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Hush… Hush, Sweet Sunday

Posted on January 20, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

Who wouldn’t love Bette Davis in a graveyard?

I pause during our viewing of Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte to make a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post. It has actually been an enjoyable Sunday, but I don’t know that I did anything particularly blog-worthy today.

A bit of snow fell last night, so I spent some time shoveling the driveway in lieu of running.  Full disclosure: I shoveled for less time than I would have run.  I hoped the hefting of weighty snow made up for it.

After shoveling I went to the grocery store, a chore I had meant to put off till another day.  Now I have stuff for my lunch for the week. And I had onions to put in with a pork butt roast I meant to cook.

I do not cook many roasts, and I usually do them in the crock pot, which is fairly fool-proof (or should I say Cindy-proof?). I opted for the oven this time.  I consulted Joy of Cooking, the internet, and my mother (via phone).  Then I kind of winged it.  I love cooking;  it is such an inexact science, things usually turn out tasty.

A stellar cast, but where’s Cecil Kellaway?

I just thought I’d throw in another picture from the movie for good measure.  We have not watched sufficient movies for a Cinema Sunday post.  I’ll have to work on that for next week.

 

“I could spit in your eye!”

Well, what’s wrong with a Bette Davis Sunday?  If only I had a martini, very dry, my life would be perfect.  Happy Sunday, everyone!

 

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But I’m Missing Svengoolie!

Posted on January 13, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I pause in my meager activities for a Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.  Of course I rarely get much useful done on a Sunday, but some weeks I feel worse about it than others.  Today I am mostly concerned that I not be making my Sunday post at 4 a.m. Monday.  It looks as if I will at least meet that goal.  As long as I am not too fussy about what sort of post I make.

I went for a pretty good run this morning.  After that, I did not feel like doing much, but after a shower, breakfast, and lounging on the couch and reading a book, I managed to accompany Steven to the grocery store.  We neglected to bring the list so forgot to purchase garlic powder.  These things happen.

I made a pot of chicken soup, using fresh garlic and two yellow onions.  It was yummy!  I still have to put the leftovers away, so the useful portion of my day is not over yet. My only other useful task of the day was a load of laundry.  Now I have clean pants and handkerchiefs for work, at least for the next couple of days.

Earlier we thought to clear our DVR by watching a previously taped movie.  This is a handy way to feel we are accomplishing something when in fact we are just watching television.  Hey, I will take fake usefulness on a Wrist to Forehead Sunday!  However, the movie was Fearless Vampire Slayers, and we neither paid much attention nor watched the whole thing. However, we did delete it so cleared our DVR of two hours’ worth of space.

Now we are watching a DVR’d Svengoolie.  The movie is The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, a movie I saw previously without a character host.  I wrote about it in a blog post titled Sorry, Cecil and Rays.

Now I see I am over 300 words.  Let’s get that leftover soup in the fridge and get back to enjoying Svengoolie!

 

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Watch Out for the Women on Cinema Sunday

Posted on November 19, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Welcome to another edition of Sunday Cinema.  We got a later than usual start on the movie watching portion of our day so are only on our second movie.  I may have to pad this post with some remarks about the late lunch I made.  For one reason, I was making it during most of the first movie. Luckily, it was one I have seen before, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).

They are a steamy couple, yes.

Steven got the idea to watch this movie, because it was referenced on a short feature about film noir on TCM this morning.  Lana Turner certainly is a femme fatale, but she is far less evil than, for example, Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity (1944). Also, Turner seems to truly love Garfield, as opposed to just using him to get rid of an unwanted husband (although of course she does want to get rid of her husband; what femme fatale worth her salt doesn’t?).

A little less steamy, a lot more evil. Discuss amongst yourselves.

Maybe we should watch Double Indemnity next, if we decide to go for a third movie instead of switching over to Snapped, which used to be our Sunday afternoon staple (speaking of evil females).  Right now we are enjoying Sunset Boulevard, a rather atmospheric Gothic.

She is magnificent in the part.

I read Gloria Swanson’s autobiography.  I think it is funny she is so well known for playing this psychotic has-been, obsessing over her past career, when in reality, Swanson was a vibrantly alive woman, always looking for the next challenge.  I guess my take-away from today’s movies is I shall follow the lead not of the femme fatale nor the psychotic has-been, but of the real life Gloria Swanson.  What is the next challenge?  I guess to make a better blog post.  I’ll work on that tomorrow.

In the meantime, I haven’t even mentioned the meal I fixed earlier.  Oh, I guess it wasn’t such a much.  I made mini meatballs using some ground beef, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic and spices.  While they baked, I grated mozzarella cheese.  Then I made a flat bread pizza with Dom Peppino’s Pizza Sauce (that’s is what my Mom and Dad use on their Christmas Eve pizza), canned mushrooms, and of course the meatballs and mozzarella.  It was quite delicious.

We are having a rather enjoyable Sunday, whether we go on to see another movie or tune in to Snapped.  I can only hope my good mood lasts till Monday.

 

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Purple Potatoes on Tasty Tuesday

Posted on October 31, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I see I did a Tasty Tuesday post last week.  It may become a regular thing, because I intend to do another now.  For one reason: I can’t think of much else (oh why did I have to tell you that?  Sometimes I am too honest for my own good).

Last Sunday I roasted some purple potatoes.  I LOVE purple potatoes!  I got these at Hannaford, but I was introduced to them by T & J’s Fruits and Vegetables of Herkimer, NY, just to slip in a little local flavor (see what I did there?).  I used a 350 degree oven (does that mean I baked them?  I’m not up on my cooking terms) and tossed the potatoes in a casserole dish with oil and spices.  I used garlic powder, minced onion, paprika, basil, oregano, and Salt-Free All-Purpose Seasoning from the So Sweet Candy Cafe in Utica, NY (just to mention another local business).  They were yummy and there was a lot left over.

Tonight, after pouring myself a glass of Pinot Noir, so I could cook with wine, I put about half my leftover potatoes in a frying pan and started them heating.  While they sizzled, I grated some colby-jack cheese, taking frequent breaks to stir the spuds.  Once I had grated enough cheese, I cracked in two eggs and whisked.  There was more cheese than eggs, and it made an interesting kind of a pasty stuff.  I poured it over the potatoes, when I thought the potatoes were pretty much heated through.  I was kind of fascinated, because for the first time after many years of cooking eggs and cheese, I realized:  I was waiting for the eggs to HARDEN and the cheese to SOFTEN.  Paradox is a beautiful thing (I know, that little notion occurred to you years ago) (you know who you are).

It did not take long for the mixture to be done.  It was delicious.  Sometimes I am so pleased with myself as a cook.  I am far from a gourmet, but I likes what I makes!  Happy Tuesday, everyone!

 

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Saturday Supper, In Progress

Posted on September 30, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am making a Saturday Supper post while I am actually cooking said supper.  I have not done a cooking post in a while, and I am making this dish up as I go along, so I thought it would be a good one.  If I am mistaken, I would point out that these things happen and we must make the best of them.

First I chopped up an onion and put it in some oil in my cast iron frying pan. I confess, I thought sadly that I do not enjoy washing that pan, but it is one of my favorite things to cook in.  I put in a little more oil than I had intended, but I just went with it.  While it fried, I peeled and crushed some garlic and set the timer for 15 minutes (to let the garlic breathe, so it could reach its full cancer-fighting capacity) (I guess).  I knitted and looked at Forensic Files while I waited.  Steven is a big fan of Forensic Files.  I like it too.

After putting the garlic in the pan and stirring, I added burger.  Steven had taken the burger out of the freezer a couple of days ago, but one cannot always be ambitious enough to cook supper the day the meat is thawed.  I broke it up somewhat, knowing I could break it up further as it cooked.

Eventually I did break it up more, and I thought all of the pink was gone.  Then I thought of adding Worcestershire Sauce, which I could have done while it was pink, but whatever, I put some in.  Looking in our cupboard, I saw we did not have tomato sauce, as I had thought.  Luckily I found some diced tomatoes as well as some canned mushrooms and tomato paste.  I put the diced tomatoes and mushrooms in.  The I threw in a few spices:  Salt Free All-Purpose from the So Sweet Candy Cafe in Utica (a great place, by the way), basil, garlic powder (can’t have too much garlic, after all), cumin, parsley… I think that’s it.

There! I just went out and stirred the sauce, which was boiling away.  I put in the tomato paste. After I finish this post and hit Publish, I will put on water to boil for pasta.  Will it be ruffles or elbows?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my Saturday.

 

 

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Not an Anniversary Dinner

Posted on May 23, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is my blogoversary.  At least, in my notifications, WordPress wished me a Happy ANNIVERSARY.  I could swear they called it a blogoversary in year’s past.  Anyways, I have been publishing this blog for seven years now.  Yay me, I guess.  I would like to say something profound about it, but I am having a Tired Tuesday.  I feared that I would.

I thought of doing, not exactly a cooking post, but a What We Had For Supper post.  Steven had a craving for Chinese food.  Rather than sending out for delivery or even pick up, I suggested I go to Hannaford and pick up some frozen stuff we could pop into the oven.  I was pretty sure they had some Chinese appetizers, and appetizers are what we like best.

As I was driving home, I thought to myself, “OK, don’t let Steven throw away these boxes before I make my blog post, because I won’t remember exactly what these were.”  Sometimes my husband gets a little too enthusiastic about cleaning up, a quality I definitely do NOT share.  And now it is time to hang my head in shame, because guess who threw the boxes out?  Yes, I did.  Do I remember what I fixed?  Not exactly.

The standout were Potstickers, that I remember.  I had to cook them in oil in a pan, then add water, cover, and steam.  That is obviously a little more complicated than just putting it in the oven, but I was up to the challenge.  It was worth it. Yummy!  The stuff I put in the oven was a little complicated, too, because of course out of three things, none were the same temperature nor the same amount of time.  Also, I do not own three flat pans that fit conveniently on my two oven racks.  Oh, the trials and tribulations!

By now I suppose any new readers are wondering how in the world I managed to make seven years’ worth of blog posts if this is the kind of material I write.  I confess I sometimes wonder myself.  But what are you going to do on a Tired Tuesday?

 

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I Cooked, I Drank, I Posted

Posted on April 8, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

How about a Saturday Supper post?  Full disclosure:  what I made wasn’t such a much, but I just feel like making kind of an easy post today.  Judge me if you must, but here goes.

I had to restrain myself from starting supper till an annoying 5:30 p.m., because my husband Steven worked till 6:30.  Damn retail hours!  Yes, yes, it’s a job, I’m grateful he has a job, blah blah woof woof. Where was I?  Ah yes, sitting on my couch, knitting, and watching Snapped and the clock.  I was feeling more and more tired with less and less time to take a nap.  Finally I heated a cup of coffee and added a splash of Mohawk Valley Fire moonshine from DikinDurt Distillery of Herkimer (adding a little local color to my post).  It was yummy and revived me amazingly.

The sad part was, once I started cooking, I did not feel I should cook with wine.  I did not want to be too tipsy when Steven got home (full disclosure:  my early adventures had included a lovely glass of draft beer. That was a couple of hours before my coffee of questionable moral fiber).  I chopped an onion and crushed a few cloves of garlic. I put the onion and some sausage in a frying pan while I let the garlic “breathe” for 15 minutes (we’ve talked about that before).  The sausage, by the way, was from Dino’s Sausage and Meat Company of Utica, NY (a little more local color).

When the sausage was almost done, I added cream cheese.  It was a partial package.  I added some milk to help it blend in and not be too thick.  It was still pretty thick.  Eventually I decided to add a complete package of cream cheese (I had a couple more in the fridge).  The main reason for this was that as I taste tested the sausage I realized I had not picked up sweet but medium or something.  I thought more cream cheese would soften the hotness.  Oh yeah, and it was Neufchatel, not actually cream cheese.  It has a third less fat. I did not add any spices but trusted the sausage, onion and garlic to be tasty enough.  We had the mixture over ruffle pasta.

With supper, we drank Dry Riesling from Swedish Hill Winery, a New York State Winery (just to get a little more local or at least regional in here).  We are enjoying another glass while I type in my blog post.  Supper was pretty good.  I hope my blog post is all right as well.  Happy Saturday, everyone.

 

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I’m So Ambitious!

Posted on April 5, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I bet nobody believes that, a quite understandable reaction.  At least the headline makes a change from my usual Wuss-out Wednesday whining.  The fact is, I have just about run out of oomph, but I hope to muster enough to make a blog post before Dateline, which I will probably go to bed before the end of anyways.  I think I will iterate what I did to feel so ambitious, and my dear readers can decide for themselves the truth of my headline.

I worked out after work (I’ll write a whole blog post soon about my new work-out routine, but for now just know that I sweated).   I got home, showered, and checked Facebook and email while sipping my recovery beverage of chocolate milk. Yum!  But I had to tear myself away from the computer to start dinner so it would have time to cook before my husband Steven got home.

I chopped up an onion and two potatoes, and put them in a casserole dish with garlic oil.  The garlic oil is some I made last week in the blender with fresh garlic and dried spices.  I always make more than I need for the recipe at hand so I can use it in subsequent cooking adventures.  I put the casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees, planning to stir it every 15 minutes and add ham chunks when the potatoes were almost done.  The ham was leftover from Easter dinner at my Mom and Dad’s house.  Waste not, want not!

While dinner cooked, I made some cocktail sauce, using my mother’s recipe and going heavy on the horseradish.  I put it in the fridge for the flavors to blend.  I had it in mind to put it on some fake crab meat for one of my snacks at work.  Raw celery and radishes are just not cutting it, and I am out of celery anyways.  Then I remembered I was going to boil some eggs, for breakfast or snack purposes.

Soon the eggs were cooking, the ham was in with the potatoes and onion, and I had put the crab meat with cocktail sauce into a container.  When taste testing, I found I had gone too heavy with the horseradish so added extra ketchup and chili sauce.  Oh, I was doing great!   When the egg water reached a boil, I turned off the burner and covered the pot.  I had good luck with that method the last time I made hard-boiled eggs.   I also turned off the oven, so the casserole would stay hot but not overcook.

I got back on the computer, thinking to make my blog post, then remembered I have a murder mystery to type in.  I got one character sheet typed in by the time Steven got home.  I thought that, in addition to the other stuff I did, on a Wuss-out Wednesday, was not bad.  But perhaps I flatter myself.  In any case, I am getting close to 500 words.  That is a long blog post for me!  I think I deserve to knit and watch Dateline.

 

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Now I’m Cooking! No, I’m Not!

Posted on February 27, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Sssssizzle!

I’m standing in my kitchen,  trying to cook supper and type into my Tablet at the same time. I am not very handy at this one letter at a time typing.  And the Tablet’s little guesses of what I’m about to type is not as helpful as one would expect.

OK, supper is over.  I had thought I could take a few pictures of the work in progress and mock up a cooking post.  I went running earlier, thinking to do a Running Commentary post.  I soon realized I was far too tired for such a thing.  That happens sometimes on these mid-week runs.  But I did want to start cooking supper before Steven got home, so I thought, “Hey!”

So the above picture is the half onion I chopped and put on to cook in oil (I previously used the other half for another meal).  Unfortunately it blacked before it browned, but you’ll have that.  I had a couple of pork chops I planned to put in once the onions were far enough along.  Should I take a picture of the pork chops?  That looked boring.  I had some garlic dip I made yesterday, which I planned to use making garlic mashed potatoes.  Maybe that would pep things up.  Then I threw in the bottles of wine we got at the wine tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor on Friday, and came up with this.

You can see the Mohawk Valley Fire moonshine from DikinDurt Distillery of Herkimer.

Full disclosure:  I did not cook with wine, unless you count the fact that the bottles were on the counter nearby.  I did not put it in the food, I did not sip while I stirred.  I hope that does not disappoint my fellow oenophiles (I pronounce it oh-nee-oh-file).

I wanted a third picture but could not at first think what to shoot.  I did not want to wait until supper was ready and take a picture of that.  My original plan was to finish this whole post before that, but, what a surprise, my plan did not work out.  Why do I even make them?  Finally I thought I would just go ahead and show how cluttered and unorganized my kitchen is, echoing no doubt the cluttered and unorganized state of my mind.

Note the garlic press. I use that a lot.

Supper turned out pretty good.  I put a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of mushroom pieces and stems in with the onions and pork chops.  I mashed the potatoes with a big spoonful of the garlic dip.  That was after a run and doing a load of laundry (which I did not mention before, but I did).   And now I’ve made my blog post.  I say I’m doing OK for a Monday.

 

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The Glop Factor on Lame Post Friday

Posted on February 10, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am cooking with wine, and by “cooking with wine” I mean sitting here typing into my laptop, sipping wine and waiting for the macaroni to cook.  I am making macaroni and cheese with little hot dogs, mushrooms, and whatever else I decide to throw in at the time (about two more minutes now).  Ah, Friday.  The day I am happy the week is over and not yet annoyed with myself for not getting anything done over the weekend.  And the home of Lame Post Friday.  What can I come up with today?

OK, the stuff is in the oven.  I am looking at true crime television.  20/20 on OWN right now, but I might switch it to Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on Oxygen.  Oops, it is 20/20 on ID, on the channel OWN.  20/20 on OWN is on at six.  I noted that just now when I went to double check which Dateline it was (I thought it was Real Life Mysteries, but I was mistaken).  I don’t know why I go into such detail, but I feel better when I am strictly accurate.

I was supposed to have the minor Mohawk Valley adventure of driving into Rome this afternoon.  However, when I left work snow was falling quite copiously.  I called my mother and we decided to put the visit off.  I hesitated because I felt it was the kind of day that, if I drove into Rome it would be horrible, but if I went home and put on my sweats, the sun would immediately shine.  Mom did not think the sun was in danger of shining, and it turns out she was right.  As I slid a few times driving home — and I don’t drive fast — I felt we had made the right decision.

I just checked on the macaroni and cheese.  Note to self:  stop trying to put mozzarella cheese in baked macaroni and cheese; it just gets gloppy.  I seem to recall mentioning the glop factor in a previous blog post (I’m not going to look for it, although I may have tagged it “gloppy,” knowing me).  Do I ever learn?  Time will tell.

Well, friends, let’s call this a blog post and get back to enjoying our Friday.  Happy Weekend, everybody!

 

 

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