On Jan. 22 and 23 I was deeply involved with Trinity Institute. Part of their promotion was to serve vegetarian menus during the presentation, and we engaged a wonderful vegetarian restaurant to serve our breakfasts and lunches those two days. Part of the breakfast was a beautifully presented fruit tray using half a carved out pineapple with assorted fresh fruit (like those watermelon pictures in Better Homes & Gardens). Well, I have to tell you there is nothing I like better than fresh pineapple, and I loved the pieces of pineapple I managed to get during those breakfasts. It was just enough for me to start craving pineapple.
So. . . in mid-February when the grocery store had pineapple for $3.00 each, and they were perfect---one could smell them--- could I resist? Of course not. However, one person vs. one pineapple lasts a little over two weeks if one has one to two servings of pineapple daily. But, oh, it was so good. None wasted.
A week later when grocery shopping I noticed that asparagus was on sale for $1.98 / lb. It was young, fresh, tender, slender stalks. In other words---PERFECT! It is also my favorite of all vegetables. It was not on my shopping list, but did I hesitate to buy it? Not on your tintype! Apparently my bunch was just under a pound as it only cost $1.88, but it saw me through ten days of daily asparagus.
No complaints so far, but let's get to STUPID BUYING which leads to EMERGENCY COOKING!
I went to Sam's Club last week to buy Glucosamine Chondroitin for me and Polly (my 14 yr. old dog) and coffee. Then I made the mistake of wandering through the market section. Well, it really wasn't a mistake. I wanted to taste the free samples, but they didn't have anything to do with what followed. My wandering eyes picked up on the 3 lb. bag of bananas for less than $1.50 and the 5 lb. bag of pears for less than $5.00. What bargains, I thought, because I usually buy only 1-2 bananas and 1-2 pears per week, and at much higher rates. So, I bought a bag of each.
Dear Friends, it would take a stop watch to determine how quickly the brown specks begin to develop on those two fruits. Within two days I was on the internet trying to find out what to do with pears particularly that didn't involve buying jars, lids, and boiling water baths. EMERGENCY COOKING to salvage my great savings on fruit. Consequently, I now have a LARGE banana nut bread in the freezer, the remains of a banana pudding in my fridge (I took some to Chillax), two jars of Vanilla Pear Butter in the fridge, and two upcoming events when I am expected to furnish some refreshment (Thank, God!). Oh, yeah, and still one banana and a couple of pears. I'm eating as fast as I can.
When I say Life Is a Test I really mean that. Hopefully, we've both learned something here. Let me know.
12 comments:
I bought 5 bananas and a pineapple at the grocery on Sunday evening. I never buy more than three bananas at a time, because I won't finish them before they turn and I called a moratorium on pineapple purchases last summer after I never managed to get one cut after its purchase. I finished the last of the bananas Wednesday evening--just in time--but only because I had two two banana days. I cut the pineapple Tuesday night and will commence devouring it today (and already packed some to give to a coworker). I now have a mandatory fruit at every meal; recently, it has been raisins and kiwi (or banana) at breakfast, apple at lunch, and banana at dinner (now to be pineapple). I'm also mixing some mango into my dinner salads. I am becoming the super fruit eating girl.
Next time we'll talk about vegetables.
Hi, Goo,
Part of your message sounds good, but there is part of it that makes me fear you inherited the "stupid buying" gene. Your problem to deal with though. Don't forget you can throw a little pineapple into a stir fry in your main dish and itty-bitty pieces in a yogurt carton.
Can't wait to hear about your veggie adventures.
At the moment I'm trying to figure out a spinach and ricotta recipe that can be made ahead and frozen (ideal) or refrigerated. I'm gonna play with puff pastry (store bought) this weekend--a sort of low fat spanakopita\spinach cheese croissant sort of thing. I want an alternative for breakfast that can travel with me to work and doesn't have to be prepared that day. I like my current breakfast (hard-cooked egg, nuts, raisins, and fruit) but want another option that doesn't put me in the caloric stratosphere, has plenty of protein, and doesn't rely entirely on simple carbs. All the breakfast recipes I find online seem fixated on eggs (getting plenty of those, thanks), oatmeal, or sugar. I really don't do "sweet" breakfast. Plus, I end the day with yoghurt.
If you've got a suggestion, I'm all ears.
I totally forgot abut my pineapple tonight and had raisins instead. I did have pineapple at lunch, however. My Friday apple went bad and the pineapple was a substitute; yummy, but it threw me off my fruit consuming stride.
Goo,
Is spanakopita something we can discuss in polite society?
My experiment was surprisingly successful. I was very leery of the store bought puff paste during prep and was prepared to consign the whole thing to the garbage, but it turned out tasty and filling if not as beautiful as I might have hoped. Think of it as a mushroom/spinach/cheese turnover with a little bit of turkey bacon tucked inside. It does travel resonably well, yeah!
Next up on the experimental platform are Venice Beach Pancakes. I found variations on a theme of cottage cheese, oatmeal, and egg white pancakes on several online sites. I'm gonna give it a go and see if they're any good.
But not tonight. Tonight I'm going to the movies with Ivy.
You need to go see "Duplicity" to continue your infatuation with Clive Owen. Lots o' fun. No shoot 'em ups.
Goo--you're a bread baker, aren't you? I have a great recipe for a breakfast dish that uses a yeast bread for the base. After it raises you roll half onto a round baking stone and put cheese and summer sausage on it in an artistic manner. You can also add uncooked eggs in the shell (they will cook when you bake and turn out like hard boiled eggs). Roll 1/4 of the dough out and cover the center. Use the remaining 1/4 to make pretty designs.
Let me know if you want the recipe.
When you are done you have a lovely meal for several or a week of breakfasts for one.
Jaz, I can't even imagine what you are describing. If Goo doesn't want the recipe, I do. Best publish it at once.
Sorry, Goo, I got distracted. I want to see Duplicity, not only for Clive, but I am also a big Julia Roberts fan. Maybe in April . . . .
Goo--thanks for providing the space for a recipe for Lit. Here goes:
Prairie Loaf
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oleo (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 package yeast (I like the quick rise)
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour (NOT bread flour--it has too much gluten for this recipe to work well).
8-oz grated cheese (I prefer cheddar)
1-lb summer sausage
8 large eggs--uncooked and washed
1 egg--beaten
Heat milk and oleo until oleo is almost melted. Milk should not boil. Pour over sugar and salt in large bowl. Stir. Break eggs into mixture. Empty yeast over eggs. Beat till well-blended. Add flour and mix to a stiff dough. Knead in the bowl with a spatula. Leave covered in greased bowl until double in bulk--about an hour or so, depending on the temp and humidity.
Punch down. Knead a little. Divide in half. Roll one half into a circle on a large, greased baking stone--all the way to the edge, leaving a lip on the dough. Divide remaining dough in half.
Pour cheese into the center of the rolled dough. Roll 1/2 the remaining dough into a circle and use it to cover the cheese. Pinch seal around the edges.
Cut the sausage into eight fairly equal sized chunks and evenly space them around the edge of the large circle, up against the lip. Place one egg between each hunk of sausage and the covered cheese mound. Divide remaining dough into enough pieces to hand-roll strips to anchor the sausage and eggs to the larger circle. Save back enough to use for a design on the cheese mound. (I usually make a daisy in the center).
Let rise an hour. Brush beaten egg over the dough for a shinier finish, or leave off for a matte finish. Bake 325 degrees Farenheit for 20-25 minutes until golden. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
I found that if you spray the eggs with Pam before anchoring them to the dough they are easier to remove after baking so you can take off the shell. Otherwise the dough sticks to the shell.
All I can say, Jaz, is you go first. Just reading the recipe wore me out.
BTW, save your egg shells for the compost.
I've baked this many times. I'll be happy to whip some up for you soon.
0h--and I don't know why I thought I was posting this on Goo's blog.
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