Earlier in the summer I pouted while my friends planted their gardens. I glared at my sun scorched yard as I read accounts of gardens flowering and fruiting. I admit I thought unkind thoughts when I saw pictures of dew glistening on tomatoes in the early morning sun, and then realized that it was over 100 degrees at 6am in my neighborhood. I would like to apologize, and in turn gloat a little. As most of my dear loved ones are bedding their gardens down for the winter and accepting that there are lots of rutabagas in their future, I am gleefully planting heirloom purple basil and kale. Last week it didn't even top 105 in the afternoon!
I can feel myself coming alive and now I understand how a tree feels after being dormant. This summer was spent merely surviving, and occasionally wondering what it would feel like to not sweat for even a moment. There was no inspiration, I didn't even want to cook, which for me is like not breathing. Now I can see relief, I can see life coming back, I can see rows and rows of pickling cucumbers.
Here is what I envision for Christmas. Baskets sent to loved ones all around the country filled with rosewater lemonade, garlicky heirloom dill pickles, rosemary scented homemade crackers, and of course a selection of candies. I'm thinking pumpkin pie spice, candy cane, plum brandy and eggnog flavors. My creativity is coming surging back and I daydream of all the bounty I will reap as I dig manure into my garden bed. It helps me get past the fact that I am once again playing with poo, something that I do more than I ever thought I would. So I apologize for my absence over the past few months but I'm back and better than ever! So tell me, what you would like in your Christmas basket?
Friday, September 21, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Carrrrrrrrnitas
You have to roll your "r's" when you say it, otherwise the recipe doesn't turn out. Right now I am totally obsessed with creating the perfect carnitas recipe. I do this occasionally, Mike still twitches when I bring up the Summer of the Hamburger. He's a little bitter that I made so many hamburgers that he ended up not wanting one of his favorite foods for quite a while. In my defense I would like to say that I now have a recipe for hamburgers that would make any carnivore swoon, and no, I'm not sharing that one. I will however give you my carnitas recipe. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it is just the base. You can add anything and everything to it, make it spicy, sweet, tangy or leave it pure. It is not, under any circumstances, a low fat concoction. The only way get the crispy, tasty morsels is to have a cut of pork that is nice and fatty. As with all things in life, decadence is perfectly acceptable in moderation, and oh this recipe is decadent.
1 boneless pork roast, well marbled
fresh squeezed orange juice
salt
pepper
Now before you scream that there are no amounts, take a deep breath, it's going to be ok. My rule of thumb is that for every pound of pork I use 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Ish. The last time I did 4 pounds of pork I squeezed two large oranges. You can play with the amounts depending on how sweet you want the end result to be. There are two parties in the carnitas world, the shredders and the cubers. Although I've pleaded for bipartisanship they remain firmly entrenched in their preferences. If you prefer to shred, cut the pork into long strips before cooking. If you are a cubist, simply cube the pork.
Place the pork in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven. If you have a cast iron pot then count yourself lucky and pull that baby out. Add the orange juice, salt and pepper then add enough water to cover the pork completely. Simmer, don't boil, over medium-low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to bring liquid to a boil and boil until all liquid is gone, usually around an hour. You'll have to check the meat about every 15 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't burn but basically you want all the water to boil off. This leaves the fat that has rendered off the pork and the meat will fry in the fat, creating beautiful, crispy bits. Don't stir the meat while it is boiling but do stir when it's frying. The strips can be shredded at this point.
Now that you've got the basics, feel free to get creative. Add jalapenos or chipotle chili powder for spice. Add garlic or onions for extra flavor. Add lime juice for tartness. The possibilities are endless. You can even add mango juice for a Caribbean flair. I add all the spices right at the beginning so that they cook deeply into the pork.
Carnitas freeze really well and make a great easy dinner. You can put it over rice and black beans, in tacos or make Navajo tacos. Toss some in tortilla soup or on top of nachos. Mmmmmm, I'm salivating now.
(Want to know my secret? I take my leftover bacon grease and throw it in the pot. Healthy? No. Fabulous? Yes.)
Fry Bread
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm water
cornmeal
oil for frying
Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, mixing until dough reaches consistency of bread dough(smooth, not sticky), adding more water if necessary. Divide dough into 6 balls and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large, heavy pan to 400 degrees F. Dust counter or cutting board with cornmeal and roll dough out into 1/4 inch thick disks. Place in oil, turning once, until golden brown and puffy. Top with carnitas, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, green chili, jalapenos and the kitchen sink. Or top with honey for dessert. That's right Paula Deen, I just out fatted you, and my stuff tastes better!
1 boneless pork roast, well marbled
fresh squeezed orange juice
salt
pepper
Now before you scream that there are no amounts, take a deep breath, it's going to be ok. My rule of thumb is that for every pound of pork I use 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Ish. The last time I did 4 pounds of pork I squeezed two large oranges. You can play with the amounts depending on how sweet you want the end result to be. There are two parties in the carnitas world, the shredders and the cubers. Although I've pleaded for bipartisanship they remain firmly entrenched in their preferences. If you prefer to shred, cut the pork into long strips before cooking. If you are a cubist, simply cube the pork.
Place the pork in a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven. If you have a cast iron pot then count yourself lucky and pull that baby out. Add the orange juice, salt and pepper then add enough water to cover the pork completely. Simmer, don't boil, over medium-low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to bring liquid to a boil and boil until all liquid is gone, usually around an hour. You'll have to check the meat about every 15 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't burn but basically you want all the water to boil off. This leaves the fat that has rendered off the pork and the meat will fry in the fat, creating beautiful, crispy bits. Don't stir the meat while it is boiling but do stir when it's frying. The strips can be shredded at this point.
Now that you've got the basics, feel free to get creative. Add jalapenos or chipotle chili powder for spice. Add garlic or onions for extra flavor. Add lime juice for tartness. The possibilities are endless. You can even add mango juice for a Caribbean flair. I add all the spices right at the beginning so that they cook deeply into the pork.
Carnitas freeze really well and make a great easy dinner. You can put it over rice and black beans, in tacos or make Navajo tacos. Toss some in tortilla soup or on top of nachos. Mmmmmm, I'm salivating now.
(Want to know my secret? I take my leftover bacon grease and throw it in the pot. Healthy? No. Fabulous? Yes.)
Fry Bread
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm water
cornmeal
oil for frying
Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, mixing until dough reaches consistency of bread dough(smooth, not sticky), adding more water if necessary. Divide dough into 6 balls and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2-3 inches of oil in a large, heavy pan to 400 degrees F. Dust counter or cutting board with cornmeal and roll dough out into 1/4 inch thick disks. Place in oil, turning once, until golden brown and puffy. Top with carnitas, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, green chili, jalapenos and the kitchen sink. Or top with honey for dessert. That's right Paula Deen, I just out fatted you, and my stuff tastes better!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Recipes and reactions
Obviously everyone knows about the tragic shooting in Aurora by now. It's strange, I know the area very well, I've shopped near there many times. People have written endlessly about the victims, the killer, the movie, trying to make sense of it all. I keep coming back to one image and I can't shake it. A mother and a father chose to take a 4 year old little girl and a 3 month old baby boy to a midnight showing of the Dark Knight. Obviously they had no way of knowing there would be a massacre, but setting that aside, they chose to subject that little girl to a dark, violent and psychologically twisted movie that is way beyond her comprehension. They did so because, in the words of her cowardly father (the one who dropped his infant son and left his family behind) "We need to have a life too."
Before I had kids I loved to go dancing. Mike and I loved going to Vegas. We would have friends over for parties that turned into weekend affairs. Yes, I gave many of those things up when Sophie was born. We did go to Vegas once but it never even occurred to us to take her with us. Our parties were still fun but usually ended by 8pm instead of 8am. We found ways to have a life with our children, one that was suitable for all involved. This difference struck me today while I was making bread with Soph. After we kneaded the bread she helped me bag candy for a new client. We watched My Little Pony and Orion danced to all the songs. The day was definitely not Top Chef material but it was a pretty darn good day.
I left my life as a chef so that I could be a parent, and ended up starting an amazing company. Who knew that I would end up being an entrepreneur because of my kids? Who knew I would finally conquer bread? Letting go of my selfish needs and wants and taking care of my innocents' needs led me to where I am now, and I know that my children are happy, safe and well adjusted. So to the parents who think taking a 4 year old to ANY midnight movie is ok, I say Grow UP. It's not about you anymore, deal with that and move on. I can't comprehend the scars that little girl now has on her psyche because of a demented killer. What makes it even worse is that she shouldn't have been there at all. Neither should that sweet little girl that died, they should have been home in their own beds.
I know that everyone is all up in arms (pun intended) about gun control now and I am well aware that the NRA is too powerful for any change to come on that end. Couldn't we focus instead on theaters? Why not make it a rule that PG 13 means no one under 13 and R means no one under 17. Period. It's a nice thought isn't it?
I was going to post a recipe but I don't have the stomach for it. Tomorrow I'll post the recipe for Carnitas that my family loves. For tonight I'm going to settle in with my husband, now that the kids are bathed and tucked in bed, and watch a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have a life, and I love it.
Before I had kids I loved to go dancing. Mike and I loved going to Vegas. We would have friends over for parties that turned into weekend affairs. Yes, I gave many of those things up when Sophie was born. We did go to Vegas once but it never even occurred to us to take her with us. Our parties were still fun but usually ended by 8pm instead of 8am. We found ways to have a life with our children, one that was suitable for all involved. This difference struck me today while I was making bread with Soph. After we kneaded the bread she helped me bag candy for a new client. We watched My Little Pony and Orion danced to all the songs. The day was definitely not Top Chef material but it was a pretty darn good day.
I left my life as a chef so that I could be a parent, and ended up starting an amazing company. Who knew that I would end up being an entrepreneur because of my kids? Who knew I would finally conquer bread? Letting go of my selfish needs and wants and taking care of my innocents' needs led me to where I am now, and I know that my children are happy, safe and well adjusted. So to the parents who think taking a 4 year old to ANY midnight movie is ok, I say Grow UP. It's not about you anymore, deal with that and move on. I can't comprehend the scars that little girl now has on her psyche because of a demented killer. What makes it even worse is that she shouldn't have been there at all. Neither should that sweet little girl that died, they should have been home in their own beds.
I know that everyone is all up in arms (pun intended) about gun control now and I am well aware that the NRA is too powerful for any change to come on that end. Couldn't we focus instead on theaters? Why not make it a rule that PG 13 means no one under 13 and R means no one under 17. Period. It's a nice thought isn't it?
I was going to post a recipe but I don't have the stomach for it. Tomorrow I'll post the recipe for Carnitas that my family loves. For tonight I'm going to settle in with my husband, now that the kids are bathed and tucked in bed, and watch a single episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I have a life, and I love it.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Recipes Part 1
Geez, it's been a month. My only excuse is that we left the pits of Hell (Phoenix) to visit a place that was merely on fire (Colorado). After two weeks on the road we are home with a ton of memories, an extra kid, an ear infection and two massive colds. Since one of the massive colds belongs to me I haven't been cooking very much since we got home. I will be making carnitas this week for my niece as a treat and most likely pizza but I'm sorry to say that the 4 course Southern Italian tasting menu will have to be postponed. I will be posting the carnitas recipe tomorrow, today it's all about pizza. The recipes are starters only, feel free to change add, delete and improvise as much as you want. These are two of my go-to meals when I don't feel like pushing my boundaries but still want something incredibly tasty.
Movie Night Pizza
1 tbs active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey
1.5 cups warm water
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs olive oil
1 can crushed, fire roasted tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen)
8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
1 tbs chopped fresh basil
Combine yeast, honey and 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile combine 3.5 cups flour, salt and oregano in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, remaining water and olive oil. Knead in bowl until combined then turn on to floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. You can add the remaining flour if needed or wanted. The more flour the crispier the crust will be. When dough is smooth and not sticky any more place in bowl, rub with oil and cover with a damp cloth. I put mine in my oven to keep it away from drafts. Let rise for 45-minutes to 1 hour. You can tell it's ready when you push the dough with your finger and the depression stays. This recipe makes enough for two large pizzas or one large pizza and breadsticks.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll half the dough out to desired thickness and place on oiled pizza tray or baking sheet. Sprinkle drained tomatoes over dough, then mozzarella then basil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. To make the breadsticks, divide remaining dough into 5 balls, roll in your hands until long and place on oiled baking sheet. Brush with olive oil or butter and whatever spices sound good. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees.
Sometimes I add crushed fresh garlic. Sometimes I add pancetta. Sometimes I get really crazy and add peaches and chorizo. Most nights though, the simple and fresh flavors of mozzarella and basil are all I need. We have this pizza about once a week and have a "picnic" out in the living room and watch movies. Sophie loves helping me make the dough and add the toppings and Orion can eat his weight in pizza and breadsticks.
Movie Night Pizza
1 tbs active dry yeast
1/4 cup honey
1.5 cups warm water
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs olive oil
1 can crushed, fire roasted tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen)
8 oz fresh mozzarella, diced
1 tbs chopped fresh basil
Combine yeast, honey and 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes until frothy. Meanwhile combine 3.5 cups flour, salt and oregano in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, remaining water and olive oil. Knead in bowl until combined then turn on to floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. You can add the remaining flour if needed or wanted. The more flour the crispier the crust will be. When dough is smooth and not sticky any more place in bowl, rub with oil and cover with a damp cloth. I put mine in my oven to keep it away from drafts. Let rise for 45-minutes to 1 hour. You can tell it's ready when you push the dough with your finger and the depression stays. This recipe makes enough for two large pizzas or one large pizza and breadsticks.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll half the dough out to desired thickness and place on oiled pizza tray or baking sheet. Sprinkle drained tomatoes over dough, then mozzarella then basil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and crispy. To make the breadsticks, divide remaining dough into 5 balls, roll in your hands until long and place on oiled baking sheet. Brush with olive oil or butter and whatever spices sound good. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees.
Sometimes I add crushed fresh garlic. Sometimes I add pancetta. Sometimes I get really crazy and add peaches and chorizo. Most nights though, the simple and fresh flavors of mozzarella and basil are all I need. We have this pizza about once a week and have a "picnic" out in the living room and watch movies. Sophie loves helping me make the dough and add the toppings and Orion can eat his weight in pizza and breadsticks.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Help!
I'm stuck. Stagnating. Stultified. Stupefied. Sizzling. Sweating. There's nothing on the horizon. No new windmill to tilt at, no new dragon to slay, nothing to battle except the elements.
Summer is the dead season in Arizona. The only things thriving are the ants and they have started Occupy Backyard and are winning the fight. What little produce is at the farmers markets is withered and gasping for water. Even the cacti seem thirsty, and that's just wrong. It's not only hot and dry (much like the inside of a kiln) but it's windy too.
I've been very surprised at how depressed this has made me. For my entire life summer has been the start of the year. Cascades of fruit and veggies in the market, nights with the windows open and the sweet smell of the orchards drifting in on the breeze. Evenings spent watching the kids run around at the park. In my mind I'm still in that mode, I'm not in hunker-down-and-never-leave-the-house mode. I don't want to race from car to door, worried that Orion is going to spontaneously combust if I stop to talk to a neighbor. I swear he's come close a few times. I am very much at odds with my surroundings and as such find myself paralyzed. It's too hot to even cook the comfort food that I normally would in the winter, when people are SUPPOSED to be stuck inside. The thought of pot roast is actually a little sickening. (Yes, that was Mike you just heard whimpering.) I am back to cooking all our food and that comforts me somewhat, but it's not enough. I need the joy that summer normally brings me and I need it before December when apparently it cools off enough to stop frying my morning eggs on the sidewalk. The sidewalk in the shade.
So dear friends, help me. Inspire me, set me on a new track, kick me out of this rabbit hole funk that I've fallen into.
Summer is the dead season in Arizona. The only things thriving are the ants and they have started Occupy Backyard and are winning the fight. What little produce is at the farmers markets is withered and gasping for water. Even the cacti seem thirsty, and that's just wrong. It's not only hot and dry (much like the inside of a kiln) but it's windy too.
I've been very surprised at how depressed this has made me. For my entire life summer has been the start of the year. Cascades of fruit and veggies in the market, nights with the windows open and the sweet smell of the orchards drifting in on the breeze. Evenings spent watching the kids run around at the park. In my mind I'm still in that mode, I'm not in hunker-down-and-never-leave-the-house mode. I don't want to race from car to door, worried that Orion is going to spontaneously combust if I stop to talk to a neighbor. I swear he's come close a few times. I am very much at odds with my surroundings and as such find myself paralyzed. It's too hot to even cook the comfort food that I normally would in the winter, when people are SUPPOSED to be stuck inside. The thought of pot roast is actually a little sickening. (Yes, that was Mike you just heard whimpering.) I am back to cooking all our food and that comforts me somewhat, but it's not enough. I need the joy that summer normally brings me and I need it before December when apparently it cools off enough to stop frying my morning eggs on the sidewalk. The sidewalk in the shade.
So dear friends, help me. Inspire me, set me on a new track, kick me out of this rabbit hole funk that I've fallen into.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Did you miss me?
Oh, hi reality, there you are. It's been awhile, it's nice to see you again.
What an incredibly hectic, stressful and rewarding few weeks. The bridal expo was on Sunday and it was a huge success for the company. My fabulous sisters all pitched in to make it happen. Jessie created my logo, Abby designed my flyers and business cards and LZ flew down to schmooze the brides. Add into that mix my wonderful husband who not only designed the website but didn't divorce me in the process of all this and I had the perfect witches brew of talent and support. We had vendors coming up and saying they had heard brides talking about us and they wanted to see what we were all about. My absolute favorite moment was when a very manly groom dragged his fiance over to our booth exclaiming, "You HAVE to try the rosewater candy!".
So that was the good side. The down side is that I bought bread for the first time in months. We ate out more last week than we have since we moved in. I had a chance to pick up a flat of pickling cucumbers and I had to pass it by because I knew I wouldn't have time. Our clothesline is beginning to think we don't love it anymore, it has started wearing black lipstick and listening to emo.
So now, balance. I believe I am going to make a few amendments to the Grand Experiment. I will still make our staples, and we certainly won't be buying processed food, but I am going to allow some flexibility. A major part of this journey for me was to gain knowledge. To that end, I have learned how to make my own bread, therefore if I occasionally buy some artisan bread it's ok. I still haven't mastered pasta, so I will keep practicing until I do. But I can support my friend Casey by purchasing his to-die-for hand made pastas on special occasions. Pickles, preserves, chutneys and ketchup will continue to be homemade. I can make my own hummus and baba ghanouj, but I will never make it as well as Richard from Claudine's Kitchen.
From now on it's going to be about knowledge, and sharing that knowledge. Look for more recipes, tips and photos in the future. I do have a request; I want, nay need, a recipe for garlicky, spicy dill pickles. I'm snapping up the very next batch of pickling cucumbers I find.
What an incredibly hectic, stressful and rewarding few weeks. The bridal expo was on Sunday and it was a huge success for the company. My fabulous sisters all pitched in to make it happen. Jessie created my logo, Abby designed my flyers and business cards and LZ flew down to schmooze the brides. Add into that mix my wonderful husband who not only designed the website but didn't divorce me in the process of all this and I had the perfect witches brew of talent and support. We had vendors coming up and saying they had heard brides talking about us and they wanted to see what we were all about. My absolute favorite moment was when a very manly groom dragged his fiance over to our booth exclaiming, "You HAVE to try the rosewater candy!".
So that was the good side. The down side is that I bought bread for the first time in months. We ate out more last week than we have since we moved in. I had a chance to pick up a flat of pickling cucumbers and I had to pass it by because I knew I wouldn't have time. Our clothesline is beginning to think we don't love it anymore, it has started wearing black lipstick and listening to emo.
So now, balance. I believe I am going to make a few amendments to the Grand Experiment. I will still make our staples, and we certainly won't be buying processed food, but I am going to allow some flexibility. A major part of this journey for me was to gain knowledge. To that end, I have learned how to make my own bread, therefore if I occasionally buy some artisan bread it's ok. I still haven't mastered pasta, so I will keep practicing until I do. But I can support my friend Casey by purchasing his to-die-for hand made pastas on special occasions. Pickles, preserves, chutneys and ketchup will continue to be homemade. I can make my own hummus and baba ghanouj, but I will never make it as well as Richard from Claudine's Kitchen.
From now on it's going to be about knowledge, and sharing that knowledge. Look for more recipes, tips and photos in the future. I do have a request; I want, nay need, a recipe for garlicky, spicy dill pickles. I'm snapping up the very next batch of pickling cucumbers I find.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Monty Python Has All The Answers
Mike and I have a habit of talking in movie quotes. For some reason that I've never been able to comprehend it tends to irritate and confuse the people around us. When I'm feeling particularly overwhelmed I'll exclaim "I'm INVINCIBLE" and Mike will respond with "You're a loonie." Right now I think his quote is winning.
When I started the Grand Experiment I figured that 4 months in I would be creating everything from scratch. Pasta, tortillas, soup, etc. Then I got the bright idea of starting a business at the same time. Then I got the brilliant idea of signing up for a bridal show with little more than a month to prepare. Oh, and the absolutely fabulous idea of bribing Sophie with a pet if she had good behavior for 30 days. I think I've convinced her a lizard is a better idea than a tortoise, I'm not so sure I want a pet I'll have to provide for in my will. So now I'm trying to do everything and I'm sorry to say the Experiment has been shoved to the back burner. I still make our bread and jams and butter, but I bought corn tortillas today for our carnitas. Occasionally I buy canned tomato soup (sans high fructose corn syrup) for Soph. I'm ashamed to admit I even let Mike bring home store bought ice cream one night. The only defense I can offer is that at least it was Ben and Jerry's.
The other part, not buying anything new, has proved harder and much more rewarding than I thought. I've given up trying to find used canning jars, apparently they are harder to find than pacifists at a gun show. No luck on a pasta roller or bread cookbooks either. My quest did lead me to an amazing barter site on Facebook where I have bartered for yard services, herbs and spices, and all kinds of other fun things. Since they don't make baby straight jackets we were forced to buy a high chair for Orion with a five point harness, I was becoming a little sick of diving for him as he balanced on the kitchen table. We found one on Craigslist for a fraction of what it would have cost to buy new. I'm in love with Goodwill now, the kids have darling wardrobes and I don't care when Orion inevitably destroys his clothing. Yes Mom, I know these are all things you've known for years, it just took me a little longer to get with the program. It takes more work and a heck of a lot more planning but there's something so much more rewarding about finding a used item rather than waltzing over to the nearest Target.
I don't know what the moral of this story is yet. Did I let myself down by not committing one hundred percent to the householding? Am I not invincible? Is there someone out there hoarding used mason jars? I guess I can always look on the bright side of life, there will always be Monty Python.
Oh, and on a side note, I will be posting more recipes from here on out, and if you all have any good ones, fire away.
When I started the Grand Experiment I figured that 4 months in I would be creating everything from scratch. Pasta, tortillas, soup, etc. Then I got the bright idea of starting a business at the same time. Then I got the brilliant idea of signing up for a bridal show with little more than a month to prepare. Oh, and the absolutely fabulous idea of bribing Sophie with a pet if she had good behavior for 30 days. I think I've convinced her a lizard is a better idea than a tortoise, I'm not so sure I want a pet I'll have to provide for in my will. So now I'm trying to do everything and I'm sorry to say the Experiment has been shoved to the back burner. I still make our bread and jams and butter, but I bought corn tortillas today for our carnitas. Occasionally I buy canned tomato soup (sans high fructose corn syrup) for Soph. I'm ashamed to admit I even let Mike bring home store bought ice cream one night. The only defense I can offer is that at least it was Ben and Jerry's.
The other part, not buying anything new, has proved harder and much more rewarding than I thought. I've given up trying to find used canning jars, apparently they are harder to find than pacifists at a gun show. No luck on a pasta roller or bread cookbooks either. My quest did lead me to an amazing barter site on Facebook where I have bartered for yard services, herbs and spices, and all kinds of other fun things. Since they don't make baby straight jackets we were forced to buy a high chair for Orion with a five point harness, I was becoming a little sick of diving for him as he balanced on the kitchen table. We found one on Craigslist for a fraction of what it would have cost to buy new. I'm in love with Goodwill now, the kids have darling wardrobes and I don't care when Orion inevitably destroys his clothing. Yes Mom, I know these are all things you've known for years, it just took me a little longer to get with the program. It takes more work and a heck of a lot more planning but there's something so much more rewarding about finding a used item rather than waltzing over to the nearest Target.
I don't know what the moral of this story is yet. Did I let myself down by not committing one hundred percent to the householding? Am I not invincible? Is there someone out there hoarding used mason jars? I guess I can always look on the bright side of life, there will always be Monty Python.
Oh, and on a side note, I will be posting more recipes from here on out, and if you all have any good ones, fire away.
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