please try to keep the other one on your shoulders!) Arrange salad greens on plates and add some carrot slivers (be sure you've got a bag of baby pre-scrubbed carrots) and any other "salad fixin's" during the last ten minutes of chicken-cooking. Quick now--set the table!
**It's tasty, Dear Reader, but honestly NOT worth a speeding ticket;
so keep that in mind! I don't wish the "furious" part to be...er....you know...
......
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
.....
NOW THAT THE PARK has become my second home, no doubt you'll be seeing a lot more, Dear Reader, of the other folks who populate it (Well, mostly they're just visitors; no one calls it home like I do!)
Today there were two fishermen. One of them was only there for the sport of fishing, so he said. "They're all bottom-feeders! Fortunately, I don't eat fish." The other guy didn't say too much about his intentions. He agreed that these fish would not be so tasty. "They're catfish," he said. "Did you ever eat catfish from this area? They're grainy, hardly have any flavor!"
"Look at all of them down there! Can you see them?" they asked me.
I stared and stared at the water, looking for some kind of fish. "Nope," I said.
And then suddenly those fish jumped right out of their camouflage--a whole little school of them! Each was about ten inches long.
"This seems kind of unfair to them," said the non-fish-eating guy. "This will be so easy!"
"Okay, then," I told them. "I'm walking on...making a loop. I'll be back in ten minutes to see what you've got!"
But, nine minutes later ("That wasn't ten minutes!" they accused me), they hadn't caught a one!
The Non-fish-eater had been persistently dangling his worm in front of a non-biter. "I think he's vegetarian!" he explained.
"Hmm. Well, you've got nine more minutes!" I warned, and set off on my fourth loop.
Those catfish were wily, however. They'd still managed to avoid the hooks when I came round again!
"Okay, that's it," I said. "I'm leaving. Good luck!"
Then I leaned down and looked at those catfish, swimming in the sunny creek. "And good luck to you, too!" I told them.
(I have no idea where that
good luck landed)
......
NOW THAT THE PARK has become my second home, no doubt you'll be seeing a lot more, Dear Reader, of the other folks who populate it (Well, mostly they're just visitors; no one calls it home like I do!)
Today there were two fishermen. One of them was only there for the sport of fishing, so he said. "They're all bottom-feeders! Fortunately, I don't eat fish." The other guy didn't say too much about his intentions. He agreed that these fish would not be so tasty. "They're catfish," he said. "Did you ever eat catfish from this area? They're grainy, hardly have any flavor!"
"Look at all of them down there! Can you see them?" they asked me.
I stared and stared at the water, looking for some kind of fish. "Nope," I said.
And then suddenly those fish jumped right out of their camouflage--a whole little school of them! Each was about ten inches long.
"This seems kind of unfair to them," said the non-fish-eating guy. "This will be so easy!"
"Okay, then," I told them. "I'm walking on...making a loop. I'll be back in ten minutes to see what you've got!"
But, nine minutes later ("That wasn't ten minutes!" they accused me), they hadn't caught a one!
The Non-fish-eater had been persistently dangling his worm in front of a non-biter. "I think he's vegetarian!" he explained.
"Hmm. Well, you've got nine more minutes!" I warned, and set off on my fourth loop.
Those catfish were wily, however. They'd still managed to avoid the hooks when I came round again!
"Okay, that's it," I said. "I'm leaving. Good luck!"
Then I leaned down and looked at those catfish, swimming in the sunny creek. "And good luck to you, too!" I told them.
(I have no idea where that
good luck landed)
......
Monday, April 2, 2012
......
I HAD NO IDEA when I climbed out of bed this morning that this afternoon I'd be visiting with a cousin I've not seen in almost thirty years. Danny and his wife happened to be in the area on their way home from three months of living in Bangladesh. Their home is in Washington state, but Danny's father (my uncle, you see) lives here in Pennsylvania, and they stopped off on their journey home in order to see him. I can't tell you how long Uncle Harry has lived in Pennsylvania, but I do know he's lived at some spot or another for a very long time!
Very nearly as momentous (and just as unexpected) was the fact that I whipped up some Chocolate Chip cookies today! (One event had a lot to do with the other, as the whole idea of cookie-making sprang into my head when I searched my cupboards for "a little something" to serve to my guests, and found quite a bit of nothing! [A quick dash to the grocery store followed].)
As might be expected, Reader Dear, a slight problem arose, however, with the cookie-baking: About the time I began measuring ingredients into the bowl (I substituted coconut oil for half of the butter, a move I highly recommend), my guests arrived!
Dear Reader, one doesn't concoct cookies while visiting with relatives who've just come from Bangladesh, and with whom one has never really ever visited before (playing with toys from the basket together at Grandpa and Grandma's house doesn't count; nor does briefly chatting at funerals.) It just isn't done!
So we spent a lovely forty-five minutes together (Uncle Harry is still hale and hearty just two days shy of ninety-five; Danny and his wife served as houseparents for seven young people who were English teachers in Bangladesh; they likely will not go back, Danny's wife was allergic to the dust; Danny and his wife have twenty-six grandchildren [I did some exclaiming, Reader Dear!] And lots more of interest, but of course I can't tell it all!)
And we ate nothing.
As soon as they left, however, I finished making those cookies.
And then, alas, I ate more than a little of "a little something"!*
......
*Warm from the oven, chewy with chocolate oozing.
Can I be blamed, Reader Dear?!
I HAD NO IDEA when I climbed out of bed this morning that this afternoon I'd be visiting with a cousin I've not seen in almost thirty years. Danny and his wife happened to be in the area on their way home from three months of living in Bangladesh. Their home is in Washington state, but Danny's father (my uncle, you see) lives here in Pennsylvania, and they stopped off on their journey home in order to see him. I can't tell you how long Uncle Harry has lived in Pennsylvania, but I do know he's lived at some spot or another for a very long time!Very nearly as momentous (and just as unexpected) was the fact that I whipped up some Chocolate Chip cookies today! (One event had a lot to do with the other, as the whole idea of cookie-making sprang into my head when I searched my cupboards for "a little something" to serve to my guests, and found quite a bit of nothing! [A quick dash to the grocery store followed].)
As might be expected, Reader Dear, a slight problem arose, however, with the cookie-baking: About the time I began measuring ingredients into the bowl (I substituted coconut oil for half of the butter, a move I highly recommend), my guests arrived!
Dear Reader, one doesn't concoct cookies while visiting with relatives who've just come from Bangladesh, and with whom one has never really ever visited before (playing with toys from the basket together at Grandpa and Grandma's house doesn't count; nor does briefly chatting at funerals.) It just isn't done!
So we spent a lovely forty-five minutes together (Uncle Harry is still hale and hearty just two days shy of ninety-five; Danny and his wife served as houseparents for seven young people who were English teachers in Bangladesh; they likely will not go back, Danny's wife was allergic to the dust; Danny and his wife have twenty-six grandchildren [I did some exclaiming, Reader Dear!] And lots more of interest, but of course I can't tell it all!)And we ate nothing.
As soon as they left, however, I finished making those cookies.
And then, alas, I ate more than a little of "a little something"!*
......
*Warm from the oven, chewy with chocolate oozing.
Can I be blamed, Reader Dear?!
Sunday, April 1, 2012
......
IN HONOR OF APRIL FOOL'S DAY, which was coming right up, I played the fool! I did it quite openly and honestly, with full realization of the unreasonableness of my actions.
Two days ago, Dear Reader, I spent a candy bar's worth of hard-earned money on lottery tickets! A "tax on stupidity" is what my dear old dad would have called it. But I had such a grand time in the ensuing hours throwing cash out the car windows, and feeding the starving masses, and establishing a foundation for the advancement of humor, and surprising all friends and acquaintances (and yes, even a few strangers, Reader Dear!) with gifts of eye-popping value... that I'm still thinking of it as money well-spent, despite the fact those slips of paper have now made a dunce out of me!
......
IN HONOR OF APRIL FOOL'S DAY, which was coming right up, I played the fool! I did it quite openly and honestly, with full realization of the unreasonableness of my actions.
Two days ago, Dear Reader, I spent a candy bar's worth of hard-earned money on lottery tickets! A "tax on stupidity" is what my dear old dad would have called it. But I had such a grand time in the ensuing hours throwing cash out the car windows, and feeding the starving masses, and establishing a foundation for the advancement of humor, and surprising all friends and acquaintances (and yes, even a few strangers, Reader Dear!) with gifts of eye-popping value... that I'm still thinking of it as money well-spent, despite the fact those slips of paper have now made a dunce out of me!
......
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