You have some splainin' to do Lucy!

Good afternoon Dear readers (someone is reading this right?) I honestly don't think anyone is, at least not yet. I just started writing after all right? It may help if I had some friends to give this address to but alas I do not and if I did I doubt they would be interested in hearing about My ho-hum life and about My love of cooking, or My successes, as well as My bloopers and blunders in the kitchen.

OK, that isn't fair, I mean, I would want to read about someones bloopers and blunders as it would makes Me feel a little better knowing that I am not alone in making tiny earthquakes in the kitchen.

I ended up making more of those wonderful cheese crackers (extra spicy) that got rave reviews (even if the only people reviewing the crackers were My husband and My fathers new wife. My dogs liked them very much though but again, that doesn't mean much because My dogs lick their butts. Sigh.

I still have more dough to take out of the icebox to bring to room temperature to make the remainder of My holiday cheese crackers. All of My holiday breads are nearly gone and I only have a few bags left of homemade Fleur De Sel caramels and homemade chocolates to hand out. I also made several pineapple upside down cakes which I need to ship out or pawn off on someone on the streets. I would love to have a bake sale and recoup some of the cost of making these treats. I make them for the experience and because I do so love to see something work out exactly as I planned it (or even better than I planned it to). I simply don't have a big enough stomach to eat EVERYTHING I make but I must keep making things as I do feel that the longing desire to create all things culinary has kept Me alive thus far. If it isn't broke don't fix it right? Certainly so.

I got into trouble last night and My husband really got a bit peeved off at Me after a trip down the specialty food aisles. I ended up with Escargots, and of course, more salts. I did tell you dear reader that I collect salt. (HINT HINT). ;)

I got more French Grey salt, more Himalayan pink salt. (So pretty) no? http://www.saltworks.us/himalayan-salt.asp?gclid=CNrn8f-71p4CFQQMDQodDUkWrg

Along with that I scooped up some Saffron flavored salt from Italy as well as some more black truffle salt. I love truffle salt on My eggs in the morning. SO GOOD! Then I picked up some more vinegar (I collect vinegars too) this time I got Champagne vinegar as I just love the crisp zing it delivers to salad dressings and the like. Lets see, what else did I get? Oh yes, chocolates, capers, olives (all though I am curing My own olives already which is really time consuming and I'm not sure how they are going to turn out). I will save that story for another blog. Just imagine Me curing 20 pounds of imported large green olives in My basement in a big ten gallon plastic barrel. Sigh, what a pain in the wazoo! I really hope they turn out as lovely as I plan them to as I would like to make up My own brine and jar them up as gourmet gifts. I suppose all of My vinegars and salts will come in handy. I need to remember to make different batches. Some hot, some with bell peppers...some with bay leaves inside the jar etc. Garlic may be nice too. Anyway, I am rambling. Where was I going with this? Oh, yeah the fact that I did NOT need a new jar of gourmet olives. I simply couldn't pass them up. I never met an olive I didn't like. Olive YA! (That was the name of one of Alton Browns shows on olives. Good eats, what a lovely show full of science and wit. I enjoy watching it a great deal.

So, I got the olives, oh and some beautiful 6 colored pasta, some kitchen items including yet another cookie sheet (can't have too many during the holidays right?). What else? Some new knives as a girl can never have enough sharp weapons in the house. ;) I cannot recall everything I got last night as I would have to check the pantry's but I got enough to make My husband have a small heart attack when the total was called out. Luckily I was putting something back in the store when he got the total and paid. After his mini melt down he apologized after he considered that it is the holidays A) and B) the things I got will be put to use for the whole family which includes him. Meals will be made, gifts will be sent etc. I can understand how he feels though. He doesn't buy himself anything (maybe a magazine every now and again) the rest of his money goes on his bills and on Me. Being disabled and not able to work is a major slap in My face. I have had a job since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I oft times held down more than one job at a time and rarely garnered much sleep. Now I have trouble walking up stairs and doing things that most 30 something year olds take for granted. I never thought I would end up like this and I know that I must be a burden on My husband (I can see why he left Me) as this isn't easy on anyone. It certainly cannot be easy on him watching Me slip away...and I think he realizes that the cooking thing really perks Me up and really helps My general attitude and overall well being. He sees this which is why he doesn't complain too much about all the grocery trips. Now, if only I could do something for him to express how thankful I am that he still helps Me out and cares for Me. Well, maybe the making of the food is an expression of My feelings. I hope so because its all I have and all I can really offer right now.

Maybe this whole blogging thing will prove to be therapeutic in the sense that more than likely, nobody is going to read this A) and B) if someone does? I am just another faceless drone logged onto the borg (this human cesspool that We call the internet.) just shooting out My thoughts via virtual ink to a virtual world.. Who cares? Most likely My words are slipping into some type of a worm hole which is hovering somewhere over Lake Michigan or something? Maybe.

Is anyone out there? Anyone at all? Well, time to put on My big girl panties and suck it up. I have a life to live, it may not seem like much of a life at all, but it's My life and for the most part I am comfortable with it. I have good days and bad days but even though the pain, most days are better than worse and I cannot complain too much.

I'll let you know what I make tonight. More likely than not I will heat up the remains of My homemade lasagna and all day pasta sauce with vegetables. YUMMY! I put a layer of spinach in My lasagna (which oddly enough doesn't end up tasting like spinach with the cheese combination and sauce). It taste good though and delivers plenty of nutrients. I can jot down how I make it if you would like to give it a try. I promise you won't be sorry as this meal delivers serious butt kicking goodness. Let Me know...anyone..someone... out there.

Until then, take care and keep indulging in the fine art of cooking and more importantly, eating. :)

Evie.