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Wednesday, July 22, 2020

This little pig went to market

This past month I met my monthly goal of going to the grocery store once in the four week period covering the deposits of all my incoming funds. Mother used to say "Pay day!" when her Social Security check was deposited, or "I have to wait until payday," or "Payday is tomorrow." I hope I never do that! All the funds I do get are scheduled for the same week, no thanks to me.

I took my very short list and went to market. Mostly I wanted tomatoes. My sister has tomato plants. In the spring, she sent her husband to the nursery for two plants. He returned with two dozen. I may have told this story already. I went to their house about then. I have no idea why I went, but I have a vivid mental picture of Tom sinking tomato cages in the lawn and placing tomato plants at regular intervals around the perimeter of the yard.

Recently I encountered a recipe I really, really want to try. "One-Pan Bruschetta Spaghetti". I thought bruschetta is bread. In any event, it sounds wonderful, but I need tomatoes. My sister was coming to see me, and I said I would love to have half a dozen tomatoes. It is the season and she has the resource.

She arrived empty handed, and said "a dozen fist sized tomatoes are taunting me by not turning red." 

So I bought some nice Roma's at the store. They were cold in the store, so I put them in the fruit bowl. Much later, when they were warmer, I held one to my nose. Divine. I could still smell it most of the way through the kitchen. So, that's for supper, and if it's good, I'll share.

The main thing on my list was fruit. I'm addicted to those little crosatta's. I bought blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and for good measure, a can of sliced peaches. And another round of frozen crusts. Today I realized the crusts were "double crusts". I retrieved last week's aluminum pan from the recycle. How fortunate trash day is tomorrow.

 
Beautiful.

I bought all the fruit just to get it lined up and ready to go. Three more went into the freezer.


I hung onto the counter and cleaned up the mess. My back is in agony. It's been a long day, shopping, storing provender and baking!


But the kitchen is clean, and here's a new blog to post. Oh, yes, I took a picture for Mary Moon.
 




37 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    ...as my spine is yelling due to doing some batch baking today, I hear ya!!! Worth it though. That crostata looks yummers!!! YAM xx

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  2. You post some great food. I'm growing Roma's but only flowers up to now.

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  3. The vegetables in the bags look very non-industrial. Are they local? Dinner sounds delightful, I hope you like it so you'll post the recipe.

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    1. They are billed "Ohio grown". I'll guess they arrive at a distribution point to the local farmer's market type store, where they are washed, and repackaged into open bags and stacked in a carton I could not handle and drop shipped to Kreiger's, where the stock folks push them to the floor on carts and unload the bags into the vegetable aisle. In another aisle there are Yukon golds, "Ohio grown" packaged the same way, in open bags. Over there people add potatoes to their bag from other bags. I'm surprised at that, except I realized today the owners are Trump super supporters. I need to look into that sort of packaging.

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  4. Look at all those yummy beans! We have eaten a couple of cherry tomatoes from our own plants, but the bigger ones are a long way off yet.

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  5. And what a productive little pig (despite the pain and the fatigue).

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  6. Chef's hat is off to you. Those fruity thingies I have to try. I've stopped buyin icecream as no brakes. But the fruity thing might satisfy, looks to die. Sorry about your back, I know the feeling. I nearly passed out today.

    XO
    WWW

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    Replies
    1. I make it last four days, WWW. That one is pretty big; I may cut it into six portions tomorrow. Then I give the slice 40 seconds in the microwave, and it's like just out of the oven.

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  7. Your crostatas always look so good.

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  8. I am going to make a crostata today; sounds so good!

    PS Also this recipe, just discovered on another blog:
    Vegan Flapjacks

    2 over-ripe bananas
    2 tbsp golden syrup
    2 tbsp coconut oil
    6oz mix of dried fruit, seeds & nuts
    7oz porridge oats
    Pinch sea salt

    Line a 8 x 8in tin with baking parchment
    Mash bananas, add golden syrup & coconut oil
    Stir in dried fruit, seeds & nut mix, oats and salt and stir until oats are coated
    Spoon into the tin, leveling with the back of a spoon
    Bake at 180°C for approx. 30 minutes
    Turn out onto a wire rack. Leave to cool. Cut into pieces and store in an airtight container.

    The verdict? Delicious. A lot lighter and cleaner tasting than the traditional ones made from butter.

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  9. Wow that you were only in the store that little!! We seem to live in it these days LOL. (perhaps because hubby is retired and still searching for ways to fill his days). The crostata does look yummy!

    betty

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    1. My sister sends her retired husband e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. He can spend a day in the grocery store, adhering to the list, but looking at everything. He can tell her what aisle something is on in every store and what it costs in each store.

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  10. I've been making my fruit crostatas in a round glass casserole dish sprayed with Pam. The pieces come out nicely and are SO good with frozen vanilla yogurt! Finding the recipe on your blog has been such good fortune!

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    1. Thank you. I've been making them in the pan the pie crusts come in, but started out with a beautiful glass pie pan. I will go back to that with this double crust discovery.

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  11. Bruschetta and crostatas! Yummm! You are channeling Italian deliciousness.

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  12. I have made many Crostatas since you posted your recipe. Had a blueberry one last night. Hard not to eat the whole thing! Thanks for the recipe. The produce in your store looks very good.

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  13. Were you saying that Kreigers are Trump supporters?

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    Replies
    1. There is a new sign outside the door about masks that certainly gives me that impression.

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  14. can't resist the crostatas either... bought blueberries but couldn't find the ready made crusts in the new store I was in.... so they're on my list for the next trip to my regular store!

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  15. Ha! I love the picture you took for Mary Moon! It probably looks like her kitchen. You are killing me with those crosatta's! I'm going to have to make some. I hope your back feels better soon. Tomorrow is my grocery day and it always ends up being a full day and I usually end up with a back ache too. At least you got your kitchen cleaned. I feel better when that is done. Take care.

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  16. This little Australian piggy went to market this morning too and bought a Bolar Roast (beef) for making potroast, also a can of tomato soup, a can of four bean mix, cabbage, celery, onions and they are all in the pot now becoming soup. One serve for dinner and four or five serves in the freezer.
    I like the picture of the market, all the greens.

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    Replies
    1. My mouth is watering. You've described a meal I've had all my life. I even bought a cabbage this time.

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    2. My mother used to make this but used dried beans soaked overnight. I use the canned ones and I also add a tablespoon of crushed garlic which mum never did.

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  17. I wouldn't mind finding fresh tomatoes that don't cost the earth - middle of winter prices put them on the 'not this week' list......along with lettuce and cucumber. But (I looked it up online)..... when they do come down I might try the Bruschetta Spagetti.

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  18. We had bruschetta as part of our dinner last night. Was pretty damn good too. So was the prosciutto and the bocconcini.......The wine wasn't amiss either.

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  19. Looking forward to hearing if the "One-Pan Bruschetta Spaghetti" turned out. I am so intrigued by the crostatas.

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  20. You must eat little if you shop only once a month.

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    Replies
    1. See River's comment up there. There is no way to cook small enough for one meal, so three or four go into the freezer. If you don't do it that way, you're buying prepared meals, and they are so unhealthy they even taste like the petroleum products they're made of.

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  21. I go to the grocery store once a week. I've made two of the crostatas and I think I prefer them to pie! though I thought I would make a pie today. I don't care for those pre-packaged vegetables. I prefer to pick out my own beans or what have you.

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  22. The smell of a ripe summer tomato is a glorious thing. The tomatoes are just turning red here and I am hoping that the bad storms we are having here doesn’t ruin all my plants. The wind did a job on a few yesterday.

    I hope your Bruschetta Spaghetti was good. Bruschetta is very tasty. I made one pot Taco Spaghetti last night and it was interesting but I doubt that I will make it again. Maybe I will like it better as a leftover tonight and possibly tomorrow.

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  23. Ha! Yes! I probably have that many beans in bags in my freezer. And plenty more on the vine. I hope you can rest today, sweet Joanne. You deserve and need it. I can’t wait to hear how your tomato recipe comes out.

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  24. Dear Joanne, so sorry that your back is hurting so much. In the four months before my Marcy 2017 lumbar operation, I was in what I considered "horrific" pain. Not able to stand upright, etc. etc. (I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.) I so hope that you have medication and/or stretches and exercises that can help. Is there the likelihood of an operation? Peace.

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  25. Okay - now I have to go to the store and get the makings for a Crosatta!

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