Words, Words, Words, Words

When my mother got married back in 1962 to my biological father she came equipped, as women did then, with a cookery book. The book in question was called "The I Hate to Cook Book" by Peg Bracken and it's pretty much a book that defined much of my childhood, in odd ways. I inherited the book somewhere along the line, and in it is my mother's little notes to herself, carefully dated with the first time she tried the receipe.

With my new zest for trying to be good at this housewife thing in hopes that the Universe approves and arranges it so I can keep doing it, I've been very good about going through my receipe books, of which I have legions for some reason, and actually planning my weekly meals. It actually does help keep costs down because I'm not buying the more expensive already prepared things, and I'm less apt to say, "We don't have anything for dinner, let's go to MacDonalds."

Despite the aforementioned legions of recipies, the book I find myself going to the most is, naturally, the I Hate to Cook Book. Today I did something I've never done before, thanks to Peg Bracken.

I made a new meal out of leftovers.

( cut for anyone who doesn't bloody care )

Oh, in other news, the dinnerware I bought at the thrift shop for $10 I just sold on eBay for $25. Pretty cool. I promptly went out and bought new dinnerware from Kohls. The plates are square! With the sale you can mix and match, so I got 3 purple dinner plates, and then three that were multi coloured (can't find a picture) and then 2 yellow dessert plates, and two multi-coloured dessert plates, and 2 purple bowls, and 2 mult-coloured bowls. It's all sorts of pretty.

And my hands are dirty because I cleaned my oven without using gloves, because I didn't have any. Ick.

Since I've been in full-on housewife mode, I've been trying to do more 'real' cooking - stuff from cookery books rather then from boxes.

One thing I discovered has already become Charlie's favorite, and I thought I'd share it with you all. It's easy and just a bit different.

( It's Spaghetti Pizza! )

It's really easy and tasty. Charlie LOVES it. The first time we had it, he had two huge helpings, and then had the leftovers the next day for snack. The second time we had it, he practically ate the whole thing.

Right now I am making a meatloaf using Rice Krispies. If it actually tastes decent, I'll share that too.

I would also like to point out I've now made several batches of cookies, one cake with fosting and brownies entriely from 'scratch'. I need one of those poofy hairdos, pearls and an apron.

So, there's this new Cuban resturant in town and we wanted to try it out, so I suggested going today, since we got our tax money (hurrah), and I called to make a reservation. Turns out, if I want to eat at a reasonable hour there tonight, I would have to go back in time a week and make the reservation then.

It totally made me think of the bit in LA Story where Steve Martin tries to get a reservation at "L'idiot's" and Patrick Stewart says to him in a voice of high dudgeon, "You think with a portfolio like this you can have the duck?" and then the chef says, "He can have the chicken" and eventually he gets a reservation for three months from then, or something. Great scene, brilliant movie.

Anywhoodles, Collingswood is chock full of good resturants, but many of them are way swanky, and not appropriate for children, so our choice for alternative dining was somewhat limited, so we're going to Nunzio's, which is Zagat rated, and I've been wanting to see the inside because the decor is beautiful, and they have openings and they let children in. Italian isn't my favorite food (another drawback to Collingswood dining, as the majority of resturants are Italian) but it should be good.

In other news, I realised recently someone had 'unfriended' me, but I don't know why. I try not to take it personally, but it is funny how it kind of gets to you, isn't it? Can't help but wonder what I said or did to have her delete me without a courtesy note telling me she was going to do so. I've been unfriended before, but the person usually says why, at least. Sad.

Oh, and if anyone cares, Charlie took a photo of the moon last night, as it was full. I've also trained him up to say "Lord how bright and goodly shines the moon" when he is looking at it, and now he totally does it on his own.

( Swear not by the moon )

cerisaye posted a funny article from The Guardian on her blog about Snickers Pie, which sounded revolting, so I decided I would share my receipe for Milky Way brownies, as they are delicious.

Years ago when I was working for a travel company, we had this computer thingy that pre-dated the interweb as we know it today, all black background and green letters, where one could get car rental information, and find out the political climate of every country in the world. It had one site where people could post some fun things, including receipes. I'll be buggered if I can remember the name of the program though.

Since it has been well over ten years since I've seen the thing and I have long forgotten the name of the person who posted this receipe in the first place, I shall take full credit for this totally easy and calorie laden treat.

You will need the following:

5 or 6 regular sixed Milky Way Bars, although I find one bag of the small 'snack sized' bars works nicely and then you have some candy bars left over.

1 roll of Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. I've used imitation brands, but I have to admit Pillsbury's works the best.

1 8 x 10 x 13 pan

Unwrap the dough, spread it evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes. In the meanwhile, chop up the candy bars into small pieces.

Spread the pieces of the candy bars over the cookie dough and then bake again for about 8 minutes or until the candy is melted.

Swirl the candy bars around the top of the dough like frosting, then let cool.

Cut into bars.

Serve.*

It is a very easy thing to make, looks pretty and people rave about it. It's a nice thing to bring to an office party or someone's house, because it looks like you worked much harder than you actually did.

*Or hide them and eat them yourself when no one is looking. Your call.

I decided not to attempt to cook something fancy and complicated and instead went to this cute little gift shop-slash-fiddly food store that is in Collingswood, town of awesome. I got this really yummy cheddar and pistachio spread, an artichoke tapanade* thingy and some fancy bread slices. So, will look impressive and yet I won't have to do anything but put it on a pretty plate.

Works for me.

Love going home early. Also stopped at this new men's resale shop (located in Collingswood, town of awesome) and got trousers and a shirt for the hubby to wear. Hopefully they will fit. Hard to shop for him. He thinks he is skinnier than he is, and he winds up having his belly all hanging over his pants. Not very Queer Eye.

You know, the casting for the show of House is so amazing even the rat was a good actor. Just saying.

If I don't get back on line (doubtful) I hope everyone who is having one has a good Thanksgiving.

*However it's bloody spelled

Well, thanks to jenlittlebottom, who totally wins at the internets for telling me this, Charlie's durians actually do exist. And, because the world is large and the internet is infinite, there is an entire website dedicated to the thing.

Pretty sure they aren't sold in my local market, though.

It's snowing now. Charlie is very happy.

Did pretty much nothing today but watch TV and attempt to make cookies. Tip-You can't use whole wheat flour to make sugar cookies. They taste like Triskets.

Anyway...saw a fun movie from 1945 starring Barbara Stanwick, whom I've decide is one of my favorite actresses from The Golden Age of Hollywood. The movie was A Christmas In Connecticut. Barbara must have worn 10 outfits within a two day period. The clothes then were beautiful.

I also watched some silly thing starring Kathy Ireland as Santa Claus's daughter Kristin.

I noticed this odd trend in modern Christmas stories, at least the ones that aren't some kind of take off of A Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life. Many of the plots seem to revolve around a family with a widowed father, who is buried in his work and doesn't pay enough attention to his children, and it takes some woman to come along and renew the spirit of Christmas. What does that mean? That only women can carry the spirit of Christmas? Sort of makes sense when you think about it, it was Mary after all who gave birth to Jesus.

A few years ago I wrote this poem about Holiday stories, that I figured I'd share with ya'all now. Cause, well, it's my journal, and I can. Feel free to ignore it.

( If life was a Holiday Story )