From Patty to Pot

The title today came from one of those out of the blue places where things like that originate. More about that in a jiff.

As my old friend, the shrink, Jim M. once said to me when asking him a question at church one Sunday, years ago..."When you try to think of something and you can't seem to recall it, then sometimes an hour later or ever a few days later, you can be doing the dumbest of things and the answer comes to you like a lightening bolt just struck," he said, "that's called a Eureka Point."  I've been having a lot of those of late. Nothing like not being able to find your car keys or worse yet, finding them in the refrigerator. Thank goodness.  This evening, it came to me that I had not set the code keys on my camera for picture ids. When I checked, it was no surprise to find them still set for January. I had reset them after getting out of the hospital after a brief return following my 5 and a half weeks stay over the holidays beginning with Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years. The total images shot from that point to now has been less than 25. For some comparison, it is usually more like 6 to 10 thousand shots a month.

So, I've been going back and looking at past images. That's legally called checking assets. Yet, it's been a good experience for a couple of reasons. One, I have actually found some images that were missed and resubmitted them. They were approved for publishing and my stock assets have actually increased. The second reason, reminded me of an old Red Skelton comedy routine. The one that I am thinking of is that crazy hat that looks like the brim is airplane wings with that "V" sticking up at the back of the hat.

Gertrude or is it Heathcliffe that's in the middle with its wings tucked  away. I wonder where Red Skelton actually saw a seagull due that or was it really a pelican?

 Skelton imitates two seagulls named Gertrude and Heathcliffe  by putting his hands
under his arms. Several other things were discovered, like the bobcat on the island next to the Mockingbird bridge stalking a pelican then an egret. I also found along the treeline going between the stone tables and Dreyfuss Club at the lake, a mother cayote with four pups. Totally missed those details.

Now, about that title name. From Patty to Pot is about any and everything that happens to rice between,you know it, the patty to pot! It's in an old cookbook of my mothers that talks---rather---explains why you should rinse your rice. It's not really unhealthy, but by doing so, you end up with great fluffy rice. In short, it explains all the accidents from start to finish with a happy ending! I can live with that.

American Coots with the green air inflated feet. It enables them to actually walk on water as they take off.

Homemade English Muffins

Since I was a kid, I have always liked the smell of yeast and dough whisking around in the kitchen, My grandmother made some of the best rolls,
ever. I've only had one in all those years that had that same taste as my grandmother's rolls. So when I got to wondering in the pantry this afternoon and I came across my guarded stash of yeast packets, I knew that baking was going to be the task of the afternoon, I just didn't know what I wanted to make.

When I got down the ole cookbook and started thumbing through the yeast bread pages I came across
something I had always wondered about but never thought to investigate further. That was: English Muffins. Within seconds the yeast was out of the packet and dissolving in my little yeast cup. Flour was going into the big mixing bowl and salt and cornmeal and warm milk and three tablespoons of vegetable oil were going in on top of the flour. Then, looking at the yeast cup, it was time to add the yeast. When the dough was molded into  a ball, it went back into the bowl and was covered with a towel. In an hour, it had doubled  itself and was ready to be pushed out into a quarter of an inch thickness on the  sheet and cut with a three inch cutter. Never mind the cut tuna can rings and that distraction. Cover a cookie sheet with cornmeal and flatten out the dough. Cut and leave on the cookie sheet.

Here is the most amazing thing. Take a cast iron griddle and lightly film with oil. Cook the cut-outs 10 minutes on one side and then 5 minutes on the other. Cool on a cooling rack. I couldn't wait more than a half hour before I took my bread knife, sliced one in half and popped it in the toaster. When it came out, I loaded it with butter and when it was all over, I had done that four times! I'll never buy another tray of English Muffins ever again.

Home made English Muffins

Lessons of the Masters

I once said to Dick Ransom that I had tried to make his beef stick at home and had decided that I would purchase it from his stores from here on out. Laughing, he said that he didn't make his  either and would, " continue to buy it from the guy in Wisconsin that did". That was in the days when Dick was building Hickory Farms of Ohio. I often think about that when I see one of the Hickory Farms Beef Sticks today. Dick sold the business a decade and several years ago, or more, now that I try to add up the years.

In the last forty years, I probably have not eaten a Wendy's hamburger more than once or twice. In the last two months, they have been my Tuesday lunch main stay. Why the change? Well, I discovered by accident Wendy's chili could be substituted  for fries in a combo. So I would end up with a double stack burger, a chili and a small drink. Perfect for me! I got hooked on the chili, too.

The last time that I ordered one was this past Tuesday and I paid particular attention to every thing that I could see in the chili, spoonful by spoonful. It hit me that while I can cook pretty well, I had never made chili and living in Texas, I should know how to make chili. My search of the web  led to the discovery of a receipt for Wendy's chili. Looking at the list of ingredients of spices, I was a bit surprised. Then I looked at some famous receipts and noted the difference. I can do this, I thought.

To shorten the story, tonight for dinner, I had two big bowls. My receipt only needs a minor degree of tinkering, but it was good enough to let be as made. In the freezer is four more meals. Dang, I did good.

A cold front rolling in on a jet stream made chili seem a good ideal.