In the Kitchen

My microwave died and I'm trying to see how well I can get along without replacing it. I didn't use it a lot, mostly just to heat up leftovers. With a gas stove (yeah) I can boil watter pretty quickly. with a slow cooker, stews and soups can be made in Huge proportions and eaten, Forever. Oops, There's the problem. I am slowly getting Used to eating leftovers, but heating them up is what I used to do with the help of a microwave.

Of course, it's hot enough that I don't want to heat up the house by putting leftovers in the oven. So use the toaster oven? It is small enough that an aluminium pie pan will fit. Fine for heating up relatively solid foods, but too thin to hold sloppier foods without spilling them.

The sensible thing to do is heat things up in a small pan. As I Am the dishwasher, I do this reluctantly. Also, I haven't yet gotten the nack of Not scorching food, but making sure it is heated through. Time will teach, I suppose.

I did buy a blender and am Enjoying it! When it's too hot to cook or even eat, make a smoothy, (or is it smoothie?) But I'm glad I don't have to see the colors of some of the things I'm drinking.

Take today, old peaches pealed and pitted with some lemon juice, (not too bad) add a few frozen strawberries, (might even be good). Then some plain yogurt, (well, if you like yogurt,) and last but not least some grated carrot, (all Kind of peachy colors or yellow for lemon juice) and grated cabbage (Oh, Hurl, hurl! Probably looks like something to be scooped from the yard, but the fruits overpower a lot of veggies. And, in One Cold glass I have two vegetables, and three fruits plus Protein. I think I can live without a microwave, but had better learn how to heat up things without scorching before Winter.

My attempt at making m`ole (pronounced "mo-lay) sauce didn't work out too well. It's a blend of cocoa, hot peppers, and orange juice, with meat cooked in it. I got the heat and the chocolate close to right, but Not enough orange flavor to balance. Nobody's going to want to help me eat spicy chocolate deer burger, oh well.