Maison Rustique

Now I'm craving hot dogs!!

Yes, I'm beginning to think that I should look on it more as a countertop and just put a cutting board down on it if I want to use it that way. Probably safer and certainly cheaper than needing to replace the island every so often because the top is warped.

I am looking for a small rolling kitchen island for the new house in order to expand my storage/prep space. It needs to be small and fairly inexpensive. I find no stores in the area that have more than one style in the store to see, so I need to order online. I am going to show my ignorance here. I kept rejecting many that looked good because it said the cutting board top was rubber wood. I thought they meant it was some sort of manufactured fake wood-look thing. I finally Googled it and discovered that it actually is wood and is supposed to be sustainable, etc. My question is, do any of you have experience with a rubber wood cutting board? I don't want to buy it thinking I can use it as a cutting board, only to find that it isn't really a good choice for that purpose.

Saturday, my sis and BIL brought me more home-grown tomatoes. Sadly, they were already badly split and very soft. I had one Saturday night and there is another I can slice to eat if I use it quickly. The rest, I peeled and chopped the best I could (not easy when they are so soft). I put in a little EVOO, some shallot, garlic, seasonings and capers and had it over gemelli (because there was a little left in the package and I want it gone). I failed to keep up with photos after I added stuff but this is the beginning.

My sis and BIL were here to help with packing/moving some things. They brought me overly ripe home grown tomatoes--the heat and extreme rain we had in a short period of time got them splitting quickly. I'd planned to have a bowl of soup that a friend had brought me, but the weather was so stinking hot and humid that after working all day, I only wanted something cold. Had some tomato, couple of zesty dill spears and giardineira (Why can't I ever spell it right?). It was perfect--cold and light. My friend also brought some banana bread that has Heath bar and chocolate chips, but I'll have it in a bit if I can cool down enough after a shower. And need to peel and chop the other tomatoes to use in a pasta sauce because they are too far gone to slice.

@YvetteMT That blend looks yummy. I would keep some in the freezer to add to some stock to make an instant soup!

I hope I've finally found and moved all the cookbooks to the new place. Every time I think I've hauled over the last box of them, I find another stack of books I left somewhere after browsing through them. These are just thrown onto the shelves--no order to them and right now, they are 2 rows deep. It will take a while to get them all organized. I hope I have enough room!!

@jedovaty, I absolutely adore tarragon. I seldom find it fresh. Looking forward to getting moved and hope to be back to growing herbs next year.

During all the packing and prepping for moving, I found a box of cookbooks that I'd packed in 2009 and it never got unpacked when we moved here! I made myself wait until I got it to the new place before I opened it. It had the cookbook with the recipe I have searched high and low for for several years! This was what I was making for 13 people when I first spilled the apples all over the floor. Then when Don went to buy more, goose fat dripped in the oven and started a fire. Don got home to every door and window open, smoke alarm blasting, dog barking and me nearly in tears. I got the fire out immediately, goose was unharmed and it was a delicious dinner after all. Not sure I'd make it again. It was a lot of work. I had working hands and a lot more energy back then!

I hadn't intended to have pizza this week. But when I went to Sprouts for bread, I spied the brand of frozen pizza I loved that I used to get from my milkman. The dairy hasn't carried it in a very long time and I've not found it elsewhere. So, they had the brand but only cheese-stuffed crust. I decided to give it a try. The crust is the same crust I fell in love with. Just has cheese in it. But not so much that it is greasy or gooey. I added a few pepperoni because I have some in the freezer to use up and sprinkled a bit of cheese over. I'm delighted and hope Sprouts continues to carry it!

I finally got to the grocery store and bought a fresh loaf of bread. I made and downed a delicious BLT so fast that I didn't take pix.

My sis & BIL brought me more home-grown tomatoes so I was looking forward to a BLT. I cooked enough bacon for a couple of days since I'm tight on time these days. I pulled out my bread and it was much too stale for a sandwich. I cut it up and fried in bacon grease and butter to make croutons. Only got a photo of the croutons because when I went to cut the tomato, I sliced my finger good. Been a very long time since I've cut myself that badly. Thought I'd never get it to stop bleeding--have about 9 band-aids on it. It is OK this morning I think. I'll unwrap it later and re-do. Anyway, I had my salad but it was just not as delicious with a cut finger.

Here in the mid-west, those ginormous burger creations seem to be all the rage. But then this tends to be the land of huge portions, all-you-can-eat, etc. Explains much about the obesity epidemic. And while we're on it, what's up with entire meals served on top of a Bloody Mary? Is there even a drink under all that food?

I had odds/ends to use up so concocted a very small salad. Chopped potato, tomato, cucumber, celery, onion marinated in dill pickle juice and a splash of vinegar. Then added a bit of EVOO and s/p. Had it with an air-fried chicken breast strip that I was glad to get out of my freezer.

@Rodi My arthritic hands no longer allow me to knead bread. I use my bread machine for mixing/kneading/rising, then take the dough out, shape by hand and bake in the oven. Much prettier loaves and still saves on the work!

That says Pastig for Missouri. I have no idea what they even mean by that!!

I don't want another cookbook. Can I just come taste-test what you make??? Your pix in the other thread are to die for!!

I spent most of my supper time throwing together a pasta salad to take to the new house because I've had a bad habit of going there to work and not eating all day. I'm running on empty. So, taking the salad over to have something to rely on when I'm there. (No pix) So, I had cooked some RG mayocobas day before. Supper was some rice topped with mayocobas and a little cheese with some Campari (Costco) tomatoes.

You all are killing me with these pizzas!! I might need take-out tonight.

I defrosted some turkey soup the other day and hadn't felt like eating soup since. I kept wishing it was chicken and noodles like Mom used to make. Sadly, I didn't have any noodles. So, I give you turkey and orrechiette.

Last night was a classic example. I could not think of anything I really wanted to eat. I pulled out a gently-expired package of pre-cooked Jasmine rice and had it buttered with tomato and citrusy garlic seasoning. Photo in the Dinner thread.

Couldn't think of a single thing I really wanted to eat last night. Settled on buttered Jasmine rice with tomato and citrus y garlic seasoning.

Last night's freezer-cleaning find was bacon cheese potato soup.

Trying to work my way through the freezer. Defrosted an unmarked container. Turned out to be black-eyed peas. Wouldn't be my first choice for a hot summer day, but it was tasty!

@Smithy I was thinking cook a couple of slices of bacon, , waffle and an egg. Pile egg & bacon on top of waffle.