Southern Nuggets

There are many things I detest about winter. I hate that Christmas is unavoidable. I hate that it's cold (I am thankful that I'm now in the South where it's not as cold, however.) I hate that the days are shorter. I hate that the fruit available doesn't taste as good. And I hate that it becomes cold and flu season. I can't think of one person who enjoys getting and being sick. Before leaving to New Mexico I developed a dry cough. Because it was a dry cough I wasn't much worried about it. It was just annoying. While in New Mexico, one some nights it got slightly worse. The air was super dry there and I think it contributed to it. Regardless, I still put in a 4 mile run one afternoon. I hated myself for that afterwards. Let me rephrase, my body hated me for that afterwards. I don't like running outside, it tears up my throat. Although it wasn't cold, it was cold enough for my lungs to get angry. When I was a baby I nearly died from pneumonia so I hav...

Dear Sheleena, if you're reading this, you've visited this blog after I posted a new entry. The kick ass lasagna I told you to try out is in the previous post. Yours truly, Tyson. :-)  Speaking of that lasagna (have you tried it?) I just have one more miracle story from the miraculous dish from heaven. My two nieces, who I have not seen since before I left to New Mexico, finally came home last night from their personal adventures. Luckily for them, they arrived just before the last of the pasta was licked from the dish it was cooked in.  My nieces are picky - PICKY, when it comes to food. One likes cheese, the other does not. I know, who really doesn't like cheese? I think she might be an alien. One likes peanut butter but not jelly. One likes jelly but not peanut butter. One likes syrup and...you guess it, one doesn't. Despite their polar opposite likes and dislikes, there are a few things they do agree on.  They don't like vegetables. They especially do...

I'm back in Georgia, back in the kitchen, & back in the apron. Alright, I am back in central Georgia, getting back into the swing of things. With that, let's drive right into this... Just like it's been said that someone who's an alcoholic can't take just one drink because by doing so they open up a dangerous road that quickly escalates into being wildly intoxicated. An alcoholic can't stop. This also holds true for me in regards to meat. What started out as an innocent by product of beloved foods, in no time at all snowballed into multiple cheeseburgers, steak, ground beef, and chicken. Even yesterday, with all my will power, I ended up reaching over and helping myself to a friend's chicken wings in addition to my meat-less salad. I know. I'm something of a disappointment right now. Vegetarian gone bad! I figure, since I'm already in this downward spiral I might as do it big. What WILL be the end of this run away food cart, is the Wor...

I'm going to come clean...I haven't been cooking. I know, the shame! As much as I'd like to say that I haven't fell victim to holiday gluttony - that would be a lie. In addition, I knew before arriving into the Land of Enchantment that the battle to cook for myself was an uphill, if not, losing battle. My mom has been known to cook seldom as it is. I forgot that her new condo, as cute as it is, lacks a kitchen. I helped her moved into this new place last year and when I left there was a refrigerator, a sink, and a microwave. Not much as changed upon my return with the exception of a conventional oven. But I suppose that this is part of the journey. This won't be my last time to New Mexico or my final trip anywhere. It's important that I learn to navigate restaurant menus, including recognizing sacrifices when menu options don't satisfy my appetite as it used to. I live in the most gluttonous country in the world, I really should doubt I'll starve. Ho...

My dog eats vegetables! Did we talk about this already? I noticed it about two weeks ago when one morning I came outside and saw bits and pieces of vegetables scraps strewn across the backyard - broccoli stem here, carrot over there...you get where this is going. But, she also just likes to chew things. It's more than just being a puppy, it's something her breed is known to do when she gets bored and it doesn't take much for her to get bored. Her DNA has the dog version of ADHD. About a week ago, however, when I dumped a good amount of kitchen scraps onto the compost I watched as she dove into it. The next morning, after feeding her I took a good look at her - she's getting plump; happily wearing her winter bod. (We haven't been walking lately because she somehow pulled off the metal ring her lease clips onto. I'm thinking it got snagged and she ripped it off. So I didn't notice how much weight she has gained recently.)  That night I took to the Inte...

So let's just jump right into this because we definitely waited long enough. First thing, this recipe makes A LOT of chili. I even scaled it back by a can of black beans (by accident) and I still probably have enough to last me two days. It's also filling. One bowl into it and I tapped out. The recipe called for 2 cups of chopped onion. I just chopped up one medium sized onion and used that. I feel like I'm slowly graduating beyond the point of having to measure everything. I am starting to be able to eye ball it. It also called for 1 2/3 cup of red bell better. Again, I eye balled it and chopped up two bell peppers. Side note: I literally just veered off track for about 15 minutes looking for a video on how to cut bell peppers only to realize, I still don't know how to cut bell peppers. To further elaborate, if you care, so about a week ago one of the groups I'm in or pages I liked on Facebook showed me this video on my newsfeed "How to Cut a Bell Pepp...

How many of us actually look with a scale in the kitchen? The recipe calls for 6 ounces of linguine. Since I had no idea how much that could possibly be, I just threw in as much as I thought looked right - about a handful. My dish may have been a tad heavy on the noodles, but I didn't mind. Also note, I switched out the linguine for fettucine. I prefer fettucine over linguine any day. (Every time I say the word "linguine" in my head or out loud, scenes from the animation "Ratatouille" play out in my head, "LINGUINE!!!! WHAT IS THIS?") After throwing in my sliced zucchini, I thought I may have gone over board and perhaps what I thought were medium zucchini were, in fact, large. But, when all was prepared and ready for enjoyment, it turned out to be the perfect amount. I couldn't believe how simple this recipe was and how quick it was to prepare. I started heating the skillet after I tossed my noodles into the boiling water and not long after...

Before I dive into my dish of chop-stick quickness and Japanese-love extravaganza, first things first... Here are a couple of things that I am starting to notice about this first exploration, transitioning into Vegetarian-status: [If you're just joining us, I'm not aiming for true vegetarian status as I will continue to consume fish and such when available, periodically.] 1 - The idea of eating no meat is actually harder than actually not eating meat. At the beginning, as you know, I expressed concern that this might be difficult. At the start, the hardest thing was adjusting my stomach and pallet to not  having meat constantly and always. I felt  like something was missing (and there was) and when done, I thought I still felt hungry. I never really was hungry, I just wasn't satisfied because I was used to the goodness of meat and fat with every consumption - it's more of a brain process if that makes any sense. And it isn't like I'm 100% vegetarian righ...