I saw the moon on the leaves of the moss covered trees.

We took a bike-ride picnic for supper tonight to City Park. On the menu: a bottle of red, leftover roasted chicken, whole wheat pasta with pesto, garlic dip with carrots & cucumbers, a perfect honey-crisp apple with cheese.  I had such a great time.

This garlic oil from New Mexico makes great dip!  thanks K., you were right!

Ya-ka-mien

So, I took that chicken stock and turned it into my version of Ya-ka-mien.  It's just a souped up ramen really, usually prepared with beef, but I had leftover roasted chicken, some chinese curly noodles(I have only had the soup with spaghetti noodles) and veggies.  Always topped off with a boiled egg.

Breadcrumbs, Chicken Stock & Bay Leaves

I know ... BORING, but practical and thrifty! My dear friend, K., brought me those just picked bay leaves from the Truck Farm this week.  Lucky me!

Late Night KarmelKorn!!

Yes, it was wrong.  I always thought karmelkorn was wrong in general, but my brother and I used to love to get it in the mall growing up.  Now, having seen the list of ingredients & made up a batch of my own -- it is confirmed.  Oh!  ...and it was so delicious and super easy!

KarmelKorn
1 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
6-8 qt. popped popcorn

In heavy saucepan, over medium-low heat, combine butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Then add baking soda. Pour over popped popcorn, mixing well. Bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. Break into pieces.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAZ!

Peanut Butter Cups for our friend Chaz aka Washboard Chaz. M. & I thought that he deserved a special treat today in honor of his 60th birthday!  I made peanut butter cups and they were much easier than I thought! The dogs agreed, but still did not get any!

I used this recipe from Life in a Peanut Shell.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAZ!

Shrimp Fried Rice before M.'s Gig Uptown

I attempted Shrimp Fried Rice tonight before M.'s gig Uptown.

M.'s comments:
"The cilantro ruins it."
"Fried Rice doesn't have squash."
"It doesn't taste like fried rice."

OK ... I get it, not his favorite thing I've ever made, but I thought it was delicious!  Me and Chinese Junk Food will one day be best friends!  (and he was wrong, it did taste like fried rice.)

Fried rice reminds me of Alvin, the Cook at Feelings when I worked there, who would make the wait staff fried rice on a slow night without any effort.  I wonder what happened to Alvin as he never returned to New Orleans after Katrina -- I heard he lives in Arkansas and I have a really hard time picturing this big guy from the Treme in the country.  Here's to you Alvin, hope you are still cooking and enjoying life!

If you are getting out tonight in NOLA, please drop by the Box Office on Freret Street after 8pm.  The Hot Club of New Orleans will be performing the musical stylings of music for moderns in their new weekly Wednesday installment Uptown.  Hope to see you there! www.hotclubofneworleans.com

Made some Pizza Dough for some Dough Today.

I made three batches of pizza dough today because I am filling my first ever "order". That's exciting for me!  Please let me know if you would like a sample.

Pizza Dough Recipe -- see Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

I also changed the stem on the kitchen faucet today which is not about food or cooking ... or is it?

Enjoyed visiting and a drink with C. at the dba.  In the background, the swinging sounds of the Cottonmouth Kings of New Orleans.  Wish you were there.  Aaahh ... New Orleans!

Matt's Bar in Minneapolis

In August we visited Minneapolis & Matt's bar, home of the "Jucy Lucy", a cheese stuffed yummyburger.  Here's the menu. I do hope to return one day. 

Shrimpballs...Better than Meat Balls

A friend told me about a shrimpball recipe in the Times Picayune this week. Tonight we tried Shrimp Balls over rice. A take on the classic meatball, the balls were moist and delicious and M. says better than meatballs. He went on to say that we need not go back to the classic meatball. Basically, I followed the recipe in the link above. I used the veggies and just spiced it up my way. I didn't have any french bread, but had whole wheat breadcrumbs in the freezer. I soaked some in a little unsweetened soymilk. My red gravy is the sauce I use for everything that calls for red sauce.

"Best ever honey," is what M. said after his second plate.