Girlfriends Don't Kiss and Tell

Every so often, 4 women get together.  Women who have known each other since elementary school, but pull away and then meet up.  Life floats us along and we can't always give each other undivided attention and talk for hours on the phone the way young girls can while in school.  Women who have had to face personal hurdles, have known the joys and sorrows of life and gather every so often to talk some it over.

This time only 3 of us can make it and though we miss our one friend, we proceed.  I have been looking forward to this night for days and can almost taste my Cosmopolitan before it arrives.

One order of pork ribs,

one sausage and spinach calzone,

and a Margherita pizza.

Comfortable as an old favorite pair of jeans, we are able order what makes each of us happy, sit and chat for as long as we want.  The restaurant is only a few minutes from my house, the night is young and the meals are hot.  The portions are large enough that we all have plenty to take home.

My pizza would have certainly been enough to feed us all.  I love the thin and crispy crunch, the basil is fresh and fragrant, sweet sauce topped by the proper amount of cheese.  We talk about things I simply cannot repeat because well, we've known each other forever and the trust is worth more than sharing the stories with strangers.  It is enough to say we talk about some of the most intimate details in our lives.  Fears.  Real pain.  Yes, we talk about happy things as well, and our families, the past and our hopes for the future.  It's deep and it's light.  

We text our missing friend and let her know we miss her.

We run into people we know and when asked what we've been up to, no one really reveals a thing.  We smile and the tables are easily turned, "Not much, what's new with you?" or "How are you?"

Friends.

Friends proclaim themselves as part of your team.  They root for you. They share your triumphs and pull you out of the pits.

Friends make sure you are Fed Well.

Diner Lunch from Zippo to Vampires

The end of the work week finally arrives and a group of 4 decide to have lunch at the diner.  The four of us are an eclectic blend and the conversation bucks and throws like an unbroken, wild horse.  But, that is part of what I love about it.

We begin with one person's professed love of lighters, the fact my younger son loves a Zippo lighter, the shared agreement that the Zippo does offer something more to the senses - the feel, the sound and smell are all quite distinct in comparison to an ordinary and disposable Bic.  Who talks about this?  Us.

Then, the sharing of an unusual fantasy involving the use of stun guns on unreasonable bosses and coworkers which morphs into a confession of one wanting to use a modified "joy buzzer" on the seats of classmates when they were in school.  Odd?  Or simply odd to discuss?

We are seated in a sunny booth and are able to decide our drink order relatively quickly.  Carbonated dark colas all around.  The food decisions are a little bit slower but they are:

A Veggie burger,

a ham sandwich on toasted rye,

a tuna melt with Swiss and no tomatoes,

and a traditional hamburger deluxe platter (mine).

We talk a little bit about Lance Armstrong and his confession.  Why?  Why now?  It is not about not believing he sued performance enhancing drugs and the like, but what benefit will he reap by "coming clean" this many years later?  What damage is he trying to recover?  What is the motivation?

The next leap is to the film career of Nicholas Cage and a movie I have not see, "Vampires Kiss" from the late 1980's and now of course I will obsess until I watch it myself.

Feeling Fed Well, we return to the office and the day quickly ends.  I always enjoy our unique lunches and am already looking forward to the next.

Chatting over Chinese Food

Sometimes, coworkers simply have to talk it over.  Whether it is the after math of a recent layoff or the smallest of injustices and unfairness in the work place, we talk it out, talk it over and decide if it needs further attention or can simply be vented about then set aside.

One of our favorite places to chat is the Chinese restaurant down the street.  Who doesn't love to start with a light and flaky scallion pancake?

And of course, a cold winter day requires soup.

Traditional Won Ton,

Miso

or Hot and Sour.

My coworkers are so accustomed to letting me photograph their food, they now help position their dishes and offer the food's "best side."

Of course I had the shrimp with rice noodles.  Remember being young and loving a song or movie and listening or watching it over and over until the entire rest of your family thought they may be ill if they have to hear it ONE MORE TIME?  Well, sometimes I am that way about food.  I love this meal from THIS particular Chinese restaurant.

My cube neighbor orders the General's Tofu.  She loves it.  Next time, I am going to ask to try a piece of that tofu.  I think we're close enough now that she would allow it.

Another friend orders the shrimp with vegetables in brown sauce.  She is convinced this is all a ploy for me to take photos of everybody's chest and post them on line.  Luckily, we all know this is a pretty good joke.

Finally, an order of the General's Chicken.

We didn't solve any of the company's problems while we ate our lunch, but we certainly felt better for having vented together.  Solidarity!  Well, or at least sharing an hour or so over a meal and feeling Fed Well brings us together.

Simple Staples

Love it when a plan comes together, don't you?

In the kitchen, if the ultimate plan is to prepare just the right or slightly too much food, the second best plan is when you have ideas for the leftovers.

One night, I roasted 6 chicken breasts - yes, with skin and bones.  The skin can be removed and cooking meat on the bone really does produce more flavorful finished dishes.  Simple seasonings used were salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic in a 375 degree oven until the skin is crisp and golden.  If chicken skin could be the next potato chip flavor... well, maybe not.

One of the side dishes served was a simple salad of iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, carrot, celery, and green bell pepper. These were the vegetables in the drawer and so into the salad they go.

Leftovers?  Well, the chicken was turned into chicken salad in this case.  I placed a scoop on top of my salad, the Mr. had two sandwiches on toast, older son had some on a plate (he tries for a Paleo-ish diet) and younger son had two sandwiches as well.  We all had salad again and Circle Soup.  For more on Circle Soup - click here.

Keeping it simple sometimes is what creates comfort foods and in our house, keeping the conversation on a cold, dark January night equally light brings ends with us all together, gathered around the television to watch Top Gear on BBC.  It is these simple times that truly leave me feeling like I've done a good job ensuring my family is Fed Well.

Breakfast of a Champion?

Preparing for a snow storm for most people involves stopping at a grocery store and stocking up on bread and milk.  For me, a trip to Dunkin' on the way home to buy a black French Vanilla so I can reheat it in the morning and add cream and sugar is the way to go.

I no longer drink coffee daily, but for special days and some weekends, it is a fabulous treat!

To offset the calories and sugar, I pour a bowl of the most traditional cereal in the world that comes in a yellow box... can you guess?

Growing up, my sister and I were allowed to sprinkle a little sugar on top.  I used to driver my sister absolutely crazy at the breakfast table by barricading myself behind the cereal box and she could not see me.  The more I realized this annoyed her, of course, the more I did it.

Funny how simple thoughts about cereal make one wander off and I think of my in-laws and how they always had a box of the cereal with Tony the Tiger.  When our sons were young, the Mr. would complain about how much cereal was consumed and how expensive it was becoming compared to when we were young.

I enjoy my bowl of oooo's with a handful of blueberries while I enjoy a section of a book I am reading that was loaned to me by a coworker.  A slower pace.  No rush to shovel the walks as I wait for the man who plows our driveway and I linger at the table feeling Fed Well and satisfied.

Seafood Pot Pie - Crust = Improvised Seafood Stew with Boiled Potatoes

Sometimes I am inspired when watching Food Network though I do laugh along with those who poke fun of Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and her slightly Martha Stewartish condescending sounding ways. However, I know she offers some wonderful recipes like...

Ina Garten's Seafood Pot Pie Recipe

Thing is, sometimes her recipes may call for ingredients that aren't as readily available as she claims or they are a bit of price range.  For the Seafood Pot Pie, I was prepared to splurge and had a whole lobster steamed at the seafood counter.

Once home, I put him on the counter and our yellow Lab, Maddy, put her nose up in the air while rapidly sniffing and trying to identify the smell.  My younger son danced around with the lobster, smiling, and saying, "I am not a crook," in his best Nixon-ish voice.

Who knew one lobster could offer so much entertainment on his own?

Next, I dismantled the creature and though his shell fought valiantly, I was able to remove all tail and claw meat.

Soon I stray from the recipe.  I soften the fennel and onion but add celery and some mushrooms.  Why not?

I coat the softened vegetables with flour and let them cook for a few minutes to ease the taste of the flour before adding clam juice and fish stock.

Time to add in the seafood;  shrimp, lobster and scallops, oh my!

All cooks together, the sauce thickens and the smell permeates the kitchen.  Here's where the detour begins - the crust.  I have a hard time with all things pastry and so I am not at all happy with my own crust, and though I keep a stash of store bought in the refrigerator it is beyond the expiration date and thus a stew is born.

Julia Child has said things in her life about cooking with confidence and basically that what happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen.  I've also read about chefs and cooks who create dishes based on "mistakes" they have made.  No apologies.  And so, tonight a new dish was born in our house - a seafood stew that was served over red boiled potatoes.

I accept further proof the family loved the meal and I have left them feeling Fed Well by the small amount of leftovers.  Sometimes the lack of evidence is noteworthy proof.

Twist on Grilled Cheese and Soup

I'm feeling a case of snowitis coming on.  Don't worry, it's not contagious and I don't need a vaccine.  It simply means I will not likely be leaving my house until the storm is over.  I do not panic and buy the last loaves of bread or gallons of milk but it is highly likely that tomorrow I may feel the need to bake a batch of cookies or cook something slow and low.  For tonight, it means a quick soup and a variation of grilled cheese.

Since it is a simple meal to begin with I do allow for some customizing.  My older son requests his on double protein bread with tomatoes, the Mr. prefers his with ham (we are out) but is quite happy with traditional white bread and yellow American cheese.  I feel like mixing things up a bit by using a wrap with mozzarella and tomatoes, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and treating it like a quesadilla.

The soup is equal parts chicken and beef broth with one cup of Acini di Pepe pasta.  The first time I had this simple soup I was 16 and it was served to me by the woman who for the last 25 years has been my mother-in-law.  My husband insists dishes or meals have names and so we refer to this as "Circle Soup," and it is one the entire family agrees to love.

We talk about preparation for the upcoming winter Storm Helen.  My older son has to be at his job by 4 a.m. to begin snow and ice removal.  My husband will likely have a challenging ride to work and as I mentioned earlier am planning on tending my snowitis.  Stay safe and Fed Well.