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Between my neat habit of obsessing over upcoming earthquakes, overpopulation, poisoned water supply – or in general, just imagining every possible “Final Destination” scenario no matter where I am (Hello, ferris wheel on Santa Monica Pier – you know what I’m talking about…), in addition to wine & Real Housewives, I’ve found another escape.
WARNING: There may be spoilers in this post!! Turn back now to Fatty’s Banana Bread if you plan to watch this but haven’t already!
Have you been seen it? Not since “Party of Five” have so many calamities befallen an American Family in a GORGEOUS, HUGE, multi-million dollar house.
Party of Five House:
No ghosts/murders/abominations in that house. Nosiree – just car accidents, orphans, pregnancy, drug problems, infidelity, and a neglected toddler.
This house is also gorgeous, expensive, in California, and the site of some…strife.
Infidelity is the least of their problems here and any babies/toddlers here would’ve been better off neglected!
(Incidentally – this house was on the market last year. I’m sure they’re still considering offers…
But I’m not here to explain the premise of the show or help sell the house – I’m here to boast about all the plot twists I called (out loud to G while he tried in vain to hear the show.) **SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ ON!**
1. Tate is Constance’s son. When Constance told Vivien about her children she said something to the effect that one of them had been beautiful but that she had “lost him to other things.” I said to G, “Tate is Constance’s son!” to which G replied, ” ———.”
Because he had headphones on and didn’t hear me.
You’re probably saying to yourself, “No s___, Christina, Tate was revealed as Constance’s son in last night’s episode. Tell us something we DON’T know!” You’re 100% correct but I only just found out last night that I was right about that and I’m still pretty excited!
2. Second thing I called: that little toothy monster in the white nightgown was the first owners’ child. This remains to be seen…
3. Third: hmmmm… There’s really only one thing I called correctly and one’s pending. So big deal! It’s only been 4 episodes!
Here are some questions. Wondering if I’m just missing something (whilst talking to G)??
1. Is Tate alive or dead? I think he must be dead because the dead cheerleader from his school said she’d now be 34 years old yet Tate appears to be high school age or at least in his early 20′s.
2. Remember the bitchy girl that Violet & Tate scared the bejeezus out of in the basement? Did she know Tate already? B/c afterwards when she was oh poor-me-ing over what had happened and asked Violet, “What WAS that?” (Good question, by the way…) Violet replied, “That was just Tate with a mask on!” as if she knew Tate as well. If she didn’t know him wouldn’t she have asked, “Who’s Tate, yo?”
3. Why can’t the murder victims leave the house (except on Halloween)?
4. Why does Vivien kick her husband out & choose to stay instead? I realize this is a dumb question. We’ve been asked to suspend our disbelief so many times already I shouldn’t have asked this. All I know is after being tied up & almost cut apart by some Manson-ite copycat murderers, the last place I’d send my husband was out. I’d be in that cookie-cutter studio apartment in Palms faster than you could say “popcorn ceiling.”
5. Whatever happened to the real gay fluffer who was supposed to come stage the house for them? Or is the real estate agent in on this too?
6. What did the nurse/technician see on the Ultrasound that made her faint & how come the PARENTS aren’t as concerned about that as say, I am?
7. What, what, what the HELL is that little creature in the white nightgown in the basement (I know my theory but want to hear yours)? Oh my god – I’m scaring myself at 3:10PM in my house in full sunlight…what’s BEHIND ME??? No worries – just more unpacked boxes from when we cleaned out the garage TWO MONTHS AGO. Anyway, mixing a lack of height with sharp teeth and a frilly white nightgown has always been frightening. My call: that creature is the current state of the original owners’ baby. After the baby was kidnapped, murdered & dismembered, his father was shown trying to sew animal feet onto a piece of his leg. Aggh. Oh. Mama mia. Somebody please explain?
I know what you’re thinking. “Couldn’t she have poured that soup into a clean pot?” The answer is, “No.
I really couldn’t – I’m lucky I got that soup done at all. And it came out great but I agree, it, that moment, really wasn’t a photo op.
Growing a fall garden seemed like SUCH a great idea so I could avoid trips to the Farmer’s Market only to buy (& then let rot) lettuces and greens that appealed visually but that I had no idea what to do with. Well, I didn’t know my garden would grow so quickly and now I have to actually eat this stuff!! (What a problem to have?)
Last week I posted a pic of my fall harvest asking people what to do with it. I got a few great ideas and executed one of them a couple of days ago. I made the white bean soup with my Rainbow Swiss Chard & parsley. Incidentally, those leaves kept really well for about 5 days in the fridge – I washed them, wrapped them in damp paper towels & stored in fridge in a Ziploc. They were really fresh & crisp when I took them out a few days later.
This soup is extremely tasty, healthy, easy & soooooooo good for those chilly (70 degree) fall nights. (That parenthetical was for my sister’s benefit as well as anyone else whose Halloween was cancelled due to SNOW this year.)
Here’s what you need: (+ 1 more can of beans & a bunch of parsley & basil)
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
32 oz vegetable broth
3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans (or white beans – I think mine are bigger beans)
1 (32 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasonings
1 bunch greens (spinach, swiss chard, beet greens etc.)
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c chopped fresh basil
1. Saute onion in hot olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes or until translucent. Make sure to coat onion with olive oil & stir occasionally.
2. Add garlic and stir. Sautee with onion for about a minute.
I love garlic.
3. Add vegetable broth!
4. Add 2 cans of the beans and 1/2 of the tomatoes to the broth. Turn medium-high to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. To make soup extra creamy, add the 1 remaining can of beans and the rest of the diced tomatoes to your blender or food processor. Hello, I do NOT have a food processor. Christmas is coming, friends & family!!
I cannot emphasize enough how important holding the lid on is.
Not only does this thicken the soup but it also tricks family members into eating things they would never eat in a recognizable form.
Add the blended concoction to the simmering soup.
Isn’t it ironic that some people who gag at the sight of diced tomatoes (or any tomatoes) find odds & ends of pig guts comforting? Being one of those people, myself, I’m definitely not judging!
6. Add chopped greens (whatever you chose/have on hand), the chopped parsley & basil to the soup. Guess what? I didn’t have any basil. I cannot keep my basil alive in the garden (full/partial sun) or even in those window pots you can get at Ralph’s. But I think you ought to add basil to yours. Or not.
Have you seen Rainbow Swiss Chard? It’s a beautiful thing. I only planted it b/c of how pretty it was.
As you can see from my picture at the top of the post, my pot is quite “coated.” Yours won’t look like that. Mine looks like that because I set it to boil, then ran back to the girls’ room to break up a fight. There, I quickly forgot I was cooking and started reading “It’s Christmas, David!” Suddenly I remembered I had set something to boil, jumped up & ran to the kitchen. Sure enough it was boiling, probably for 10+ minutes. Boiling HARD. Anyway, I simmered it after that. We did not eat it right away as it was done just after lunch. So instead I spooned it into freezer bags to store & exchange with our neighbor.
This soup is supposed to be very good after freezing. Since I knew nobody in my house (except for yours truly) would like this soup due to all the ahem, green things & tomatoes, I froze it in 3 parts and will be reheating it this week.
What I learned about freezing soup:
1. Soup with fresh veg freezes better than soup made with frozen veg.
2. Do not freeze soup with potatoes. The potatoes are not tasty & get a strange consistency.
3. Pour soup into airtight containers or bags leaving a little room to expand.
4. Freeze soup in bags flat so they are more easily stored.
5. Store in freezer no longer than 3 months.
Stay tuned for the post with someone eating the soup! I did taste it a whole bunch & it’s yummy. I plan on serving it with a parmesan crusty toast & will share the results!
Love to hear any comments below on what you did differently or how it came out for you! Thank you, Dena, for this idea!
Tasty & hearty fall comfort food! Easy to make & freezes well!
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz vegetable broth
3 (15 oz) cans cannellini or white beans, drained & rinsed
1 (32 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
5 oz chopped greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard etc.)
¼ c chopped parsely
¼ c chopped basil
Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Sautee onion in olive oil over medium heat until translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Be sure to stir to coat onion with oil. Add garlic for 1 minute. Be sure to coat garlic with oil as well.
Add broth. Add 2 cans of beans and half the can of diced tomatoes & Italian seasoning.
In a blender or food processor, puree 1 can of beans with rest of tomatoes. Add to soup.
Bring soup mixture to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it’s boiling, reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes.
Add greens, parsley & basil. When greens have wilted, taste & season with salt & pepper accordingly.
Serve in individual bowls with Parmesan cheese shavings & crusty bread!
Notes
This soup freezes well in plastic containers or freezer ziploc bags! Store frozen no longer than 3 months.
Besides salads & sauteeing, what should I do with this stuff? I didn’t realize my garden would be so..ahem…bountiful! Do you all have any ideas? Please share & I’ll make your recipe my next posting with full credit! Please post idea(r)s on the blog (instead of on Facebook!)
This weekend G headed home to his high school reunion. Knowing I’d be alone with the kids for a few nights, I thought I’d whip up some yummy meals ahead of time to avoid resorting to boxed macaroni & cheese.
Breakfast is always a headache for me. I mean literally, I have a headache during breakfast. I just can’t get to my coffee quickly enough! Maybe I should put it next to the bed? Anyway, I thought to myself, “What’s a surefire breakfast that everyone loves & that will fill the kids up all morning?” and instantly thought of my dear dad’s cheese grits recipe. My dad makes the best breakfast and this is probably everyone’s favorite dish. Two Easters in a row I’ve served it and there have never been leftovers. Plus, they’re easy.
Here’s what you need:
INGREDIENTS:
8 c water (for grits)
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 c grits
4 eggs
1 c milk
2 tbsp butter
1 or 1 1/4 lb cheddar, grated
1 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne
paprika & parmesan to sprinkle on top
1. Set water to boil. (I leave the lid on as it boils faster.)
Look, I even took a pic of the control knob.
This thing was so dirty I was compelled to Photoshop it. Not clean the actual knob, just Photoshop the picture of it. Did I really do that?
2. Whisk eggs & 1 tsp salt.
Then add milk & beat.
3. Your water should be boiling by now. Listen VERY carefully. Read VERY carefully. Read BEFORE you attempt. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. This is the only part that requires care. I took the liberty of doing this carelessly and you’ll see what happened to me. Ok. Ready?
READ FIRST:
Add 1 tsp salt to the water. Next slowly add grits to boiling water STIRRING ALL THE WHILE. Do NOT stop stirring to run for your camera or call your dad to ask about when to add butter. If you do, you’ll have this or these:
Grit balls
I had to start over on the grits. Dad blame it! Here’s what they should look like:
Ok. NOW you’re ready to add the grits. Go for it!
Once you’ve added & stirred ALL the grits, turn the heat down low, cover & finish cooking. Every once in a while take a gander in there & give it a stir. Should take about 30 minutes but check your grits instructions as they can vary. Should be sort of cream of wheat-y in texture – viscous but pourable.
5. Preheat oven to 350 & grease a casserole dish.
6. Slowly add cooked grits & butter to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add cheese, Worchestershire sauce & cayenne. STIR, STIR, STIR!! You want that mixed “real good.”
If you’re short on time you can use pre-grated cheese. I don’t think it tastes as good. But I usually kick myself for NOT buying it.
Look at that!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
7. Sprinkle some grated parmesan (or a handful of the cheddar if you prefer or if you just don’t have any parmesan cheese) & paprika on top. Bake until bubbly & browned (about an hour.)
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Some of these directions are loose – that’s just how it is. In fact, when I called my dad to ask him about the butter, “Dad, when & where do I add that butter?” he laughed and told me, “Whenever you want! Add it to the hot grits, or add it to the egg mixture, or forget to add it. Nobody will say you didn’t add it at the right time or “Oh, you forgot the butter!”
I felt like a real square.
So, don’t worry! As long as you slowly add things and stir, stir, stir you will be fine!
Meanwhile, break eggs with 1 tsp salt in large bowl and whisk. Add milk or cream and beat.
When water boils, add ¼ tsp salt slowly add grits, stirring all the while. Turn heat very low, cover, and cook until done, stirring several times (about 30 mins.)
Slowly drop cooked grits into egg mixture, stirring all the while.
Stir in cheese, Worchestershire sauce, and cayenne.
Pour into a buttered baking dish.
Sprinkle parmesan and a slight dusting of paprika on top.
Bake until bubbly & top browned (about an hour.)
Notes
Halving this recipe will give you a loaf size pan that serves 4 generously. Also, prep time can be less if you buy pre-grated cheese.
2.1.7
As you can see, I made the half recipe since it was only the 3 of us. It’s easily halved if needed.
Final verdict: these grits BOMBED for my kids. Neither one of them would touch them though Maddie’s eaten (& loved!) them twice. I ended up eating theirs and mine. Great.
Oh well. You win some & lose more. I love ‘em & they’re great reheated for a few days!
I need a new nozzle! How much water to make & ship THAT?
I’ve had this for a few years now and it definitely looks like it fell off the roof of my car a few times. I got it to carry my water around with me so I wouldn’t buy water in plastic bottles. I heard this would, ironically, save some water.
How much water does it take to make a plastic bottle for bottled water?
1.85 GALLONS of water.
Can you believe that?
Well, this article is a couple of years old so things may have changed slightly but still!
All I knew when I got my bottle was that:
1. It takes more water to MAKE a water bottle than is actually INSIDE the bottle!
2. It takes petroleum to make the plastic.
3. It can only be recycled once and not into another water bottle. (Although in parts of Europe that capability does exist.)
This is a really easy step to take – REI sells these and you can also order them online. I take it empty on the plane and fill it up (yes, using bottled water on the plane which sucks.) But then I have my bottle for the rest of my trip.
Devil’s Advocate Question: how much water does it take to make this aluminum bottle AND when you do the math(s), is it still the eco-friendlier path to take?
What do you all think about aluminum versus plastic water bottles? Do you care? If you do care or if you couldn’t care less, I can’t wait to hear from you below!
beet greens, rainbow swiss chard, parsley, romaine
