The Pig and I

Today is pumpkin day. This means the next couple days will probably be pumpkin days for you all, in terms of reading my blog. Today I will just tell you all about what I did to process the pumpkin. Tomorrow I will make something with the pumpkin. And so on. I have a lot of pumpkin. I think you all probably know how to make the pumpkin mash, but if you don't I'll tell you. Most people buy those little pie pumpkins. I like to just buy one huge pumpkin and be done with it. Some people say there's a significant difference in the quality of the mash but I think they're smoking a little something extra. Or maybe that's just because I just like to do the big pumpkin, and saying they smoke a little something extra is one way of justifying it. Either way, you get what you like. I spent $4 on my huge pumpkin. The little ones cost so much more. The Beginning: So I cut my big pumpkin in half, from top to bottom. Then I scoop out all the seeds and the stringy bits. Most pe...

Our fridge was delivered yesterday. It was missing a part. And it ... doesn't fit. I am happy to have it sitting in the middle of my kitchen. If it continues to live in the middle of the kitchen, fine by me. If it is somehow made able to fit, even better. But either way? I HAVE A FRIDGE!!!!!!!! While I was at school, P went down to Phoenicia without telling me and got some things I have missed. It was a great surprise when I got home (even better than the laundry being done, which I also got!)! Olives! Salami! Cheese! Brussels sprouts! All sorts of fun things! Then we went to the regular store and we got some other foods. I feel much better having food in the fridge. Today we came home and made sandwiches and are now happily snacking on olives (ok, and some lupini beans). Tomorrow I will be making dinner. I'm excited!

Kevin from Closet Cooking made some granola recently (as an aside, if you have never seen his blog, please go there - it's absolutely lovely), and then SJ made it too. And now, in the aftermath of the hurricane, P and I have discovered our bellies are... not as small as we want them to be. So we agreed that when we get our new refrigerator delivered (Tuesday), we will start a diet together. I am in charge of the food. P is in charge of getting both of us on the Bowflex; I won't adjust it, so he has to ready it for me, for each exercise. We lost our maple syrup in the flood, amongst a gazillion other foods. So I decided to make a cereal P would really like but which wouldn't bust his waistline further - this means cherries. I wanted to make something he could have with milk for breakfast, or something that he could take to school as a sort of trail mix. I think a larger quantity would be better to make normally, but I want to be sure P likes it before I stick him with 80...

Originally, this wasn't intended to be porridge-like. I mainly planned to serve this not-too-long after the rice was done, but sometimes life gets in the way. I didn't take a picture of it, because it looks really gross. It was delicious, though. Anyway, it was tasty as breakfast, but is probably more appropriate for lunch or dinner. 1/2 cup cargamanto beans (pintos are a fine substitute) 1/2 teaspoon italian spices 1 tablespoon dried onion 1/8 teaspoon: dill weed, garlic powder, dried minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1 cube chicken bouillon (or vegetarian) 1 can stewed tomatoes 1/2 cup brown rice salt and pepper to taste 1/2-1 cup water Soak the beans overnight. Add to them the remainder of the first group of ingredients, and cook until the beans are at their desired level of softness. Then add the salt and bouillon. Cook over medium heat 10 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook 2 hours more. Serves 2-4.

We bought a fridge today, but it won't be delivered until next week. I'm glad to know we'll have a fridge soon, but bummed to know my savings are all gone now. I cooked a rice/beans/tomatoes thing (all day, I came home between classes to tend it), but we ultimately decided not to eat it today (P was really craving meat, and we can't have that in the house right now, because meat should actually be refrigerated). It's in the oven hanging out. We'll eat it for breakfast. No fussing - it'll be fine unrefrigerated, as long as we don't let it sit too too long. I had no time for baking today, so I exercised a small feeling of traditionalism by eating cut up apples drizzled with honey, and forcing a bite into P's mouth. They were really delicious, and I think I might cut more. Shana Tova, guys.

This is the first meal we're having now that we're back home. Our landlord brought us some pears from his brother's tree, and I really wanted to eat some. However, they're actually a little harder than even I like them, so I decided to chop a few into little bites and roast with some vegetables. I hope you like this. 1 cup rice 1 can broth (vegetable or chicken) salt to taste 1 tablespoon lime ends (the ends of ten key limes, in this instance) 1 teaspoon lemon ends (the ends of three lemons - this is the remainder of the preserving citrus) 1 ear sweet corn, kernels cut off cob 6 large brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed and cut into quarters 1 small white onion, cut into half-moons 3 small pears (1 large pear from the store), cut into bite-sized chunks 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon orange blossom water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon dried sage, rubbed Preheat oven to 400F. Place c...

We finally got to go home last night. It was a bittersweet experience. On one hand, we enjoyed living with J so much it was sad to leave, on the other hand, we are back in our own home. It's a mess. We cleaned out the living room, taking all our stuff off the couch and hooking up the electronics. Initially, the cable didn't work, but then it started (after I made a service appointment, of course). P built our new TV table (the former one died in the flood). We slept on the couch last night. The desk that probably no longer will house the desktop (since it also got flooded) is fine, but has tons of stuff all over it. I'm ignoring that part of the cleaning right now. The house is full of mosquitoes. I never get bitten typically, but they're even interested in me. I guess P doesn't have enough blood to sustain them all. I've killed a couple so far, as has P. Aleister, naturally, refuses to do his part in the pest control arena. I just moved all the dishes that requ...