Happy, happy birthday to my baby sister, who turns 39 today!
(This year, I had to subtract my birth year from the current year to figure out my own age, then subtract two years from that to come up with her age. Probably next year I’ll have to call someone and ask them what year it is.)
Happy birthday, Deb! May you have a day that does not involve cat barf or poop in any way, shape or form!
Fred and I watch Hell’s Kitchen every week, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned that. One of the dishes they make regularly on Hell’s Kitchen that I’d never had before is risotto. Someone’s always fucking up the risotto, sending Chef Ramsay into apoplectic rages wherein he bellows at whichever hapless fuckup is in his crosshairs.
When I was reading a magazine last week, I came across a recipe for mushroom risotto that didn’t look too terribly difficult – in fact, it was made in the microwave. I asked Fred if he’d eat it if I made it, and he moaned and groaned and rolled his eyes, then said he’d try it.
He’s not a big fan of rice, and also I’m pretty sure he thinks it’s pretentious.
So yesterday I roasted a chicken, made vegetable medley (yellow summer squash sauteed with an onion and cherry tomatoes (the yellow squash and cherry tomatoes came from our garden last year and have been sitting in the freezer)), and made the risotto as well.
I have to say – that risotto is some DAMN good stuff. Even Fred said that it was really good, and he even got himself a small second helping.
I may toss some baby peas in next time I make it, because I do love peas (my friend Liz, on the other hand, regards peas as a personal insult when she comes across them).
Also, the recipe calls for “Arborio or long-grain rice.” Save yourself six bucks and buy the long-grain rice. I Googled Arborio rice and found that some people insist risotto just isn’t the same if you don’t use Arborio, but fuck if I’m going to spend that much on any kind of rice that doesn’t involve gold flakes.
Now if I could only find a super-simple recipe for Beef Wellington – that’s the other dish they always make on Hell’s Kitchen that I’ve never had and want to try.
Nance will be SO proud of me (or will roll her eyes, more likely) because I finally FINALLY sat my ass down and used my sewing machine yesterday. A year after I got it, I finally made something on the damn thing.
What’d I make? Cat beds, of course. DUH.
I picked up this basket a few months ago with the intention of putting a cat bed in the bottom, since the cats like to curl up in confined spaces. I made the bed and put it in the basket and thus far the cats have shown no interest, but it’s still early yet.
I got these beds at Big Lots last year when I visited Nance and Rick, and the centers come out, but when you wash them the insides kind of get bunched to one side. So I made new inserts for the beds – two of them, anyway. I would have used purple if I’d had any purple fabric to use, but I didn’t, so I didn’t.
Cat bed for the set of stairs Fred made to sit under one of the windows in the front room. The cats like to sleep there, but it’s been driving me crazy that none of the cat beds we had fit the space. So I finally made a bed for the space. It’s probably too floofy, none of the cats have shown any interest in sleeping there, but like I said – it’s early yet. Someone will give it a try sooner or later.
If I feel like it later, I may make some pee pads to put in the cats’ favorite places to pee (the washer gets sprayed every now and again I DO NOT KNOW WHY, and the baseboard in the computer room bathroom gets it now and then, too. UGH.). I currently put towels there to protect the surfaces, but I’d rather not use towels, even if they’re old and crappy ones. Also, I need to make a cat bed to put in the old Coca Cola crate we bought in Tennessee. I was going to make a bed for that yesterday, but decided to scrub the crate down first – it was pretty dirty – and now I want to let it dry before I bring it back in the house.
I’m not particularly good at sewing – I have an inability to sew a straight line, let alone cutting a straight line – but honestly, I’m making cat beds and pee pads, and who the hell is ever going to be close enough to critique my sewing technique, right?
Scenes from around Crooked Acres:
George regards his chewy.
George makes sure no one’s coming to steal his chewy.
“This are MY chewy, Lady.”
The handing-out of the chewies. (Note Gracie’s green lower lip.)
The chickens enjoy some leftover pasta.
At almost 6 weeks old, this bunch has hit their gawky & goony stage. The two chicks in the middle with the tiny mohawks are half crested Polish and half who knows what. I can’t wait to see what they look like when they’re grown!
The black silkie has gone broody. She is an angry, pecky little thing in the best of times. When she’s broody, she’s twice as angry, and she pecks HARD. She also gets super pissed-off when I pet her. Brat. I’m sure she’s got some rage going on right now – Fred put her in a cage to break her of the broodiness, and they always hate that.
I don’t know what kind of chicken this is – it’s one of the November bunch we got from the hatchery, and that was just kind of a mishmash. We thought it might be a Wyandotte at first, but now we have no idea. Fred thinks this one’s a rooster, though we haven’t caught it in the act of crowing or getting some lovin’, so who knows?
Michelle is such a good head rooster. He’s McLovin‘s son and he acts a lot like him, but he’s a lot less prone to clutching his pearls and running around in circles than McLovin was.
Don’t know what this one is, either, but he’s definitely a rooster. He’s started up with attempting to crow. They’re always funny when they first start, they sound so rusty.
Mr. Friendly isn’t as friendly as he used to be. I guess he’s growing up and has better things to do than being held by the humans.
One of the chicks we hatched from Amish eggs at some point in the past (I don’t even remember where these chickens come from, half the time). He’s a rooster – they’re always the prettiest.
Joe Bob is all “No dude, I swear it! I had it by the tail and then it got away and ran over in that direction. It was HUGE, it was like the size of a kitten!”
And Newt is all “I do not believe you.”
Previously
2008: That Pioneer Punk is a bad, bad influence.
2007: I am such a prize, I really am.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
2004: “Have you noticed that it smells like the bodies of fifteen [gentlemen of Chinese descent] laying in a pile in the ditch, rotting?”
2003: Always something, you know?
2002: “I’m starving to death. Meh. STARVING, I’m STARVING. Meh.”
2001: My baby’s growing up!
2000: No entry.
And Newt is all “I do not believe you.”
This made me guffaw so hard I thought I was going to lose my cheerios.
I have no idea why, but it did. That Newtles. Such a comedian!
Hi Robyn,
Here is a question for tomorrow, what did Fred’s coworkers think when he showed up to work bald & wearing a hat – which I’m guessing is out of the ordinary for him since he had to go buy some – did they think he had come down with a sudden illness or pulled a Britney?
Also I had a thought that amused me and thought I’d share, I even had to keep myself from giggling aloud and scaring my fellow bus passengers this morning. Fred didn’t have to shave the rest of his hair off, he could have just worn those sassy hats you occasionally put on the cats & take pictures of over the bald spot 😉
That’s how I figure out my mother’s age. I was born in 1950, so I am xx years old. My father was 30 years older than me, so add 30. Then subtract two to get my mother. Good thing we know how to do math.
Mr. Friendly must have been teased by the other chickens for being too friendly! That peer pressure – so bad! You beds look great! I don’t remember my first sewing project – it’s been many, but I remember trying to make a pillow for my mom for Xmas. It drove me nuts – it’s hard to sew square things – the corners are the pits. Mom still has the pillow – I had cross stitched a cat – modified to look like mom’s dear departed Tinker.
My fiance and I LOVE Hell’s Kitchen. We watch it every week. I’ve never thought of making risotto myself – I should try it out!
Robyn, all you have to do is look at your last year’s entry on your sister’s birthday, you always mention it : )
That poor Silkie is going to spend her whole life in a cage! They live to be broody, it’s what they’re good at!
Oh Robinnnn— come look at my baby goat pictures 😉
Great job on your sewing projects!!!!!
Hi Robyn,
first time commenting for me…..love your blog!
the chickens you don’t know what they are are “easter eggers”….and yes, in my opinion both are roosters!
Oh god, I’m hating myself already for writing this comment, and I KNOW it going sound all foodie pretentious, so just accept my apologies ahead of time. Or het me. Either one. I have to tell you that I love risotto and I made it for years with regular rice (same reasons as yours) and then I had it in a restaurant, made with arborio rice, and OhMyGod. Please, Robyn, go buy yourself some proper Italian risotto rice. Trust me.
Hi Robyn
It’s great that you have discovered Risotto. There are some many yummy versions of it. I have to say though, that it really is worth using the Aborio rice. The difference in the creaminess of the Risotto and the texture of the rice compared to long grain is huge. Is there really that much of a difference in the price of long grain compared to Aborio in the US? It is a little more expensive here but maybe only a dollar or two more (Australian) per kilogram (which is around 2lbs I think). If you like it the way you have made it that is great but it really is worth at least trying the Aborio once. The best Aborio rice comes from Italy.
I agree with your friend: Peas ARE the devil.
Is Mister Boogers ok with sleeping on a PINK bed? I suppose he would tolerate it while sighing and shooting hate rays.
Gracie’s green lip – she dressed up for St. Patrick’s Day!
Risotto is one thing that I really really want to try. I thought maybe I would have it in a restaurant first, to see what it’s supposed to taste like before I attempt making it.
I have made risotto once-scallop and cheese. I did use the proper rice because I’m pretty rigid about following new recipies to the letter unless they contain truly evil vegetables like brocc
oli or green pepper.(Broccoli raw with dip is great cooked it gags me). The risotto I made on the stove was time consumming and labor intensive but really good. I LOVE rice probably because my dad hated it so we never ate it when I was growing up. This recipie sounds alot easier and mushrooms are a love in this house. Question for tomorrow -As the main cook do you make things you hate but Fred loves to please him? I am selfish if I hate I don’t make it.
My Dad loved meatlaof we ate it WAY too much so I’ve only made it twice in 29 years.
Poor Fred with the bald head thing. My husband went bald young his friends were merciless calling him bonehead. He is totally used to it now and they are still upset because they are balding now too so I guess it worked out for him. Bald men have more testosterone. Real men go bald and real women don’t care.
Robyn,
I loved the story of Fred and the clipper accident. The day after I read his tale one of the girls I worked with came in with an equally funny one. Seems she borrowed her husband’s electric trimmer to shave her neck at her hairline (short haircut) and she changed the setting and forgot to put it back. A day or so later he comes tearing into the living room with half a mustache!! She said it was still there but very thin compared to the other side. She tried to tell him no one would notice and then suggest he just do the other side to match. He did not want to shave it because it is attached to his beard!!HAHA!! Anyway, he did make the other side match and the guys he worked with gave him a hard time about it the next day. Men and their clippers!!!!
🙂 Kathy
the arborio rice is worth it and the store brand isn’t too expensive. i know wegmans and trader joes sell their own brand.
I have to figure out my children’s ages that way also. I’m all too aware of how old I am , unfortunately.
that unknown chicken looks kinda like an Ameraucana to me with the chin fluff and all.
Robyn: They also make another short grain rice called Valencia or something. And, there’s also a Water Maid brand “medium grain” rice. Either of those will do as an Arborio substitute. 🙂
And, Fred thinks rice is pretentious? Is he southern? Growing up (in Georgia), we had rice and gravy every Sunday, and “xyz on rice” was the basis of, I’d say, at least half homemade meals. I actually tend to see things like tiny new potatoes as pretentious, since we hardly ever had them. Hee.
Risotto is fabuloso!! There is this Italian restaurant around here that has THE best arancini balls. They’re coated with breadcrumbs and fried, and then topped with marinara sauce. I’m drooling thinking about them now! 😛
I second the apologies ahead of time and am NOT at all pretentious (please believe me!), but what you made is not Risotto because by definition, Risotto is cooked slowly with the liquid being gradually added and stirring, stirring, stirring…it’s the technique combined with the specific type of rice (OMG yes, buy the Arborio – just once!) that creates the consistency of Risotto. That’s why Ramsey is always blowing up over someone screwing it up…you have to babysit it and stir it and add the liquid over time to do it right. It’s very creamy without adding any cream.
Find a traditional recipe and try it when you have time. The stirring is kind of relaxing!
I will be happy to send you some Arborio to try, it makes that much difference! Email me if you want me to send you a few cups to try. Do try the traditional method some time. Not that hard, just requires staying at the stove for 20 minutes.
I forgot to add earlier – Happy Birthday to your sister!
Hi Robyn,
Here is a question for tomorrow.
Have you or anyone you know bought an Amazon gift card for themselves? I see things I want there but some items are only $2.99 & I don’t want to use a credit card for such a small sum. I know it’s a stupid question but I just wondered how other people managed to make small purchases.
I was considering buying a gift card for 40 dollars. What do you think?
Hi Robyn! Link to risotto recipe doesn’t work? May be me – I still can’t pull up Fred’s site. Weird. His/this is only problem I’ve ever had. Anyone else have trouble? Thanks….