Monday, November 14, 2011

Recipes


Hayden's Liquor at Eastern Market

HALF-BAKED SPY NOVEL

1. Sign up for NaNoWriMo.
2. Sit at your computer early in the morning. For best results, drink strong coffee and cultivate a devil-may-care attitude.
3. Write. Write anything you want.
4. Do not re-read, just let 'er rip.
5. Enjoy!

THANKSGIVING DINNER PLANNING

1. Over-plan everything. Convince yourself this means the day will be orderly and serene. Remember you are a control freak. Oh yeah! Laugh.
2. Overwhelm yourself entertaining ideas about what to cook. Imagine you can cook every dish you're interested in. Laugh maniacally. Drink more coffee.
3. Imagine yourself frying onions in a flour made by hand, including arborio rice ground in a spice mill until it is a fine powder. Imagine how much rice you must grind to make flour to coat onions for a big green bean casserole, enough to feed six, with leftovers. How delicious would that be? Wow! Imagine using a thermometer to make sure the oil is the right temperature. Imagine every batch of fried onions turning out perfectly, even though frying is not your gift. Laugh. Buy canned fried onions to use on the green bean casserole.
4. Refrain from feeling horrible about the turkey who is just now living out its life, oblivious to what is about to come down. Send Reiki to the turkey every day. Is that hypocritical?
5. Repeat all of the above endlessly, substituting various complicated recipes for the onion rings, then realize there's a simpler way to do it.

Yeah. I could go on with the recipes, but you get the idea, yes?

Right now my life is focused specifically on The Tell, Thanksgiving, and my clients. That is all. I've never experienced a November like this before - I am enjoying it.

Shalom.

7 comments:

ellen abbott said...

love the photos. the top one especially looks very modern artish.

I'm still waiting for my daughter and her husband to decide if we want to cook and eat out here or at their place. I imagine it will be at their place.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Ha ha ha. I have hosted many Thanksgivings and am very similar to you (I plan holiday themed scavenger hunts). This year my number got cut from 30 to only 16 so I'm over the moon! I imagine all measure of exotic dishes from scratch but it's my husbands family and I know very well, they want the standard fare. I might throw in something crazy this year just to mix it up :)
PS - someone else is bringing the turkey, can't bring myself to cook it.

Reya Mellicker said...

Yeah, I know what you mean about the turkey. But mine is just a bird, not bred to be overheavy in the breast, so not as grotesque. And I will honor that turkey! When I place the fresh herbs in the body cavity I will sing to its happy life, pecking at the ground, gobbling and such. I will propose a toast to it at the dinner. I will be respectful!

The Bug said...

I love your Thanksgiving mania - it reminds me of my mother (except for the Reiki for the turkey part - heh).

Elizabeth said...

You do sound pretty damn cheerful!
It's all that creativity bubbling around!

Steve Reed said...

And keep enjoying it, Reya. :)

(I didn't know a person COULD buy canned fried onions. Hmmm.)

glnroz said...

lolol,, yep,, here's clinking my Java Cup to yours,, full steam ahead.