Needle In A Haystack

I'm a glutton for punishment, I swear. In the midst of planning for the Gala plus prop work for the first show of the season, we took a long weekend and went away to Redbarn Farm to see the fam. And to celebrate Big Monkey and my 11th Anniversary by driving to Asheville for the afternoon. It's only an hour and a half away from Upcountry South Carolina (crazy how the land lies/roads go) so an easy drive from the farm. We had a wonderful time, drank too many really good ales, and want to go back for twice as much time with four times as much money.

Which, since I took the trapped time in the car to actually do our budget together, we know we have none of. Not literally, of course, we can pay our mortgage and put food on the table and keep the lights on. But, honestly, beyond that, not much! It was kinda scary to put together a realistic, not extravagant budget, that included saving for yearly payments (property taxes, vacation) and minimum payments on debt, only to realize that to pay everything would put us in the hole $430 every month. We're not congress, we obviously can't do that. And with Big Monkey's insane schedule at work making earning extra income and still being a presence in Half Pint's life not possible, it looks like it will fall to me to pick up the slack.

I'll start, of course, by working my full hour allotment at work (show hours being purely bonus and will go towards saving our emergency fund and then straight toward debt payments). But I'm also going to get serious about pursuing consultant work (I guess that's what it is. Maybe you know a better term.) in organizing and personal shopping.

I'm calling it "Needle In A Haystack" and the tag line is "Finding the Perfect Item for you, for your loved ones." I'll offer both personal shopping services (drawing on my many years of retail work and prop shopping for theater) and home/office organizing help (from my years of management, planning, and obsession with details). $50/hour with a $20 initial consultation applicable towards final bill. Packages available, corporate discount offered.

I would love to start with 2 jobs per week, totaling about 8 hours. Even setting aside a percentage for taxes, I should easily be able to make up the difference in our budget without breaking the time bank with either Half Pint or Big Monkey.

You're the second person I've told about this idea (the first being Big Monkey, of course) so I'd love feedback. Or a referral! I think I may have really found my Hedgehog Concept (you haven't read Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap? Shame on you!) and am excited to see how great it can be.

Did Someone Change My Calendar Early?

I know we're all asking it but really, where did the summer go? Just yesterday I had a grand plan for these few months between seasons, full of promise for bigger-better-bolder! Now, it's August 2nd and my day is so full trying to get ready for the gala at work, the season opener, and make steady progress on projects at home that I'm planning out my day, as opposed to just making a to-do list and going forth. I suppose that might make me a bit OCD but, hey, whatever gets the job done, right?

Yes, this is my daily planner, not just a one-off for a busy day. I created it, printed it, and live by it. Everything goes in it: family events, project notes, food charts, funny quotes, flylady lists, so forth and so on. There's a pocket in front for cards and other loose ephemera. 3 (count 'em: 3!) different calendars: a quick yearly glance (useful for planning vacations around shows), a monthly block-style as dividers (you can just see the blue tabs at left), and then these daily pages.

Obviously, I work in pencil.

I may have a slight calendar obsession. Is that bad?

In other craziness: if I ever say "oh, I'll just make the pasta from scratch!" someone please bean me upside the head with a pasta machine. I made lasagna from scratch today. Literally: pasta, sauce, cheese. Well, I didn't grow the spinach but... no Stouffer's grodiness here (not that I don't eat the frozen take-n-bake kind when offered it elsewhere but I wouldn't be Foodie Mama if I did that at home, now would I?). And we can't afford to run to the store and buy noodles but I still had 00 flour on hand and had eggs from the farmer's market on Saturday... and time, although I had forgotten how freakin' long the process takes. That's where today really got thrown off: I never remember how long it takes to make pasta from scratch. Luckily, I did remember that the egg was going to go everywhere when trying to incorporate it into the flour, so I was prepared for that and kept it together. And lasagna, like most pasta dishes, is one of those easily-forgiving things that you can just lump some stuff in the dish, throw it in the oven, and it'll pretty much turn out edible. I had leftover meatball meat from making meatballs over the weekend (again, from scratch. I'm a glutton for punishment) for the sauce, plus a huge block of mozzarella (not the good stuff but it was on sale) and a frozen package of spinach so it turned out quite tasty. I love spinach in my lasagna. In fact, the best lasagna that I've ever made was a spinach/portebello mix that was completely vegetarian and to die for.

Of course, pounds of cheese make most anything tasty.

This picture is NOT my homemade lasagna, but rather an old recipe called "Johnnie Marzetti". "Spelling varies according to locale, but it is the same hearty, flavorful, economical dish no matter how you spell it." From the Southern Heritage 'Beef, Veal, and Lamb' cookbook (more on the set in a later post). It's not quick since you have to chop, brown, and simmer and then bake it all for 20 minutes, but it hella cheap and makes a ton. Be prepared to eat on it for lunch for days.

Which in this economy is a pretty good idea.

Johnnie Marzetti

1 pound ground chuck
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium-size green pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1 Cup water
1/4 teaspoon basil leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
2 (5-oz) packages wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1.5 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Saute meat, celery, onion and green pepper in butter in a large skilled over low heat until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain off pan drippings. Add tomato paste, water, basil, salt, pepper and bay leaf; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard. Place cooked noodles in a lightly greased 2.5 quart shallow baking dish. Spoon meat mixture over noodles; sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese over top. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 20 minutes or until cheese melts. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Rain may stop us, but not heat

We braved the heat last Saturday to go to the Saxapahaw Rivermill Music Series. Not that we were the only ones there, but it was definitely LESS populated than when Half Pint and I went two weeks ago. But we were rained out last week (my birthday, too, what a bummer) so I was determined we'd go and have a good time.

We had to go into Hillsborough first so swung by Weaver Street Market and picked up picnic foods (they make the best pimento cheese ever) before taking a circuitous route to the hill. We picked up some ale at the General Store after making sure it was okay we could take glass (I couldn't remember and didn't want to chance it).


Half Pint had a great time: she danced some, ate, and played with the bubbles, of course. Big Monkey and I enjoyed hanging out together (even if I did spill some of my beer on the blanket). It was fun people watching, too, and not having to worry about her getting into something she shouldn't. It's a very family friendly event and everyone out there -- with kids or not -- smiles and enjoys watching the little ones play. Looking around, they were the missing element over two weeks ago; I suppose other parents with toddlers didn't want to stand the 100 degree temps. Turned out to not be an issue; in fact, about halfway through the show, we were worried we'd get rained on. Clouds started to move in, brought by a refreshing breeze, but luckily the precipitation stayed away and we were able to finish our dinner before heading out right before the show ended.

There's a great farmer's market there, too, during the concert and we picked up a couple of things, including a wonderful cantaloupe from Byrd Farm since she was soooo nice to let us borrow her bottlecap opener. Twice. And several food stands set up shop, including a place that sells Maple View Farms ice cream. Half Pint opted for strawberry: yum.

Dog Days of Summer

I already suck at this blogging thing and it's only been two months since I started it. One of the things I've learned is I need feedback, public acknowledgment, even just a "hey, I read that. it sucked." to keep at projects like this. I LOVE the internet because of the worlds it opens up and the people you can meet. But I HATE the internet because I don't get the immediate gratification of someone's smile at my work that I get in the Real World. I think that's what kept/keeps me in retail/customer service: that immediate happiness I can afford someone.

Not that I don't think what I'm working on here on the webs is important, but, well, anyway.

We got a dog. Two, actually. They are Plott Hounds, about 3 months old, shelter-adopted pups. The lighter brindle in center is Nikola, a boy and the dark one on right is a girl, Tesla. The one on the left in Elmo pj's is Half Pint. The cats (we rescued an older cat, Blitz) were on the bed. One large, furry, happy family. But you can see: it's a been a tad busy around here lately.

Nights in the Kitchen

I had to call in some help on Sunday night to cook what was on the menu, as I would never have been able to time it out right by myself. Fried crappie, locally caught by Big Monkey and his Papa, thin-sliced fried potatoes, and homemade coleslaw (remember the cabbage from the last post?). We don't own a deep fryer so everything was going into the widest, deepest pans we have along with generous amounts of lard. Yes, folks, you read right: we fry our food in good old-fashioned NON HYDROGENATED lard. I can get it from a couple of local farms with pigs and keep it in the fridge for just this purpose (bacon drippings, I find, work much better for frying eggs or seasoning greens. But lard has no flavor to itself so better for deep-frying and leaves everything super crispy and oh-so-delectable!). Screw the low-fat people: I much less worried about old-fashioned animal fats that have been eaten forever than I am about the new-fangled chemical concoctions foisted on us by an industry that exists only if we stay sick and obese. Follow the money trail, is all I'm sayin...

Dinner: cold beer, fried fish and chips, leftover batter as hushpuppies, with coleslaw on the side. I said to Big Monkey, "If you were always home on Sunday nights, this might be our standard dinner." Course, that would require him fishing a bit more often. Yeah, something tells me he wouldn't mind that too much.

Monday was Date Night At Home and another from the MSLiving "What To Eat For Dinner" collection. Oddly enough, I found it all as a cookbook at the Farmer's Market on Saturday at their cookbook swap table. I chuckled as I hadn't realized I was already doing what they wanted me to pay for (again, since you have to pay for the magazine)! My way has one key advantage: the cookbook is arranged in traditional fashion: all the apps together, all the entrees together, so forth and so on. With the card sets, the night's menu is put together for you, no picking-and-choosing required. I'll stick with my three ring binder.

This week was marinated goat cheese (skipped), minestrone salad, italian sausage with arugula pesto, and macerated berries with creme freche (also skipped). I opted for some of our venison bratwurst on the grill instead of buying pork sausage; at roughly 5 minutes a side it turned out juicy and wonderful. I had leftover chimichurri sauce from last week so just used that instead of hunting down arugula and pine nuts. But I did spring for all the ingredients (that I didn't have on hand) for the minestrone salad. Totally worth it. I'm not a bean fan but this salad has enough different textures and flavors to be worth the time it takes to make. And drizzled with balsamic vinegar and EVOO just makes it that much better. We had a ton left over and we were figuring out ways to change it so we wouldn't get bored eating it every day: add feta cheese. Or parmesan. Sprinkle liberally with fresh chopped basil. Or oregano. Add the stock back to it to make soup. Add chicken for some protein or chopped ham or shaved proscuitto. I mean, really, the possibilities are endless. I don't know that it will make it into the normal repertoire, but definitely something I'd pull out for a dinner party.

Hillsborough Farmer's Market, Saturdays, 8 to Noon

I don't work for the Hillsborough Farmer's Market, although sometimes I wish I did. They have become "my" market, out of the plethora that are available in Orange County. They're convenient-- a mere 10 minute drive from my house -- and still small enough that you can get to know the farmers by name. My only complaint is part of that: because they are still so small (roughly a dozen regular vendors, give or take a couple) there doesn't tend to be quite the variety of foodstuffs that you can find at, say, the Carrboro Market. I'm not 100% certain the story behind the story, but there are two farmer's markets in Hillsborough: this one, which meets in the Home Depot parking lot at the intersection 86 and I85, and the Eno River Farmer's Market, which holds court -- literally -- in the sheltered area behind the new Courthouse on Margaret Lane. I went to that one a few times last season but didn't find enough to keep me going back on a regular basis. There is an apple orchard that has a stall there, though, so might be worth going back once in a while (or figuring out where the orchard is and their pick-your-own times).

This weeks haul was small as it's between paychecks: cabbage (a HUGE head the guy gave me for $3. we'll be eating on it for a whole week), cucumbers (mine are leafing but not flowering yet), green tomatoes (for frying), peaches (glory be hallelujah! fresh fruit!), eggs, and -- a first!! -- shitake mushrooms! A rarity at ANY market but he says he's gonna be a regular. Whoopee!! I love it when I can stop buying anything that has to be trucked across the country. Maybe I can convince him he should start growing buttons and creminis, too. I asked him if he foraged for wild ones and he laughed and said no, he only trusted what he grew himself. Understandable, but I'd love to try some wild fungi from a knowledgeable mycologist.

Gratuitous picture of Lil Bit smelling the flowers at the market.You didn't know you needed that, did you?

Lots of Green(s)

Big Monkey and I agreed that Monday nights would be our official "date night." Fridays we're always working and we don't want to fight the crowds on Saturdays (not to mention the struggle to find a sitter!). We're almost always off on Monday nights, restaurants and movie theaters are relatively quiet, and family members are usually available to watch Lil Bit. The plan has worked out well but now that we've hit the lean days of summer, we won't be going out on dates much. Rather, we'll stay in, cook up something yummy on the grill, rent a movie, and kick back with a local ale.

For a while now, on the Mondays we didn't have a sitter or whatever and wound up at home, I've been working through my stack of Martha Stewart Living recipes. Not the cookbook (although I use it a lot) and not the Everyday Food ones but the ones that come on the tear out cards towards the back of the magazine. I've been collecting them for nine or ten years now, off and on, and have a 3-ring binder full. Some have turned out better than others but all have thrust me outside of my cooking comfort zone and let us eat something different. This week was (top photo) grilled goat with grilled peppers and onions. The whole dinner (each tear out page is four recipes: an appetizer, main course, side, and dessert) also included eggplant fritters, which I didn't cook cause we do not like eggplant, and a lemon-yogurt sauce, which I didn't fix cause I didn't realize before starting that the yogurt in the fridge had gone bad. But everything was still pretty yummy, even if I like my peppers and onions a little softer than the time alotted in the recipe had them. Dessert (bottom photo) was a plum-raspberry-tarragon chilled soup, minus the tarragon (cause my herb guy at the farmer's market didn't have any). Again, outside of my cooking comfort zone, on a couple of levels, and it was okay, but we both agreed it would be better as a granita or sorbet, and needed more sweet to cut the tart of the raspberries. Live and learn.

Tonight's dinner was back to standard fare: grilled chicken, corn, and green beans. I wanted to share this one with you because one of the blogs I follow posted about the Green Music Group issuing an "eat local" challenge for this week. You can use the Eat Well Guide to find local food in your area and then commit to eating one meal (per day, per week, whatever) that's primarily local. I thought about actually signing up for the challenge but got to thinking about it and realize that I already eat local so much, I didn't really need to validate it by joining another website. Now, I will admit that I could patronize some other farmers or markets, but I do pretty well with the local thing. Case in point: the chicken is from Roland (you'll just have to get used to the fact that I will reference him a lot. I'll get a picture next week. He's cute.) and his farm is literally within walking distance of my house. Even closer: the green beans are from my garden. Now, the corn I did not get locally; it's still a little early in the season. But almost every day I eat at least one thing that was grown right here in the OCNC. I can't say that it's always been that way but I have been doing it now for 2+ years so I would say that rather than a gimmick challenge, it's pretty much our way of life.

Today's harvest: (t to b) mixed chard, cilantro, green beans, loose leaf lettuce. Green green and more green.