Half Pint Canning Jars and a tiny book review of The Homemade Pantry

I have a peculiar delight for mason jars. I often think of getting a flat of them at the wrong time of year. They are seasonal where I live, and this is their season, harvest time. So yay! I remembered this year.

I purchased 12 half pint wide mouths, and the mister gave me a look like what the heck?!

I'm not much of a canner, you see. I'm a bit frighten of poisoning myself. Improper home canning is the number one cause of botulism, and botulism is kinda deadly.

But the way I see it, little glass jars have other uses.

Years ago I read about making cake-in-a-jar on Angry Chicken's blog. I still follow her. She comes up with some fun stuff. Not every single day. And not too over-the-top Martha-like that I need to go out and buy cake decorating tips or something. She gets excited and shares.

So I went back to her archives and found the post I was looking for - Cake-in-a-Jar! I did some googling too. So I'm sure baking is in my future.

Another favorite blogger talked about salad-in-a-jar for lunches, and said she could make up a whole week's worth and they would stay fresh. I thought I might try this for work days. I've slowly switched my fridge containers from plastic to glass, and I have to say everything stays fresher in glass. So I'm intrigued.

A third use for these little containers came from a book I came across and purchased immediately. That book is called The Homemade Pantry. I highly recommend this book. Since I depend on a well-stock pantry to inspire me and pull together a "there's nothing to eat for dinner" day, I was blown away with all the cool stuff I could make and, yes, store in my jars.

I see salads in my future - lots and lots of salads

I try to identify my bad habits and break them and not wait for the new year. Although sometimes the "identifying" comes with the retrospecting that is usually involved at the end of the year. And this year the "identifying" not only coincides with the end of the year but also a blood test. (My blood is showing some problems that could possibly be corrected by eating healthier and moving the old body more. (What a surprise!))

Upon retrospection though, I realized that I have been eating emotionally. I'm kind of amazed, to be honest. I love food. I take pictures of food, and write about my lunches, and basically a good chunk of my life is devoted to growing (and sometimes eating) vegetables.

But this year, and it did start early this year, I became depressed about my paying job, and the way I was dealing with it was I would to go out to eat or go to the deli market and buy junk for lunch. That's right. I would wake up on the day I would work and think where will I go out to eat today. And that would motivate me to go to work.

I tried to bento once a week or every other week or sometimes I did a few in a row. But basically when I thought about going to work, I thought about chile verde tacos, and biscuits and gravy, and bags of buffalo bleu chips, and thousands of Hot Tamales, and gallons of Dr. Pepper. And I did very little movement. As little as possible. Sure sometimes I would walk to get my biscuits and gravy, but most the time I would drive.

So when I ran into my friend "Mrs. Oz," and mentioned my woes, she suggested I look into glass jar salads on Pinterest. Lightbulb! Salads. Containers. Hope.

Donburi Bento Box (Donburi is normally rice with toppings)

Top level: Containers of purple sauerkraut and oil and vinegar dressing

Spinach salad with tomato, radish, and avocado

Also I got back on my bike. Ugh. People I need your help. I need workout music suggestions because I swear time goes backwards when I'm on that thing.

Lunch at Giovanni's

With Spring at our fingertips and the promise of rain on Sunday, we spent a nice afternoon at Morro Bay on Saturday. On the list of things to do was lunch at Giovanni's Fish Market, gaze at the ocean, talk about all times we have gone sailing, drink Margaritas, and walk around town.

Halibut and chips, my friend. So delicious that I can't get over it. I just zoned out and stuffed my face.

I like little old towns that have little old theaters in them.

We also went to Mill's, one of the last old-fashioned stationary stores in the West. Well, I don't know that for a fact, but let's face it Staples and Office Max have pretty much squelched the competition.

I bought a notebook there - so clever of me, and we went on our merry way.

Which was next door to an antiques mall, but my heart wasn't in it, so we went for a drive and I named every wildflower I saw.

Obon Festival

I upgraded to Lion OS and I can't say I'm completely enamored. The scrolling is exactly the opposite of what I was used to with the magic mouse, and I often use Preview and the F3 button to look at all my pics at once to get the feel for the blog post storyline and now that doesn't work. I haven't figured a way around it yet. If you know, please share. I'm sorry if none of this makes sense too.

Anyways - I went to the Obon Festival in San Luis. By the way (PSA), San Luis is pronounced like San Loo-es, not San Loo-ee. And we had a real good time. They were doing a martial arts demonstration inside the building which made me laugh (shame on me) because essentially they were wearing helmets and face masks but they were whacking the dickens out of each other. Right over the head. Whack, whack, whack. Very rhythmical. I thought it was hilarious.

The vendors indoors were very rummage sale too. Except the book seller. All sorts of books on Japanese culture, history, food, novels. I went crazy!

Outside there was the food and fun. This bonsai demonstration was really interesting. The son explained what the father was doing. A typical juniper bush was being pruned in a very specific way, both plant and roots, to be a bonsai.    

I'm going to try this, you know I am. I've always wanted a bonsai.

This is the before picture. The plant was a standard shrub in a pot like something you would buy from a nursery.

This is the after shot. 

The father was putting 

the finishing touches 

on the tree.

The chicken dinner was really delicious
too.

Cheers to the Five Year Mark!

A Nice Sauternes and Salad

Here's to Judy's Notebook, a five-year old blog about nothing in particular. Here's to everyone who has followed this blog, which I consider an anchor to my other blogs, which are many. Here's to everyone who has unfollowed this blog, just to prove I'm not spiteful, even though I am, traders. Here's to being a columnist to 25,000 people per week, then becoming a blogger to a few people per month, ouch. Here's to starting then stopping then starting then stopping then starting this blog. Here's to not dying along the way. Here's to all you crazy Snapple Rain affectionados. Here's to Googling Snapple Rain and seeing my photos in the number one and two spots on the Google images. Here's to my favorites bloggers, listed on the left side, the list may have changed over the years but I still love you all. Here's to trying new things right here like GoodReads or starting a book club or Twitter or Tumblr, which I still love, and thank you, you know who you are, for introducing me to these fun activities. Here's to my first post, not much really, but has totally reminded me of my wood rat, so sad, and how much work it was to live out at the ranch. And finally here's to Silas, who should probably have his own fan club, his own limo, and his own personal chef, oh wait, he does have his own chef, that would be me.

xoxo
Judy

odosketch

This was kinda fun. From How About Orange. She always has the best timewasters!

Now that you mention it ...

I showed these to The Mister and predictably he said, I can't eat that. 

I said, sure you can. 

No! It's on my list.

You eat lots of stuff "on your list."

But that's really high on my list.

One bite of salmon is not going to kill you. You know, there's a difference between being allergic and just not wanting to eat something.

I don't want to eat it and consider myself allergic. Besides they're ghoulish.

They're what?

Like Hallowe'en.

They're PANDAS!

creekside brewery

Less gloomy day as we made our way to the "big" city. This pub looked shiny and new, so we got a few brews and some sandwiches. The balcony seating offered some lovely creek views too.

Kampai! Valentine's Day Lunch

We went out for lunch on Valentine's Day to our favorite Japanese restaurant. We started with miso soup and hot sake of course. That round orb in my miso soup is a reflection of the overhead lights. The train came through right on schedule as I debated on whether to get sushi or not.

I decided to get shrimp tempura and he ordered the special V-Day salad, seared tuna with ginger dressing. The salad was beautiful with baby greens, assorted seaweed, avocado sliced in fans, pine nuts and walnuts, bell peppers, and deep fried wontons. I had several tastes.

The tempura was divine as always.

The next course was shrimp and pork dumplings for me with a very spicy mustard. Japanese-style fried chicken for him that was so good we discussed potential future take-out.

We had enough leftover to take some of each home, and I had one scoop of plum wine ice cream for dessert. 

A super meal in every way!

Why A Little Loaf Can Make Me Cry

During the summer before I transferred to a four-year university, I substituted for the receptionist at the place my mom worked in downtown L.A.

Mom and I would burst forth from that office building at lunchtime like race horses. She was always so excited about the hustle and bustle of city life, as she would whisk me down a hole that suddenly turned into a restaurant.

"Oh, this place has the best soup!" she would exclaim. "And look at the cute loaf of bread they give you. Personal size!"

Lunch and some window shopping went by quickly and we were back at the office in one of those towering glass and metal buildings.

I think she was quite tired of the sexism and the politics of her workplace, but they paid her buckets full of money, and mom and dad were in a five-year sprint to an early retirement to Sedona. So she put up with it. I could tell having me around for that short time was a saving grace for her too.

Not that was always the case. Mom and I had not talked to each other for a few years before this. She had a problem with me when I was teenager, so I graduated high school and moved out when I was 16. It was for the best, and I was okay. I worked and went to college. I didn't have a car, but I didn't need one.

By the end of my L.A. summer, I was ready to move north to go to school. A year later I got married, and a year after that Mom got cancer.

More weather knocking on the door. We might even get an average rainfall this year.

Here at sunset tonight, I made chicken stock and roasted chicken parts with boiled beets. It was a lovely dinner. I had one of those weeks that seemed like it would never end, and today Silas had to be an inch away from me (and no further) at all times.

I'm planning a vacation in April. I really want to do something different. It's my birthday - a big one. Ahh but maybe I should lay low, you know. If you make a big deal outta something, and it falls through. Well I'm still thinking.

My boss suggested that I go to Paris. My thought is more like Baja. I don't really want to leave Si though. That is the rub, as always.

Russ & Daughters, Lower East Side, New York

Russ & Daughters, Lower East Side, New York, originally uploaded by maki.

I wish this deli was around the corner.

Throw Out Yer Dead

Oh my! I would love to show you the lovely cookies that I baked today, or rather I planned to bake today. I didn't bake today. Today was an upside down all messed up day. In all I'm glad it happened today and not next Thursday.

I have a fabulous recipe from Martha Stewart for chewy molasses cookies. So good that my brother ate 20 of them in an overnight visit. He left only one in the cookie jar, and I happened to noticed this in time to run out and give it to him on his way north.

So the first thing was finding the recipe. I know exactly where it was at the old ranch. That's true for everything I own. I can picture it sitting in this particular drawer. Alas I have never gotten organized here. My recipes are all over the place. I didn't even remember that it was an MS recipe or I could of just gone online.

Well, three probes later, I find it in my old old old recipe box. That pleased me. See, I said to self, it is good to never throw anything away!

So then I start to gather ingredients  -flour  -molasses, where's the baking soda? And then I notice eww a dead bug. A dead pantry bug! Holy shit! I HATE pantry bugs!!

I start to clean and I notice a few more dead pantry bugs. A lot of dead pantry bugs! I start to sweat.

Everything now is moving from one counter to the other, and I find a live pantry bug.

I want to cry!

There goes the day. Four days before a major cook-fest is no time for an infestation. The source must be found and cleaned up.

Well my friends that was 9:30am. Now at 4:30pm the kitchen has been cleaned and cleaned and cleaned some more. The pantry is clean and everything expired is gone. I'm ready for the white glove test.

And yes now I am ready for the cook-fest too.

Bento With Flash

I really like food without flash. I really like all photos without flash. But it was so dark today.

The Cheetos Blog

I sometimes think the point of blogging is to write and post on a regular basis. And I sometimes think the point of blogging everyday (like with Nablopomo) is to find your "voice" in the everyday words.

I discovered my "voice" when I wrote a column for the newspaper. At first I was just giddy with being published, then it was a challenge to figure out what, if anything, was going to materialized by deadline, then it was a matter of trusting myself and just doing it.

Maybe I'm getting to that place with blogging everyday.

What I really want to talk about right here and right now is Cheetos, the puffy variety. The way you put one in your mouth and deflate it and how it sticks to the back of your teeth and you go outside and into the garden full of thought and think hmmm that Cheetos was good and the tongue searches around and scraps off a tidbit from the tooth and you swallow and in a minute or two you forget all about the Cheetos until you brush your teeth and wonder what *is* this orange crap and then remember oh yeah Cheetos.

Maybe that's what blogging is all about.

Giveaway Time

Hello Fine Readers!

It's time for a giveaway.

My current hobby is bento boxing and I'm just a beginner, so I need all the help I can get. I found a fabulous book that I would love to pass on to one lucky person who is interested in it. Will mail anywhere in the world.

Just leave a comment HERE at this post. Giveaway ends Halloween night.

My Charming Polar Bear

Si just jumped up on me with the coldest ears. Indeed the weather has turned and soon there will be frost on the pumpkin.

When I purchased this charm stone, I was still thinking about how to keep my lunches cool as it was still in the triple digits. My idea is (was) to use this stone as a cold pack. Freezing it the night before tucking it into my bento box.

Of course now I'm thinking of making soup and sausages and putting on a pair of socks and a flannel shirt.

Telephone Pole Sunset

Typically Fridays are all about Si. My guilt for leaving him alone during the week and his obvious pleasure to have me home make Fridays one big lovefest. Today though, after an hour of lap time, he retreated to the cool room for some zzzzz. It's 83 degrees in my office. Can't say that I blame him.

Currently I'm heating up the house even more cooking "Country Style" pork ribs with ground cumin, coriander, oregano, basil, salt and lot of ground pepper. I plan to make Chili Verde when they are done served with homemade tortillas. When it's hot, I want hot and spicy food. And a cold Margarita.

I need to map out the next ten days or I might sleep through it all. There are so many things I want to accomplish.

Do you like my photo? There are many participants at SkyWatch Friday.

I Survived Valentine's Day

Just barely. 

  

It felt like it lasted 2 and 1/2 days, but I think we are finally over it and have moved on to everyday nattering. 

  

It all started quite innocent. On a spur of moment, I bought him a little egg spatula. It was meant to be a funny gift. He likes eggs *a lot* so what the heck, I thought, a novelty gift. It kind of looks like him too. I wrapped it in teal tissue and tied a hot pink string around it. When I gave the present to him V-day morning, the first thing he said was Oh Shit!

  

I laughed. No Big Deal! I said, You'll see. Well, he wouldn't open it. After a bit of com'on, he did and said (and I quote), "I thought we weren't going to buy anymore cheap pieces of crap!" 

  

What a sweetie, huh? Then he proceeded to throw away the handmade heart I adorned the package with. I said, You Threw Away My Heart?! So he dug it out of the trash and gave it back to me. 

  

Now way back when I was in 8th grade English, I was the best student at interpreting the symbology of the lyrics to music. When the Miss Newman asked the class, What does "I am a Rock. I am an Island" mean, I knew the answer. 

  

When my heart gets dug out of the trash and is given back to me, believe me, I know what that means. 

Just the same. Because I knew he felt bad about not getting me anything, I sucked it up and offer to cook a special dinner. Sure he said. Like whatever.

  

He tells me we have to finish our shopping (and he hates to shop), so we go into town. I'm thinking this is all a plot. He's got to have something up his sleeve. He's going to surprise me! We go to the market (which was full of clueless shoppers armed with big metal carts), and I feel lucky to get out of there without a lot of bruising. So I tell him I won't be but a few minutes because I have to run over to the health food store for blah blah. 

  

I'm thinking if I leave him alone, he'll grab some purple tulips that I love, and I know he knows that I love purple tulips. 

  

So 10 minutes later, I find him reading the newspaper in the parking lot. Hey, I said, That took forever. He said, It always does. With a sneer. And off we go, driving towards home.

  

After a bit, I said, You didn't get me any flowers, did you?

  

And he said, Oh I never know if flowers are safe around the cat. 

I just looked at him. He pulled the get-out-of-jail-free card, "Si's safety."

 

I said, You damn well know Si doesn't eat flowers. That was Clancey. That was 8 years ago.

  

Oh, he said, I can never remember.

And still I made him that pot pie.

The Roasty Toasty Food Network

Who are these shows catering to? Housewives? Are there housewives out there still? If so, are they all drunks? Because every show had its cocktail. Even the dollar a day cook smart, cook cheap was serving up martinis! The recipe was in one pitcher pour the contents of one of those concentrate lime juice small cans plus one can of water, next pour a bottle of vodka in, stir, pour, and serve. Do housewives have nose hair after drinking this?