Category Archives: images of food

Memory Games

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Memory Games

Woke up very early today—around six—and decided to stay up since yesterday Jesus had said they’d come earlier next time to beat the midday sun and also because the rainy season is coming on fast this year and they need to finish painting the murals around the outside of my studio within the week. I thought I’d get my blog written, the animals fed and maybe make them a special breakfast instead of the usual cookies or cake or chocolates that I serve with their morning coffee. (I make Jesus and Eduardo, not the animals, morning coffee with sweet treats. Ha! Thanks to Dolly and Irene for setting me straight on my faux pas.) So, all my tasks finished, I brewed a pot of coffee and started preparations for molletes–one way to use all those beans I cooked earlier this week that seem not to be vanishing at a rapid-enough rate in spite of the fact I’ve had them for every meal since. So, I located the beans in the fridge, sliced a bolillo (small fresh bread loaf) buttered one side of each of the pieces of bread and lay half of the pieces butter-side down on the grill, then layered manchego cheese, beans and manchego cheese before topping them each off with another slice of bolillo, butter side up. When they got here, I would grill both sides for an extra little treat. Half molette, half grilled cheese sandwich, it would be an Americanized version of a Mexican favorite.

Putting the grill on the unlit stovetop, I covered the molletes with a cloth, took my meds, instructed Echo to set my timer for a half hour when I would take the rest of my meds and went to check on my blog. Hmm. 9:15. It seemed as though if they were coming early, they should have been here by now, as their usual time of arrival was 10. It was then that I thought to look not only at the time but the day of the week. Sunday!!!

A full pot of brewed coffee and a grill full of potential molletes–and I a person who had done a smoothie for breakfast for over 30 years and who had to give up coffee 24 years ago! I guess there is always a valid excuse for breaking routine, so in an hour, after I’ve waited to take my second round of meds and waited the prescribed half hour, I will be dining on molletes and real coffee. I’ll have my smoothie for dinner and drink extra water to ward off the bad leg and arm cramps I get when I drink caffeine. The world will not end if I break a few of my own rules.

Click on photos to enlarge and read captions.

Front door mural completed
Molletes Americano on the grill

Mugfin and Coffee

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I ran a sharp knife around the side of the mug, so I actually didn’t have too much trouble getting my microwave muffin out of its mug, although the bottom 1/4 inch stuck and had to be removed with a spoon. The next time, I’ll oil the bottom of the cup a bit. The muffin isn’t bad and actually isn’t that sweet. I think a lot of the powdered sugar fizzed off onto the bottom of the oven during those initial 12 minutes of time spent in the oven. Once I put them in the microwave, they rose fine, although the mugfin is a bit heavy.

If you don’t know what in the heck I’m talking about, go HERE for an explanation.

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I then decided to take a slice of the mugfin and add some of the bran concoction I made last night. It was very sweet and I think I prefer the muffin just by itself. I think the bran/banana/sugar concoction would be good on a blander white poundcake or shortbread cookie–or perhaps toast.

Okay.. I promise. No more banana bread/mugfin posts.

What’s for Lunch?

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So I had just sat down to my lunch and Forgottenman Skyped. I described what I was eating and he said, “Photo?” So now, 35 minutes later my soup is cold and I’m down to three fried wontons, having consumed approximately two per photo shoot. In every one, the soup looked gray, the wontons greasy…so I had to keep trying. Here they are with all their warts:

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The wontons are chicken and cilantro, the homemade soup chicken, broth, onions, green beans, potatoes, corn, onions, rice, sour cream, salsa  and—that’s all I can remember. I notice an increasing amount of food being discussed since our sequestering. Do you? 

Chopstick Savior: in Honor of National Chop Suey Day!!!

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Chopstick Savior

Faced with rush hour traffic, I was already leery
that any meal I’d cook tonight would turn out rather dreary.
This day was not abnormal. At its end, I was a wreck.
My colleagues in the office? A true pain in the neck.
My story is not poignant, but it’s sad enough, I guess.
Most days I end up bushed once they are finished, I confess.
So faced with thoughts of cooking, once again I murmur, “Phooey!”
And thank the Lord for takeout. Tonight? Egg rolls and chop suey.

Prompt words today are bush, abnormal, poignant and wreck. Since this is National chop suey Day, I’m adding chop suey to the prompt list.

If you feel inclined to help me honor chop suey today, please give a link to your post in comments below. At the very least, eat Chinese today, take a photo, post it and send me the link. Happy Chop Suey. (If I’m not wrong, it was an Americanization of Chinese food, anyway.)

 

Healing Gloria (and How to Easily Core a Strawberry)

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The doctor says Gloria has to have 5 little meals a day, but naughty Gloria didn’t want to eat even three.  The solution? Culinary seduction. (Click on first photo to enlarge and see captions.)

Ripe strawberries.
First, I removed the calyx and pith of the strawberries.
This is the easiest way I’ve found. That is just a jumbo-sized plastic soda straw that I’m using.
You wind up with a pretty little tree
Sweetened some natural yoghurt with stevia (you can also use honey)
Chopped up some walnuts
and added some granola.
And Gloria ate the whole bowlful. How to tame a resistant appetite!
And, don’t forget to save the straw. You can buy these tiny brushes just made for cleaning out small and large soda straws. Don’t buy new plastic straws, but do continue to use the ones you have!

Christmas Eve Dinner at Viva Mexico

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I had one of the best meals of my life at Viva Mexico last night and the best company one could ask for.  Fred and Christina from Gabriola Island in Canada, Lach and Becky who were friends in Boulder Creek who came to visit and ended up moving here and my long-time good friend Gloria. Here are photos.  looks like I concentrated on the food. Both of these dishes were the culinary masterpieces thought up in the mind of Agustin.

 

Becky’s chicken salad.
Me, barely reflected in the Xmas tree bulb in the courtyard.
Antonia, Agustin’s wife and head Chef.
Most of the rest of us had this succulent pork special.

 

The Recipe

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My vegan concoction

The Recipe

It was not in her nature to follow the dictatorial demands of the recipe. She cared not a piffle that it required a precise list of ingredients. She added a can of 7-up for effervescence and a can of plums for their pure aplomb. When she found a blank spot in the space where she usually kept her vinegar, she added sweet pickle juice instead. She mixed and then blended, added the finely chopped vegetables she’d found in her vegetable tray of the refrigerator, stirred as she cooked until the chunky ingredients were medium soft, the way she liked them.  Now and then, she tasted—a vacant look in her eyes as she tried to decide if it was right or not. A bit of cinnamon. A whiff of curry. A handful of almonds, finely minced, white wine salt. And finally, it was perfect! That night when her dinner guests asked for the recipe, it was not in her realm of possibilities to give it. When she cooked, she entered another world and it was impossible to take anyone else there with her. (By jdb)

The words of the day are effervescent, ingredients, piffle and vacant. The above is fiction based on a reality of my personality re/ cooking. My 22-year-old nephew Ryan arrived yesterday. For the past few days, creating vegan dishes he could eat required some special shopping and a lot of chopping, but it was so much fun and I’m so grateful for these nine wonderful days we are going to have to get to know each other. We were up till 4 a.m. last night, sitting in the hot tub talking talking talking.  When I discovered he kept a journal, I gave him today’s prompts for an assignment and he wrote the below little slice of life in about ten minutes. my piece, given above, took a bit longer.  Here is what Ryan has to say to the prompts:

We woke one morning and the house was vacant.  Trotting around, we made our way downstairs and began to talk, act, and be in a state of piffle.  The energy of the night before rang within the home’s core. Any subtle changes in the air and atmosphere of the home could be noticed as fresh ingredients.  Fresh ingredients that gave the surrounding walls, floor, ceilings and doors an auspicious sparkle and solace. The flow of the home exuded an effervescent and illuminated feeling of comfort and mystery. This home was to us unknown, but it never hid, it was always shown. (Judy’s note: This was written by my nephew Ryan Wilcox on the first morning of his Mexican adventure. Perhaps I’ll persuade him to share more of it as we go along. )

 

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Ryan tucks into vegan Indian food at the Ajijic mall after a long flight with only a packet of cookies to sustain him.

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Casa Domeneche’s vegan dish. Kristina and I decided to go vegan as well and this was what I ordered.  It was incredible.  Maybe Ryan will convert me!  Would be good for my diet.

 

https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/rdp-71-effervescent/

https://fivedotoh.com/2018/08/10/fowc-with-fandango-ingredients/

https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2018/08/10/piffle/

https://dailyaddictions542855004.wordpress.com/Vacant

“Since You Asked” The Recipe for the Best Sandwich in the World

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Okay, since I’m cooking this, I can guarantee four things.

1. It will be as easy as possible.
2. It will be flavorful.
3. It will be cooked in a crock pot.
4. It will feed a party of 8, at the very least.

 

Ingredients:

4 or 5 large stalks celery 
One pork loin or tenderloin
4 or 5 scrubbed potatoes, skin on. (If you wish, you can omit the potatoes.)
4 or 5 whole scrubbed carrots with each end cut off. (If you wish, you can omit the carrots.)

1 medium-sized onion, diced
Garlic powder
Kirkland 21 herb saltless dry seasoning mix
Pepper
KC Masterpiece Kettle Cooked Barbecue Sauce

Shredded cabbage (I buy already shredded.)
Shredded carrots (I buy already shredded)
Balsamic vinaigrette
Sweet Chili Sauce (in oriental seasoning aisle)

Bolillos or other large dense rolls.  Ciabatta would work, or French rolls.

Method:

Wash and cut the ends off the celery. Place in the bottom of the crockpot to form a “rack” to cushion the bottom of the pork loin. Rub the pork loin with the garlic powder. seasoning mix and pepper and place over the celery.  Sprinkle the onions on top, reserving a few.

Place the carrots and potatoes around and on top of the meat and sprinkle the rest of the diced onion over the top.  Sprinkle with the seasoning mix, garlic and pepper.

I use a rectangular crockpot with a removable cooking receptacle.  If you are using a regular round crockpot whose receptacle can’t be put on the stovetop, there is no need to brown the meat and veggies first as is described below.  Just put everything in the crockpot on high, then reduce to medium after it is well heated.

If you have a crockpot with a removable pot that can be placed on the stove top, place lid on crockpot and put on top burner of stove . In a few minutes, when you can hear contents begin to sizzle, turn to medium and allow to cook until well heated, then place on heating unit of crock pot. Turn to medium and allow to cook until potatoes and carrots are tender and meat can be shredded with a fork.

Remove potatoes, onions and celery and place pork on a cutting board.  Shred and then cut shredded pork into into 1 to  2 inch portions. Or, slice into 1 to 2 inch slices and then shred.  Place back in crock pot covered with bottled barbecue sauce to taste.  I use KC Masterpiece Kettle Cooked Barbecue Sauce and use quite a bit as I like my barbecue zesty.

Put carrots and potatoes in the fridge to be reheated as a side dish. I add them to give moisture to the meat and because they pick up the flavor of the pork and can be used on their own as part of a different meal or to accompany the heated up pork that isn’t made into sandwiches.  Cook the meat for another hour or two until well blended, then store in refrigerator.

I think barbecue has a better flavor cold or at room temperature, so I cool it off in the fridge, but if you prefer it hot, you could make the sandwiches immediately or reheat the meat before making sandwiches.

Cut the shredded cabbage and carrots into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces and mix.  Combine balsamic vinaigrette and sweet chili sauce to taste.  I use 1/3 portion of chili sauce to 1 portion of vinaigrette.  Pour over slaw mixture and blend well so the cabbage and carrots are well-coated but not soggy.  

To make sandwiches, cut bolillos or long buns in half lengthwise and remove some of the soft interior of the top part of the bun.  Butter the inside sides of the bun and place on a warm griddle or frying pan.  Press down with something weighted to insure all surfaces touch the griddle and allow to brown.

Spread a generous portion of the barbecue pork over the bottom of the bun, top with the oriental coleslaw mixture, Put top of bun on top and enjoy.  The mixture of hot and cold, soft and crisp, sweet and vinegar is to die for.  Hope you agree.  Let me know what you think. 

 

 

Midnight Supper

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The thing about a midnight supper is that it’s gotta be good but it’s also gotta be fast. This means raiding the fridge to see what can be easily and quickly thrown together. Tonight it was a bowl of Mama Memorial Goulash and a Rootie Tootie Margarootie. As good as they are pretty. Lovely glass is courtesy of friend Patty who won a set along with a basket and bottle of tequila in a silent auction to benefit Operation Feed, a local charity that provides food, clothing and scholarships for about 500 people in our village.

If you want my slapdash recipes for the goulash and margarootie, you’ll have to beg. If I get 7 requests for them, I will comply. (A shameless bid for comments.)