The Saturday Story

I woke up just before 5:00 AM on Saturday. It was much warmer (41 degrees here in Redford) and supposed to be a sunny and warmer day today. Winds will be a concern, though, as the high pressure system bringing the warmth will be accompanied by stronger winds.

I made a pot of coffee and then filled in the Blog. Since Scruffy was sleeping on the daybed in the office and Caley was up on the computer table with me, I took the opportunity to strip the bed. I put the bedding in the washer and me in the shower (after I shaved). Then I headed out on my normal Saturday morning errands run.

I say that as I keep getting calls on Saturday morning from people who should know better. I’m not here, okay? Read the freakin’ Blog! I am getting a hair cut, doing grocery shopping, picking up some bird seed, filling up the car’s gas tank, going to the library, stopping at GFS, getting something from Home Depot or Meijer’s that I need for the weekend’s projects or SOMETHING. But, I am NOT “in the house” Saturday morning!

If you want to talk to me on Saturday, please call after 12:00 PM and I may answer (assuming I am here and/or not outside). You know who you are and ‘nuff said.

Okay, now that I have that rant done, let’s continue...

I hit the gas station and filled my tank. I also got three cans of Copenhagen. Then I went to the Post Office. I was a bit shocked that it wasn’t opened yet, at 8:50 AM. I guess I am still thinking it’s a 24/7 post office, like it was before all the budget cuts.

But there were Christmas stamps, which is why I went there, in the machine in the lobby. Unfortunately, you have to use a credit or debit card to get them (and I had the stupid cash in my pocket!) Oh, well, I got ‘er done.

Next, I went to Kroger’s and got the rest of the grocery items I needed (some of the basic things are either not there or too expensive at Westborn). But, they didn’t have any fresh sage or shallots! I forgot them and so it’s back to Westborn.

On the way to Westborn, I stopped in to Zeda’s Coney Island for breakfast. I occasionally treat myself to breakfast here on the weekends. It’s a dive and built shotgun style (20 feet wide and really deep). I doubt it could hold 100 people, even if they all crammed in. Speaking of shotguns, if you fired off a round of double-ought buckshot through the front window, you would probably kill everyone in the place.

But, I digress. It has an eclectic, eccentric clientele (old bikers with dew rags, old folks in general and the occasional young family of five or more) and, it has something Jeremy would love, a 10-seat counter. I still don’t know why he likes to sit at a counter, but oh well...

Why do I eat there? Well, for two reasons: one is to people-watch and the other is I can get a great tasting breakfast of two over-easy eggs, three sausage links, more hash browns than a normal person could ever eat and rye toast for just $3.59. On a weekend!!!

Thus fortified, I breezed through Westborn and headed home. I unpacked my stuff and then put the bedding in the dryer. Next I put my work shirts in the washer.

I took a phone call from B___ (it was after 12:00 PM, so I didn’t yell at him). We talked for a long time (not “Melissa” long, but long for us). I did apologize for my call to him last Wednesday. I had taken the afternoon off, if you remember and worked outside. When I got in I was hurting, so I took a couple of Vicondin (first time in a long time) and, according to him, I sounded pretty screwed up. God only knows what I said to Lu, who I called afterwards…

When we hung up, I got my stuff together and went outside to drain the reflecting pool. First I used a net to get out all the leaves.

I had purchased a drill motor pump (like the one I have used successfully in the past) and used that, the two old washer hoses and my drill motor. But, the little pump didn’t work! I checked to make sure I had the right hose in the water, etc. All in all, I screwed around with it for about an hour before I gave up.

I got a small bucket and a used can and bailed the damn thing out. I put on the lid (which barely fits and lets water in over the winter) and then got a bright idea. I put the unused drier platform on top of it, both to hold it down and extend the coverage.

Back inside, I took a break and checked the TV shows. I ended up watching “Rooster Cogburn” the sequel to “True Grit.”

When that was over, I started making my dinner. It will be the first slow cooker recipe from that new cookbook.

So, per instructions, I used a medium sized skillet (don’t! It turns out to be too small, later). I melted two tablespoons of butter and then sautéed two medium shallots (diced) and eight ounces of mushrooms (quartered) until softened (about five minutes). Then I sprinkled on two tablespoons of flour, and cooked it for a minute or so, until it was incorporated.

Then I added one cup of chicken stock and one can of condensed milk. I brought that to a boil and stirred it (to avoid clumps) until it formed a thin white sauce. I then added three ounces of softened cream cheese and three ounces of goat cheese.

I stirred that until it all melted. Then I added a can of solid white albacore tuna (drained and flaked) and a heaping cup of frozen peas.

While all that was going on, I was also boiling eight ounces of penne pasta until just before al dente. Don’t overcook this, you want it undercooked.

I drained the pasta and was supposed to add it to the sauce, but the skillet was too small. So, I prepared the slow cooker, spraying it with non-stick cooking spray. Then I put in the pasta, added the sauce and mixed it all together.

I made the topping by combining 1/2 cup of crushed corn flakes (do you know how much a box of those suckers cost? I thought cereal was cheap!) with two tablespoons of melted butter. I mixed them well (to make sure everything was coated. Then I added a cup of shredded sharp cheddar, working it into the crumbs and spread that on top of the pasta mixture.

It was getting late, and cooking it on LOW would take four hours, so I cooked it on HIGH for two hours.

I went in and made up my bed. Then I used the cheese cloth I got at Kroger to further strain my vegetable stock. I got just over five four-cup containers. I labeled them all and three went in the freezer (for some other time), two in the fridge (for the turkey brine Wednesday night).

I also made some herb butter (also known as compound butter). I chopped up some sage (I ended up with about 1/4 cup) and put that in a bowl with a stick of softened butter. I used a fork to work it all in. Then I put the butter on some waxed paper and formed it into a tube. I stuck that into the freezer to harden. See photos. Any combination of herbs works, BTW.

Now, I normally keep a roll of butter and chives in the freezer. It’s perfect to top a steak with. But, this butter I intend on working under the skin of the turkey breast.

I hung up my work shirts and put the pants and socks in the washer.

By that time, the slow cooker was done, so I plated some up. It was very, very good! Sort of like tuna and peas, but with pasta and kicked up a notch by the cheese. This one is definitely a keeper!

I watched a hockey game (the Edmonton Oilers kicked Chicago’s butt!). Then I started catching up on taped cooking shows. I was tired, but not sleepy, if you know what I mean. I finally watched a concert with James Taylor and Carole King I had taped from the PBS channel. I dozed off and on through it and finally shut off the TV around 5:00 AM.