eG foodblog: Kim Shook - Dreams of an Everyday Housewife

[Smithy]

I don't see Otis! He's usually right there if you're cooking!

(Whisper Pssst-someone left THE door open in this picture)

Best of luck, we're excited about this.

Luvya

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Ted  - He was probably under my feet and therefore invisible until I tripped.  Yes, that dern door is open again.  Until I started taking so many pictures in my kitchen, I didn't realize that happened so much!  This is what Ted's talking about:

Charming, huh?  Yep, we have a 'powder room' directly off our kitchen.  Yet another thing that I hate about this room .

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This is so funny. When I read Ted's comment I looked at the picture and wondered why anyone would object to having the door open to the living room! It wasn't until you posted your followup picture that I realized there are TWO doors in the original photo.

By the way, Ted, that's a beautiful island you built.

[Shelby]

Kim, I LOVE your little bathroom by the kitchen!!! The wallpaper is SO cute.

Mine is like that. I like having such a close place to "go" where you don't miss out on any of the gossip in the kitchen

[Priscilla]

Kim, Otis is an excellent name for a pug.

I like how the pink striped bowl echoes the pink striped wallpaper.

YA lit: Maud Hart Lovelace, Lucy Maud Montgomery? Great food content in both catalogues.

Blog on!

[maggiethecat]

I'm with Priscilla -- love the wallpaper and the pink-striped bowl. I salute your "all new" take on the blog, and I like the pix of your home. I can relate -- it's a family house.

[Kim Shook]

Thank you to Shelby, Priscilla and the divine Miss Maggie for making me feel positively loving towards my powder room !

I like how the pink striped bowl echoes the pink striped wallpaper.

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This cracked me right up! And you named two of my favorite authors ever! I only recently met Betsy and Tacy but I've loved Anne-with-an-E and Heidi(didn't you always want to try goats milk and goats milk cheese when you read Heidi?) since before I could read - my mom read them aloud to me. I think that those books inspired some great bedtime snacks!

I'll post everything up to dinner now and post the rest in a little bit - I am so late tonight! To my fellow bloggers - how in the hell did you manage to serve dinner before midnight when you were blogging ?

You were warned – here’s my exciting breakfast:

Oikos Organic 0% fat Greek yogurt w/ rosemary honey.

Lunch was much better than usual. It was from a locally owned restaurant instead of the Olive Garden, the ersatz deli or pizza. Joe’s Inn provided:

Greek Salad

Club Sandwiches

Chicken Kabobs

Rice <sigh>

Brownies & Pecan Bars

My plate. I ate half of everything here and a bite each of the desserts (they were only meh).

Stopped on the way home for some fresh things I needed. I ate this on

the way so that I wouldn't be tempted by Dunkin' Doughnuts (do you know

they have Buttercrunch doughnuts - they only doughnut I would spurn a

hot KK for...sometimes...maybe ):

Ukrops is a local grocery store that has really had a stranglehold on Richmond for years. They sell no alcohol and are closed on Sunday. They support a lot of community activities in the area, but insist on things being done their way. No other store has been able to keep much of a presence until Kroger – they really managed to break into Richmond and have done very well. We now have Kroger, Food Lion, Walmart, Costco, Sams, The Fresh Market, Tom Leonards and we are getting a Whole Foods and Trader Joes – but Kroger was the thin edge. Ukrops used to be fantastic – incredible customer service and great meats and produce. They have really been going downhill for the last couple of years (I heard this a lot working at the Fresh Market) and I don’t go much anymore, but it was on my way home. This is the Militant Old People Ukrops:

(I won’t bother on inside shots – it’s just a regular grocery store.) Only grumpy old people seem to shop there. They seem to think that younger people should go to other locations. They come in and fold up their walkers and put them in the carts and go at it. I have been personally prodded in the back the walker legs that stick out. I hope I am that feisty when I get old. I am not a particularly feisty person, but it's one of my dreams !

[judiu]

Kim, feisty is best! Do you know what a Feist is? It's a little mixed breed dog, bred to hunt small game, particularly squirrels. Feisty is second cousin to bitchy, and that will do the job! It's all in the attitude; "don't give me any shite; I know what it's about!"

[Smithy]

Ha, feisty! Yes, that's a great aspiration.

I remember once telling my brother-in-law that I hope to be an eccentric old lady someday. He looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're halfway there already."

It's funny, your telling about a supermarket that doesn't sell alcohol on Sundays. In Minnesota, none of them do. I'm still surprised when I go back to the West Coast and find wine in the grocery stores, and it isn't even hidden behind a counter.

Man, that lunch looked excellent. I just had dinner, and I'm still pining for those sandwiches. You sighed over the rice. Are you a super-big rice fan? Any particular types?

[Kim Shook]

It's funny, your telling about a supermarket that doesn't sell alcohol on Sundays.  In Minnesota, none of them do.  I'm still surprised when I go back to the West Coast and find wine in the grocery stores, and it isn't even hidden behind a counter.

Man, that lunch looked excellent.  I just had dinner, and I'm still pining for those sandwiches.  You sighed over the rice.  Are you a super-big rice fan?  Any particular types?

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Smithy, that store doesn't just not sell alcohol on Sundays - they don't sell anything on Sundays - they aren't open at all. And they don't sell alcohol at any time !

I do love rice, but since the surgery it is one of the few foods that I can't eat at all and I miss it so much. I miss all kinds of rice and I don't think there is any kind (other than Minute) that I don't like!

Ok – time for the dinner report. While I was putting things together we had some goodies that we bought this weekend at our favorite Richmond hippy crunchy store – Elwood Thompson:

It’s rosemary crisp bread and two different kinds of chevre – Hot Pepper and Chives & Garlic from ‘Goats R Us’ – a goat farm in Blackstone, VA –about an hour from here.

Dinner was an all eGullet affair. I made David Ross’ Apple, Pear and Parsnip Salad w/ Toasted Walnuts, Bleu Cheese and Apple Cider Vinaigrette, our own Kendra Bailey Morris’ Chicken Divine and lucylou’s French Onion Bread Pudding.

Mise for the vinaigrette:

Mise and prep for the salad:

that’s some Point Reyes Blue – one of our favorites

Finished Salad:

Mise and prep for the chicken:

Finished dish:

Mise and prep for the bread pudding:

flipping the onions:

Finished dish:

Otis ate much earlier than we did:

My plate:

Each dish was a big success – everything tasted wonderful and was easy to do. The bread pudding was particularly swoony. The next time I make it, I’ll do it with a roast so I have some gravy to spoon over top! I think it would be especially fantastic with lamb!

The only problem with the chicken was that it had a flood of water in the bottom of the pan:

but it didn’t taste watery at all !

Well, I’ve posted my first dinner on my first blog and it is 11:59pm .

Mr. Kim insisted that I post the following picture, which he took as I served dinner:

I really hope this isn’t too much information. I tend to run on when I talk and it seems that have the same tendency when I write and post pictures.

[maggiethecat]

In the embrace of your fellow eGulls there is never, ever too much information. (So you know) Your dins looked outstanding.

YA alert: I really can't remember what Hannah Gruen cooked, but Nancy drove a snappy little roadster. Period.

I read Anne-with-an-e once a year. Actually, I'm really fond of "Anne of the Island" where she goes off to college in 1910(!) and cooks along with her girlfriends.

Does anyone member Louisa May Alcott's "Eight Cousins" and "Rose in Bloom" -- a brilliant proto feminist duo. Rose, an heiress, was told by her uncle she had to learn how to cook. Bread first, cake later. Burn marks on her wrists.

I'm ordering pink and white striped wallpaper. Huge bummer about booze on Sundays. Do NOT get me started!

[racheld]

Wow!!! To the double-OOMPH!! What a slumgullious dinner!! That apple julienne was just perfect, and it all LOOKED divine, not just the chicken.

And Nancy always came down to breakfast, dressed for the day, and sat down at her place, where Hannah always immediately set down "a tall glass of orange juice." That was even more a signal of their wealth than was that maroon roadster and all those hats; our OJ was made up fresh every few days from the small Minute-Maid can. The carafe was clear glass, sporting bright, colorful red flowers all around; the floral motif was repeated on the teensy-pie glasses, each of which held barely three ounces.

That was our ration, poured by me before the whole family sat down, the little Communion-cup of juice set precisely at the point of the knife. When I had a family of my own, we made up the BIG can almost every night, and usually drank it all out of nice big glasses the next morning.

When my oldest nephew was about two, I set him up on the counter as I was finishing the supper dishes. I washed the juice bottle, took the thawed can from the fridge, smicked off the top, and poured it in. Nephew did a quick double-take and asked, "How'd you DO that? My Mom scoops it out with a spoon."

Edited April 15, 2008 by racheld (log)

[Pierogi]

Here’s a shelf and a half in the living room:

Oh. My. God. The "Family Circle Illustrated Library of Cooking". The *complete* set, in all its colorific glory.

I have those, too Kim. Up in the hardly-ever-used-but-don't-you-DARE-ask-me-to-get-rid-of-them cookbook storage area (which also happens to be the doggie TREETZ cabinet.......but that's another story).

I SO dearly and happily remember collecting those with my Mom when I was probably....13?.....14?....at any rate, a long, long time ago however old I was. They were premiums at a local grocery chain, and I so, SO looked forward to each new edition. They'd come out, and we'd bring them home, and I'd read them like a novel...cover to cover and make notes about what I wanted Mom & me to make next. We actually cooked from them a LOT back then, now, I probably haven't cracked one open in 10-15 years, but I should, if for nothing else but the memories and the channeling of my Mom.

Count me with the masses really, really looking forward to this blog, and congrats on the weight-loss. I have a couple of friends who've had GB and haven't been so successful....they sorta lost the discipline and it all went to you-know-where in a handbasket.

BTW, I have *plenty* of other duplicates of your library !

[Pan]

Kim, enjoy blogging!

I'm interested in knowing more about your bread pudding, as I've never had one that has mustard and onions in it. Was it more savory than sweet?

[Dana]

Perfect apple cuts, Kim!! WOW!! I'll bet that water in your casserole came from the spinach. If you'd blanch it first, the squeeze it, I'll bet you'd get much less. Do you always use gloves when you cook? If I put on gloves, my family would think I was ill.

I loved Nancy Drew, as well. I see several other titles that are in my 'library' also. Some times it's important just to 'have' them, isn't it??

As Charlton Heston said, ".... when they pry them from my cold, dead hands..." or something like that.

Edited April 15, 2008 by Dana (log)

[prasantrin]

I'm making bread pudding tonight, too! I'll have to check out lucylou's recipe. I"m kind of winging it, because I had a whole lot of quiche batter leftover from the Bouchon quiche I made last weekend, so I'm using that.

I love the way you eat!

[Pierogi]

BTW, I made a savory bread pudding about a month or so ago. I'm not a huge fan of sweet bread puddings, but I liked this one. Mine had sweet, fennel-spiced Italian sausage chunks, onions (I think...maybe?), Parmesan (maybe?) and ultra-thin slices of fresh fennel bulb it in. I really liked it, but it got a bit dry because my bread wasn't stale/dry enough and so it sucked up too much of the custard. It's on my list o'-things-to-make-again, though.

But I *still* don't really care for sweet bread puddings. Strange, huh? Well, ok, I had one made with croissants once, and I think Bourbon in the custard that was pretty freakin' good, but on the whole I can take or leave 'em.

[mizducky]

Howdy, Kim! Just caught up, after a hectic weekend. Let me add my congratulations on your weight loss. And your blog is off to a most excellent start.

I am now missing idiosyncratic East Coast houses with bathrooms off kitchens and other idiosyncracies -- I've lived in a few myself. And I'm looking forward to more Otis action shots.

Will you have a chance to show us any of the regional food specialties of your area?

[artisan02]

I love my cookbooks and have a hard time giving them up, even when I don't cook a thing from them.  I use the old standbys like Joy of Cooking and Fannie Farmer and that sort for basic information rather than recipes.  For recipes, I go to Heritage of Southern cooking and Simple Fare a lot. 

Hey Kim,

Good to see you finally blogging. Wish I were there this year!!! Are you going to show folks some of the markets around there? And show them some good Virginia foods?

You mentioned one of my favorite cookbooks (I am an avid collector as well): Simple Fare. I just adore that book. I have his other books too, but that one is my favorite of them all. Do you cook much from it? It is my inspiration when I am trying to cook from the pantry and pinch pennies...

Christine, who is a Richmond, VA native

Edited April 15, 2008 by artisan02 (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

Kim those cheese knives are to die for...

Where did you get such fun items?

[hummingbirdkiss]

Kim you are beautiful! congratulations ..my sister of my heart had a bipass lost 200lbs and now is out of her shell!!! she she was always a fantastic cook ..but now she cooks better than ever ! she says it is because now there is not urgency for her to eat ...she enjoys the process more than ever ..

anyway your dog is darling your home is amazing..the food looks so good...your cookbook collection! well I have been collecting cookbooks for a long long time but I think you have me beat! everything emits such warmth ..thank you so much for sharing with us!

(eta my spelling is awful!)

Edited April 15, 2008 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[rooy1960]

kim-

i could eat your dinner for breakfast (had to check your blog before i could fix some AM grub)! man, all that looks so great. i just love the Goats R Us name- that is hilarious. i LOVE bread puddings; i made a pineapple pecan one not too long ago, which got me thinking about savory ones. i'd love to have that French Onion recipe. i, too, was curious about the gloves. can't wait to see what you will be up to next.

[CaliPoutine]

Yummy, dinner looks fabulous!!

I'm a big fan of wearing gloves when I cook anything that is slimy(ie: chicken) or smelly(ie: onions). I'm assuming thats why you were wearing them.

I too recommend blanching the spinach first. Its amazing how little spinach you end up with after that. It really shrinks down!!

I'm a huge fan of goat cheese, those look fantastic and I love the cheese knives.

[gfron1]

Not to make you self conscious but yeah...what's up with the gloves!?

And that's a nice looking ceramic knife. Do you like it? I assume so since you're using it.

[Sony]

Yay! Kim! Nice to have a little Richmond (my old digs!) wafting towards upstate NY....and beyond. Joe's, Elwood Thompson, and even the crotchety (umm....I mean feisty) Ukrop's (I know which one you're talking about- that cracks me up!) But the cookbook collection- what a revelation .

And I'm glad I'm not the only one who grew up with a powder room off of the kitchen! Ours was teeny-tiny and had a slanted ceiling (under the staircase). Guests would always mistake it for a coat closet! (We warned toilet-bound people to lock the door- there was an above-average chance of being walked in on otherwise!) But it certainly came in handy when we needed an extra sink nearby (e.g. when greens were soaking in our kitchen sink and someone had to wash their hands).

And I must add my sincere congratulations on your bypass and wish you continued success! It's nice to see you and Mr Kim enjoying food beautifully prepared by a beautiful lady. (Gotta love the dishtowel slung over the shoulder .)

And finally- what does Otis eat? Is he as tempted by your table food as I am?

[lucylou95816]

Kim, I am honored, you used one of my recipes. That is one of my favorites (on carb cheat days) that I go to and a favorite when we go to group gatherings, I am always requested to bring it. For the person that asked, yes, it is a savory bread pudding with Gruyere cheese and carmelized onions, very very good. I tend to add extra cheese myself.

That chicken divan looked awesome, where would we find that recipe, since it looks pretty decent for a low carb dish!

Lovely blog, keep having fun!

[Dejah]

THAT was an amazing "first blog dinner" post, Kim - right from your collection of cooking tools, to the finished dishes that Mr. Kim will be eating for several lunches if "your portion" is an indication, to the final shot of your microwave. Seems Mr. Kim has a sense of humour

I've always been interested in the ceramic knives, but have never used one. Do they ever need to be sharpened? I am amazed at your apple slices!