It is that lovely time of year - the time when friends travel and I get to house sit. While this may not sound ideal to some, I adore this time in the Casa. I pack up all my duds and take a week (sometimes more) to indulge in the luxury of a GORGEOUS kitchen. (Side note: I also get to enjoy the US Open in the Man Cave!)
I don't necessarily plan what to cook while I'm here. I just know that all my cooking and baking dreams can temporarily come true in a more beautiful space. Don't get me wrong. My little one-bedroom-apartment kitchen does the trick. Where there is a will there is a way, so the things I want to accomplish get done in my kitchen. When open the door to the Casa and see the granite counter tops and gas stove sparkling before me, I enter my own little paradis - even if it is temporary. In some sick sense, it is pretty close to Main Street USA in Disney World.
I don't necessarily plan what to cook while I'm here. I just know that all my cooking and baking dreams can temporarily come true in a more beautiful space. Don't get me wrong. My little one-bedroom-apartment kitchen does the trick. Where there is a will there is a way, so the things I want to accomplish get done in my kitchen. When open the door to the Casa and see the granite counter tops and gas stove sparkling before me, I enter my own little paradis - even if it is temporary. In some sick sense, it is pretty close to Main Street USA in Disney World.
Here's the problem this year. I've put myself back on Weight Watchers. I'm not being fanatical; that much I can promise you. In the past, I have somehow managed to survive on the lowest possible points for weeks on end. I wasted away - it was lovely. Now, I'm just trying to stop gorging all the time. I like to cook, to eat, to bake, to drink. The eating deadly on the hips, but the cooking so soothing for the soul. Unfortunately, my soul feels a little fluffy, so it's in the backseat on this trip.
It all boils down to these questions: how do I utilize this kitchen? Let it see the glorious aromas and flavors? Create in it the plates that it deserves? Oh and manage to be aware of Points at the same time? I must be losing my mind.
This morning, I stared at one of my sugar cookie recipe for some time. There is a cookie I am trying to create/recreate. I need to transfer the taste and texture from my head and onto the baking sheet. I thought about taking this opportunity to make dozens of cookies and attempt to figure out the precise recipe. Then I considered my hips. I decided for now I'd be happier if I stuck to the Points.
So I pulled out the WW cookbooks, and a little notepad came out with it. I'd written down (who knows how long ago) the next five recipes I wanted to make. I laughed as I realized I'd not made a single one of them. I followed my own instructions and pulled out the corresponding cookbook to the first recipe on the list. I opened to page 117 to find Chicken with Rice and Tomatoes. I am sure the initial draw for me was the sundried tomatoes and the garbanzo beans. (Yum!)
The making of the dish wasn't bad at all. In fact, when you are using a WW recipe, it seems a little naughy to brown chicken. To be honest, I strayed from the recipe a bit. I left the skin on the chicken parts. (Seriously? Naked chicken thighs and legs? Sorry - can't do it.) I also had long grain rice instead of the brown they used. I couldn't be bothered to pick up more. I really enjoy prep work, but there wasn't too much chopping this time around. Browning the chicken made me happy enough.
In the end, the chicken was perfectly tender. I'm not sure that I salted it enough while I was browning. The rice was flavorful though not moist, and the chicken was moist though not flavorful. Go figure.
Will I make it again? I'm not sure. If I do, I will probably add some white wine to compensate for the lack of liquid necessary for fluffy rice and hopefully enhance the flavor. It is a pretty dish but not a show stopper in the taste department. I suppose that is just one more off the list. It isn't bad at all, but I won't be dying to make it again. What a bust in the Casa kitchen. Five more nights here. What to make next?
It all boils down to these questions: how do I utilize this kitchen? Let it see the glorious aromas and flavors? Create in it the plates that it deserves? Oh and manage to be aware of Points at the same time? I must be losing my mind.
This morning, I stared at one of my sugar cookie recipe for some time. There is a cookie I am trying to create/recreate. I need to transfer the taste and texture from my head and onto the baking sheet. I thought about taking this opportunity to make dozens of cookies and attempt to figure out the precise recipe. Then I considered my hips. I decided for now I'd be happier if I stuck to the Points.
So I pulled out the WW cookbooks, and a little notepad came out with it. I'd written down (who knows how long ago) the next five recipes I wanted to make. I laughed as I realized I'd not made a single one of them. I followed my own instructions and pulled out the corresponding cookbook to the first recipe on the list. I opened to page 117 to find Chicken with Rice and Tomatoes. I am sure the initial draw for me was the sundried tomatoes and the garbanzo beans. (Yum!)
The making of the dish wasn't bad at all. In fact, when you are using a WW recipe, it seems a little naughy to brown chicken. To be honest, I strayed from the recipe a bit. I left the skin on the chicken parts. (Seriously? Naked chicken thighs and legs? Sorry - can't do it.) I also had long grain rice instead of the brown they used. I couldn't be bothered to pick up more. I really enjoy prep work, but there wasn't too much chopping this time around. Browning the chicken made me happy enough.
In the end, the chicken was perfectly tender. I'm not sure that I salted it enough while I was browning. The rice was flavorful though not moist, and the chicken was moist though not flavorful. Go figure.
Will I make it again? I'm not sure. If I do, I will probably add some white wine to compensate for the lack of liquid necessary for fluffy rice and hopefully enhance the flavor. It is a pretty dish but not a show stopper in the taste department. I suppose that is just one more off the list. It isn't bad at all, but I won't be dying to make it again. What a bust in the Casa kitchen. Five more nights here. What to make next?
No comments:
Post a Comment