Saturday, March 7, 2009

RANTS


I'm sure that my Blog AND I would be a lot more popular if I didn't just SPLASH ON about something that is really upsetting me...

I KNOW that it is not a positive move to RANT, and in reality, I mean, who really cares anyway?

Just shut the ---- up and get over it! (that's what I WISH that I could do...)

I think it's safe to say at this point in my life that it will NEVER happen...If you should see me that way, on a steady basis, then you should highly suspect that someone is drugging me beyond recognition..

RANT #1....Why is it that when it is time to "Spring Forward", I am always working the evening before, and have to get up BEFORE the crack of dawn the night after it SPRINGS, to work AGAIN? Basically meaning about 3 or 4 hours of sleep...

RANT # 2....I DO NOT LIKE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS, never have, never will...Who wants it to be light at 9pm? It's friggin night, and if I wanted it to be light at night, I would just move to Alaska, for God's sake! Remember that movie "INSOMNIA" with Al Pacino? I could barely watch it...You can't imagine what it is like, when once in awhile, I actually TRY to get enough sleep before getting up at 4:30 am, and finding that it is still DAYLIGHT...Forget it..

RANT #3....(Don't try to stop me...I'm on a roll, and can't get off for the moment, sorry...)
Why am I complaining about ANYTHING surrounding the word "WORK", since this is the first day that I have been allowed to "WORK" since LAST SATURDAY? I am just beside myself...I NEVER REALIZED THE IMPACT THAT MY WORK OR LACK OF IT WOULD HAVE ON ME...THIS IS WORSE THAN THE END OF A MARRIAGE...(OR AT LEAST AS BAD...IT TENDS TO HAVE QUITE THE IMPACT ON ONE'S SELF ESTEEM...GEEZ...I THOUGHT THAT I GOT OVER THAT IN MY TWENTIES/THIRTIES....WHAT'S THE DEAL?)

RANT #4...(Final Rant, most important one, and the one that is behind all of the previous Rants, and why I am so "Ranty" (new word, though completely understood..)

I have worked so hard, and therefore developed a reputation for my work, not to mention the many important accomplishments that have resulted from my work, over the last 27 years...NOTHING, AND I REPEAT NOTHING has ever upset me more than not being able to get good, steady, reliable, and well deserved work...Of course most would think that the biggest impact would be worry for monetary reasons, but in actuality it means so much more to me than that...

I have never in my life felt as punished as I do now, as I spend my final days at this current hospital, where I feel that I may be doing some of the most important work that I have ever done, with these precious children/babies...

I am SO loving my work with them, and as this final two weeks come to a close, my heart feels broken in so many places, that I cannot begin to describe it...Today was so bittersweet, as one of my patients was less than a year old, and so very, very sick...I spent the majority of my 12 hour shift with this baby, pulling out everything clinically that I have the knowledge and experience of, to clear this baby's lungs, so that he could breathe/sleep/eat/quit crying/anything...

By the end of my shift, the difference in the baby I saw at 7am this morning, and the baby I left at around 8 tonight, was astonishing...
This is work that I have felt so lucky to do in different situations/patient populations over the years, and now it is hard for me to see the light at the end of the tunnel...Why should it be so hard for me to get work? It just seems so wrong...
The worst part of it is that I have literally fallen in love with Pediatrics, and it is unlikely that I will be able to do it anymore, not only because of the job situation, but it is a hard field to break into...SO many therapist want to work with Pediatric patients, and so many already have immense experience doing so...

I practically pleaded with the manager (the young, gorgeous, rather heartless one, remember?), last week to find a way for me to stay..I told him that I was too good to be let go (and that is true, but I wish that I had skipped that.) Pleaded? Who am I kidding...Begged...Begged like a lowdown scraggly dog...

It was so humiliating to BEG..I have never done that..( Don't ever do it..it makes you feel as bad as you think you would...worse, actually)

Question for my followers...Have any of you ever begged? and about what? and how did you feel afterwards...Share with us...Is it just me? Am I the only one that has practically BEGGED for something, and then had a huge downfall after the experience? Is there anything lower? Pitiful...

Ashamed and disgusted with myself (an understatement..) I can also step out of myself and see the person that "begged" for her job, and I feel badly for that girl..

I HAVE NEVER BEGGED FOR ANYTHING...I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN...DOES A NUMBER ON THE OL SELF ESTEEM...really can't recommend it...you put yourself in a completely vulnerable spot, and then you don't get what you want anyway and you let yourself down..(the biggest humiliation of them all...)

I thought that I saw a hint of a grin in the manager's eyes/face...It either embarrassed him or that part of him that is missing the part of his soul, was very much enjoying it..I quickly retreated when I saw that..I realized quickly how sad it was...

They will not let me stay, because they say that they simply do not have positions..
Whether this is true, or whether my honesty in answering a question asked of me by the manager awhile back accounts for this situation, I will never know...
(NOTE TO SELF...DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS HONESTLY WHEN ASKED BY AN EMPLOYER..DO NOT EVER ASSUME THE EMPLOYER WANTS AN HONEST ANSWER..ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, AS THEY SAY..ANSWER QUESTION TO MAKE MANAGER LOOK AND FEEL GOOD...NOTE TO SELF...YOU SHOULD FRIGGIN KNOW THIS BY NOW, AND ANYTHING NOT DONE IN THIS MANNER IS INEXCUSABLE AT THIS POINT IN YOUR LIFE)

As I scoured the ads in my area yesterday, to apply for ANY WORK in ANY AREA on ANY SHIFT (as I have for months), I now just feel TIRED and HURT and DISCOURAGED and ANGRY...

There...time to try to go to sleep...Not many hours left before the alarm goes off..

Hope the 5 am call does not come..

I will probably get to work tomorrow because the Pediatric Area is suddenly very crowded with sick kids...

These are wonderful and productive days for me, that are quickly ending...
I must try to enjoy every minute of them while they last...
Will strive to try to see things differently tomorrow..

Maybe I will play the "everything happens for a reason" game..That works periodically, and usually good for at least an afternoon...It doesn't play as well at night though...Have you ever noticed that?

Besides, my son tells me that I am not the "Only One" out of work, and that I should not feel as I do..(get over it...)
"Mother, how do you think a professional and successful, but laid off Stockbroker felt when he had to attend that crowded job fare in Times Square the other day? Don't you think that he felt wounded?"

I felt a lot better after that encouraging "wake up call"...always so comforting...

Wow...maybe someday I'll mature to the level of my 17 year old...(don't hold your breath..)

Somehow it's easier to be "mature" about things when you haven't experienced them..
I've always noticed that...

I simply MUST get it together...A friend's lush wedding is coming soon..I already had to miss the wine tasting party..(was actually working..SHOCKER!)..Dinner recently suggested by a couple of friends in a group that I used to dine with on a monthly basis...Having fallen off as of late, they want to resume them...Then there is a small dinner party with old friends this week at their house..
I feel overwhelmed by it all, but I used to LOVE these outings, and usually would be the one who organized everything for them, where we go, who was invited, etc...Blah, blah, blah...I simply MUST get it together NOW...My friends have put up with me for awhile...How much longer would they want to?

Maybe the "charming, humorous personality" will return at some point..Not sure where it has gone..surely it will return at one point...

Thanks to my blogger friends, who actually read through this less than enchanting blog.

I promise you at least an informative, possibly funny,(don't get nuts, c'mon now..promise realistically..) and/or an interesting blog next time, which will be soon.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

COMFORT FOOD FROM BALTHAZAR...IT SIMPLY DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER


What is your favorite comfort food? One of mine would HAVE to be braised short ribs...So wonderful served over delicious mashed potatoes...


One of my favorite restaurants in the country is BALTHAZAR


Located in the Soho section of Manhattan, it is a delight in every way.


Reservations required for dinner, a bit ahead of time (sometimes a few weeks)
A warning that if you go for dinner, it is quite LOUD and BUSTLING!
Not exactly the place for an intimate quiet affair.
As I have mentioned before..sometimes conversation is HIGHLY overrated...
This place is THE BEST for People Watching, French Bistro Food, and Wine...
Their own bakery next door to the restaurant, bakes all of the breads and desserts...
If you are ever in Manhattan and want Brunch or breakfast I hear that Balthazar does a superb job...
I wouldn't know, because I am definitely a "Dinner Girl" here...
Besides which, in Manhattan you will find me "brunching" at Mesa Grill or Norma's...
Certainly my love affair with Balthazar is nothing new..
I have never been there when I didn't see someone "famous"
I have never been there when the food was anything less than amazing!

THIS is Balthazar's recipe for short ribs...


I will simply post the article itself, and hopefully you will try the recipe, as I can tell
you, without hesitation, that it will be SUPERB!




Balthazar's Braised Beef Ribs Recipe #158079



"This is our Saturday-night plat du jour and, because its preparation involves the basics of French cooking, it’s also the first dish we teach young cooks: There’s the browning of the meat, the softening of the mirepoix, the reduction of wine, and the long braise in stock. It’s a forgiving dish that calls for patience rather than precision. It’s also the ideal meal to make ahead of time, as it benefits greatly from a night’s rest. Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables." From The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. As with all tough cuts of meat, short ribs are best when braised. A long and gentle simmer breaks down the abundant fat and connective tissue, rendering the ribs tender and velvety in texture. Veal stock adds its own inherent silky richness. Ask the butcher to cut the ribs across the rack, as opposed to along the bone, so there are 3 short bones in every piece.
by Chef Kate



5 hours 1 hour prep
SERVES 4 -6



6 short rib of beef (5 to 7 pounds)
2 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 stalk celery, halved
3 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh coarse ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 shallots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
5 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup ruby port
4 cups full-bodied wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
6 cups veal stock (veal stock is really best but you can substitute good homemade beef stock)
Preheat the oven to 325°F
Bind each rib with cotton kitchen twine. Place the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf between the two celery halves and bind with kitchen twine.
Season the short ribs with 2 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a high flame until it smokes.
In two batches, brown the short ribs well on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, pouring off all but 3 tablespoons of oil between batches.
Remove the ribs and set aside when done.
Lower the flame to medium, and add the carrots, onion, shallots, and garlic to the pot and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and light brown.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the port, red wine, and the celery-herb bundle.
Raise the flame to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
Return the ribs to the pot (they will stack into two layers).
Add the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt; if the stock doesn’t cover the ribs by at least 1 inch, add water up to that level.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, transfer to the preheated oven, and cook for 3 hours. Visit the pot occasionally and stir the ribs, bringing the ones on the bottom up to the top -- they’re done when the meat is fork tender and falling off the bone.
Transfer the ribs to a large platter and remove the strings.
Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce, and then strain through a sieve into a medium saucepan.
Discard the solids.
Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a strong simmer and reduce the liquid until slightly less then half (4 cups) remains, about 1 hour.
Return the ribs to the pot, simmer for 10 minutes to reheat, and serve



Wednesday, March 4, 2009

GHASTLY GREED



Watching CNN tonight, and hearing about the former THREE TOP EXECUTIVES of Merrill Lynch, before Bank of America bought the company...


They KNEW that their company was going down the tubes..
They knew what the effect would be on the employees...on the investors...


They STILL helped themselves to BONUSES of up to THIRTY SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS a piece....

Horrific...Pitiful....So WRONG on so many levels, as they say


My understanding of PSYCHOPATHS, has always been that they are VOID of Normal Human Feelings and Emotions...


Like GUILT, for example..
Probably how they can kill over and over, and still sleep soundly at night...

Why did this news remind me of that? Hmmm..
So similar, it seems to me...

They are going to be supened, yet there is really no law against GREED.
They will, most likely, not be charged with anything.....
No FORMAL punishment

I suppose there is nothing about GREED on the Law Books..

It would be difficult to charge them..

Even for this kind of PREMEDITATED AND CRIMINAL GREED


I think of the man that was praised during President Obama's Public Address to Congress the other night...
A man that when he realized that his company was failing, SHARED HIS BONUS with his long time employees...



I doubt that it was even as much money, but he CHOSE to share it...

Is the overall makeup of this man just so different than the other three?



Did these three just LOSE THEMSELVES along the way, amidst the LIMOS, PENTHOUSES, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, ASTRONOMICAL EXPENSE ACCOUNTS, ETC?


Remember the movie, "The Devil's Advocate?"...Powerful film...


I can't help but imagine that at least one of these former executives HAS TO FEEL REMORSE..

Am I naive?

I just don't understand how someone could live with themselves after such action...

Actually they're all probably lying on a white glistening beach somewhere in Bali...

Ordering lots of Pina Coladas

If I were one of them, I'd be ordering straight Scotch, and lots of them...

That way I would just pass out and not have to think about it..

Oh, I KNOW...I KNOW...Who am I to judge others? (nobody...just me..why don't you just post some recipes and get on with it...)

I know that I should just concern myself with my own conscious...

My own soul...



I'm obviously still having to work on that...

Melodramatic thoughts/feelings of a Mother


Yes, I am up...I am up and thinking of a boy that I have missed for so very long...

A young boy who clung to me and my every word...
He was so shy then
The beautiful boy who thought that I was the funniest Mom EVER.....
Forever asking me to do routines written just for him, over and over.
We didn't have DVDS in back seats then
Mom WAS the entertainment
Nothing made me happier than to make him laugh
These were games just for him, while he rode in his chariot in the back seat

As he laughed, a deep and guttural sound came all the way down from his toes

He used to crawl up on my back and we would watch our favorite TV shows together



We don't like the same television shows anymore

I'm looking for my little travel companion of so many years ago

Where is he?

This must be some cruel act of nature

I'm not laughing

My sweet little caretaker when on occasion I was sick..

So excited to "get to make me" some hot orange tea

He brought it to me beaming from ear to ear



For years we traveled together to see such wondrous sights

Riding the wild rides

Laughing at improvisational troupes in New York

He loved to laugh

Where is that splendid laugh? I almost don't remember it...

Our hands hurt from all of the applauding at our favorite Broadway shows

Over Mountains, Oceans, Unknown Rivers, we explored together

Suddenly one day it came to a HALT



There were no sirens, no loud warnings

On some of our travels, towards the end, he wanted to go home

He wanted to hang out with his friends

Oh, and could we please not be away for holidays anymore?

He preferred them at home

Could he PALEEEESSSSEEE stay home during a school break instead of ALWAYS having to go away?!?



Not long after, there was a voice that emerged from him

A voice I didn't recognize.....This couldn't be his voice...Who was it?

It was sprinkled with DEFIANCE, and quick to ANGER...

A voice that didn't speak as much, but when it did, and when it angered , it was LOUD

As though THUNDER had surrounded the room

Patton had NOTHING on this kid



Now when I try to make him laugh, he tells me that I am not funny...

He finds my "humor" even CRUEL....

When I speak to him, at some point he will turn his head and say "What are you saying?"

Pushed into a corner WAY before my time



Where is my little friend?

Where is my son?

One time awhile back, a friend heard him speak to me over the phone

He had not seen him for a long time

He asked, "Who is that? Surely that can't be your son...Where is the nice, sweet boy?"


I told him that he was gone...


I hadn't seen him for quite awhile


I will never forget him, though


The BEST times of my life


I wonder if I knew that then?

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

CIABATTA, SUNDAY AFTERNOON SHOPPING WITH MY FORMER SELF, AND THREE NEW RECIPES FOR YOU






What does "BREAD" mean to you?
Is it something that you try to avoid?
A "treat" that you allow yourself occasionally?
Something you expect a warm basket of when you sit down for dinner at a restaurant?
If you were "HIP" in the 60's or 70's, it meant MONEY
( as in CASH)
I am so glad that we are past that stage!
"BREAD" today means the fresh, flaky, crispy, carb-laden, mouth watering little piece of Paradise...
What is better than good bread, I ask you? When it is warm, and either dipped in a fragrant olive oil, or spread with sweet butter, I can't think of anything more seductive or delicious...
We live in extravagant and pleasurable times where bread is concerned.
If you are lucky enough to live in a big city, then every kind of fresh baked bread is only a short drive away.
If you don't live in a big city, then you can choose from thousands of recipes that are easily popped inside of your bread machine.
My very favorite place for bread, is a popular gourmet shop in the city where the very best bread, meat, produce, and "people" are in abundance...
For years, it was a frequent Sunday afternoon jaunt..a place in which to linger amongst the indescribable aromas, tastes, sites...
Not to mention the best "eye candy"available in the city...
When you enter the shop, the sounds of Italian Opera blast from the hidden surround sound, too loud for any real conversation.
(Sometimes conversation is seriously overrated.)
You are surrounded by customers who appear almost surreal with their happy whitened smiles, gently lifted but oh so beautiful faces, with arms that dangle Gucci bags, and wrists that shout Cartier...
Their sweet smells of Chanel disguised by the stronger scents of the BEST IMPORTED Parmigiano Reggiano nearby...
And what was I doing there, you ask? Well shopping of course, and feeling quite comfortable in the surrounding "element"..
Why with my Dian Malouf jewels, my body soaked in Jo Malone, and my fake alligator purse, I was very relaxed, thank you...
Besides which, anyone who knows me, knows that I can raise my chin or eyebrow with the best of em....
Plus you KNOW I'm a foodie, for God's sake..
Where else would I rather be on a lovely Sunday afternoon?
It doesn't take long to fill up your basket. (Baskets are small here...They don't expect anyone to be a big enough idiot to need two baskets..)
Why that would almost constitute an unforgiveable and sinful act...
Like someone who doesn't have anything better to do with their ZILLIONS than book a trip to the moon, (instead of feeding starving children, supporting homeless animal and their needs, contributing to the cures of worldwise disease, or furnishing round trip first class air fare, 7 nights at a four or five star hotel, and plenty of spending money for my much needed vacation to either Quebec or Paris...Either one...I'm not really picky...)
Back to my Sunday afternoons spent at the gourmet shop....

My typical basket contained a loaf of warm fresh Ciabatta bread, a package of 6 Mango Guava muffins, a half pint of freshly whipped basil spread, a medium container of shrimp salad, a chunk of Gorgonzola cheese, a package of imported water crackers, two bottles of reasonably priced Pinot Noir from Italy, 1/4 lb of imported Spanish Salami, a raspberry mustard from Britain, and last but not least, a small two layer Red Velvet cake, resplendent in its decorative swirls and curls of addictive cream cheese frosting...
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE JUST SPENT THE ENTIRE AMOUNT OF YOUR LAST PAYCHECK! BON APPETITE' AND THAT SORT OF THING! CHEERS!
Well, I don't have to tell you that my visits here are very infrequent now, and when I do go, I only buy a couple of loaves of bread, and MAYBE a bottle of wine, and MAYBE a half pint of freshly made whipped basil spread or two (gotta share with my parents!!)...
Even then, I can't enjoy it like I used to...
Have to justify to myself why I am even there.
I remember how I did that my last visit...It was ACADEMY AWARDS NIGHT...
(For years I have been able to justify almost anything if it is ACADEMY AWARDS NIGHT!)
So, as the title and pictures indicate, I WILL post three recipes today...
The first one is a huge favorite, and THE BEST garlic bread that you will ever make
(courtesy of Ina Gartner, The Barefoot Contessa.)
I think that she is one of our best chefs and has the greatest, most enviable marriage to Jeff, doesn't she?
On one of her last programs, she remarked..."People are always asking me what the secret is to a long and successful marriage....Is it a lot of work?"...
"The question always amazes me, because if it had required a lot of work, I doubt that Jeff or I would have been interested...We have never "Worked" at our relationship! We have just always wanted each other to be happy, and that's all there is to it...."
Oh Ina, bless your little naive heart...You lucky, rich, talented, somewhat clueless celebrity chef you....It's okay, I love, love, love you anyway! But if I didn't, I just MIGHT have to slap you...
INA'S SPECTACULAR GARLIC BREAD:
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 loaf Ciabatta Bread
2 Tablespoons unsalted Butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until minced.
Add the parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse twice.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan, and add the garlic mixture.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Slice the Ciabatta bread in half horizontally, and spread the butter on 1 half.
Spread the garlic mixture on the other half of the bread, and put the halves together.
Wrap the bread in aluminum foil.
Place the bread in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Open the foil, and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes.
NEXT:
ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES
WITH LEMON-BASIL MAYONNAISE
AND ROASTED RED ONIONS
(Courtesy of Corner Bakery in Chicago)
Makes 6 Sandwiches
3 large red onions (about 2 1/2 lbs), each cut through stem into 8 wedges, peeled
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 4x3-inch pieces Ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
16 ounces of thinly sliced Roast Beef
2 cups arugula
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Gently toss red onions, 5 tablespoons oil, and all of the vinegar in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Arrange onions in single layer on prepared sheet. Bake onions until brown at edges and just tender, about 40 minutes. Cool.
Mix mayonnaise, basil, lemon juice, lemon peel and 2 tablespoons oil in small bowl. (Onions and mayonnaise can be made 2 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
Spread mayonnaise over cut sides of bread. Place bottom halves on plates. Top with roast beef, onions, and arugula. Cover with top halves of bread.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST:
BUFFALO CHICKEN SANDWICHES
Makes 4
1/4 to 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce ( if you've read my blog, I don't have to tell you which one..)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 0.6 ounce envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
4 kaiser or ciabatta rolls
4 lettuce leaves of your choice
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin
All purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
Purchased Blue Cheese Dressing *
(*SHAMEFUL BUT QUICK..JUST BUY THE BEST IF YOU MUST BUY, THAT'S ALL)
Stir 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce, butter and dry dressing mix in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sauce is smooth
Add more hot sauce, if desired (but of course you will!)
Arrange roll bottoms on plates.
Top each with lettuce leaf and 2 tablespoons of sauce.
Sprinkle chicken with salt, and dust lightly with flour
Brush the breasts generously with the remaining sauce.
Dust lightly with flour again.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add chicken, and saute' until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Complete sandwiches with chicken, blue cheese dressing, and roll tops.
HOMEMADE BLUE CHEESE DIP/DRESSING, for those who require the BEST things in life, or at least for their Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches...
1 1/2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Squeeze of lemon (optional but I like it)
Whisk all (EXCEPT FOR THE BLUE CHEESE) together until blended well
FOLD in the blue cheese ( don't stir as it will make the dip/dressing blue)
Alternately...
Place the blue cheese, mayo, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until almost smooth.
However you decide to do it, you will want to chill it for at least 3 to 4 hours for the flavors to come out...
If you want this more like a dressing for a salad, just thin it more with milk, and adjust seasonings...
Until next time, happy cooking, eating, loving, and living!

Monday, March 2, 2009

GENTLE WARNING


MY LATEST POST, "BOOK EXPERIENCE" IS BEST EXPERIENCED WITH THE SOUND OF SMOULDERING VIOLINS HEARD FAINTLY IN THE BACKGROUND, PLUS A KEEN AND EMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING OF OCCASIONAL, PUBLIC, SELF INDULGENCE..
THANK YOU,
NICOLE

A BOOK EXPERIENCE


This is a short post, though I will have more to post later...

Have not posted as I usually do on a daily basis lately..

I have actually worked TWO DAYS (amazing!) in the last 5 days...

One of those days, I find out that the end of March will be my last days at this hospital

Double crossed by a gorgeous, young, inept, and heartless manager

He is missing part of his soul but doesn't know it

I don't have time to help him, besides he will find it himself at a later date

Hurtful, but after a cathartic cry, I am okay

Don't know about tomorrow

Never have, so I'm not starting now

Heard from a dear friend today..Her hospital closed its doors as well...out of the blue

She was the major breadwinner in her family as well

Bless us all in these times of doubt and worry

BUT.......

Ya know what I like to do when things are going straight down for the gutter and beyond?

WHY READ OF COURSE!

And I am going to pass on to you one of my favorite reads of late

I love Biographies, and especially when they're about American Poets

This is one of those that when finished, left me wanting for more; lamenting its passing

The Biography is "SAVAGE BEAUTY" The life of Edna St. Vincent Millay

Author: Nancy Milford

Many of her poems "speak" to me...

One in particular is what I wish that I could convey to my Mother, when she asks me why it doesn't comfort me to know that if worse came to worse, I should feel very lucky to know that I will never be without a home as long as they have one...

I AM grateful, and feel lucky, but it just wouldn't work...

At this point in my life, and after so many years, with my extreme need for a great deal of time to myself, and a history of always having had my own home from a very young age, it would be a disaster, of which neither I or my sweet parents could tolerate...

There is a poem of Ms. Millay's that doesn't so much have verses that completely apply to my feelings, but there is an overall feel about it, that does very much , in the 2nd verse of the poem, entitled,


"IMMIGRANT"


Nothing in this house is of my making,

No one in this place is kin to me;

They know me not in sleeping or in waking,

I am alone in this great company


I want a fire that will be mine for raking,

I want a room that will know me for its own,

I want a love that will be mine for taking,

Strangeness and I have lived too long alone.


Yes, this is very close to my feelings...Thank you Ms. Millay

As far as my parents are concerned, their lives together and alone, along with their loving puppy, are perfect for them...They have their routines, their quiet and loving times together, and that's how it must stay.....


I am living in a temporary nightmare, but it is not stonger than I am...

Just seems that way sometimes

It cannot have all of my joy

It is here to see how I do

Not always well, thank you

Don't get comfortable

As you will not endure

I will