It is cold. I have been feeling like crap. It has been dark and depressing and so very painful. On Sunday we were hit with a snowstorm and I got as far as my shed to get the shovel but it just lay on my kitchen floor all day. I just could not go out there and shovel, a migraine (probably from the change in the barometric pressure) kicked in and I was useless, stuck on the couch all the rest of the day. When the sun finally came out and I looked out the window to see how bad it was, everything was clear. My neighbour had come and removed all our snow. I felt relieved but so bad! I should have at least tried but I couldn’t.
Every time I give my neighbours cookies they tell me I am trying to make them fat. Around here, baking is like tempting someone with poison and considered cruel. *Sigh* I do not fit in here. Anyway, instead I made old fashioned Caraway Rye Bread but I made the dough in my breadmaker. They were thrilled with the bread, went perfectly with their homemade chicken noodle soup. That’s a relief!
That night I made Five Ingredient Fix’s Ginger Poached Salmon with Lime and Basil Sauce and Chilled Peanut Soba Noodles for dinner. They were supposed to be chilled but hey, it is winter, I am not eating cold food. These recipe appealed to me because they were simple and pretty easy to make, perfect considering how crappy I have been feeling. How amazing were those noodles? I almost ate the entire bowl of them, I had to hold myself back. I did not go as crazy with the hot sauce as she did but I have to tell you, they were very yummy and I preferred to eat them right away. You are seeing the leftovers in the bright sun after the storm had passed but they were much better warm. So easy and delicious.
The salmon was good but I had to add some finely grated garlic to the sauce and it was still lacking something but then I am very picky about salmon. I also made Martha’s Leek and Potato Galette which I thought was going to be a disaster but it was actually quite good. I had no energy to take pictures though so you will just have to take my word for it. The recipe is simple but it takes like 70 minutes in the oven!
This pretty much sums up my winter photography frustration. Look at that picture! If there was just a little sunlight this would not look so crappy but hey, it is winter and what can I do? Sadly this stuffed apple was terrible but then, I have never had one before. Maybe for this kind of recipe it was excellent but I did not like it. Finding a dessert recipe for one is challenging and one that tastes good? Well, I am still looking.
So diary, it has not been a stellar couple of days in my kitchen. Perhaps that shovel is bad luck? I think I need to move it to the basement or something. I do not need winter reminders, the ice in my bones is reminder enough. I hope that my husband coming home helps inspire my life in the kitchen once again although it does mean I will be back to cooking a lot of chicken! But it also means, I will be back to baking. Woohoo!
I suspect you may be taking your neighbours’ comments “too literally” — protesting the receipt of goodies may just be a standardized formality that people use to “give themselves permission” to eat them. Besides, they can work off all those calories by shoveling you out! That was nice of them.
I wish that were true! Everyone around here is diabetic and has heart problems it seems to they do get upset with the sweets unless you make them with Splenda which I try to avoid. We are the youngest homeowners on our street by at least 20 years!
i push sweets on my sweet neighbours as well. i wouldnt have survived Life at all the last 7 years without them! good neighbours make everything better. That bread must have been perfection with their soup! good call suzie! i tend to push about 1/3 of whatever i make (salsa, cupcakes, cookies) on them. food ftw!
i agree, put that shovel outside, where is belongs. that is some bad energy flowing in and around you. it might be whats *effing up your chi*, as i would say.
i hope you feel better soon lovie. those weather migraines are the WORST. I suffer from them as well. 2 liqui-gels and a gravol and i seem to sleep through them. knock wood – its been months since ive had one! hmmm… cool!
when does the hub get back?
keep well!
I hope you are feeling better soon, I suffer those annoying pressure headaches also..
I think your pictures always look great, I love the mood the darker light sets around them.
Sorry to hear you have felt so bad. I would take any excess cookies/cake etc to work, but somehow, there is never any left!
gave you a shout out on my blog, hope it is ok..
http://deldino.blogspot.com/2009/12/are-you-in-creative-slump-if-so-check.html