Grief Salad

Jake was put to sleep on Sunday at home. Holding his limp sedated body then watching the pink leave his nose was so hard. I'm going to miss my fluffy buddy for a long time

I made a big bowl of bean salad on Saturday so I'd have something easy to eat this week. When my head or heart are full I forget to eat or can't be bothered. This salad doesn't even need heating.

Grief Salad

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, ditto
1/4c couscous, rehydrated in 3/8c boiling water
3/8c white wine vinegar
~1/8c olive oil
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 ears fresh corn, sliced off the cob, or frozen white corn
chopped cilantro to taste
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
Optional: juice of half a lime (reduce vinegar accordingly)

Serve over arugula if desired. The flavors meld overnight and it's even better the next day. If you have extra vinegar at the bottom of the bowl try adding 1/4c more rehydrated couscous.

Nothing in this recipe is hard or fast. I used frozen corn this time and kept adding until it looked like a good amount. If you've been too sparing on salt and hot sauce it will taste sad and bland and you may begin to question your life choices. Do not fear, continue seasoning and all will be well.

Perfect Cranberry Sauce-Relish

I invented this recipe last Thanksgiving, when I was unable to decide between the gorgeous ruby color and thickness of cooked cranberry sauce or the crunchy freshness of raw relish.  Here you have the best of both worlds!

Summer's perfect cranberry sauce-relish

1 bag cranberries (12 oz)

Juice of 1 orange, or 3-4 tangerines

Zest of 1/4 orange or 1 tangerine

Sugar or honey to taste (~3/8 cup)

Water

Blitz the cranberries, juice and zest in a food processor until finely chopped.  But not too finely.  Last year I used a Valencia orange, which was delicious, but this year I made do with tangerines I had on hand.  

Put half the cranberry mixture in a small saucepan and add a splash of water and the sweetener of your choice.  Bring to a simmer and cook for approx 10 minutes, stirring often as the pectin works its magic.  Keep adding splashes of water as needed, so the sauce doesn't stick to the pan and burn.  

Remove from heat and stir in the uncooked cranberries.  Taste and add more sweetener or zest as desired.  Remember this is supposed to be a tart dish.

Serve and bask in the adulation of all present.  For you have conquered the ferocious Cran Berry.

The Cable is Vanquished!

I win I win I win I win :D  Sure it took me two tries, but that's the beauty of yarn.  You make a knitting mistake and it's completely reparable.  Now I just need to finish the bit above the shoulders, and the finishing-up, and the sweater she is done.  More of the Tangled Yoke saga.

The center back, where things went wrong terribly wrong the first time

I apologize for the terrible photo, it's dark.  And one of the cats tried to stand in the light.

I thought I'd share a super quick and easy "dinner".  It's also a side dish if you have higher aspirations than me.

Easy Yummy Lentils

1 cup lentils

1 smallish onion, cut into 10-12 wedges

1/2 tsp salt

dash cayenne pepper, if desired

Pop the lentils and onion wedges into a small pot and just cover with water (approx 3 cups).  Bring to a simmer and add the salt and cayenne.  Cover and cook, still simmering, for 20 minutes until the lentils are cooked through but still firm.  Serve hot or cold, seasoning to taste with more salt.  We add some salt during cooking so the lentils aren't bland, but too much salt (i.e., enough) and legumes won't soften.  One of those fun food chemistry facts :)