"I FEEL PRETTY, OH SO PRETTY"

"BITTER TASTING"


SHAME on you,
for what you said,

for "honesty",
the "truth"

a LOVELY girl,
i was your WIFE!

you made me
hate my youth



you "LIKED" me but

"as far as LOVE,

and this is REALLY tough...

though you're THE BEST,

i feel,

you're just not

BEAUTIFUL enough"



why even on our "honeymoon"
it took no time
for you to swoon
at pretty girls
most everywhere

i should have LEFT you
then
and there


you wanted
what you didn't have

so i was out
i guess

why to this day
you're SIMPLE

and your mind
grows less
and less

your looks have faded
haven't they?

so CRUEL
what time can do

but then
you know that "saying"
that
"it all comes back to you"

it took another marriage
most unfortunate,
but true

for me to realize
that i was
far too good
for you

too many of my "pretty" years
were spent with you
i'm sad to say

and sometimes
when i'm
insecure
your words
still HAUNT me
to this day

nicole
4/23/09

RETRO FANTASY DINNER PARTY

It's one of the Season's most desirable invites...

One simply can't wait for their invitation to arrive!

It's certainly not a Party that one just "shows up to"

That just adds to the excitement...

The Party Premise was a challenging one, though not exactly taxing...

First a visit to a Retro or Costume Store...

Perhaps an appointment made at the Hairdresser's/Manicurist

Now...once those tasks are accomplished..
There are just a few requirements concerning the Food...

First, each participant or couple must bring a RETRO DISH...

Your particular requested category is included in your invitation...
Additionally...

One may bring anything within the category requested as long as it is...
1. Delicious
2. Homemade
3. Pre-1970s if possible (known as "Retro")
4. Something that you personally have either made before, was on your family
table growing up, or a recipe that your Mother or Grandmother is infamous for.
5. Cholesterol/carbs/or calories must be tossed to the wind..
6. Lastly, recipes of your dish must be provided for all that attend.

The very best thing about this "FANTASY RETRO DINNER" is that nothing particularly
HAS to go together, so no pre-planned menu coordination necessary.

We DO hope that we will have some categorical variety though...Need starters, main dishes, vegetables, salads, desserts....That was essential..hence the
requested categories included in the invitations..

The Host/Hosts will provide the cocktails, drinks, and appetizers...

Also provided, will be the music....
Included will be recordings by Connie Francis, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Fats Domino, Donovan, Bobby Darin, and The Supremes,
and last but certainly not least, The Doors...

Those in attendance are requested to don "Retro Attire"...
There are quite the "Fashionitas" in attendance, clothed in relics from different
time capsules...

As we scan the room, we take in the "scene" consisting of "Bobby socks" and "Pedal Pushers", short cropped sweaters with "Poodle" skirts, men in their 50s'
"pleathered bomber or flan gab jackets"..

Why, it is the most impressive sight!

Some women choose to display lacquered and coiffed hairdos with glamorous velvet padded shoulder jackets and sparkling "diamond" brooches..Gotta love the 40s'...

Hey..look over there! A couple of "flower children" have arrived.
The lovely lady (hmmm, wonder who that could be?) is in a floor length paisley empire waisted "Granny Gown Dress", along with small yellow flowers woven in her hair. No one can ignore her striking/glaring, "in your face", white patent "go-go boots" wrapping her legs...

Her date's impressive brown suede "fringed" jacket with a large silver dangling peace sign roams about his polyester striped shirt.
One wonders how he can walk in his ultra groovy platform shoes.

Dancing and music is all around us, and champagne glasses toast the night away...

Images of years past gloriously glisten before our eyes....

The guests are sparkling in their costumes

A "strobe" light turns the room around and round

Is that couple in the corner actually "necking?"

Why this is a bit RETRO isn't it?

RETRO PARTIES ROCK!!!! C'MON...YOU'RE ALL INVITED! HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY!

THE MENU:

DRINKS: Sweetened Iced Tea, Sweet Milk (whole milk), Bottled Beer, and
Walt's Frozen Whiskey Sours

APPETIZERS: Doris's Hot Broccoli Dip with Corn Chips, Gran's Olive Cheese Nuggets,
Amy's Chinese Cheese Wafers, Small wedges of Julie's Quiche Lorraine.

SALADS: Cherry Coke Salad, Jay's Cucumber Salad, and Larry's Avocado Mousse

VEGETABLES: Stuffed Baked Tomatoes, May's Okra Patties, and Potato Casserole

MAINS: Mary's Meat Casserole, June's Beef Stroganoff, and Classic Cordon Bleu

BREAD: Nicole's Refrigerator Rolls

DESSERTS : Daniel's Divinity, Orange Pound Cake, Jeffrey's Bourbon Balls

APERITIF: Black Russians

RECIPES:

DRINKS:

No recipes for sweetened iced tea, sweet milk (whole milk), or bottled beer.

Walt's Whiskey Sours (Frozen), the "Yawin' and Pitchin' Variety" Serves 10-20

Ingredients:
1 quart water, 5 lemon rinds, 1 cup sugar, 1 pint lemon juice 1 1/2 quart whiskey

Boil rinds in sugar and water 5 minutes. Cool. Remove rinds. Add remaining ingredients. Put in freezer overnight. This will not freeze solid. Serve as slush
in champagne glasses. Is very potent.

APPETIZERS:

Doris's Hot Broccoli Dip: Serves 12
Ingredients:
3 stalks celery chopped medium fine, 1/2 large onion, chopped, 1 small can mushroom
pieces, drained, 1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, 1 can cream of mushroom soup,
1 roll garlic cheese (if you cannot find, then mix some garlic powder with small box of velvetta cheese.)

Saute' celery, onion and mushroom pieces in small amount **"oleo" or butter. Cook broccoli as directed on pkg. and drain very well. Add mushroom soup undiluted.
Melt cheese in double boiler. Combine all in chafing dish or any dish with a warmer. Serve with the large sized Fritos. Can also double as a "party vegetable". Freezes well.
**"oleo" is another name for margarine

Amy's Chinese Cheese Wafers:
Ingredients:
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated, 2 cups Rice Krispies, 2 sticks oleo, 2 cups
flour, 1/4 tsp, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. red pepper.

Mix all ingredients well. Roll in balls and press with fork. Place onto ungreased
cookie sheet. Cook in 350 degree oven 20 minutes or until light brown.

Gran's Olive Cheese Nuggets: Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen
Ingredients:
1/4 lb. sharp cheese, 1/4 cups soft butter or oleo, 3/4 cup sifted flour, 1/8 tsp.
salt, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 24 to 30 large stuffed olives

Grate cheese, mix with butter or oleo. Mix salt and paprika with sifted flour.
With a mixer, add flour mixture to butter cheese mixture, adding flour in two
additions. Make dough into balls and shape around the olives. Bake at 400 degrees
for 12-15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Julie's Quiche Lorraine:
Ingredients: One pie crust, 6 slices rather thick bacon, cooked and drained, 12
thin slices of Swiss or Gruyere cheese (about the same size as the bacon), 4 eggs,
1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, Cayenne pepper, 2 cups light
cream (half and half), 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter.

Line 9 inch pie plate with the pie crust. Cut bacon slices in half, cover the crust with overlapping layers of cheese and bacon. Beat together 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon flour, a generous grating of nutmeg, the salt, and a bit of cayenne. Add 2 cups of light cream, stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. Strain this custard over cheese and bacon. Bake in moderate oven at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes or
until custard is set and top is browned. (May have to cover the edges of the crust if they start to brown too much, with some strips of foil). Cut into small wedges for hors d'oeuvres or 6 pieces for a main course.

SALADS:

Cherry-Coke Salad: Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 cans of cherries, (not maraschino), 1 large can crushed pineapple, 8 ounces
of Coca-Cola (not Diet), 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1 pkg. cherry jello.

Heat cherries and cherry juice to boiling. Take off heat and add Jello and stir.
Add pineapple juice and crushed pineapple. Pour in Coca-Cola and nuts. When cool,
put in refrigerator to congeal.

Jay's Cucumber Salad: Serves 12
Ingredients:
1/2 onion, 2 cucumbers, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar, 1 tsp.
chopped parsley, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp.
coarse ground pepper.

Peel, grind, and drain well, the onions and cucumbers. Mix with the rest of ingredients. Let ripen at least 6 hours. Serve with tossed mixed greens. (alternately, grate onions and cucumbers and drain well.)

Larry's Avocado Mousse:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water, 1 pkg. Lemon Jello,
2 cups hot water, 1 cup mashed ripe avocado, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 cups of
grapefruit cut into small pieces, 1 tablespoon grated onion juice, dash of salt.

Dissolve gelatin mixture and lemon jello in the hot water. When partially
congealed then stir in remaining ingredients. Rinse mold in cold water, pour
mixture in, and let it set in fridge until congealed. When ready, dip mold
quickly in warm water and turn out on crisp salad leaves. (Sometimes it is not
a bad idea to either lightly spray your mold with Pam, or lightly coat with a
little Mayo before filling it..Careful when dipping not to get the salad wet!)

VEGETABLES:

Stuffed Baked Tomatoes: Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 medium tomatoes, 3 tablespoons chopped onions, 1/4 cup chopped
celery, 2 tablespoons bacon or chicken fat, 1 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 1/2
tsp. basil, 1 pkg. frozen baby Lima beans, 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs.

Remove pulp from tomatoes, but save the pulp. Do discard the juice and the seeds.
Cook onions and celery in fat until tender. Add cooked limas, tomato pulp, bread
crumbs, and seasonings. Bake in greased muffin pans at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Can stuff succotash inside tomatoes for variation (Lima beans and corn)

May's Okra Patties: Makes about 12 patties
Ingredients:
1 pkg. chopped okra, 1 finely chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste, cornmeal.

Boil okra as directed on pkg. Drain, add onions and enough meal to make it stick together. Spoon in skillet with just enough oil to fry. Fry like salmon croquettes.

Potato Casserole: Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
6 large potatoes, 2 cups sour cream, 1 cup milk, 2 cups grated cheese, 1 stick
butter, 2/3 cup onions, tops and all.

Boil potatoes in jackets. Chill until cold. Shred on grater. Melt butter in double boiler. Add cheese, small amount at a time. Mix together sour cream and milk. Add to cheese mixture. Add onions. Stir all together. Add to shredded potatoes. put in casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Save a small amount of cheese to sprinkle on top the last 5 minutes of baking.

MAINS:

Mary's Meat Casserole:
Ingredients:
One 5 oz. pkg. of egg noodles, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cups cottage cheese, 1 lb.
ground beef, 1 can tomato paste, 1 small chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste,
garlic salt to taste, dash of Accent! for flavor. Small amount hoop cheese for
top (hoop cheese is a mild cheddar/longhorn cheese.)

Cook egg noodles until done in salted water then drain. Add sour cream and cottage cheese. Cook beef in skillet with small amount of Wesson oil with onion until slightly brown. Add small can of tomato paste. Alternate layers in casserole dish, starting with noodles mixture and ending with the meat. Cook covered in 325 degree
oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle grated hoop cheese over top and let melt.

June's Beef Stroganoff: Serves 4-6
Ingredients and Method together:
Select 3 lbs. of round steak (1/2 inch thick.) Remove skin and fat.*Tenderize with
a mallet and cut into 2 inch long strips, cutting ACROSS the grain. Heat in large
frying pan, 1/4 cup butter. Brown meat. Add one large onions (thinly sliced.)
Cook several minutes. Sprinkle 1/2 cups sifted flour over the top. Stir until
flour is well blended, (at least one full minutes to get rid of "flour taste"),
then add one can beef consomme, undiluted, and one tomato soup, undiluted.
Continue to cook, stirring until sauce is thickened. Add 1-3 oz. can mushrooms and
1 1/2 tsp. Accent! and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat one to
1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Just before serving, add 1/2 cup thick sour cream. (Best to add a little stroganoff sauce to your sour cream and stir, then
add the sour cream mixture to the skillet, to avoid "curdling")
Can sprinkle a little parsley on top, if desired. Serve over rice or noodles.
* I ALWAYS ask my butcher to tenderize the meat when I buy it...He probably hates
to see me coming...

Classic Cordon Bleu: Serves 5
Ingredients:
10 veal cutlets, 5 slices of boiled ham, 5 slices of American cheese,
1 egg, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 cup cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup
Wesson oil, salt and pepper, and horseradish mustard for side dipping.

Place 1 slice ham and 1 slice cheese in between two veal cutlets. Press edges on
all sides to enclose ham and cheese completely. Season cutlets with salt and
pepper, dip in flour, then in beaten egg mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, and
then in cracker crumbs. Place immediately in skillet with hot oil and cook until golden brown at medium heat. Serve with horseradish mustard.

Nicole's Refrigerator Rolls
Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk, 2 sticks butter, 1 cup sugar, 4 tsp. salt, 4 eggs (well-beaten),
2 pkgs. yeast, 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 6 cups flour.

Scald milk. Add butter, sugar, and salt and stir until dissolved. Pour into a
large bowl and cool. Add eggs and yeast (pre-dissolved in water). Mix flour,
(3 cups at a time) into mixture. Let rise in warm place until it doubles in bulk
(I always place a warm pan of water on the lower shelf of oven, and the dough
is placed on the top shelf). Punch down and refrigerate overnight. Roll on a
floured board. Cut with a biscuit cutter. Brush with melted butter, fold over,
and top with MORE BUTTER. (shameful! yum!)Let it rise again. Bake at 375 degrees
until browned.

Alternative recipe:
Mix 2 pkgs. of yeast in 1 cup of warm water for 5 minutes. Combine one cup of
boiling water, 2/3 cups sugar, 1 cup solid Crisco, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. When cool, add 2 whole eggs (in your mixer if desired). Add yeast mixture and then 6 cups of
UNSIFTED flour and blend. Refrigerate for 24 hours or longer. Put on lightly
floured board and knead well. Roll out, cut in shapes and let rise until doubled
in size. Bake at 375 degrees until browned.

DESSERTS!!!

Daniel's Never Fail Divinity: (though I recommend that you skip this on a rainy
day)
Ingredients and Method together:
FIRST COOKING: Cook 3 cups of sugar, 1 cup clear Karo syrup, and 2/3 cup of water
until it spins like a thread. While this is cooking, beat 3 egg whites in a mixer
until they are stiff. Pour this first cooking into the stiff egg whites slowly. While you are pouring first cooking into egg whites, start your SECOND COOKING of
1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water until it forms a hard ball. Add this to the first mixture until almost stiff. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1 cup of chopped pecans. Drop on wax paper or foil, using two teaspoons. ( I think that I would use a candy thermometer for this recipe! There is NOTHING better than wonderful freshly made
Divinity...Tastes like a sweet cloud! Note to self..."taste like a sweet cloud"
could certainly be utilized in poem not written yet..Like that phrase...)

Orange Pound Cake:
Ingredients:
Cake: 1 box of Yellow cake mix (without pudding), 4 eggs, 2/3 cups Wesson Oil,
1 pkg. of orange jello, 3/4 cup orange juice (from frozen orange juice)
Sauce: 2/3 cup of orange juice and 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool a
bit and turn out on a rack and while cooling more make the sauce. Cook juice and powdered sugar until dissolved and bubbling 3 to 5 minutes. while it is hot spoon
it over the cake.

Jeffrey's Bourbon Balls:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup sifted powdered
sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 3 tablespoons clear Karo syrup, and 1/4 cup Bourbon.
Grind vanilla wafers and pecans in food chopper (today it would be the wonderful
food processor), then mix it with the cocoa and sugar. Stir Karo into the Bourbon, and then pour it over the dry ingredients. Mix until all is moistened and shape
them into small balls. Roll them in additional sifted powdered sugar.

APERITIF:
Black Russians:
Mix equal parts of GOOD Vodka (i.e. Grey Goose, Chopin, Belvedere, etc) with
Kahlua

Suffice it to say that a SPLENDID TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

Well, let's summarize..what have we experienced/learned here?

1. Parties are a lot of fun when they are "themed" and part of the fun has to
do with the guests being a part of the "making and planning" as well...

2. Children are not the only ones that like to play "dress up" (transvestites
like to as well...) OH, NICOLE...THAT IS SO VERY, VERY TACKY!
sorry...

3. Clothes today can be a bit boring comparatively

4. People of that era, did not know what cholesterol was, but even so, there
was obviously a more laid back approach to calories, fats, and carbs..
i.e. Amount of cheese, butter, cream, etc in these popular dishes...

5. Wesson oil was either the only oil around or people had a serious lack of
imagination when it came to the type of oil utilized in recipes!

6. I miss the "Granny Gown Dress", as a whole lot of caloric mistakes could be
hidden under them...Not that anyone really needed to do that at that age...

7. Love the music...What a great combination of talents represented at this bash!

8. People should give more parties!!!

Hope you enjoy this Retro Fantasy Dinner Party...

I look forward to the kinds of parties that you will throw!

FROZEN HEART

i long for love
not just for me

for that little girl
inside, you see

who's waited for
a handsome prince

been disappointed
ever since

one day she figured
out the truth

the "pretty"ones
are usually doofs

"i can't believe
there's no one here,
that isn't married,
dead, or queer"

"this can't be IT!"
(now please be brave)

"my heart's not lying in some grave"

(remember, "DRAMA"
hurts your chances)

no wonder she's had
few romances

"why, I'm so charming
can't men tell?"

(they can but
so?)
hey, just as well....

you'd just get hurt
and cry and wail...

"this can't be love
it feels like HELL"

so in the end
you're lucky, see?

this way you'll suffer
differently...

alone, but not
without some friends
to tell you that shouldn't"t
spend
your precious time
desiring flings

go freshen up
put on some "bling"

yes, go dress up
and come around

we'll all go out and
"do the town"

your favorite place
with food and wine

you'll feel much better
in no time

a "wish" is healthy
desires, passion

though at your age,
it's "hardly" the fashion

frankly we don't really see
that dreaming of this fantasy
has done you any good at all?

the last one's name?
can't quite recall
i think she said his name was
PAUL

well...
that was SILLY from the start...

a MARRIED man?
"He froze my heart"

yes dear, you've told us
now let's see

how DOES one spell
STUPIDITY?

is it with one P
or with two?

no matter
as this poem
is through

nicole 4/20/09

WHY GOATS? WHY NOT? GOAT CHEESE LOVE IN THE MODERN WORLD

There are events in my childhood that are embedded in my memory.

Why some memories are there and others are completely faded is a mystery.

Often what I DO remember is not particularly important, or it does not seem
to be..

When it comes to food though, my memories tend to be quite "sharp" as though
they were yesterday...(child "foodie" before there was such a thing...)

There is an entire vacation with my family that I have forgotten, but it seems
as though if food was involved, I remember...

When I was growing up, we lived next door to a Jewish family.
We'll call them "The Jacobs" for reasons of privacy..
They were a very interesting family.
Most of their family/relatives were either killed or barely escaped from Germany
during the *Holocaust..

*A fascination and obsession with the Holocaust and everything I could find to
read or see about it, started early in my life.."The Diary of Anne Frank" was read/seen so many times I cannot count...I am one of the few people that I know
who has been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC...Even my friends
who live there will not go..It is a sad, stark, and humbling experience which I
will never forget..
I made my son go as well...they don't really teach these unbelievably horrific
set of events in school..from what I can gather, they barely "touch" on it...

The "Jacobs" were also relatives (nephew/great nieces) of Albert Einstein's.

(This was WAY before Paul McCartney characterized an "Uncle Albert" in any song)

His personally signed photos were here and there around the house.

I didn't know who he was as a child.
I thought that he looked a little creepy.
Come to find out that a lot of geniuses do...
So do those with feeble minds
"Creepy" does not discriminate

Now I LIKE creepy looking geniuses...
I still don't care for creepy looking feeble minded individuals
But then again...that's just me...

I found the "Jacobs" to be intriguing and so different from my own family.
This extended not only to their observing different holidays and customs than
we did, but also to the "everyday" food that they ate.

Their house was the first place that I ever saw a bagel.
They were "Lenders" from a frozen bag...
We weren't in New York.
I thought that the frozen bagels were unsweetened doughnuts...
I couldn't imagine why anyone would be interested in them..

I grew up in a "white bread" mostly Christian middle class suburb in Dallas
in the late 50s'/60s..
"Leave it to Beaver" seemed fairly realistic,(except for the fact that our Mothers didn't wear high heels at home during the day...)

When I spent the night with my friend next door, we had a breakfast that I will
never forget, as it spawned my love for creamy spreadable cheeses to this day,
(as well as ANY food that is found at Jewish gatherings, delis, and the like..
Lox, cream cheese, sour cream in herring, and other Jewish cultural foods and I
are well acquainted and maintain a mutual love and respect.)

Next door the breakfast table was laden with a basket of warm toasted rye bread
and a crock of herb cream cheese...I was in heaven...It was so delicious...

Cream cheese has always been one of my favorites, even the "light" version!

It's also been a "No-No" though, because it IS high in fat and calories..(low
in carbs though, in case anyone wants to know...)

Therefore, I was relieved when in the early 80s', I began to see "Goat Cheese"
or "Chevre" on some of the restaurant menus where I dined.

It was "Love At First Bite"

At that time, the main way it was presented was usually on a plate with whole roasted garlic swimming in delicious extra virgin olive oil, crusty bread, and accompanied by some Greek Olives...
With a good bottle of wine, it was a dinner in itself...

Slowly I began to see Goat Cheese incorporated into more recipes, like tarts,
salads, souffles, pasta, gratins, etc.

In the beginning, one could only acquire goat cheese at places like Whole Foods,
but presently it can be found almost anywhere in local supermarkets...

That's a good thing, because I LOVE to cook with it.

There are SO MANY delicious recipes containing goat cheese, one of which I have previously posted at Foodbuzz, a tasty Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast with
Basil.

Just a good, easy, simple, and straight forward dish.
I've taken a liking to that kind of cookery these days...

This is a good place to insert my number one thought about good cooking/food....

"QUALITY INGREDIENTS YIELD QUALITY RESULTS"

I know that sounds obvious, yet many restaurants/cooks try to get away with using
lower quality ingredients, and you simply can't if you want extraordinary results...

I realize that food products are expensive these days, but I still believe that
if one shops carefully and omits the "junk" and processed or "quick" foods, that good quality ingredients can still be had...

Admittedly though, and unsettling, I see that "junk food" is cheap, and fresh veggies, fruits, and leans meats are ridiculously expensive..

What to do in these times?

Hope it gets better quickly, and still buy as much of the "good stuff" as you
can..(some of the leading economic advisers came out this week on CNN, to announce
that they think that our economic downfall will be over a lot quicker than they
had originally projected)

Cook more "simply" with less ingredients, but with an emphasis on quality.

Example..try not to buy an "exotic" spice that you are only going to use in one
recipe...OR..try to get only as much spice as you need for a dish (like you can
do at Whole Foods)

Get the Butcher to give you only what portion of meat is needed in an already packaged container, if you don't need the whole lot...
(They WILL do this, even if they are not thrilled by it...I mean, when is the
last time that you saw a butcher "thrilled" anyway?)

Another idea is to try to make the extra time and effort to cook more at home,
(not always possible, but let's face it...most of us waste a lot of time, I
know that I do..Planning ahead of time and having the ingredients needed on hand makes this one a lot easier..)

Off the "Soapbox" (though at times it just FEELS good, doesn't it?)

My Sister is a Teacher, so she gets to do that everyday.
She is VERY GOOD at it...
Practice makes perfect, as I always say...

In my profession, I can only "gently" speak to the smokers with lung disease,
and even THEN, I must be politely professional in my "lectures" to them.

I digress as usual...

I am the type of person that simply must do a little research about anything
that I really like..(though my research about men/relationships has done little
to enlighten me so far...i.e. see poems)

Still, my research goes on, and today it is a little about Goats, and even more
about Goat Cheese.

The reason that I started my research on Goats, instead of just goat cheese, was because of the Goat's picture shown above...

Now take a close look at that...

What's wrong with that picture?
Goats reside in pastures, in rolling hills.......

With "Heidi's" Grandfather in the ALPS!

AND BESIDES...I RECOGNIZE WHERE THIS GOAT IS!!!

WHO KNEW THAT GOATS TOOK LEISURE VACATIONS, "TAKING IN THE SIGHTS" AND DOING A
LITTLE SHOPPING IN THE SOHO AREA OF NEW YORK?

WHAT...THEY GET A LITTLE STRESSED PUMPING OUT THE MILK, WANDERING ON THE SLOPES
OF GRASS?

GOATS THESE DAYS REQUIRE A LITTLE "R AND R"?

HEY I'M NOT MAKING THIS STUFF UP...PICTURES DON'T LIE...TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS..

I'M JUST THINKIN THAT THE POPULARITY OF THE "CHEESE" HAS GONE TO THEIR HEADS
A LITTLE...THAT'S ALL...

Wisegeek.com filled me in on the following info, (though no mention of travel)

"In the rugged, rocky Mediterranean landscape goats do rather well. They can climb and find food in places where cows would not be able to get to. The landscape used to be rather void of vegetation in many areas because goats would eat everything in sight. Now it seems that those areas are much greener. Does it mean that there are fewer goats?"

No, it means that they're taking vacations and eating at touristy vegetarian restaurants, instead of the landscape...They're bored...They take advantage of
specials on Travelocity and the like...They've gotten "SOPHISTICATED"...

Back to the research...

"All goat breeds share the traits of being very hardy, curious, and intelligent, and they can be very interesting animals to have around, whatever one's use for them might be."

For what?..A shopping companion?
Personally I like to shop alone...

Now onto a bit about ultra delicious and pretty "good for you" Goat Cheese

What is goat cheese? Let's ask "Wisegeek"...

"Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years, and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. In the most simple form, goat cheese is made by warming goat milk, mixing it with rennet to curdle, and then draining and pressing the curds. Soft goat cheeses are made in kitchens all over the world, with cooks hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds up in the warm kitchen for several days to drain and cure. If the cheese is to be aged, it is often brined so that it will form a rind, and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months to cure.
Goat cheese is less calorie dense then cheeses made from milk from cows or sheep. Fats in goat's milk and cheese are easier to process in the digestive system, therefore some individuals who can not have other milk products, might be able to have goat's milk and cheese.
It also seems that the cheese from goat milk does not put strain on the heart, as some other cheeses do specifically because of it's lower fat content, and easy digestibility."

Now if that's not good news, I don't know what is! The next time you indulge in something with Goat Cheese, you can say with great confidence...

"I'm trying to eat a bit more LOW FAT...This is VERY Mediterranean, the way we
were MEANT to eat. Please pass more of the Wine, Goat Cheese, and Bread..."


I have always been the one who is "selected" to choose the restaurant, menu, etc. when there is a gathering, because most of my friends/coworkers know that I
know something, (or I think I do), about food, restaurants...

No exception to that rule back in the mid-nineties, for a Holiday Party at a restaurant for the Management team where I worked and was a part of.

I had a budget and a restaurant picked out, and the menu was pre-arranged and
worked out between myself and the "Food Director" at the restaurant...

It was a delicious dinner, if I say so myself. (What a surprise!)

Our first course was a delicious Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes,
and Basil that was sprinkled with a Balsamic Vinaigrette...really yummy...
It was a big hit...
To this day, I love "Toast" or "Croutons" with a Goat Cheese Topping.

I came upon this recipe a few years later...
I am positive that this is the recipe that the restaurant used...

This recipe hails from the wonderful "Mustards Grill" in Napa Valley.

It is a restaurant that has passed the test of time, and is still quite popular
today.

The "Goat Cheese Toast" was around when the Grill first opened...

It is a wonderful "Showcase" for a good Goat Cheese...

This is one of those recipes that I highly recommend that you try...(it is
especially great for parties...and as I always ask...Does anyone give parties
anymore? My friends "meet" for dinner at restaurants...Well, even if you don't
make this for a "party", try it for a light and delicious lunch/dinner)

First for the "CROUTONS"

THE BREAD-(use an oval crusty Sourdough Loaf, or any good quality French or Italian
baguette, just make sure that it is "good" bread. Even "day-old" good bread will
make good croutons.)

1 French Baguette or Italian Loaf of Bread
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Cut the baguette or Italian loaf on the bias into 1/4 inch slices, brush with the olive oil and toast on a baking sheet in a 325 degree oven or under a broiler until golden brown. Don't try to rush this: croutons need to be cooked slowly as they are crisp all the way through.
Often for soup, they are cut or torn into small pieces, mixed with oil, salt, and pepper, and baked until crisp.
For purposes of the Goat Cheese Bread recipe, you will keep the slices whole.


Mustards Grill's Goat Cheese Toast
Serves 6-12

8 ounces fresh goat cheese (Laura Chenel's Chevre Chabis, if you can get it...If
not, then the best quality that you can find/afford)
8 Tablespoons heavy cream or Creme Fraiche*
2 minced shallots
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons dry sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Pinch of Salt
6 Tablespoons light olive oil
12 "Croutons"
1 Tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
6 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into lengthwise pieces
6 Tablespoon chiffonade of Basil
(chiffonade is taking all your basil leaves and stacking them on top of each other...roll the "package" up tightly; it should look like a hand rolled cigarette, then cut it crosswise with a sharp knife, into thin slices ...you will then have "chiffonade"..)

(trying to be "user-friendly")

In a mixing bowl, mix the goat cheese and cream or creme fraiche together with a wooden spoon until it reaches a spreading consistency. Do not chill. To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallots, mustard, vinegar, and salt in another bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, and continue whisking until emulsified.

Spread the croutons with the goat cheese mixture. Return the croutons to the broiler and broil just until the cheese is warm. (WATCH IT EVERY SECOND)

Place the croutons on a serving plate. Drizzle a little bit of vinaigrette over the cheese, sprinkle with cracked peppercorns, and top with pieces of sun-dried tomato and a little bit of "chiffonade" of basil....
You only need a bit of vinaigrette per toast...
Any leftover is great with a mixed green salad.

*Creme Fraiche

This is so easy to make at home. Refrigerated, it will keep about a week to ten
days. Swirl a little into this or that; or whip it and add a dollop to a soup or
stew. Sweeten it and use it like whipped cream. Tex Mex enchiladas are often
topped with creme fraiche instead of sour cream. Virtually endless ways in which
to use it..

Makes 1 1/4 cup

1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup cream

Thoroughly mix the cream and buttermilk and let it sit at room temperature,
loosely covered, for 8 to 12 hours until thick.
Keep refrigerated after that.

IT TAKES A LOT TO EXCITE A GIRL LIKE ME!!!!!!

I'm so excited...and I just can't hide it...I know, I know, I know, I know, I know
I LIKE IT!!!

I am SO excited that I am going to publish my very favorite homemade CHILI RECIPE!!
That's HOW very EXCITED that I AM!
I am EVEN going to GIVE YOU MY SECRET INGREDIENT!!!

Do you have any idea
WHAT HAS:

Put the FIRECRACKERS in my step?
The PEPPER in my PEP?

The ZIP in my zeal?
Me SPINNING on one heel?

The SPITTING of my words? (I'm trying not to face anyone directly...)
The ACTING like a NERD?

The RHYMING like a clown?
The UP instead of down?

GUESSES?

#1.FINALLY...THE "MAN OF MY DREAMS" OR EVEN THE ONE I JUST WROTE A POEM ABOUT?

GOODNESS NO!

(Let's be realistic my friend..or did the Tooth Fairy visit you this year?)

#2.SOMEONE HAS OFFERED TO PAY FOR MY BOOB JOB AND EYE LIFT?

BINGO!..and then they're taking me to Paris for dinner..yeah..

#3.THE AMERICAN LITERARY SOCIETY IS INTERESTED IN PUBLISHING MY POEMS?

Sure..right after they publish the memoirs of Paris Hilton

NO MORE GUESSES....

After 6 long wretched, ravaged, wronged, ridiculous, and redundant? months, I have found A,

drum roll paleese...

FULL TIME JOB!!!!!

Yeah, that's right...the kind with, you guessed...BENEFITS!!!!

And just when you thought it was almost too good to be true...
THERE'S MORE...
That's right...If you order in the next 2 minutes,

Wait a minute..

HEY...where is this going?
I was telling all of you about my job...
How do I get into these jams anyway?
Far too ambitious..I HAVE tried to settle down but...

Back to my new and hopefully improved way of living...

I am working in a hospital that is only 150 beds, so if I get lost, it will not be
for long...

It is a Neurological and Surgical Center with an amazing reputation, therefore a
"feather in my cap" (not that I wear one..)

There is no Emergency Room..(Oh this really IS too good, isn't it?)

It's night shift with a mostly MALE STAFF (this is looking better all the time..)

AND...because it is a part of a huge Governmental Medical Center...

I AM WORKING FOR THE STATE AND THEY ARE PAYING FOR MY INSURANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are other "goodies", but that one killed me...

Someone is going to pay for my medical insurance?

Pinch me....Wake me up....

If I wake up and find out that this is yet another one of my long and laborious dreams,
I am going to be "most upset"...(see how I CAN control what I say sometimes?...I
usually just don't want to...)

Damned thing is...I was SURE it was going to be a waste of time to interview...

The boss is someone that I worked for many years ago...

I was almost POSITIVE that she did not like me...

I was wrong..(Did I ever tell you that being wrong is not always a bad thing?)

She literally greeted me with open arms..
(did she just forget perhaps? We used to have..ummmm...."intelligent debates" about clinical differences and policies)

I never thought that it would take me this long
I am happy that for now, this search is over...

Now for my favorite Sirloin Chili...

Am I from Texas and does the chili contain BEANS?

Of Course...and whoever made up the "rule" of
"there ain't no beans in chili from Texas",
obviously resided elsewhere,
cause in Texas...
"We do what the hell we want, and MY chili has not one but TWO kinds of BEANS!"

SULTRY SIRLOIN CHILI
(wow...what a name! I'm lovin it!)
Serves 6

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
Salt and Pepper (to season sirloin)
2 pounds sirloin, bite size chunks
2 large onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell papper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (unless you want heat, then don't seed them)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
12-ounce bottle of ale
2 cups low sodium beef stock
4 cups crushed tomatoes
2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 to 1 ounce milk chocolate with or without almonds, chopped (to taste)
Garnish: Shredded cheddar, red onion, scallions, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges

Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium high heat.
In a pie plate combine salt, pepper, and flour with a fork.
Toss sirloin cubes with flour to coat.
Shake off excess flour.
Brown sirloin in pot on all sides and remove meat to a plate.
If necessary, add more oil to pan and add onions.
Cook onions over medium heat until they begin to soften.
Stir in green, red, and jalapeno peppers and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
Return browned meat to pan and pour in beef and beef stock.
Bring to a a boil and cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cook for one hour or until meat is tender.
Add crushed tomatoes and cook for 30-45 minutes.
Stir in black and kidney beans and chocolate, and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve topped with the garnishes of your choice.

I like to serve this with cornbread and a crisp green salad, but sometimes...
We just break open the saltines, pour up a bowl of red, pop a beer, and say
"WOW...DONCHA JUST LOVE CHILI?"

(Actually a nice glass of Cabernet is my favorite accompaniment, but the other
idea sounded so much better, and is probably what most people do!)

Later...Nicole

"NOT THROUGH" (A POEM OF TRUTH AND SHAME)

"NOT THROUGH"


i know that you're out there
reduced now to lurking
you could have been here
with a love that was working

decisions are difficult
morally driven
but you've only one lifetime
to enjoy what i've given
to you and you only
though carelessly tossed
away like the garbage
a treasure you've lost

if you are still listening
to what i have said
just give me some sign
so i'll know you're not dead

and i don't mean "dead"
as in "perished", for good
i would be more careful
with words, if i could

it's not smart to write
about you,
don't you know?
i'll answer no questions
from friends or from foes

the last words
he said to her
"My Heart Is Yours"
has left her
with feelings
reminiscent of whores

your thoughts were seductive
your words filled my heart
you made me feel lovely
and desirably smart

"you ought to know better"
the critics agree
who listens to critics?
about films...
but not ME

can't you find a way
to still let me know
or were promises made
that won't let you go?

i cannot give up
what was almost mine
give me an option
show me a sign

begging is pitiful
won't do for me
but turning away
is too final, you see

i rarely have feelings
so utterly strange
so wrong, so forbidden,
unlikely to change

not easy to leave me
and yet all the while
you've made your decision
to live in denial

once there were two people
their love fraught with pain
pursuing a dream
of together
in vain

nicole 4/14/09

RENAISSANCE WOMAN POSTS A POEM AND A PIE

I worked with a guy this weekend, that is a former co-worker and friend
He didn't know that I wrote poetry or was interested in cooking/recipes...
He said "Wow, I guess that you're a "Renaissance Woman", aren't you?"
I thought...Yeah..I suppose so...
Hence the title to this blog

No matter how long you work with people in unfortunate circumstances, once in
awhile you come upon a patient that "stays" with you after you come home..
Keeping your "distance" is an important part of the health field
I have always felt that others were better at this than I am...

NOWHERE
(for Kerin)

They say she was "Something"
Good looking
Lots of friends

HORROR like this
is surely no way to end

Strong winds threw you wildly
down the stairs one day

and life as you knew it
was taken away

Now you open your eyes
but you no longer see

And silent screams cry
"What has happened to me?"

I know you don't speak
but it's clear in your face

that you're desperately living
in a far away place

A pocket of space
that won't let you break free

Where death has escaped you
and life's a memory

You might just remember
a few things from your past

When I called you "Cat Woman"
you responded at last

It's not like you spoke to me
I'm told it's not new

Though I saw just a glimpse of your smile
It's true!

There's not much that's left of you
Tragic, unfair

Too young to leave us
Hearts sink in dispair

Can't leave you there frightened
I must take you home

Spilling all of my feelings
on this unsuspecting poem

Strong winds picked her up
and threw her down stairs

Then took her to live
In the land of NOWHERE

Nicole 4/14/09



PIE, OH MY...HOW I LOVE PIE...

A recipe so simple, you won't believe how delicious it is...
Takes no time to make, just has to be planned...
This pie needs to chill for at least 8 hours
More is better...overnight is perfect, but not required
Think "Simple is Good", and you will "Get it"

LIMEADE PIE

1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 small can of frozen limeade (defrosted)

Mix those two together until well blended

FOLD in:
One carton (15 oz to 18 oz) size of "Cool Whip"(defrosted)
The word "fold" is important here, and YES I said Cool Whip...

Spoon filling into a premade graham cracker crust ( I like Keebler best)
If you must make your own that would be perfectly acceptable (just don't come
crying to me when you miss your much needed "quickie" nap..)

Use your microplane if you have one, but if not finely grate some lime peel all
over the top of the pie..(then ask yourself why you don't have a microplane, as they are not expensive and the best tool created in YEARS!)

Not only is this recipe step attractive, it very much adds to the lime "punch" of the pie...

Put in fridge for at least 8 hours..

This pie literally took me about 5 minutes to make and is sensational!

Little trick I picked up from Food TV, concerning the cutting of the first
piece...
IF you do use the premade crust that is in foil.. cut the pie piece, then
actually cut the foil with scissors where the first cut piece is( top to bottom on the side of the pie...two cuts....)
Love that trick...

Hope you understand, if you don't, then just cut the first piece as you always have, and who cares if it is not the most attractive?
When a pie is THIS good it matters little...