Simple Satisfaction
I am a simple creature, delighted by the merest of accomplishments. Today I got home from my meeting and decided it really was time to boogie the fridge.
Flylady encourages a weekly fridge boogie and I usually do a cursory go-over. Sometimes not. I like to think I'm pretty good at using up what I have before I buy more and tossing stuff that isn't going to be used. But I'm always surprised by what I find when I decide to really get in there and clean it out. Like the jar of peanut butter that looks full but really has 1 t. in it. Or the egg salad that has been sitting for a week. Or the fact that there are two receptacles, both half full of kalamata olives. It is so satisfying to marry condiments (restaurant parlance for getting for example, all the olives in one container), toss the half head of wilted romaine and wipe down the shelves. I was particularly adventurous today and reordered the freezer as well. The menu for next week practically wrote itself as I looked at all the bounty in there that is just ready to be cooked up.
By the time I was done I had tossed one grocery bag full of inedibles, filled the dishwasher with storage containers (wondered where all those had got to) and, as I said, planned the menu. All this was satisfying enough but the garbage collectors hadn't shown up yet so I was able to get all that junk to the curb and out of the house, too.
It doesn't take much to make me happy. Speaking of which, I have a few household tips here that delight me no end and make my life ever so much easier. I share them now, with proper credits:
The Soapy Sink. When you start dinner, run a sinkful of hot water. Got this from Flylady. Wash prep dishes as you go and by the time dinner is on the table the kitchen will be practically clean. After dinner I usually just have to wash a couple of pans (stupid Calphalon has to be hand-washed) while The Child loads the dishwasher and we're done. Plus, I love Mrs. Meyer's dish soap, which is a little pricey but it comes in yummy, yummy fragrances. When I run my sink and the rose geranium scent floats up it wakes up my tired little brain and I swear it inspires me to get cooking. Allez cuisine!
The Garbage Bowl. Rachael Ray. I love that little cutie petutie and her 30 minute meals. One of her best ideas is to have a large bowl handy to dump all your cuttings, egg shells and odd bits into as you cook. It seemed a little goofy to me until I tried it. You don't realize how many times you go over to the sink or garbage can when you're cooking until you stop doing it. Put everything in a garbage bowl and then you just dump once. Huge timesaver.
Don't cry for me, Argentina. If you cry when cutting onions, light a candle nearby. I forget where I learned this, The Martha, maybe. I also forget why it works but it really, really does. Seems to help when dealing with pungent chilis, too.
Quicky Pie Crust. Make pate brisee in the food processor. The Martha Stewart. I love pies and tarts and quiches but I used to never make them because pie crust was such a messy pain to make. Then I saw The Martha whip it up in the food processor. I plotzed. Not only does it take no time, but when you whir it up the dough forms a neat little column. You just pull it out and flatten it and viola! Here's the recipe:
Martha Stewart’s Pate Brisee
(double crust)
Place 2 ½ c. flour, 1 t. salt and 1 t. sugar in food processor.
Add 2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut in small pieces and whir in processor until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 seconds).
Add ¼ c. ice water in slow, steady stream while machine is running, just until dough holds together and not more than 30 seconds. (This is where I part company from The Martha. I run until the dough forms aforementioned column. It isn't that much longer than the 30 seconds and I guarantee the dough will not be over-worked).
Turn out on plastic wrap, cover and press into flattened circle. Chill at least 1 hour before rolling out.
Dough may also be wrapped a second time in foil and frozen for later use.
This makes the best pie crust ever.
Flylady encourages a weekly fridge boogie and I usually do a cursory go-over. Sometimes not. I like to think I'm pretty good at using up what I have before I buy more and tossing stuff that isn't going to be used. But I'm always surprised by what I find when I decide to really get in there and clean it out. Like the jar of peanut butter that looks full but really has 1 t. in it. Or the egg salad that has been sitting for a week. Or the fact that there are two receptacles, both half full of kalamata olives. It is so satisfying to marry condiments (restaurant parlance for getting for example, all the olives in one container), toss the half head of wilted romaine and wipe down the shelves. I was particularly adventurous today and reordered the freezer as well. The menu for next week practically wrote itself as I looked at all the bounty in there that is just ready to be cooked up.
By the time I was done I had tossed one grocery bag full of inedibles, filled the dishwasher with storage containers (wondered where all those had got to) and, as I said, planned the menu. All this was satisfying enough but the garbage collectors hadn't shown up yet so I was able to get all that junk to the curb and out of the house, too.
It doesn't take much to make me happy. Speaking of which, I have a few household tips here that delight me no end and make my life ever so much easier. I share them now, with proper credits:
The Soapy Sink. When you start dinner, run a sinkful of hot water. Got this from Flylady. Wash prep dishes as you go and by the time dinner is on the table the kitchen will be practically clean. After dinner I usually just have to wash a couple of pans (stupid Calphalon has to be hand-washed) while The Child loads the dishwasher and we're done. Plus, I love Mrs. Meyer's dish soap, which is a little pricey but it comes in yummy, yummy fragrances. When I run my sink and the rose geranium scent floats up it wakes up my tired little brain and I swear it inspires me to get cooking. Allez cuisine!
The Garbage Bowl. Rachael Ray. I love that little cutie petutie and her 30 minute meals. One of her best ideas is to have a large bowl handy to dump all your cuttings, egg shells and odd bits into as you cook. It seemed a little goofy to me until I tried it. You don't realize how many times you go over to the sink or garbage can when you're cooking until you stop doing it. Put everything in a garbage bowl and then you just dump once. Huge timesaver.
Don't cry for me, Argentina. If you cry when cutting onions, light a candle nearby. I forget where I learned this, The Martha, maybe. I also forget why it works but it really, really does. Seems to help when dealing with pungent chilis, too.
Quicky Pie Crust. Make pate brisee in the food processor. The Martha Stewart. I love pies and tarts and quiches but I used to never make them because pie crust was such a messy pain to make. Then I saw The Martha whip it up in the food processor. I plotzed. Not only does it take no time, but when you whir it up the dough forms a neat little column. You just pull it out and flatten it and viola! Here's the recipe:
Martha Stewart’s Pate Brisee
(double crust)
Place 2 ½ c. flour, 1 t. salt and 1 t. sugar in food processor.
Add 2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut in small pieces and whir in processor until mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 seconds).
Add ¼ c. ice water in slow, steady stream while machine is running, just until dough holds together and not more than 30 seconds. (This is where I part company from The Martha. I run until the dough forms aforementioned column. It isn't that much longer than the 30 seconds and I guarantee the dough will not be over-worked).
Turn out on plastic wrap, cover and press into flattened circle. Chill at least 1 hour before rolling out.
Dough may also be wrapped a second time in foil and frozen for later use.
This makes the best pie crust ever.
cobbled together by Moi at 11:28 AM
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