Mind Reboot

This past week, we've made a lot of pricy mistakes. Alex left my iPad in the seat back pocket on the plane home from our NYC visit. It wasn't just his fault - I saw him put it in there, I should have reminded him to get it out. Tonight a friend came into town, so we took him out for dinner. The car was towed while we were inside since we screwed up the parking. Goodbye, we said, to another 135 dollars. When we got home, we realized another (albeit smaller) error.  Our visiting friend just tore his ACL, and his wounded limb is in need of frequent icing. So before we went to dinner, we took all the ice out of the ice cube trays and refilled them. Great plan, except that we left the ice out on the counter to melt and get everywhere.

Earlier this week, Alex was cleaning the drain out and starting washing the sink when he was done. Done, but before he'd put the drain back together. Water went everywhere. I think we need a brain realignment or something along those lines. We are eager to buy a rental property in the next few months, and at this rate, we won't be able to since we'll have pissed away all our extra cash on stupidity.

Tonight before bed, I am thinking very organized, together sorts of thoughts. I am writing lists for the week, and making sure to come up with lunch options for Alex for. Yes, I am tired, but I know if I don't make easy meals, he'll just buy fast food instead. Half the days, I could probably be counted upon to make something for myself since my food laziness is much less developed than his, but the other days I'd hit up the work cafeteria. And that's money we've already spent on idiocy.

A Little Great Depression Frugality

I have no tv, but I really love food shows. I read cookbooks cover to cover like novels, so this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. I've been filling the TV void with youtube cooking shows like My Drunk Kitchen (hilarious, but understandably has little value as a cooking primer), Heavy Metal Vegan Cooking (also funny, but with actually useful recipes. I plan to try the "Seitan with Satan" recipe this week), and Cooking From the Great Depression.

That's my favorite. In these short videos, Clara tells little stories she recalls from the great depression while cooking very simple meals from the era. Some are horrible sounding - "cooked bread," for example, is old stale bread that you poor hot water over until it's soggy. But others are innovative and lovely, like this simple Italian Ice recipe that wards off the heat for pennies (see below). All inspire me to think about how I use stuff in my kitchen to best effect. Here's how I went for frugality yesterday.

"Seitan With Satan"

"Italian Ice"

Last week when I blanched the dozen ear of corn and put the cut kernels in the freezer, I didn't toss the corn cobs in the compost. Instead I stowed them in the freezer for corn chowder. And indeed, the start of this broth (6-8 corn cobs in a pot of water) is pretty sad looking. But if you let the pot simmer a while, and periodically scrape the ears with a fork, the corn remnants produce a milky, sweet broth when combined with onions, garlic, salt, and a few herbs.

Pauper's Soup

Depressing Carrots

To that I added all the saddest veg from the crisper, like these carrots that have been rolling around long enough to grow new albino greens at the top. Tops and tails of these don't get tossed though, they go into my veggie stock reserve bag in the freezer along with onion skins, sad little herb stumps, and really anything that isn't in the cabbage family. When the bread bag is full of these bits, I know it's time to make a pot of stock. Some people buy new, lovely carrots and onions for making stock, but you throw them out when you're done and it feels like a huge waste. I'd rather use a boullion cube at that point.

Stock bag stowed in the upstairs freezer

Once the veggies are tender, throw in one ear's worth of corn kernels, and it's a feast made for a king. Particularly when it's paired with homemade herb crackers (the recipe for which, I acquired from Straight from the Farm.) You can get it here, but note that I used whole wheat flour instead of white and they were mega-awesome.

La Gourmande!