More Food

Let me introduce myself. My name is Dragonmommie, Genius. Sheeeeer Genius.

That was my first thought after I tasted an experiment I conducted tonight for an asparagus dish for Thanksgiving…. well, it’s on the menu now, but it was really just a quick something for me and LD for dinner. I should have taken a picture, but once we started eating, we could not stop. I decided to add this to my menu because of the colorful presentation and the flavor knocked me out.

Let me preface this by saying that I am NOT a professional chef. I do not cook like this often enough to know when to use high flame, low flame, whatever. I do not measure, I just throw everything together and eye it up. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but this is how I enjoy cooking. Even when I have a recipe to go by, I don’t stick to the measurements on the paper, so this gives you an idea of “me”. Most times I look to make one of my “One Pot Wonders”, so that was my inspiration here, as well. Here goes:

Okay, so I had fresh asparagus that I knew that if I didn’t make them tonight, I never would, then they’d go bad. I have a tendency of buying fresh veggies and if I don’t make them right away, they end up in the trash. This dish practically pulled itself together when I looked in the closet and found a lone can of corn.

I’d been wanting to cook more with shallots since my discovery of them this summer, so I peeled two of them and roughly diced them. I also sliced up one chive bulb and greenery. Sauteed both in extra virgin olive oil.

While that was going, I cut up my asparagus into bite sized pieces and placed in a dish. Could not use garlic because when I went into my stash, I found out that they were growing white stuff, so I deep sixed what remained in the jar. It was a good thing that it was almost finished anyway; and didn’t feel so bad because some dishes don’t need garlic and I hardly know the difference.

Okay, now that the shallots and chives are sauteed, nicely coated with oil, I threw in the asparagus and mixed it all up, covered and cooked until asparagus was bright green and still a little on the hard side, but definitely edible. Now, I added the canned corn, but not the whole can. You will need to eye it up to determine when the proportions are right because a whole can of corn is too much for one bunch of asparagus.

Then I added some pure, dark sesame oil. I love the darker, less refined products of almost anything you’d care to mention. I prefer brown sugar or molasses over while sugar, I prefer the first cold pressing of the olive oil, etc. I’ll always choose less, or not refined products. When I make Toll House Cookies, I use all brown sugar as opposed to splitting the measurements up between brown and white. Better yet, one time I used molasses… and it must be black strap… get it? I’ll do other out of the ordinary things with food, like using brown sugar or honey in coffee. I’ll add ground up spices to coffee grinds in the coffee pot to make those gourmet flavors that you pay extra for in the supermarket. It’s just as easy to keep a hand grater and in less than a minute out of your time, you can add flavor to a pot of coffee. Okay, back to recipe.

Next, I added some Five Spice Seasoning…. this could definitely be the secret ingredient. The one I have is made by “Ty Ling”, but the spices that are in this can be easily combined on your own: Anise, ginger, cinnamon, fennel and black pepper. As a side note, I personally love to inject fresh ground nutmeg into almost anything I make just to see how it enhances the taste. I did not do that tonight, however, but I might next time I make this.

Now, just cook it for a little more time, just enough to blend flavors. Next time, I definitely would add Jicama to this recipe, but I did not have any in the house today. Next, I would try using fresh corn, as opposed to the canned, just to keep the freshness of the dish. Maybe I would also consider adding fresh carrots for a bit more color, but I would not use fat, clunky pieces; I would julienne, both, carrots and Jicama. The corn of my dish tonight was a bit too mushy by the time I was done; so either add the corn at the last minute, or try using fresh corn. Here is the recipe below, without all the extra commentary:

Asparagus and Corn Wonder Dish

1 bunch Fresh Asparagus (is there any other kind?)
1 can- corn
2-3 - shallots
1-2 - chives
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pure Sesame Oil
Jicama (optional)
Five Spice Seasoning (as described above)

1: Slice and chop shallots and chives. Saute in olive oil until just translucent.
2: Chop asparagus into bite sized pieces and add into pan.
3: Cut jicama into julienne-type pieces and add into the mix.
3: Let cook until asparagus is bright green and still a little hard, or aldente. Add sesame oil.
4: Add Five Spice Seasoning, simmer until orgasmic blending of flavors takes place.
*
5: Take a bow before your dinner guests so they can appreciate your genius!

Dragon With a Thorn in Her Side

… or chip on her shoulder! I have been so upset the past couple of days… for a really silly, stupid reason.

When I should really be counting my blessings, I am being miserable to the Drake. This past Friday he called to say that he had to work overtime and that he had to work today, Sunday, too, on the 2pm-10pm shift. I was getting all ready to get out for the night, PLANNED, mind you; and if that wasn’t enough, I get screwed today, as well. Sunday is the only day that I can truly relax from my role as caretaker to the little drake because big drake more or less takes over… well not really “take over”, but he is here so that I can lock myself away in the bathroom or my room so I can breath and get a little private time without actually leaving the house. Today this was not to be. He is gone now, little drake is down for his nap and I am STILL bothered by it. I am sort of okay, by now, but the fact that I am still thinking about the fact that I am tethered to this house (and LD) shows that something is bothering me.

I was okay up until this morning when my nerves started popping when I realized that, yet again, the mommie’s personal needs are not really important, because if they were, he’d be home and I’d be OUTTA HERE. I can go on to describe how all my opportunities, aside from strictly choir practice, were screwed. Drake has other “things” he does outside the house and that is set in stone for Mondays and Wednesdays and other days sort of come up every so often— like this past Thursday. I was set to get out, when Drake reminded me of his Union Meeting. You know, not for nothing but his union strictly S~U~C~K~S. They have given many benefits the employees used to have back to the company. Yet, some of these men must be making a very nice penny from the very people they are supposed to be representing… as evidenced by a year round tan sported by one of them. I just wonder where this money is really going. They keep offices in one of the worst, most dangerous cities in NJ, oh, but sure, they are not really to blame because my husband is the ONLY one to always show up for these meetings! If that was not bad enough, after all the grieve I gave him over going this week, he comes home to say that even the union officials did not show up for the meeting! Now, they know that my DH always shows up and it bothers me that they did not consider him when they decided to cut out. All I can say is DON’T BUY L’OREAL PRODUCTS. L’Oreal is screwing their union employees left and right. I can’t speak for the salaried people, but I can tell you that they are the least valued over there, yet they actually make the stuff. Don’t let me get into some of the discrimination that I know of that is going on there between salaried and hourly people. If that doesn’t phase you, consider that my husband actually makes the stuff and knows the conditions they are made under. Should I mention that I had to quit my own job because his bosses made him work 12 hour shifts, 5 days a week, plus 8 hours on Saturdays? How could I possibly work anywhere? That schedule is not worth anyone’s time or effort to accommodate. This post is definitely going under “rants”…. Brrrrrr…. Shake it off, girl!

After my little outburst, I’d like to bring to your attention that there is more going on here with me than obviously meets the eye. I feel so powerless. My wants and needs are always the ones being put out to simmer (or burn) on the back burners. My plans, my personal pleasures, whether it be a drive for an hour or shopping (window) or just to get out for a cup of coffee, depends upon my husband’s availability. He’s got time outside of work and the house, and he must attend to that before anything for me and that burns me up… though I realize that it’s essential. Even though, these are commitments, he is still getting time away, person time away from the house to socialize. It didn’t help this week that the little guy was sick with a cold and we couldn’t go anywhere even though the weather has been so very unseasonably mild. The only thing that is helping right now is the darkness that is permeating the day (outside) so that maybe the little guy will take a longer nap.

I must make room to say that I also feel very immature right now for complaining about today because I know that so many of you are living in much worse situations. This entry today will reveal how much of a “human” I really am, with mega human frailties clogging up the works… but then that is what I am, a work in progress. Believe me when I say that today I am really appreciating your blogs specifically because your words bring me back to earth and bring the concept of gratitude back into my face when I need it. If you want to know who I am talking about, check out my blogroll under “Other Mommies”.

Ah, I feel better now… if only I wouldn’t flare up like this, I’d realize that I really love the solitude and quiet… but that is only when LD is napping!