Comments on: When no one’s looking http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/ thoughts on country living, farming, gardening and eating locally Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:44:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Meadowlark http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1763 Meadowlark Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:32:19 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1763 Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade, piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese, some crappy store olives, Stacy's Naked Pita chips and green onions. None from my garden. Only the Tillamook cheddar is within 100 miles. :( Mike’s Hard Cranberry Lemonade, piece of Tillamook cheddar cheese, some crappy store olives, Stacy’s Naked Pita chips and green onions.

None from my garden. Only the Tillamook cheddar is within 100 miles. :(

]]> By: Laura http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1756 Laura Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:56:16 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1756 Anita - for some strange reason it makes me feel better to know that you and Cameron don't eat such beautiful meals all the time. I wish I was organized enough to stock the freezer with actual meals, but alas I'm not and so we often have "grazing" nights instead. Lauren - how funny, we eat a lot of "hash" too! It's one of the few meals that Mike is consistently in charge of as he's way more patient with the potatoes than I am. "Piles" make a pretty regular appearance as well. Kristi J - you'll get there eventually, I believe we all will. Frozen pizza is a favorite around here as well. We don't even try to pretend that it's organic or local, but it sure is a good option for a rushed night. Garth - good to see you. We eat A LOT of eggs around here. Mostly fried or poached though. I suck at making omelets and while I should make more eggs bakes and quiches than I do, it somehow never comes to mind when I'm deciding what to make. Jenni - ooooh, beefaroni. The taste of my childhood, although actually my soft spot is for spaghetti-o's. I keep secretly hoping that they'll come out with a "natural" or organic version so that I can indulge... J - cheese, salami and crackers make a frequent appearance around here for lunch and sometimes dinner if I'm home alone. Baked potatoes are always on Mike's wishlist as well. Nicole - how did you make it so long without fruit? And now I want an orange... Anne - all of those sound like good options to me. When Mike is gone I can eat an artichoke with lemon butter every night and be perfectly happy. Or spaghetti squash with butter and salt. Or toast and jam with a fried egg. I'm a creature of habit and can happily eat the exact same thing for days on end. Jenny - only 7 1/2? That doesn't seem very accurate. We average way more than that around here! Joan - cans of plain ingredients totally count as from scratch in my book. Beans and rice - not something we eat often around here. Maybe I should re-evaluate that. Kim - mmmmm. We do the big bowl of salad as well. Lettuce with whatever is available and then we eat it for a few nights. It's a great shortcut as while I love salad I hate making it. Anita - for some strange reason it makes me feel better to know that you and Cameron don’t eat such beautiful meals all the time. I wish I was organized enough to stock the freezer with actual meals, but alas I’m not and so we often have “grazing” nights instead.

Lauren - how funny, we eat a lot of “hash” too! It’s one of the few meals that Mike is consistently in charge of as he’s way more patient with the potatoes than I am. “Piles” make a pretty regular appearance as well.

Kristi J - you’ll get there eventually, I believe we all will. Frozen pizza is a favorite around here as well. We don’t even try to pretend that it’s organic or local, but it sure is a good option for a rushed night.

Garth - good to see you. We eat A LOT of eggs around here. Mostly fried or poached though. I suck at making omelets and while I should make more eggs bakes and quiches than I do, it somehow never comes to mind when I’m deciding what to make.

Jenni - ooooh, beefaroni. The taste of my childhood, although actually my soft spot is for spaghetti-o’s. I keep secretly hoping that they’ll come out with a “natural” or organic version so that I can indulge…

J - cheese, salami and crackers make a frequent appearance around here for lunch and sometimes dinner if I’m home alone. Baked potatoes are always on Mike’s wishlist as well.

Nicole - how did you make it so long without fruit? And now I want an orange…

Anne - all of those sound like good options to me. When Mike is gone I can eat an artichoke with lemon butter every night and be perfectly happy. Or spaghetti squash with butter and salt. Or toast and jam with a fried egg. I’m a creature of habit and can happily eat the exact same thing for days on end.

Jenny - only 7 1/2? That doesn’t seem very accurate. We average way more than that around here!

Joan - cans of plain ingredients totally count as from scratch in my book. Beans and rice - not something we eat often around here. Maybe I should re-evaluate that.

Kim - mmmmm. We do the big bowl of salad as well. Lettuce with whatever is available and then we eat it for a few nights. It’s a great shortcut as while I love salad I hate making it.

]]> By: Kim http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1753 Kim Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:57:45 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1753 A big salad, made on Saturday or Sunday from fresh produce, really does last for several days around this house, and becomes the basis for many quick weeknight meals. Variations include grilled protein on the salad itself, along with some kind of bread or cracker, soup from the freezer and salad, pasta with an easy, quick sauce and salad, etc., etc. This time of year, it's also a great way to use up some of the veggies. A big salad, made on Saturday or Sunday from fresh produce, really does last for several days around this house, and becomes the basis for many quick weeknight meals. Variations include grilled protein on the salad itself, along with some kind of bread or cracker, soup from the freezer and salad, pasta with an easy, quick sauce and salad, etc., etc.

This time of year, it’s also a great way to use up some of the veggies.

]]> By: Joan http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1752 Joan Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:20:49 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1752 Great question, Laura. One of our favorite variations on the "piles" theme is beans and rice. This basic format allows for endless combinations and permutations of types of beans, vegetables, seasonings and sometimes, meats. When I was working way too many hours a week, the "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home (Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day)" cookbook became my best friend. Tons of ideas for things that were fast and easy but also delicious. They have Carribean Black Beans, Cajun Skillet Beans, and Back-Eyed Peas with Spinach. Then, there is the old standby of red beans and rice. And, when we don't want to stick with just the vegetarian version, we sometimes add locally made chicken sausage or various types of leftover meat. Still basically cooking from scratch (if using canned beans or canned tomatoes can be considered "from scratch"), and quite a few options available within the local criteria. Great question, Laura. One of our favorite variations on the “piles” theme is beans and rice. This basic format allows for endless combinations and permutations of types of beans, vegetables, seasonings and sometimes, meats. When I was working way too many hours a week, the “Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home (Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day)” cookbook became my best friend. Tons of ideas for things that were fast and easy but also delicious. They have Carribean Black Beans, Cajun Skillet Beans, and Back-Eyed Peas with Spinach. Then, there is the old standby of red beans and rice. And, when we don’t want to stick with just the vegetarian version, we sometimes add locally made chicken sausage or various types of leftover meat. Still basically cooking from scratch (if using canned beans or canned tomatoes can be considered “from scratch”), and quite a few options available within the local criteria.

]]> By: jenny http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1751 jenny Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:36:28 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1751 I read somewhere once, that said the average person ate 7 1/2 grilled cheese sandwiches per year. I don't know who they surveyed, but in my family, we eat more than 7 1/2 a month! Nothing like cheese oozing out from between 2 pieces of bread, and not always homemade bread either. With 3 little ones and a newborn baby, I don't always find the time to make my own bread, so we buy bread more often than I like. Sandwiches are king here, lots of pb&j (the j being one of my homemade jams), honey (local) sandwiches, BLTs (home grown tomatoes and local bacon), and ham and cheese. Pasta is also a big favorite, and I make lots of scratch sauces to go with it. Not always local and not always organic, but I would say at least 75% of our meals are "eco-conscious". I read somewhere once, that said the average person ate 7 1/2 grilled cheese sandwiches per year. I don’t know who they surveyed, but in my family, we eat more than 7 1/2 a month! Nothing like cheese oozing out from between 2 pieces of bread, and not always homemade bread either. With 3 little ones and a newborn baby, I don’t always find the time to make my own bread, so we buy bread more often than I like.

Sandwiches are king here, lots of pb&j (the j being one of my homemade jams), honey (local) sandwiches, BLTs (home grown tomatoes and local bacon), and ham and cheese.

Pasta is also a big favorite, and I make lots of scratch sauces to go with it. Not always local and not always organic, but I would say at least 75% of our meals are “eco-conscious”.

]]> By: Anne http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1750 Anne Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:22:52 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1750 When left to my own devices I will eat nothing but garlic bruscetta (too much garlic on it to be garlic bread) and noodles with butter and garlic... not a vegetable in sight! Or I'll bread and fry zucchini and eat it with a hard-boiled egg. If I'm home alone I'll cook french lentils in red wine and eat nothing but that for days. I definitely eat better when the spotlight is on me! When left to my own devices I will eat nothing but garlic bruscetta (too much garlic on it to be garlic bread) and noodles with butter and garlic… not a vegetable in sight! Or I’ll bread and fry zucchini and eat it with a hard-boiled egg. If I’m home alone I’ll cook french lentils in red wine and eat nothing but that for days. I definitely eat better when the spotlight is on me!

]]> By: Nicole http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1746 Nicole Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:49:50 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1746 Oranges. Mandarins. Not apples, I still don't like them. Dried apricots and sultanas. Two types of cheese, grabbed out of the fridge still in their packets, with crackers. In summer (it's still winter in southern Australia) the fruits change to wonderful juicy peaches and plums and berries. I just discovered fruit this year after a lifetime without it, and I'm enchanted! Except for the apples. Oranges. Mandarins. Not apples, I still don’t like them. Dried apricots and sultanas. Two types of cheese, grabbed out of the fridge still in their packets, with crackers. In summer (it’s still winter in southern Australia) the fruits change to wonderful juicy peaches and plums and berries.

I just discovered fruit this year after a lifetime without it, and I’m enchanted! Except for the apples.

]]> By: J http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1743 J Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:28:46 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1743 We go the breakfast route for supper lots of the time. Peanutbutter and crackers or grilled cheese sandwiches or baked potatoes each alone or with maybe a dish of canned fruit make up many quickie meals. We go the breakfast route for supper lots of the time. Peanutbutter and crackers or grilled cheese sandwiches or baked potatoes each alone or with maybe a dish of canned fruit make up many quickie meals.

]]> By: Jenny http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1742 Jenny Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:16:50 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1742 If I were still living by myself I'd probably be cooking "fancier" stuff--as it is, most of the time it's sandwiches and soup, or fried rice, or a casserole, or pizza, or some other thing with minimal preparation that will provide lots of leftovers. They are mostly from scratch, though, come to think of it, except for my husband's chicken nuggets and (cringe) Beefaroni. If I were still living by myself I’d probably be cooking “fancier” stuff–as it is, most of the time it’s sandwiches and soup, or fried rice, or a casserole, or pizza, or some other thing with minimal preparation that will provide lots of leftovers. They are mostly from scratch, though, come to think of it, except for my husband’s chicken nuggets and (cringe) Beefaroni.

]]> By: Garth http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/comment-page-1/#comment-1741 Garth Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:12:11 +0000 http://urbanhennery.com/2008/08/26/when-no-ones-looking/#comment-1741 To add to what lauren wrote above, we also eat a lot (esp. with the chicks laying) from the fritatta or quiche family. Basically, bake eggs with stuff in them until it's done. Eat half for dinner and take the rest to work in the morning. Now that we've found a <a href="http://poulsbo.central-market.com/newSite/poulsbo/home.php" rel="nofollow">source for awesome fresh tortillas</a> we're experimenting with burritos or piles on tortillas. To add to what lauren wrote above, we also eat a lot (esp. with the chicks laying) from the fritatta or quiche family. Basically, bake eggs with stuff in them until it’s done. Eat half for dinner and take the rest to work in the morning.

Now that we’ve found a source for awesome fresh tortillas we’re experimenting with burritos or piles on tortillas.

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