Jack's Guide (the Renaissance Person's Guide to Survival in a Shaky Economy)

Leftover Turkey Sweet Curry Salad

Chances are, if all your teenagers have moved out, you may be able to lay your hands on some spare turkey today.  I was, (able, as stated) and did, (the laying hands, that is) and made this salad out of stuff I had laying around the kitchen/pantry vicinity of my abode.  It's a little different with the water chestnuts and the subtly different but distinctive flavors of the two onions.

Coarsely chopped turkey- 2 cups

4 0z. water chestnuts, chopped

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped green onion, including plenty of green

1 whole stalk celery, chopped

1/2 cup each of dried cranberries and chopped walnuts

1/2 cup each Duke's mayo and plain Greek-style yogurt

2 or 3 tbsp. honey, depending on how sweet you like it

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1/4 cup chopped black olive

There's not much to it- Just mix all and serve on greens or with bread or celery sticks, or just eat it out the bowl with a fork, like me.  

More food

In keeping with my pledge (if only to myself) to be more regular with my posts to this venue, and right in line with the creative/productive theme of the blog, I am herewith including the enclosed.  I mean, what could be more creative and/or productive than coming up with new recipes for food? (.....as opposed to recipes for disaster, heartbreak, financial ruin, etc.- food is much better.)  I was sitting around the other  night and was smitten with a sudden urge for coleslaw.  Having none sitting around waiting to be consumed, I began surveying the fridge and my pantry for suitable ingredients.  (Any of you who have actually seen my kitchen storage will know that there's not a whole lot that I can't quickly lay hands on without running off to the closest Kroger.) Some of the required components will not surprise anyone, perhaps some will, but here goes:

Good Enuff (for company) Coleslaw:

½ cup mayo (I insist on Duke's, but if you must use another, you are forgiven)

1/3 cup greek-style plain yogurt (I used low-fat)

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp. celery salt

White pepper to taste

½ tsp. mustard flour

5-6 cups chopped cabbage (you can mix white and red for a more colorful slaw- I guess you could always use that broccoli slaw mix, too)

2  grated carrots (if you don't use the above-referenced slaw mix, which has carrots in it, I think)

½ cup finely chopped sweet onion

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

Mix together the first 8 ingredients. Set aside.  Mix everything else in a big bowl and pour the liquid mixture in.  Toss thoroughly and chill for a couple hours to let flavors blend.  (I didn't do this last waiting part.  I was hungry and dived right in, but when I ate some the next day, it seemed distinctly better blended- a fine point, though.)

With Memorial Day coming up, you have a perfect excuse to trot this one out.  Go for it! (It was really good with barbecue chicken sandwiches.)

What's New, Happy Chocolate Chip Day, etc.

What can I say about National Chocolate Chip Day?  Either you're a chocolate lover, and will use the day as an excuse for an outrageous binge, or not.  I personally am a recovering chocoholic, with less than twenty-four hours under my belt.  (Hey, it's one day at a time, right?)  To be completely honest about it (for those of you not hip to the premise of rigorous honesty in twelve-step work), the chips don't really do it for me.   I suppose a low-bottom chocolate addict would feel differently about it, but I am more discriminating in my jonesing for the luscious brown stuff.  For me, the darker the better, and I like it conjoined in recipes with other delectable ingredients.... give me fudge brownies, triple chocolate ice cream, Reese's cups, and chocolate cheese cake (my mouth waters at the merest notion).  I can't drive from Atlanta to visit my sister in Durham, NC, without a stop in Anderson, SC, where the Russell Stover outlet store beckons from its site overlooking the interstate, in plain view, and with advertising signs galore, luring the susceptible into a den of regrettable relapse.   My most recent chocolate adventure involves a recipe for home-made Peppermint Patties (see below), and is threatening to make me miss more than a few Chocoholics Anonymous meetings, for shame of having to pick up yet another white (chocolate?) chip.  If I don't change the subject quickly, I will soon clog up the keyboard with the melted residue of messy over-indulgence.

So.  I hope those of you who have not completely given up on me will forgive my absence of the past couple of weeks.  Having completed my duties in regards to the Inman Park Festival, two weeks ago, I have begin to climb out of a backlog of neglected duties, only to find myself faced with a veritable plethora of new obligations.  The woes of the past year's dearth of work are beginning to seem but a fading recollection, and my latest concern now appears to be "How am I going to keep up if I actually get all the work that threatens to fall in my lap?"  Nice problem to have these days, eh?  

I attribute at least a portion of this good fortune to a practice in which I have recently managed to re-engage myself.  I have posted previously about the benefits of regular meditation. (See October 1st and 3rd, 2010)  I use the word "regular" here, despite the fact that given my reference to re-engaging in it, I obviously have had something of a lapse in my practice thereof.  I am finding (as before, but I am notorious for forgetting what's good for me) that when I am conscientious and regular about daily meditation, I am better able to manage what's in front of me.  I just don't seem to get sidetracked as easily, and am better at focusing on my daily necessary affairs.  The practice of this easy process (easy, at least, for me- some do find it more arduous) seems to magnify my productivity by leaps and bounds.

At the risk now of belying the above claim to having improved focus, I am now shifting gears back to chocolate, and the previously promised recipe.

Peppermint Patties:

2 cups powdered sugar (yes, a whole package of the stuff)

1.5 tbsp. softened butter                                                                                    

1/8 oz. peppermint oil (take the trouble to find the oil- the extract just doesn't do it)

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract                                                                                                      

2 tbsp. heavy cream (I use more to keep the mix from being too crumbly)                    

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips                                        

In a blender, slowly cream the sugar, butter, oil, extract, and cream.  Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture holds together well and is just creamy, instead of crumbly.  Don't get too creamy with it, or you will have problems later on.  (No, your 401K will not vanish, nor will your daughter run off with a musician- nothing that drastic.)  Roll into teaspoon-sized balls (or slightly larger, if you prefer the store-bought sized confections, otherwise they will be smaller) and flatten on wax paper to say, 1/4 inch thick. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or so. This can be a little awkward if you have a side-by side refrigerator, like me.  They want to lie flat until chilled, else they curl up and make the dipping a bit difficult.  You are smart, though- you'll figure it out. In the meantime, melt the chips. (There are so many different schools on how best to accomplish this, and the results, as far as I can tell, are always unpredictable, depending on the time, temperature, humidity, strength of your microwave, and the way you are holding your mouth.  The last time I did it, I went through three batches of chips before getting something other than what looked and felt like chocolate-covered sand.)  Once you have successfully melted the chocolate, use a dipping fork (okay, a salad fork will do just fine) and, one-by one, coat the flattened sugar balls in chocolate, taking care to scrape the excess off as you remove them from the bowl of melted chocolate.  Lay them on wax paper (you can recycle what you used before- just because you're a glutton doesn't mean you can't be green) and let them cool,  then chill them in the refrigerator  (same problem as before- apply your space-planning skills to the contents of your fridge).  Once chilled, gobble and enjoy.

Tool worship

 

I once had a Swiss Army knife that boasted several dozen assorted functions.  It was about an inch and three-quarters wide, and at that, cumbersome.  When Wenger, the company that makes these remarkable artifacts, touts the one shown below as featuring a loop allowing it to be hung from one's belt, I gotta wonder.  I guess it works with the current youth fashion craze which inspired that articulate little tune, Pants on the Ground, 'cause if you hang this mammoth tool from your trousers, that's precisely where they're likely to end up.  Compared to my own Big Swiss Army Knife (BSAK), this thing looks like one of those monster earth movers next to a Radio Flyer wagon.

In my humble opinion, this represents a perfect manifestation of the great American affliction I call "tool envy".  On discovery that my handy BSAK had gone missing, I made the decision not to replace it, reasoning that I had little to compensate for.   Let me re-phrase that..... 

I really am surprised that I'd never been aware of Tool Worship Day, which is the official designation of the commemoration which we celebrate today.  I find myself wondering, "Why such  a sobering label?", rather than National Tool Day, ToolFest or, perhaps, Tooloween?  I suppose it is in truth appropriate, given the reverence in which many of us hold our implements of construction, productivity, and/or creativity.  I think I can honestly claim my chair in the company of the Brotherhood of Gearheads, which august assemblage includes, in my definition, a love of hand and/or power tools, computers and internet technology, or artists' accessories (or any and all of the above).  I find, too, that as such, I can sometimes be guilty of another syndrome, which I call I-don't-care-if-it-works-I-gotta-figure-out-how-it-works-itis.  I have a sneaky suspicion that a lot of you other red-blooded males, especially, also suffer from this disorder.   I have come to reason that this malady can make me waste a lot of time, figuring out not only how things work, but frequently I must know why, too, which becomes yet another exercise in unnecessary toil.  I have to take it on faith that some things just work-  I don't need to know how or why.  Kinda like Nike.... "Just believe it".  Not a skeptic's philosophy, true, but it works for me.

I haven't posted any recipes lately (too busy for much fancy cooking), and came across the following collection of  citrus-related concoctions (mostly sweets, of course).  I am partial to the 2-minute Microwave Lime Cheesecake (shown below), though I'm not sure I have a jar like that.

Cold Comfort

Soooo busy- must stay focused.

Thanks to the (apparently) few dozen folks who keep up with this blog.  It has been a great source of enjoyment as I scribble metaphorically away on my laptop.  I do hope you're getting something out of it, too, and that I'll eventually get back to daily posts. And that you are experiencing a pleasurable holiday, er, experience.

In the meantime, baby, it's cold outside, so I got it in my so-called mind to write about my all-time favorite cold-weather comfort food, that being quiche.  I figure it does take a real man, secure enough in his man-ness (whatever that is) to eat something so delicately named without feeling compromised in any way.  This is my favorite recipe for it:

All-purpose Quiche recipe: (lots of variables here, including types of meat, veggies, and cheese(s), but I have used my most frequently applied combo)........

2 deep-dish pie shells (I don't know why, but I always make quiches in twos- maybe it's those 2-to-a-pack pie shells I get)

1 head of broccoli, one large yellow onion, a cup of mushrooms, chopped coarse

1/2 tsp thyme

12 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups grated swiss cheese

Turkey sausage links, warmed and crumbled or chopped coarse

1/2 cup bacon bits

White pepper, salt

Nutmeg

Saute the chopped veggies and thyme in olive oil (or butter, or you could steam the veggies and add fresh thyme, minced) until just softened a bit.  

Beat the eggs, milk and parmesan and season with nutmeg and white pepper and salt to taste.

Divide the sauteed veggies between the pie shells, sprinkle on the meats, and top with the grated swiss.  Divide the egg mixture between the two shells, pouring it on top of everything.  If you didn't have enough egg mix to fill the shells, make some more.  If you had too much, stop now and clean it up.

Bake for 4o minutes at 350 degrees, or until it passes the toothpaste test (I mean the toothpick test- don't even think about using toothpaste).

Eat.  You'll be glad you made two. 

Recipes, finally

Having now endured several days' worth of computer glitches (including losing a couple of potentially award-winning posts), I fully realize that I have not yet delivered on my previously stated goal of posting these recipes.  The ole laptop may be headed for the big Mac store in the sky, but it is still under warranty, so I am hopeful that repairs can be made at no expense to myself.  I was simply working away when suddenly I thought I was having a flashback to the days when I partook in more than my share of mind-altering substances.  My display suddenly went psychedelic- still readable, but in strange colors and textures.  It had been many years since I smoked anything capable of doing that (smoked anything, for that matter), so I had to assume the display was on the fritz.  It now seems fine, but all day yesterday I had to trudge upstairs to my desktop to get anything done, IT-wise.  Therein lies my excuse for several day's failings, and may explain why for the next week or so, postings may be a little sparse, whilst the MacBook Pro goes in for an overhaul.  But today.... holiday recipes, as promised- two of my favorites!

White Chocolate (mostly)- Raspberry Cheesecake (Thanks to Southern Living magazine)

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 12 oz.package white chocolate morsels

(5) 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened- on and on the debate rages concerning normal versus lower-fat cream cheese.  As a token nod to lower-fat cooking and better health, I use half regular and half neufchatel (if that's how you spell it...)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs (chicken eggs, that is- don't take the "large" too seriously)

1 tbsp vanilla extract (NOT to be confused with vanilla flavoring)

1 cup raspberry preserves (or more- it's okay...)

1/4 cup raspberry syrup (or more- ditto)

Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and the first small amount of sugar, and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. (This is one of those round pans that has a spring catch on the side that allows you to release the bottom of the pan from captivity.  I know you were wondering....)  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, remove from oven and cool.

Melt the white chocolate by your preferred method.  Some people use a double- boiler, some (including me), nuke them in the microwave for 30-second blasts, stirring in between, until melted. Some people put them in a baggie and sit on them until the desired consistency is reached. Stir until smooth and cool slightly.

Beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer until creamy, and slowly add the cup of sugar, beating well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after adding each, then add the vanilla and melted chocolate, once again mixing well. Set aside.

Stir together all the raspberry products until smooth.  Slight nuking will facilitate melting of the preserves.

Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture into the pan with the crust and spread half the raspberry concoction on top, leaving about a half-inch border.  Spoon the rest of the cream cheese batter around the edges of the pan, smoothing toward the center and covering up all the raspberry.  Bake at 300 degrees for an hour and 10 minutes or until just set.  You can use the toothpick test, but this time you want to see just a little bit of moist batter on the toothpick.  Turn the oven off and let your creation stay in the cooling oven for another 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Cover and chill for at least 8 hours. (The cheesecake- not you.)  Run a knife around the edge of the pan, freeing your cheesecake, and remove the sides of the pan.  (Hmmm- only one side, since it's round....)  I never can get the bottom to release without taking great sheets of the yummy crust with it, so I just set the whole thing, pan bottom and all, on a serving plate.  Don't forget to dump the rest of the raspberry goo on top and, if you are so inclined, garnish with white chocolate curls,   fresh mint sprigs, or fresh raspberries.  Don't eat this alone.

 

Savory Basil Icebox cookies (thanks to sister Diane in Durham)

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. each: coarse black pepper, cayenne, salt

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or reggiano)

1 cup butter, softened (yes, a whole cup- I didn't claim this is heart-friendly)

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (can you tell I'm a cream cheese enthusiast?)

1/4 cup pesto

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 cup pine nuts

Kosher salt

Sift together the flour, pepper and salt, then stir in the cheese.

Combine the butter and cream cheese, mixing well, and add the pesto.  Add the dry ingredients and the basil and nuts, mixing well. Divide and roll into two logs, about an inch and a quarter to inch and a half in diameter, and roll each in salt. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm. When ready to cook, slice into 1/4 inch thick cookies and place on ungreased baking sheet pretty close together, but not touching.  (These don't spread out when cooking- at least not much.)  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy, and best holiday wishes to all!

 

Holiday Cooking

It is with profound regret that I must announce that so far this holiday season, I have yet to cook a single cookie, concoct the first cheesecake, or even crunch a store-bought candy cane.  (Confession- I did purchase a tin of Trader Joe's Peppermint Bark.  Woe to those who don't have a Trader Joe's nearby.)  This is a genetic disposition that I share with my sisters, and though my brother shares the consumption aspect, he is not one who deals with actually creating the goodies.  Our Mom always morphed into a manic holiday demon starting around Thanksgiving, whipping up vast multitudes of confections and baked goods, to be piled high in her little kitchen and/or stashed away, awaiting the arrival of unsuspecting holiday visitors (these being non-relatives, of course... family members knew well what was in store.)

I expect to make up for the dearth of kitchen time in just a few days.  Whenever I remain in town for these holidays, which I am doing this year, it has become my habit to help with the holiday festivities at a clubhouse which hosts a variety of twelve-step meetings.  Every Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, we end up serving anywhere from two to four hundred folks, including some who regularly attend functions there as well as homeless folks who only turn up when there's food to be had- and that's okay; it's one of the reasons we do it.  The clubhouse purchases most of the groceries, but a lot of the "regulars" bring dishes, and it reminds me of nothing so much as the covered-dish suppers we had at the little Presbyterian church my family attended when I was a kid (possibly the only church-related event that I actually looked forward to).

My buddy Carl, who happens to be a food-service pro, and who normally heads up the aforementioned effort and pretty much runs the show, has opted to be with family this year (a bold move, judging from the chagrin evident in his voice when he announced this to me).  This essentially leaves me in charge, so come Wednesday, we will make the trek to Sam's Club for all the groceries, and I'll likely start cooking on Thursday.  Because of my pending move, I have the benefit this year of two kitchens (the one I am moving out of as well as the one I am moving in to) in which to wreak my holiday havoc.  (Actually, three, counting the one at the clubhouse.....)  So I'm busy today putting some finishing touches to and cleaning the new kitchen, in order that it will be functional in a couple of days.  In the meantime, I hope to post, later today, a couple of my favorite holiday recipes for you to try, if you happen to be of that ilk......  So stay tuned.

Pie Day & Spiritual Affirmations

I know that some of you may be checking out that headline and pondering Pie Day and what the hell it has to do with spiritual affirmations.  The answer is- absolutely nothing.  So you can now relax, secure in the knowledge that you are not missing some subtle (or worse, obvious) hidden connection.  If you haven't by now become comfortable with my sometimes "stream of consciousness (or, often, un-consciosness)" style of writing, well, just get used to it.  Or, heaven forbid, stop reading. Actually, it is generally accepted that National Pie Day is celebrated on January 23rd, except in Nebraska, where the "N" on the helmets of the University of Nebraska's football team stands for "knowledge".   I am not sure why there are several different dates for National Pie Day, but since I already am a paragraph into this one, I'm sticking with it.

For those of you faithfully devoted to observing all of the obscure holidays I frequently post about, I'm going to make it easy on you guys.  My Aunt Helen up in Connelly Springs, North Carolina, gave me the following recipe for the easiest ever lemon cream pie.  Just be advised, it's pretty rich.  If you can't finish it off, you can always go slapstick with it and throw it in someone's face.  Or if you're in a serious slacker mode today, you can wait until January 23rd.

Aunt Helen's (and yours, too, if you like) Easy Lemon Cream Pie

Get a graham cracker pie crust.  You can always make your own, but I'm not going to tell you how to do that today.  Besides, the whole point here, aside from the fact that the pie is quite yummy, is that it's a no-brainer.

You will also need:

-One 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (do not get evaporated milk- you will be sorely disappointed, and will probably be drinking your pie through a straw)  

-8 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate.  I know, I know, they only sell it in 16 ounce cans- make two pies, genius.  

-a regular size tub of Cool Whip, or the generic equivalent thereof

Mix up the milk and lemonade with a blender, then add the Cool Whip and repeat.  Pour everything into the pie crust, freeze and eat, and, presumably, enjoy.  Or again, indulge your fondest Charlie Chaplin fantasies.

See?  I told you it was easy.

Now, smoothly segueing into spirituality......  I have a series of affirmations I use when I am working out or not otherwise able to meditate.  If you are unfamiliar with the concept of affirmations, I am here to elucidate, to wit: Affirmations are things you tell yourself about yourself in the hope that they will become true, if they are not so already.  If this sounds like a fairy tale to you, you may be suffering from a calamitous lack of hope, and be beyond my ability to help.  Anyway, it seems to help me- so much so that I am in the process of writing a book about them.  There are thirteen of these truisms, and the book will be cleverly called The Lucky Thirteen, provided my future editor approves.  I plan to compose future posts about them individually, so that my faithful readers will have a leg up on their fellow spiritual travelers- but for now, I am just going to list them.  Perhaps you can figure out a way to incorporate any or all of them into your own daily routine 

1-  I am a competent , capable and talented individual

2-  I am honest, productive and fair with friends, family, and business associates

3-  I know how to take care of myself and the people around me, and I am in the process of doing so

4-  I always feel better when I don’t throw private tantrums

5-  I am intelligent, insightful, intuitive, and creative

6-  I am healthy, and strong physically, mentally, and spiritually

7-  I am gaining serenity and spirituality and losing anger and fear

8-  I have friends and family who love me, and it is important that they know I love them back

9-  People are attracted to me and want to be my friends

10- I am a caring and compassionate person- I always feel good doing for others

11- The right and perfect soul mate for me exists, and I am on a path to find that one

12- I have plenty of work and am financially secure

13- I am a perfect expression of God’s (or substitute a higher power of your choosing) love and the creative power of the universe

There you have 'em.  I trust that none of my readers will go out and write their own book about these.  If you do, you need more than affirmations to make your life good.

BTW, if you like this blog, please forward it to as many people as you can.  I'd really like to be able to monetize this thing, and right now, that may be my only shot at ever retiring.

Foodies Forever!

I am a foodie.  Died-in-the-wool, unabashed and shamelessly so.  To date I have done a mere half-dozen or so posts (on this blog,that is, which has only existed for about three months) about food and kitchen stuff, but I think I could probably write daily about haute or low cuisine, kitchen gadgets and gizmos, cooking, presenting, and eating food.  I wouldn't call myself fat, but one can readily see that I haven't missed too many meals.  When I get lazy and lay off the workouts, I can get what I like to call "girth-challenged".  But hey, I gave up smoking, drinking, and wild women (truth be told, the wild women kinda gave me up), so cut me some slack here- food is about all I have left.  I have been hung with the characterization "gourmet chef" more than a few times.  (I would never call myself that, personally- too pretentious.  Point is, I know my way around a kitchen.)

I have not yet seen the movie Julie and Julia, but I know the story; it constitutes a blogger's dream come true.  In it, the story of Julia Childs' start in the cooking profession shares the plot with Julie's decision to cook all the recipes in Childs' first book, all the while blogging about her experiences in doing so.  She is later inspired to write a book based on the blog, the book becomes a movie, and she lives happily ever after (I presume- like I said, I haven't seen it yet).  On a blog devoted to creativity and productivity, I can't think of a better topic than the culinary arts.  I have never actually held a job in the food industry, but have done some serious volunteer work in a commercial-grade kitchen, and several times a year help feed a crowd of several hundred, so I feel I can lay claim to legitimate foodie status.  Hey, just have a look at my spice rack, which constitutes about half the pantry:

If I knew I had to change careers at this late stage in life, I'd not choose to be a rock star or music professional- too much competition and I enjoy my semi-pro status too much.  No, I think I'd be much better suited for and would more completely enjoy some kind of job as a foodie.  So do think of me when you hear of any food-related jobs available.  And if you find yourself in a situation similar to mine, maybe you too will find a way to turn your passion into a new and productive career.  (Really- I'm not fat.)

Homecoming, IKEA cookbook, funky furniture

One of the problems with leaving home for any significant period of time, regardless of how homesick one might become, is that one usually suffers more than expected on the return to the reality of everyday existence.  I arrived home yesterday from a quite enjoyable week of visiting, work solicitation, family/historical research, foliage ogling, and assessing relocation options.  It sounds like a lot to cram into a mere week's time, and I suppose it was, as the time seemed to pass quickly, and I found myself quite ready to get back to my digs in Atlanta.  The suffering part of my return began when I walked in the door, having forgotten the refuse and havoc left from the yard sale of a few weeks ago, that I hadn't yet dealt with.  Then there's the impending matter of my rental unit (being vacated this weekend by my tenant of five years or so) and having to exact repairs and upgrades quickly, in order to get a satisfactory new renter as soon as possible.  There was a message regarding one of my job possibilities; the potential client has decided that they aren't yet ready to get a consultant (me) involved.  And the coup de gras- my Jeep locked itself in "Park" in the parking lot of the local Kroger, refusing to budge.  The good news?  It didn't do it in Ruth, NC, or Spartanburg, SC, or some other place equally as grim and/or inaccessible.  Oh, yeah, and my gas was turned off while I was away- not my fault; they were working on the gas lines during my absence.  I sit here writing as I wait for the water to get hot again, so I can wash away the stress.  I actually gave myself a couple of hours to freak and fret, then took my own advice (as I have loudly espoused in this blog), and got into action.  The yard sale stuff is at least partly stowed, I've answered several calls from interested potential renters, the gas is back on, the car has been towed to a garage, and I'm addressing yet another work proposal.  And I'm posting to my blog, secure in the feeling that doom is not descending on my head- all will be well, and my so-called "problems" are of the highest quality.  As I have previously claimed, if I act "as if" everything is okay, it probably will be.  Worst case scenario? I may have to alter some previously laid plans, rearrange my schedule and/or immediate priorities, and get on with life.

I have to admit to being a fan of IKEA, the oft-dissed Swedish outfit that offers affordable, assemble-it-yourself home furnishings and accessories.  I find their designs clean, utilitarian, and (usually) easy on the eyes.  When I saw they had published a cookbook, I was immediately interested.  It's called Homemade is Best, and I'm wondering if they manage to communicate the baking process in the same fashion that they use diagrams and illustrations to tell us how to assemble the furniture. Here's a preview and a link (first is the cover, then a picture of ingredients for a recipe and a final photo of the result):

   

Homemade is Best

Speaking of furniture, I found this skeletal design for a table, which I thought was pretty cool.  I don't know if I could live with it, for fear that come nighttime it might centipede itself over to me and suck my vital fluids, but it certainly caught my eye.  Designed by Martin Gallagher (link below):

Martin Gallagher