What's Cooking August 2022

Some things change, some stay the same. I'm still cooking and I'm not overly excited about cooking. Still excited, mostly, about eating.

Finally went grocery shopping and got salmon rolls for my dinner. Husband decided on leftover ravioli made with freezer bolognese and Costco ravioli. We were both happy.

I made peach buttermilk bread that was tasty, but not a perfect recipe so not linking. Another baking fail!

It's been so hot, that might be why I haven't felt like cooking. Kind of blah. Had pinned a recipe for summer salmon rolls and decided to try them. Not much cooking, just some assembly. I pan sauteed the salmon. I did not find pea shoots but found snow pea leaves and they were good. Any green - spinach, kale, arugula would work. Loved them.

More assembly with steak wraps. I used naan bread and served deconstructed with a tomato, romaine, feta salad on the side and some hummus. Very tasty.

It's been a lot of wrapping, dips and deconstructed foods. Although I've never had anything from Taco Bell, I saw a commercial with their breakfast burritos and needed to make some.

Sauteed banana pepper, green onions, grape tomatoes, add eggs and scramble, melt in cheese and cilantro. Wrap in tortilla, roll, crisp in pan. Perfect!

Still not feeling like cooking so foraged in the freezer, found salsa pork, added black beans, had some cheese dip, fresh tomatoes and corn chips. Deconstructed nachos. And used up freezer food!

I did make something other than a wrap with dip and made bacon potato pizza. I made two round pizzas, we ate one and one was wrapped, after baking, for the freezer for a night I really don't feel like cooking.

Blueberries in season so blueberry muffins for the win. Some for breakfast, some for the freezer. I might have mentioned that I love my freezer.

I made sausage and pepper burgers, halved the recipe, one left for breakfast. For the other half pound of sausage I sauteed it and put it in the freezer for a future pizza topping. I've mentioned Plan to Eat in the past and how I love it for planning, grocery lists, adding recipes but it's also easy to change recipe quantities.

I've been influenced by tv ads and was craving battered fish. Made it but not with chips, roasted potatoes, onions, peppers. Very good. Craving satisfied.

In non cooking news I recused a young thrasher. Cody the cat alerted me to the bird on the porch after a slight window thump. I went out to check it, neck was fine, wings seemed fine, he was hopping and dazed.

I got a hand towel, scooped it up, went in the front door, yelled to Husband " coming through with a bird" he was surprised but got doors opened and shut so nothing escaped in the house (bird) or out of the house (cats). I put the youngster on the deck where there was more protection and eventually he flew off.

Every morning when I do bird maintenance a hummingbird stops to visit. I'm working on more trust but got a picture.

I have a spider friend too at the door. I don't love spiders but am willing to live and let live if we stay apart.

Some of my potted plants are doing well on the deck, some are not. Well - basil, Thai basil, oregano. Crazy - yellow grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes. Poorly - geraniums. And I put two leek roots in just to see what would happen.

I've been in organizing mode too. Started with the upstairs bathroom closet and found trash and treasures. I had to toss a very old, Santa with holes and my Abbott the stuffed rabbit. RIP.I found treasures - my Girl Scout sash and badges, gorgeous Irish linen napkins (washed now and ready to use) and a cross stitch hanging I made many years ago. Hanging now in my craft room where I can enjoy it.

Also worked on the laundry room closet. I am a tosser in general, not a keeper. Again I tossed some things but also added a few items to the donate box. Feels good to get some control of some portion of life.

I've spent time reading, enjoyed a novel Adult Assembly Required by Abby Waxman, working on sweater, meditating (really believe it helps me sleep better), yoga. Visited my friend Rosemary and have a lunch scheduled with my friend Cathy.

Trying to focus on what I have and what I can do rather than what I can't do, or won't do. Still hard!