The wheat thing as prelude to idiocy...

Part One: TMI
Among all the other shenanigans my 52 year old body is pulling, apparently I have a wheat thing. I think chilling on carbs as a weight loss effort has made me more aware of words like "fiber" and "bloat".  If I only didn't love pasta, bread and CARBS SO MUCH.  I love BAKING. UGH. I have learned the hard way that if, in one day, FOR EXAMPLE: I have a bagel for breakfast, two slices of pizza at lunch, and then say some baguette at dinner? I don't poop for a couple of days. I have experimented enough to come to the conclusion that I can have a SINGLE serving of wheat based loveliness per day. ALL IS WELL. The more wheat I eat in one day? The longer I regret it.

Part Two: the idiocy part

HOFoods failed me today. Went there purposely to get beautiful, guilt free tuna for supper. They did not have any. It was "in the store". It just wasn't priced out to go out yet. Could I wait 20 minutes? Ummmmm. NO.  I bought frozen. While I tried to kill the unplanned and  extra 20 minutes I remembered that I really wanted orzo.  They had little brown bags by the bulk stuff. I got several things (all wheat based so I was quite pleased with the little bags. I don't need to buy it by the pound anymore...because a.) there are only 3 of us at home and b.) I don't eat dbl portions of wheat anymore.  The little brown paper bag? Next to the frozen tuna? by the time I got home the condensation touched the brown paper. #sigh.

ouch

I got my ass handed to me this morning. Went to yoga this a.m. (and it has been a couple of months since my last class... ahem) and man have I lost my chops. I mean a.) it is stupid hot outside b.) I planned on eating AFTER class c.) It was technically an upper level class (but gimme a break) so I should be nicer to myself but wow! NEW TEACHER and she played music with lyrics (always bad) plus she talked really quietly and really fast.  SIGH ooookay BUT WAIT! Just because I went off the tracks like five times doesn't mean it was a bad class.  I learned some interesting variations on poses I don't usually do. I dunno I would give myself like a B-.

Feed My Friends-Marathon

The Costello/Orselli Clan descended. HUZZAH! I admit it was a challenge keeping track of who was here (anywhere between 2 or 9 at any given meal, even w/out Matt or Joey) or where we even were for much of the past few days! We ate out I am gonna say half the time? #sushiBoat LOL! Cuz VACAY! I made chicken nachos for their arrival, Triple chocolate brownies for gaming later. Boring Breakfast sandwiches. Turkey wraps for lunch once. We killed a melon. One night we did fresh pesto, pasta and meatballs. The poptart and ice cream sandwiches were a hoot. But I want to document the menu for the Costello/Orselli last supper: in reverse order, blueberry/oat crisp served with ice cream in coffee mugs. FTW! Actual dinner was coleslaw, caprese salad (basil is perfect right now can you tell?) It was easy peasy 10 mins beforehand w/that many sous chefs. Finally, my riff on Rollo's infamous 'picnic chicken' marinated in yogurt and spiced with Northwoods from Penzeys was a huge hit.

This morning we had Portugese Sausage SPAM and a frittata that made me very happy. Now they are off to Niagra Falls. sigh. My peoples...

The third annual Kitefest on Belle Isle

My fav

"certain Doom"

Three things from June

Dinner Party #4 Barbacoa

Last night was a success. Chris&Jeff came over and we had dinner. It was LOVELY. I promised Chris fireflies and cocktails on the patio and I delivered.  We yapped about movies and Stranger Things, DC v Avengers, cooking (duh) anime and Dr Who. It was a great conversation. Never got to any of the four board games we had been plotting! LOL

 Menu was Mexican because I continue to learn things such as: When we were just in San Antonio it dawned on me to a.) fry the tortillas before filling enchiladas. The result was SIGNIFICANTLY less soggy than previous iterations (even had to pause for a good moment cuz 4th traffic was being dumb)  b.) Authentic Mexican cuisine does not drown the entree in enchilada sauce. (even if it is delicious). My enchilada sauce was spot on. Ever since Christine showed me how to skip the mass produced shite? Yeah...never going back. c.) I also did a new to me recipe. In Guadalajara we were introduced to the concept of "street corn" but in tidier portions. Elote or esquites is the abuelita of tinned "cream corn" I grew up with. Except it has FLAVOR. This worked great. Roasted it in the oven, de-cobbed it. Mixed in the yum (crema is NOT sour cream BTW. It is different, it is.) My rice, however, was mediocre. Brown rice is my nemesis.  Finally D.) The star of the show. The Barbacoa. YAAAAS QUEEN! Mission accomplished!  After talking to Fabi's tia at Christmas and then picking the Cali Cousins' brains, I felt confident I could handle replicating MY favorite. I used a beef shoulder roast (close to 6lbs but fatty AF) and I promised Chris I would share the ingredient list.

Technically/Traditionally Barbacoa is a whole goat is roasted in a hole in the ground (like a Hawaiian luau) covered with maguey leaves. Although any way to steam/braise fatty meat will suffice. I used my slow cooker and beef. For eight hours. The house smelled marvelous. Farmer Dave's local beef is known for its high fat content and with peppers, onions and cilantro? I figured we would be set.  I think the workhorse in this dish was the fire roasted hatch green chili. I used about a cup of it diced. There was also chipotle powder (ummm maybe like three big tablespoons) and nice big doses of garlic powder and cumin. Cilantro. (dried and chopped fine... frankly it got lost. Should have used fresh at the end.) There were two limes juiced. About a cup and a half of veggie broth (just to help distribute heat/start the braise). Salt and Black pepper and the adventure learning curve for me? powdered clove. Just about a teaspoon cuz I was scared. There were no leftovers. We had a Pacifico and lime at dinner and Paloma's on the Patio*.  I hacked up a watermelon and served it with peanut butter cookies as we watched the fireflies start the night shift.

Izzy's Cat

Independent young adult in tiny apartment adopts kitty from allergic friend.

-OR-  Daughter hears words of parental units. "Wait one more year till you know where you will be and get a bigger space."  BUT chooses to ignore sage advice and ropes bff into elaborate con to absolve herself of any potential bad idea vibes and regardless of intellectual knowledge gives up 2sq feet of precious 700 square feet for a litterbox and the priceless companionship of a furbaby. Meet Mz Peppercorn. She is a muted torti (not polydactyl) hails from the Detroit shelter and is quite happy, thank you very much!