Foodie 4 Thought

Low Carb Mexican Food

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

It seems like an alien concept to speak of Mexican food as low carb (and diabetic friendly), but a link to just such a concept popped up on my newsreader today. About.com, which seems determined to cover the universe in their little multi-page articles concerning what and how, has several pages devoted to low carb Mexican food. The discussion ranges from Mexican dishes that are already low carb, those than can be turned into low(er) carb, and how to survive eating out at a Mexican restaurant.

Much of it we knew already (meat, dairy, eggs, some vegetables), but I was surprised to read a recipe for the already-low-carb chile relleno. I had always avoided those batter dipped chiles, thinking that the batter was heavily starch. That's what I get for assuming. Chile relleno's "batter" is whipped egg whites.

I've missed years' worth of what promises to be a tasty treat. On my next visit to a Mexican restaurant, guess what I will be ordering?

Twinkies are bankrupt!

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

For the second time in the 21st Century, which we all know to be still pretty new, Hostess Brands, Inc. has declared bankruptcy. Hostess makes Twinkies and HoHos and all sorts of heavily processed, heavily sugared treats.

The company is based in Irving, Texas, which makes this a bittersweet (no pub intended) problem. One wants to lard (get it?) on the snark, inquiring how they missed the memo that diversification is a good way to deal with changes in the business climate (just how long did they think we wouldn't notice the obesity epidemic and make even a feeble effort to turn it around?). On the other hand, oh, the humanity! The employees and their families are likely to become victims if the company folds--and the retired employees, whose pension has been underfunded, are likely to become victims regardless of the outcome.

I avoid all Hostess products because they would put me in a food coma. Even so, I still crave Ding Dongs. Put 'em in the fridge to get the chocolate coating cold and crunchy. Nowadays I have to make do with the memories, so this bankruptcy is not going to change how I shop or eat regardless of the outcome. I do, however, hope things work out for their employees.

Houston water still tastes bad

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Just saying.

I've solved part of the problem with the bottled water that seems to take forever to consume: a squeeze of lime. The limes were 8 for $1 at Joe V's Super Saver (love that store--about which more later). I didn't buy them with the intention of saving the water, but I had that light bulb moment last night. Sure enough, a couple of squeezes of fresh lime and the bad taste was undetectable (to my palate). What a relief. I just hope the limes will last as long as the jugs of water!

The other part of the problem seems to be something that the City of Houston is going to have to tackle. It seems that the taste of the water comes from critters (hopefully dead ones).

Backing up a tad, Houston used to use ground water for its water supply, but over pumping the aquifer and sinking the city kinda indicated that it was time to look for another source. Houston chose, among other sources, Lake Houston for its surface water/backup source. No doubt there are a zillion contaminants in the Houston water supply, but the taste seems to come from those aforementioned critters: cyanobacteria and actinomycete. Cyanobacteria are algae, popularly referred to as blue-green algae and adored by dietary supplements fans. Some of the bacteria in this family make toxins. This is a bad thing, I would think. Actinomycetes are bacteria from a family that produces a number of antibiotics. This is a good thing, I think. No word on whether they are dead by the time the water leaves the faucet or the bottling plant, but they seem to be always in Lake Houston. The amount of bacteria depends on how long the water stays in the lake, gets diluted by rain and run off, and is pumped out (so saith the USGS).

As it turns out the bottled water that we are drinking has been "carbon-filtered." Not well enough to improve the taste, but making it more or less safe to drink. A little lime juice makes it palatable. And more rain would help the aquifer.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Some meandering on the Internet a couple of days ago led me to a USDA web page devoted to "Healthy Eating on a Budget." Be forewarned that all of the links on the page lead to PDFs, but do follow a few.

The first link takes you to "Eating on a Budget--The 3 P's" (plan, purchase, prepare). Most of the recommendations on the one-page handout include things that we old folks know, but it's not a bad idea to review them and even think about why we do or don't follow them. For example:

I don't "plan meals and snacks for the weeks according to an established budget."
I do "make a grocery list."
I didn't used to "check for sales and coupons in the local paper or online and consider discount stores" but I do now (more or less).

Right now (knock on wood) my family is not on a tight budget for food. It just happens that we are, well, thrifty, so we do tend to follow many of these tips as a matter of course. However, I don't much care for rigid meal planning if I don't have do. I actually did something like meal planning for My Prince's most recent visit for the Christmas holiday. I listed, by day, planned breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and made a list of the items that I would need to buy to prepare these meals. We never followed the meal plan and didn't get to many of the dishes that I had planned for those meals. That's one recommendation that will only work if the whole family--at least all of those that are involved in the purchasing, preparing, and eating of these meals--sticks with the plan. Easier said than done.

Of course, I do make a list before going to the store. Assuming I don't lose the list (on Wednesday, I first left it in the car and then had to hunt around the store to find it after it fell out of my cart--oops!) and can find whatever is on it (imagine not having large containers of red pepper flakes at a store in Texas!), I still tend to "invent" menus on the fly as I walk the aisles. That means I change my mind, add and subtract items as I go. I consider a list more as an "inspiration" than a "prescription."

I'm not much on grocery coupons. I don't like to fiddle with paper while I'm shopping. A grocery list is more than enough for me to handle. More importantly, many coupons tend to be for more expensive brands than I would normally buy.

If we were truly in a bind for grocery money, I would definitely have to change my ways. As it is, it may be worth thinking harder about how doing even a little better planning might save us some money.

Take a look. Did they leave something out? Do these work for you? Is there a PDF that you find particularly useful?

I plan to send the 3 P's to my grandson to start the discussion of how he can get a healthier diet on less money.

New foods (so far)

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Google has a new interface for Blogger, its blogging software. Pretty much like going snow blind, if you ask me. Oh, well.

I always think I'm going to try new foods, but end up with (mostly) the same old ones. On Wednesday, I tried not one but two new things!

The Oneth. I love roasting ears of corn. It's so much fun to go to a fair or carnival and find the vendor who roasts the corn. Butter, salt, cayenne with that roasted flavor is just so yummy. A couple of grocery stores on this end of Houston have food trucks outside their entrances that specialize in roasted corn. I finally took the time to stop by one to get a couple of ears.

Sadly, they were out of whole ears. The only choice was roasted corn in a cup. So I tried it, replying when asked, "Everything." I was expecting salsa or cayenne or something spicy. What I got was butter and mayonnaise (heavy on the mayo) with a little cayenne and some lime juice. Although there was definitely a taste of roasted corn, the result was very like an overdressed salad--way too much mayo and butter to enjoy the corn. After a few bites, it became too much, and I didn't finish the cup.

Since the cup cost a whopping $3, I have to say I was disappointed all around. I do intend to try again (someday) to get one of those roasted ears, but will definitely balk when offered one in a cup.

The Twoth. Leeks are not entirely a new item in my diet, but I can only recall purchasing them once before my last shopping trip to Kroger. They are about to become much more common.

I had been slicing the leeks and adding them to soups and stir-frys but, for the last one on the bundle, I decided to experiment with the leek as a standalone vegetable. I had a little oil left from pan-frying some breaded chicken breasts, so I sliced the leek and tossed it in the pan along with the leftover bread crumbs. I seasoned with salt and garlic powder and deglazed the pan with some chicken stock. After reducing the stock, I served the leeks with the pan-fried chicken and some mashed potatoes.

Definite yum. Definite addition to the diet.

Houston water supply

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Hmmm. Having some trouble finding the source article for MSNBC's claim that Houston has some of the worst water in the country (not that I'm arguing with that), but I did find another tidbit on the 24/7 Wall St. website that talks about the elephant in the (Texas) room: water shortage. Houston comes in second, after Los Angeles, as the (big) American city most likely to run out of water. Here's what they say:

2. Houston, TX

Major Water Supply: Jasper Aquifer, Lake Houston, Lake Conroe
Population (U.S. rank): 2,257,926 (4th)
Population Growth Rate: 15.6%
Average annual rainfall: 53.34 inches

Throughout most of its history, the city of Houston primarily drew water from the Jasper Aquifer, located along the southeastern coast of Texas. Over the last 30 years, the city began to suffer from dramatic rises in sea level of nearly an inch a year. Geologists eventually realized that the cause was Houston’s withdrawal of fresh water from the aquifer located under the city. This discovery forced city officials to use nearby Lake Houston and Lake Conroe for municipal water instead of the aquifer. Since 2000, Houston has been the fifth-fastest-growing city in the country, and its presence in an area with high drought likelihood makes it an immediate risk for serious water shortages. [emphasis added]

The article, from an October 29, 2010, post on 24/7 Wall St., names its sources (what a refreshing change):

24/7 Wall St. looked at an October, 2010 report on water risk by environmental research and sustainability group, Ceres. We also considered a comprehensive July, 2010 report from the National Resources Defense Council which mapped areas at high risk of water shortage conflict. 24/7 Wall St also did its own analysis of water supply and consumption in America’s largest cities, and focused on the thirty largest metropolitan areas. One goal was to identify potential conflicts in regions which might have disputed rights over large supplies of water and the battles that could arise from these disputes. And, 24/7 Wall St. examined geographic areas which have already been plagued by drought and water shortages off and on.

I'm still on the hunt for the origin of MSNBC's claim that Houston has lousy water (not that I am quibbling), but the discussion of water shortage--which we saw up close and personal this past summer--provides a nice focus for more thought about Houston's water supply. It's more than just keeping the lawn green, aifinkso.

Severe droughts that could affect large cities are first a human problem. The competition for water could make life in some of America’s largest cities nearly unbearable for residents. A number of industries rely on regular access to water. Some people would be out of work if these industries had poor prospects for continued operation. The other important trouble that very low water supplies creates is that cities have sold bonds based on their needs for infrastructure to move, clean, and supply water. Credit ratings agencies may not have taken drought issues into account at the level that they should. Extreme disruptions of the water supply of any city would have severe financial consequences.

This past year we experienced months of drought and searing temperatures. Lawns shriveled. Old trees died or lost major limbs. The City of Houston had to haul water to keep newly planted landscaping in the medians from dying--although they were too late for a goodly portion of that. What happened in terms of water quality? The mystery deepens?

Houston water quality

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Uh oh. A quick google for "Houston water quality report 2011" gives this as the first result: 10 Worst Cities. The report ranks Houston as the 6th worst water quality in the nation:

6. Houston (City of Houston Public Works) Houston is the fourth-largest U.S. city. It gets its water from sources such as the Trinity River, the San Jacinto Rivers and Lake Houston. Texas conducted 22,083 water quality tests between 2004 and 2007 on Houston's water supply, and found 18 chemicals that exceeded federal and state health guidelines, compared to the national average of four. Three chemicals exceeded EPA legal health standards, against the national average of 0.5 chemicals. A total of 46 pollutants were detected, compared to the national average of eight. The city water has contained illegal levels of alpha particles, a form of radiation. Similarly, haloacetic acids, from various disinfection byproducts, have been detected.

And it tastes bad (not that the report said that--just me).

However, the news report from MSNBC, from which this quote is taken, does not link to the actual source report nor does it look at the mandated water quality report that I was actually looking for. More research ahead, I see. In the meantime, less drinking from those gallons of drinking water that My Prince and I bought before Christmas.

Water matters

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0000

One of the things that My Prince does for me and Mama when he comes to town is help us stock up on water. Mama has to drink steadily because of her kidney failure and constant UTIs. We've been so successful with this "water therapy" that her kidney is (for now) stabilized at 29% function. For my own part, I am very protective of my kidneys. The diabetes is expected to wreak havoc on them at some point, and I take quite a few medications that challenge my kidneys already. So far, blood tests and a recent sonogram say that they are in good shape, but I continue to want to do my part to keep 'em happy with lots of water. After all, both my doctor and I agree that the knuckle of my big toe may well be harboring the intention of flaring up with gout if it hasn't given me a mild preview already.

We drink water. Lots of it. The water of choice is distilled.

This costs $1-$2 per day. We only buy gallon jugs, and, whenever possible, buy the house brand (Kroger's mostly).   We have been recycling the plastic water jugs, with My Prince hauling them back to Austin for recycling pickup and both of us cutting them down to create mini-tubs out of the base for sorting and storage needs.

Recently I discovered an HEB store--Joe V Super Savers--in this area and liked their remarkably low price on gallon jugs of water. Joe V's sells only small quantities of distilled water at a comparatively higher price. Signage (and branding) seemed to indicate that it is intended for baby formula. For the rest of us, it is "drinking water."   My Prince, a great reader of labels, pointed out to me that the water accompanying the labels was likely drawn from the Houston water supply. I shrugged, assuming that it had been at least filtered and wanting to get this part of our pre-Christmas shopping done more quickly. He picked up 20 gallons to help fill our supply shelves.

GAG! It tastes like dirt!

Now I could use these jugs to water plants, make flavored drinks (to cover the taste at least), or just pour them out. No one would really know.

Or I could get real:

Even Mama 's nephrologist says that distilled water is unnecessary. She could use the trace elements found in the city water supply.
I grew up on this water supply. I've tasted much worse in both East Africa and Louisiana. (Seattle's water was yummy, tho.)
All sorts of state and federal regulations protect the water supply. I've even sat on committees that assured that that was so.
Chucking out all this water will only cost about $10 or $11, but it will add 20 more plastic containers to our recycling bin--for no useful reason.

Perhaps I just need to check the local water quality reports and be brave. After all, eventually I will get used to the taste.

Just to catch up

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:55:00 +0000

Sometimes I post comments on forum related to beading, another love that allows me to express myself. I dared to respond recently to someone's post about starting a blog by offering "my insights" and realized that I hadn't actually done any blogging in quite a while. Here is it Christmas time again, and I never even had a chance to finish sharing the delights of last year's presents. Time flies, and elder care can be fairly time consuming even when it doesn't seem that I am doing all that much. For writing, it's the interruptions that take their toll. Come to think of it, I haven't been able to do much beading either. Interruptions, again.

All is quiet right now. My Prince has arrived to spend a week with us and share our Christmas celebration. Mama is resting--for now. And I really ought to take this opportunity to catch up a little. Who knows when there will be another chance to do this?

So. The aforementioned Yoshi blade (ceramic knife) has actually been quite the boon this past year. I have used it almost daily for cutting vegetables, meats (even semi-frozen), and tomatoes. I have to say, tho, that the special tomato slicer (oddly serrated knife) that I picked up at a dollar store is even better for those tough old tomato hides. Still, I love the ceramic blade so much that I have asked Santa to bring me another one (or more).

I never had a chance to blog about my favorite new toy from last year: An immersion blender (Quisinart Smart Stick). While I haven't had as many opportunities to use the stick blender as I have the ceramic knife, I have to say that it works a treat. I feel all Top Chef-y when I use it, chortling like a mad woman as I turn those veggies into a puree.

This year, Christmas is a quite a bit tamer. Even though I had already scaled things back in 2010, working hard to be "smarter" and more relaxed about it all, there was still too much activity for one person to do. My Prince is indeed a prince, but he's more a watcher than a doer when it comes to Christmas. Mama gave up doing a long time ago, but she is still the focus of all our celebrations.

This year I have pretty much called it quits on anything that involves anyone else besides Mama and My Prince. We did have three friends over last week to sing carols and share a pot luck dinner, but this week has been (and will be, I hope) very quiet. So far, Mama and I have driven around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights. Tonight we had an old family favorite for dinner. Saturday--if the turkey thaws out--I'll cook it. We'll have a quiet Christmas Eve, a relaxed Christmas morning, and hope for some magic in the kitchen (I'm thinking elves here, not a sudden improvement in my cooking skills). Whatever happens, we won't starve.

Tonight's treat was Corned Beef Stew. This was something my late father cooked. It was always a treat. I have changed the recipe slightly to lower the carbs (a little).

Corned beef (canned is "traditional" at our house) - the meatier the dish, the less need for carbs. Tonight I only had one can of corned beef in the pantry, so we here heavier on the carbs.
Potatoes - I used red potatoes to reduce the starch a little; Daddy used Irish potatoes. Quantity depends on how far you need to stretch the soup and how many carbs your table-mates can handle.
Onions - I used white onions, halved and sliced. Actually I load up the stew with onions; suit yourself.
Salt and pepper - I favor coarse ground pepper. I have to go lightly on both because of assorted dietary needs (and people-who-get-cranky-about-too-much-pepper), but the stew can handle a heavy hand on the pepper.

Throw it in a pot with some water (cover the vegetables, add more if you need to stretch the stew). Cook the vegetables until tender. Since I am lazy about chopping the potatoes (and never peel them anymore), just quartering the smaller ones and hacking up the bigger ones, I use a potato masher to smash the potatoes once they are cooked. This releases a little starch into the broth, but that's pretty much in the nature of potatoes anyway, I reckon.

My father thickened the broth with a flour and water paste. I stopped doing that long ago, wanting to cut down on carbs wherever I could. I don't think he really liked my version of the stew without that extra dose of starch, so you might want to try it both ways.

Traditionally, we serve this with cornbread. It's yummy to crumble your cornbread into the stew, soaking up most of the broth with the bread. Since I have to worry more about carbs, I have started eating the stew without any bread at all. It turns out that that broth is quite yummy, and I don't miss the cornbread at all.

Tomorrow, we'll have another Christmas favorite: Tamales. Those we will have to buy. I think if you remove the corn husk tamales don't actually have any carbs. Right?

Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Safe and happy holidays!

Christmas Toys (2)

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I also helped Santa Claus out by picking up some new cutting boards. The old ones were getting pretty chewed up. Even though they went through the dishwasher after each use, the effect of much chopping made me worry that I would just be creating a haven for bacteria if I continued to use them. The new ones are basic plastic cutting boards sold two in a pack at Walmart (Mainstays brand). I chose the "letter" size as most convenient for storage and use on limited counter space.

Last year I picked up some thin plastic sheets sold as cutting mats and found them to be quite handy. They, too, had seen better days, so I got new ones at Walmart (also Mainstays brand). These were sold three in a pack and were almost twice the size of the hard cutting boards.

I am happy with the firm ones, less so with the mats. The problem with the mats is that they now seem so large. It doesn't help that my Yoshi knife made a brand new mat look very like one of the old ones after only one use. Two chicken breasts, one onion, some green onions, and a couple of roasted red pepper sections--and the cutting mat is badly scored. How long before the Yoshi blade slices completely through it? This could be a problem.

Still, I think I need to get more of the firm boards, since I can go through my entire supply of cutting boards before I ever get the dishwasher full enough to run. If I do, I with try to check the label for dimensions and such before I toss the wrapping away.

As for the old boards, I am still looking for potential new uses. They don't seem to be labeled with recycling codes, so I expect they will go into a landfill if we don't figure out some other way to use them. One, I have already mentioned, now serves as a "coaster" for the little tray that holds my vinegars and jar opener on the newly cleared counter. This will prevent any rust from developing or staining the tile counter. My prince may need one or two. Repurposing will become a bigger issue as time goes on and we feel the need to replace more cutting boards.

Christmas Toys (1)

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:00:00 +0000

I had a good Christmas this year--if raking in a lot of toys counts for making it a good one. Now that I have a little time to look at all the goodies, I have to admit that Santa Claus (and My Prince) treated me very well.

Toy #1 is a Yoshi Knife (yes, as-seen-on-TV). I actually picked it up myself (Santa Claus is not a terrific shopper, so I have to help him out). I have wanted a ceramic knife for some time, but the prices I have seen have been more than I feel comfortable spending on a knife. The TV ad for the Yoshi made me want this more affordable version. When I saw it advertised at Big Lots, I stopped by on my round of errands to pick one up and saved it for my Christmas stocking.

I didn't have time to look at the thing until this past Friday when I opened the package and tried it out with Little Sister. Opening the package was an ordeal. The stiff plastic container is impossible to open without very sharp kitchen scissors. The jagged edges that crop up during the opening process are alarmingly sharp and quite dangerous in themselves. It was all I could do to get the package open. Once I managed to pry the thing open enough to work out the knife, I had to tear the paper label to do so. Not a happy experience.

I read the directions before trying the knife. Cleaning is simple. Use, however, comes with a lot of caveats that I had not expected, e.g., use the knife only for slicing, not for chopping. Most of the "rules" make sense, e.g., ceramics can be incredibly strong (and, we are hoping in this case, sharp), but they can be shattered with improper use. After all, even diamonds are "cut" to shape. Storage may be simple enough, but I am still nervous when re-sheathing the blade. Using only wooden or plastic cutting boards is fine by me.

The knife's first test was on an onion. It was not quite like slicing butter, but it was certainly easier than any previous onion-cutting experience I have had. I could also get better control over the thickness of slices, making some of them quite thin. (I need better control over my wrists before I get all of them to be that thin.) I was pleased.

When LS came over, I showed her the knife and let her play with it a bit. She was even better at making thin slices and reminded me of the tomato demonstration in the commercial. I didn't get to that test until last night, when I actually needed to slice some tomatoes. Sure enough, the Yoshi knife did a good job on them and let me get some nicely thin slices. I was surprised, however, that even this sharp blade was not so razor sharp as to get through the skin without some extra pressure. (Tomatoes are tough these days.)

Despite being less than overwhelmed by the knife, I am pleased enough to think I will continue to use it with some frequency. I also will think about getting some other knife styles with ceramic blades.

Last night I used the knife to make a side dish to go with turkey patties. I sliced one onion, two tomatoes, and some roasted red peppers (from a jar). These were sauteed in the pan used to cook the turkey, picking up flavors and the dab of oil left over from cooking the turkey. I added a little salt while I was sweating the onions and then a little garlic/herb seasoning mix while the vegetables were cooking down. I served the resulting vegetable mixture over the turkey patty for a delicious dinner. Sadly, I am not enough of a cook to know what others would call what I made. Happily, the Yoshi Blade worked a treat to make preparation easy and quick. Even better, I have another low carb dish to avert a food coma.

Kitchen cleaning #1

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

One of my major issues in Mama's kitchen is that the kitchen is so small. Worse, there is very little counter space. I don't know what genius designed this house in the 1950s, well before the Women's Liberation Movement moved a lot of women out of the kitchen and into an office, but the guy was definitely well before his time. This tiny kitchen would do well on a modest-sized boat. It doesn't help that a fair chunk of counter space was lost when a den was added to the house my senior year in high school, lo, these many years ago.

To be fair, the kitchen as designed and even as remodeled fit Mama's needs. Mama was working outside the home long before Gloria or Bella or even Betty would fight for her right to do so. Teaching full time and coping with her handicap was more than enough for Mama to handle in those days. She needed a small kitchen that reduced her steps. She prepared comparatively simple Southern-style meals that suited my late father's appetite and her skillset. The tiny kitchen was enough. I am pretty sure she never missed the lost counter space when it was replaced with a large den just as I am pretty sure she never missed the loss of a big chunk of lower cabinets when a dishwasher was installed.

I, on the other hand, want to chop things up and then mix them together and even cook several dishes at once. There just isn't enough room to do that when food and equipment take up already limited counter space.

My first kitchen cleaning strategy has been to clear the counter tops so that I have more work room. That's easier said than done, but here's what I've managed to do so far--for only half of the counter space. (I said I was slow.)

Removed the old knife holder and the blender. Both stored on a top shelf in the kitchen. This may need re-evaluation when/if I get to that shelf.
Limited on-counter equipment to toaster, coffee maker, and coffee grinder. The coffee maker is a small 4-cup item, so it and the grinder still take up less space than the old full sized coffee maker. (Did I mention that these kitchen counters are tiny?)
Replaced rusting metal tray with "silver-toned" tray. Set tray on top of old plastic cutting board (to avoid rust). Stored vinegars along with knife sharpener and battery powered jar opener on tray.
Limited on-counter food storage to the aforementioned vinegars, cooking oil (too tall for shelves), and about 5 large containers of seasonings.
Re-purposed napkin holder used to hold cutting boards upright. Replaced old plastic cutting boards with new ones.
Left napkin holder, salt/pepper shakers used in cooking as before.

The end result is cleaner (after wiping and scrubbing) and more efficient (tools and condiments are handily available) and less cluttered (only items used frequently are given counter space). I also have two, maybe three, times as much clear counter space as before.

Sadly, there is more to be done, because I haven't found a home for all of the things I had to remove in order to get these results. The work goes on . . .

Cleaning house

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:31:00 +0000

I think there is some superstition or tradition hanging out there that tells me that the house needs to be cleaned before the new year begins, or else I will have bad luck Oh noes!

I never can get the house cleaned before the new year. Eeek!

I don't actually believe not having the house cleaned by New Year's Day will bring me actual bad luck, but I do manage to feel somewhat guilty and a bit of a failure when New Year's Day rolls around and I can still see dust bunnies frolicking in the corners. Oh, heck, let's be honest: They play soccer in the middle of the room. You wouldn't believe all the racket they make when one of them scores.

Perhaps that's why January always brings the urge to do some spring cleaning (Spring itself never does that to me, so I have to wonder why this urge hits in January). This January is no different. I've been working (in my own slow pokey way) to get the Christmas decorations put away and . . . here's the food point at long last . . . to get the kitchen here at Mama's house somewhat better organized.

I went through this process soon after I started staying with Mama full time. Over time, I managed to get through most of the kitchen, clearing out some of the clutter and making room for better food supplies. As time has passed, more clutter has accumulated and the food supply issue has changed from convenience and hurricane preparedness to better taste and nutrition.

Accommodating this change will no doubt take some time. Still, it needs to be done. Aren't you glad to be sharing all the details of the really fun time I'll be having cleaning Mama's kitchen? Thought so.

Food therapy

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:45:00 +0000

Sorta.

It's more like blogging therapy, I suppose. Long story short: I've been urged to write more to gain more control of my life/body/health. Since food is at the center of much of what is happening (and going wrong) in my life/body/health, I may as well try to channel the activity in a semi-productive way and make an effort to keep this blog going. (I say "effort," because it's not the blogging that takes energy. Time and space to concentrate have been challenges for well over a year. Caregiving has taken precedence. Now I am reminded that taking care of myself needs to be higher on the list of things to do so that I can continue to be a caregiver.) Let's see how it goes.

So, hi, subscribers (both of you!) and readers (undetermined). Happy New Year! How have you greeted the new year? So far so good?

Fat good, carbs bad

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Dr. Andrew Weil is probably a very nice man, but his views on health and medicine tend not to attract me. Indeed, I tend to veer away from New Agey, Old Hippie kinds of things as much as possible (too much emotionalism, too much "true believer"). A recent Weil blog on the Huffington Post did, however, attract my attention for its discussion of fat versus carbs. In it Weil draws on recent research and a recent book by Gary Taubes to highlight these points (made by Taubes in his book):

Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease or any other chronic disease of civilization.
The problem is the carbohydrates in the diet, their effect on insulin secretion, and thus the hormonal regulation of homeostasis -- the entire harmonic ensemble of the human body. The more easily digestible and refined the carbohydrates, the greater the effect on our health, weight and well-being.
Sugars -- sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup specifically -- are particularly harmful, probably because the combination of fructose and glucose simultaneously elevates insulin levels while overloading the liver with carbohydrates.
Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease and diabetes. They are the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic diseases of modern civilization.

Weil does recommend, for environmental reasons, to reduce the amount of meat in the diet, but not to fear to give it its proper place. As for me, Taubes has a whole chapter on fiber! I am so getting this book.

When the garbage disposer dies

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

We haven't always had a garbage disposer. I can remember moving to this house when I was 9 years old and, not long after, Daddy installing a disposer. I still remember being told not to put bones or paper in the disposer, the concept was that new to us. Over the years, I've had to cope with a few hours, maybe even a whole 24 hours, of life without a disposer as we waited until one of our very handy men procured and installed a new one.

Imagine my delight when the garbage disposer here at Mama's house died a very sudden death recently, and there was not a man, handy or otherwise, in sight.

I did what troubleshooting I could. Cleared out the disposer, punched the resent button, looked for something strong enough to try to "stir" the turn-plate of blades. No joy in any of it.

We then entered the stage of having no disposer while we considered whether (a) Next Door Cousin and I could replace the thing, (b) to call a plumber, or (c) to have My Prince make a mad dash to Houston.

I seriously considered (a). NDC is single, tough, and semi-handy. Between the two of us, we might figure it out. Our problem was upper body strength. There are pipes and other screwish things involved in replacing the disposer, and neither one of us have a lot of muscles. Indeed, I actually have a battery operated jar opener for when pickles get to be too touch.
The thought of (b) was both a matter of cost and skill. Neither of the important men in my life were ever big on paying for labor when they could do the job themselves. My late father was always DIY and the go-to guy in the extended family for help or advice. Ditto for My Prince. Not that MP always approved of how Daddy did some of his jobs. (Painting the eaves with a broom for a brush was a late-in-life solution to getting the job done when it was too dangerous for him to be on a ladder.) And that is the crux of the issue for (b): can anyone do the job well enough to meet MP's standards? Prolly not.
That left (c), although I put my foot down and said there would be no mad-dashing. We could survive without a disposer for a while, and MP was instructed to plan his trip to Houston with some consideration given to all the things he was already trying to do. Eventually he agreed, and decided to come a few days later.

In the meantime, we had to survive without a disposer.

Doing so called to mind all the mishaps that can come from lack of a disposer. I'm thinking of the fellow who decided to chop up watermelon rinds small enough to flush down the toilet. (Not a good idea, said the plumber.) Or the gals in the office above mine who washed coffee grounds down the sink. (Not a good idea, said the plumber, who cleaned up my flooded office.)

Needless to say, we didn't need anything like those events, so nothing unusual was flushed down the toiler or washed down the sink. We kept a mesh wire strainer over the disposer opening and dumped whatever landed there into the garbage. All of this dumping, however, made the garbage a tad more aromatic, so more effort was given to making sure that things were covered. We also had to worry about greater attraction for flies and, well, cockroaches.

The days without a disposer were less carefree than those Good Old Days of having a disposer. There was much "food for thought" (no pun intended) regarding composting and all the labor that that might entail. There was a reminder every day about vermin control and the spread of disease.

We live wasteful lives here in the US. We consume and trash and deplete natural resources at a phenomenal rate compared to much of the rest of the globe and even to the potential for replenishing most of those resources (slim to none). I thought, for a while, that perhaps we should make the effort to live without the garbage disposer permanently. After all, it was an addition to this old house, and there are still some houses in the neighborhood that don't have them. It is surely possible. It is, however, not so healthy. I'm going to emphasize that reason in my thinking about the disposer right now, but I will also give more thought to how we can cut down on the need for using the it.

In the meantime, yea! My Prince came to fix it!

Got the food blahs

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Sometimes food just doesn't interest me. Eating it, that is. Or cooking it. Or storing it. Or buying it. As a topic, it never fails. I haven't found anything interesting enough to blog about in my morning readings, but I certainly found some interesting things to read about. Like asparagus. I started with an article about some food movies, watched a 6 minute documentary on asparagus, wandered over to Wikipedia to read more about asparagus, and gave some thought about how to work 12 stalks of asparagus a day into My Prince's diet. (Hint: not gonna happen.)

*In a salute to George Orwell, I see that Huffington Post has simply disappeared someone's list of favorite food films, so I can't provide link. Who knew that it would all vanish while I was still thinking about the topic?* *hmph*

Still, today is just one of those days. I'm not hungry so there is no drive to cook or eat. Even if I were hungry, I don't think I'd be much interested in cooking. There is just no inspiration today. I need to go to the warehouse store, since we are running out of some essentials that are better purchased in bulk and at discount. I can also get some nuts for snacking there, which is usually my "reward" for going. Not even that can pull me out of my doldrums.

What does this mean? Company is coming tonight, and I don't know what to cook. It must be time for Mystery Casserole!

Tabasco in chili

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Yuck!

My Prince and The Grandson both are heavy users of Tabasco. They eat it on everything. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it's the seasoning of choice.

We all like spicy food. My Prince will, lacking Tabasco, join me in adding red pepper flakes or cayenne to a dish as table seasoning (I under-season most dishes because of the diverse palates at my table). This assures me that part of what he seeks is the peppery heat of the condiment.

But Tabasco also has vinegary element to it that is just too pungent for my taste. The men seem to like it and want that element as well as heat in their dishes.

Imagine my delight when I recently purchased some cans of chili and spied the "hot" variety on offer alongside the plain. I picked up several cans, thinking that this would suit all of the spicy-eaters just fine. Imagine my horror when I actually read the label and saw that these cans of Hormel chili were specially spiced with Tabasco. Talk about ruining a good can of chili. The guys will love it, tho. (Yes, I tasted it. No, I did not like it.)

Top Chef: DC (review)

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Eventually my poor brain did figure out the right day, and I did get to watch the premiere of Top Chef: DC. The opening included a set of challenges that seem to have become standard for the series: a quickfire of quick chopping and an elimination challenge based on "who you are" or "where you're from." Nothing outlandish or hard, but serious nonetheless.

The results? Not so great. One reviewer called the opening episode "less than tasty." James Poniewozik criticized the contestants for their failures at "representing" when deciding what dishes to prepare to reflect their home state. Despite a top-rated dish being a deconstructed borscht, he also makes it clear: "I no longer want to see any chef 'deconstruct' anything." I'm leaning toward agreeing with him.

At this stage, it's hard to pick favorites. Angelo Sosa, who won both the quickfire and the elimination challenges, is portrayed as a braggart. Not my kind of guy, so he will have to win me with his skills, which appear to be significant, since he's pretty much lost me with his attitude. (Nah, it's not his bravado and boasting that annoys me; it's his name dropping. Been-tos can be a pain in the tuchus, y'know).

While she didn't particularly stand out from the pack last night, Tiffany Derry does give Texas a hat in this ring. Born in Beaumont, trained in Houston, and working in Dallas, she chose to represent "the South" rather than "just Texas." Her dish--Cajun Shrimp & Crawfish Salad, Chicken Fried Tomatillos & Bacon Sherry Vinaigrette--certainly could have been a Texas dish, especially post-Katrina, but Tiffany's goal is to show that Southern cooking is more than biscuits and gravy. You go, girl!

Will this season be less than tasty? Dunno. But I look forward to seeing how it all plays out.

Fiddling with the background

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:10:00 +0000

Yes, I am indeed fiddling around with the background of the blog. Blogger (Google) now has more options for layout and color, and it is ever so much easier to switch and play than in the past. I am still looking for the most comfy background--something that seems suitable, not too garish, but bright and inviting. If you see something you like (or don't like) say so. In the meantime, we may have a little more fiddling to do, although I do like wooden spoons.

I cook with wooden spoons all the time. They are essential with any coated pan, but handy for stews and such. I can lay the spoon across the pot lid and not worry about it getting too hot to handle.

Back in my wild and crazy youth, I collected all sorts of wooden implements. I didn't know what to do with many of them; I just liked how they looked, and I was always on the lookout for new ones. At some point, I finally had so many that I had to quit collecting them. Right now they sit on my kitchen counter in Austin in a Marshall Pottery pitcher. I should photograph them someday. My favorite among them and one I use frequently is a paddle-like item that may have been intended as a cutting board but which works a treat for taking pizzas out of the oven.

Top Chef: DC

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 23:31:00 +0000

I spent the longest time yesterday looking for when Top Chef: DC would start. No joy. I found it for today, and then spent most of yesterday and today thinking, "How weird!" I thought it was going to be on Wednesdays, instead of Thursdays, and, I thought, this could conflict with Project Runway: "I hope they keep the schedules separated."

Mama asked me three times today what day it was. Every time I told her it was Thursday. And then I actually checked. Not Thursday.

And she's the one who's supposed to be having senior moments!

Something in the air?

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:00:00 +0000

What is it with the fast food joints on Wallisville Rd.? Is it so hard to hear an order, repeat the order correctly, and then get the correct food and drink in the bag? To be fair, it may not just be Wallisville Rd. that has bad air these days. There seems to be a rash of foul ups that happen between the order window and the delivery window.

Serving cole slaw without a fork or spoon.
Substituting diet Dr. Pepper for diet Coke.
Substituting the wrong kind and amount of chicken pieces.

And the list could go on. It's not a new or unusual thing at all to get a messed-up order through a fast food window. Indeed, it's practically the new "normal" that the bag that comes through the window will have something missing or substituted for what was ordered.

In response, I have developed a strategy to deal with it. If it's not too badly messed up or I'm in too much of a hurry to warrant a return to the restaurant, I check the receipt for a phone number. Sometimes I'm home already, sometimes I call from wherever I've stopped to dine (Mama and I "picnic" in the car a lot these days), but as soon as possible I call the restaurant and ask to speak to the manager. I provide the ticket number and explain what I ordered versus what I received. I comment on the server, praising courtesy, detailing rudeness. Often the manager wants to "do something" for me--give me a coupon or something. These are largely useless to me, so I make a big point of saying that I don't want anything extra, I just want the service that I paid for--every time I go to that restaurant. I ask him/her to please have a word with the staff about the quality of service and what customers are buying when they come to the restaurant. They usually agree very quickly.

What matters to me in this is that fast food restaurants not be excused from providing a basic level of service: take the order respectfully, repeat it back to the customer clearly, check to make sure that the order listed on the receipt is the actual order in the bag, check to see if the customer has extra requests for napkins or condiments before closing the window in his/her face. It's not rocket science, and we pay plenty to get this level of service. Failure needs to be reported to the person who is ultimately responsible: the manager. Repeated failure needs to be proclaimed a little more strongly--in places like this blog and rating sites that allow the community to comment on quality and service.

I'm not trying to cost anyone his/her job here. I am not trying to put anyone out of business. I just get fed up with paying for something and getting ripped off, which is exactly what is happening.

Chill the fat to skim it

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

The Mayo Clinic offers this healthy eating tip:

Cook meat in advance. Make soups, stews and other dishes in which you boil the meat in liquid a day or two in advance and then refrigerate it. As the dish chills, the fat hardens on the top and you can easily remove the fat.

We all knew this, of course. There's no way, once we've seen that chilled layer of fat on top of yesterday's roast that we want to break off a chunk and eat it. When it's liquid and blended in with the stew, we enjoy the flavor. Animal fat is not, however, the healthiest of flavors, so the cook-in-advance strategy may be a good way to cut fat (and fat calories) in our diet.

Food Poison Journal

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I'm liking this. Seems like a good resource to learn more about food safety and disease outbreaks. I'm reading more about the new report issued by the Institute of Medicine on FDA's role in managing food safety and ran across a link to this site. I expect to be reading more from these guys to help understand what is happening with food safety in our country.

Next Food Network Star

noreply@blogger.com (cwr) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

I follow several reality shows now that I have such easy access to cable television for the time being. One of theshows is "The Next Food Network Star." Sunday night's episode was interesting, with the main challenge being to create a savory dish inspired by carnival sweets and junk food. There were the obvious "lollipop" (salmon roulade with creamy cheese to help make the spiral effect) rolled up on a stick or the "candy apple" meatball on a skewer with a sticky chili sauce coating the outside. There were also the less obvious "banana split" (three meatballs with sauces with crouton "bananas") and "funnel cake" (some sort of fritter with tandoori chicken on top). There were also some real failures, some of which were exacerbated by complete obliviousness to the flaws in one's cooking, some of which were just general cluelessness.

Aside from the competitive aspects of the show, the creativity of the challenges and the contestants' responses are what interest me most. I can't imagine responding to these challenges so creatively, certainly not with the time constraints and pressure that they are facing. And yet they often come up with utterly fascinating dishes which are well worth revisiting--at least for inspiration if not actual replication. I'm really thinking about that lollipop as something My Prince will like. Indeed, I think we he would like all of the dishes that I mentioned here. (Of course, he would. They're all meat dishes. And that makes me wonder how to redo these as vegetable dishes.)

Yes, a challenge to myself. I can't begin to think of how I might respond to the challenge of using all four of these carnival inspirations in a savory dish, but I will try to meet the challenge for one of them. Which one, I can't say. I'll let you know when I figure it out.