In the Kitchen

I wrote the blurb below last Sunday, but discovered after writing it that the pictures I attached wouldn't appear when I tried to post it.  This took days to trouble-shoot, but eventually Scott was able to figure it out for me.  It was something about an issue with Internet Explorer.  Whatever.  That kind of computer stuff is beyond me.  I'm just glad it's fixed.  Even though the post is a week old, I thought I would go ahead and put it up.  You will notice that small boxes appear where the pictures from my original attempt to post were supposed to be.  I don't know how to make them go away.  Anyhow, here it is:
  

Whew.  Work has been rough lately.  Last week was rugged in many ways, but I survived it.  The weekend arrived right on time.  When I got home from work Friday (from our Milwaukee office), I was so tired and so cold that I jumped right into bed..... just for a few minutes to rest a bit and warm up. Those few minutes turned into the entire night.  I got up for about an hour from 8:15- 9:15 PM, but otherwise I slept from 6:30 PM Friday night until 8:00 AM Saturday morning.  I rarely sleep that much.  Clearly my body and mind needed the rest.  It felt good.

In addition to getting much needed rest, I've also just decompressed and relaxed quite a bit this weekend.  I should be doing work, I know-- there is so much to do there.  But I just haven't been able to bring myself to it.  I put in a lot of work hours during the week.  Sometimes on the weekend I just want to chill.  Isn't that what weekends are for?

One of my favorite things to do is spend time in the kitchen.  I love to cook.  Until now, the various places I lived all had OK kitchens.  The kitchen in this house is by far the nicest kitchen I have ever had.  It's not show-stopping, award-winning or anything even close, but it's perfect for Scott and me.  This is the view of the kitchen from the dining room.

It's a pretty large space.  Lots of cabinets.  Eat-in area.  Island.  Below is the view of the kitchen as you enter from the living room.

I love this kitchen (non-matching appliances and all).  I love Sunday mornings.  I love listening to jazz.  This morning was the perfect recipe of all 3 of those things.  The house is freshly cleaned and always quiet.  I put some soft jazz on and got busy in the kitchen. 

First up:  low-fat strawberry cinnamon muffins.  I had never made these before but they are quite good and not too bad for you.  They are made with low-fat vanilla yogurt (one of my favorite foods) and have a dollop of strawberry jam on the inside.  Mmmmm.    

Next recipe:  a slightly more nutritious version of meatballs made with lean ground beef and spinach.  Obviously in the photo below they are unbaked but, damn, they look good (IMHO).  I'll bake these bad boys tonight and serve with tomato sauce and whole wheat pasta.  That's amore. 

I had some left over shredded cabbage from when Scott and I had fish tacos earlier this week.  I didn't want it to go to waste, so I whipped up a small batch of coleslaw.  I used the new Kraft low-fat mayonnaise with olive oil.  Have you tried it?  It's really good and seems to have considerably less fat, calories, etc. than regular mayonnaise.

Anyone who is even slightly serious about cooking knows the value of having the right tools for the trade.  I have been spending several days each week at my company's office in Milwaukee.  The office is right across the street from a respectable shopping mall that includes a Crate and Barrel-- a mecca of things for the kitchen.  Ahhh.....the Crate and Barrel.  I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go there.  I recently purchased these:

Measuring spoons.  They are plastic, which might not be my first choice, but I highly recommend these.  They are elongated on one end so they easily fit down in spice jars and other containers.  They are also magnetic in the middle so they stick together, but easily come apart when needed without having to fool with putting them on/taking them off a ring.

Of course, one set of measuring spoons is never enough, so I still have my old-faithful stainless steel set from Williams Sonoma.

Along the same lines as the magnetic measuring spoons, Crate and Barrel also has measuring cups with a similar concept.  Elongated to easily fit into containers and magnetic on the handles so they stay together.

And, like measuring spoons, one set of measuring cups is never enough so I still have my old-faithful stainless steel set from Williams Sonoma.  These have been with me in every kitchen I have cooked in since the mid 1990's.

My friend, Greg, is an outstanding cook.  He gave me these bowls for a gift.....I'm trying to remember the occasion.....I think they were part of a house warming gift when Scott and I moved to Bendelow Drive.

I love these bowls.  I use them almost daily.  I have other mixing bowls, sure, but these are by far and away my faves.  I love the bright colors.  I love that they have handles on them and spouts to pour from.  The sizes are perfect.  I used these for all three of the recipes that I made today.  These bowls are a staple in my kitchen.  Such a great gift.

Of course, all the while that I'm cooking in the kitchen I have a side-kick with me: Rudy-Patoody.  Usually she sits or stands at alert in case a morsel drops on the floor.  After a while today, though, she got tired and tuckered out on me.  Old girl has gotten so gray!  I love having her around me anytime, including in the kitchen.  And I don't even mind if I constantly have to step over her because she lays right in the middle of the action. 

So, those are the highlights of my relaxing Sunday in the kitchen.  I whipped up a few concoctions.  Had Rudy and my other pets around me.  Smooth jazz on the radio.  Sun shining outside.  I enjoyed myself today.