I've been feeling a bit out of sort lately. Just off. Like my mis en place is just not happening. We moved out of our home last February to begin a complete home renovation project. Part of my unsettledness (is that a word?) is that we've been in a rent house for nearly 9 months. All our stuff is in one form of storage or another. A good portion of this stuff is out of site in a POD. More is crammed into every inch of our rent ...
Archives for September 2008
Chili Ike
We’re hunkerin’ down, so to speak. All week long we’ve been gearing up for Ike. Our first clue Ike meant business came when the University of Texas Athletics Department rescheduled the football game. People, you don’t mess with UT football. Only Mother Nature herself could get away with calling that audible. Then the school district issued early release on Friday to ease traffic and free up space to shelter our fellow Texans ...
Kids Cook Night
The culinary highlight of the week for the littles occurs every Wednesday night at The Schell Cafe. Wednesday’s are Kids Cook nights. Early in the week, the older kids plan the menu, make sure we have all the ingredients and, if not, make a grocery list. Then each Wednesday afternoon the whole clan gathers in the cafe to make whatever treat they’ve dreamed up. As long as the meal contains something from at least one or two of the ...
Alice Waters’ Coleslaw
I have a wonderful reoccurring dream where I live at Chez Panisse. Sometimes in my dream I'm Fanny, Alice's daughter who literally grew up at her mother's famous restaurant in Berkeley. Sometimes I'm one of the fortunate chefs under Alice's tutelage. But the dreamiest of all dreams is when I'm simply a guest at a cozy table downstairs with a vantage point of everything going on in the kitchen. When I'm not dreaming, I can only ...
Groceries as they appear in my truck
This is what $248.63 worth of groceries looks like. Six HEB green bags, two enormous canvas bags and one cooler bag. Sadly, this is only the ‘dry good’ stop. I generally make at least two grocery runs on Sunday afternoons. I lovingly refer to my stores as The Trifecta -- HEB, Whole Foods and Central Market. I have a unique relationship with each of my stores and will detail these love affairs soon. Is it wrong that I could write a ...
Shrimp with Chili-Lime Vinaigrette
It’s a perfect Saturday. The littles are still relishing their Friday night sleep-overs, we have a rare break in our our typical routine of over-abundantly-scheduled-saturday-activities and Husband is happy the Horns play tonight. Football season is its own religion at The Schell Cafe. Our beloved Texas Longhorns are away tonight which gives us a rare September Saturday night at home. Husband requested grilled shrimp for supper. ...
Coffee Steak Rub: A Manly Meal
Cheesy title, I know. But it started out as A Meal for My Man which sounded too Tammy Waynette for me. The point is I’m making a Husband pleasing supper tonight. I’ve been a tad distracted with the start of school and the never-ending-house-renovation project. Though he’d never say so, I know Husband feels neglected by my diverted attention. So the dinner is a peace offering of sorts. A way to thank him for being uber-Hubs and ...