You Could Hear A Pin Drop

So, for those of you who may not follow my cooking blog, I have re-entered the workforce after a year of recovery from my back surgery. I recently worked for a demonstration company, but thee amount of hours they were giving me was not what I had been promised. So much for a good ole hand shake. So I stayed with them until something more substantial came along, so I bided my time. Friends kept their ear to the ground in regards to any jobs out there.

A dear friend of mine had heard that the deli meat company Boars Head was hiring. So she got in touch with a friend of hers who was in upper management, but low and behold, eh was not hiring at present. I thanked her and told her just to keep her ear out for anything else.

Fast forward a few weeks and same dear friend called back to say that Mr. Boars Head was now hiring and to give him a call. I did and he said he would have a spot available mid-August and if I could hold on that long that I had a job. Oh yeah, I could wait.

Today was my first day and it was so much fun. I am a person who needs to deal with the public. Why? Because I was born to deal with people. I connect with them. I am the average Joe-ette and they like that connection. I am not some hoity-toity person who they cannot understand.

When my day was finished I had to go back to thee office to be shown how the paperwork is completed. So simple an earthworm could have figured it out. There was a few other employees in the office and we were just shooting the breeze, talking about nothing in particular. One of the ladies asked me if I had tried the new chicken I was demonstrating. I thought about it for a split second then I politely told them, "I don't eat meat, I am a vegetarian." You could hear a pin drop. The look on their faces was definitely a Kodak moment. I was tempted to play that entire moment all over again, just to see the look on their faces, it was grand.

The first thing I was asked was if I had issues working for a company that promotes meat. And I told them, if I did, I would not be working for them. Duh!

I did have a great time and it was good to be working in a wonderful atmosphere once again. So if you see a short lady with short red hair, that would be me.

A Side Of Truth

Do you know where your meat comes from? And do you even care?





I am not trying to convert anyone to vegetarianism. But no one can deny that letting go of at least some meat would do the body good. My daughters best friend tried to go meatless a while back just for one day and she couldn't do it...what does that say about us.

First off, we are led to believe that we 'need' animal protein in order to get stronger. 'NOT'
Secondly, we are told that if we do not consume dairy products that we will develop osteoporosis.'NOT'

It is nothing short of brainwashing to get you to buy their products. You notice I did not call it food. Trust me when I tell you anything that comes in a Styrofoam box and you can get delivered through your car window is not food. It is edible food like substance. And if you don't have thee ingredients on the container in your cupboard, then why are you eating them?

It's big business to sell you 'stuff' that resembles food, or things that you have called food your entire life. But this is not food. Or at least the the food your great grand mother knew as food. What would she say and do if she came back and saw us eating this way. She would kick our backsides all the way to the fresh market and not leave until we purchased fresh fruit and vegetables and if you chose to eat meat, you went to the butcher and got it from him, not the local drive-thru.

Think long and hard if this is the stuff you want floating around and 'staying' in your gut. I know I don't. I care what goes into my body, so should you.

Safety First

I was wearing my seatbelt long before it became a law in my state. I am comfortable in knowing that it saves more lives every year than not wearing one. But where do we draw the line. Yes, we buckle in our little bundles of joy, and so much so that moms usually ride in the backseats(raises hand showing she did it when her babies were little) to tend to their young.



I have seen good ole boys strap in Buddy for a ride to who knows where, but thee other day I saw something that made me shake my head. As I was leaving our local produce stand, someone had their side door open on their van and pray tell what do I see. This...this is what I saw:

Yes, you do not need to clean your glasses, or adjust your computer monitor, you are seeing what you think you are seeing...a pumpkin that is strapped in for safety. I respect this person immensely. Being a vegetarian I got a bit further than just making sure my tomatoes are not at the bottom of the bag. I take great pride in my veggies. For we use them for so much more than just food. they get juiced, and it does not stop there. I use the bits and pieces(that many use to compost, but we have not started composting as of yet) and save them until I have enough to make a huge pot of vegetable broth.

So you see how I might feel about this person who took the time to ensure this pumpkins safety. And that person is my daughter Savanah. I had stayed a bit longer at the register when purchasing our produce and was giving the lady the web address to my Cooking Blog so she could find some new recipes. Then I finally make it back to my van and my daughter has her back to the open side door...knowing good ad well she was trying to hide something. Then she broke out in a sheepish grin and I knew it was nothing bad. She stepped aside and there was our little pumpkin, lopsidedness and all.

He...or she will be put to good use. We will cook the pumpkin meat for a pumpkin pie and also toast the seeds. If I could do something with his outershell, believe you me I would. I am so wanting to get my composting started. But recovery from surgery is more important. The Composting will be there when I am healed!

Giving Up

This post is so not going to be about anything you think this title may lead you to believe. *rubs hands together*

I was recently talking to a friend of mine, and we were discussing how I will be handling everything in my life once I return home from the hospital. She meant cleaning, food and such forth. I told her I would be in Miami for the hospital stay(That being a given), then at my sisters for about another week, then home where hubby would have a week off before heading back to work, then mother-in-law is two blocks away if there were a dire emergency. Then once hubby goes back to work, there are women in my home schooling group who will be coming with meals and cleaning crews. So I will be taken care of for a while.

She offered to bring her signature dish...Chicken Caccitiatore. I told her that would be a welcome offer, but that my daughter Savanah would not be able to eat it and fend for herself that night. she then, politely as she possibly could told me that 'Maybe your daughter should set aside her beliefs and take what she can get until you get better.' I politely told, 'I don't think so, she is set in her convictions and I stand by her and she can manage on eggs for a night or two.'

It didn't hit me until a day later(Why do you always find the snappy comebacks when you are not in the heat of the conversation) something came to me. What if I had told her to set aside her Christan beliefs just long enough to watch an 'R' rated movie that went against what she believed in. Would she have done that? I think not. so why should my daughter do what she would never consider, just because it deals with food. *Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth* Where do people come up with this stuff. I couldn't make this up if I wanted to.

That's It, I'm Taking the Plunge

Well, I am going to do it, no, not that. After reading Skippy's blog about not eating meat (which I was a vegetarian during Skippy's pregnancy) I have decided to head back in that direction. And I will explain why.

I know eating meat is taxing on our environment, but I can save that for another post. But bottom line, I know how much better I feel when my body does not have meat in it. I am not a cold turkey type of person, so I will start to eliminate things as I see fit. And due to the fact that I do the grocery shopping, then I have control (Insert evil Frankenstein laugh here). Here was what jolted me into thinking I could do this.

I went to the grocery store, with my measly $??.?? and had to adhere to a strict budget (Nothing new these days). And we did not have the luxury of a 9-5er job that would give us Memorial Day of to BBQ with our families so we usually improvise and have our meal when the most of us are at the table at one time.

So I picked up a package of ground turkey instead of ground beef. Ground turkey is not a new concept to me, it's just my in-laws have been helping us with some groceries here and there and they are staunch supporters of beef. I asked my husband the last time they offered to help, if he could only purchase poultry. He did and I was happy. Now back to the ground turkey. My daughter and I were preparing potato salad and burgers (Turkey of course) and I spiced those puppies up, for I know that turkey has less fat, less fat means less flavor. Never fear, my spice cabinet is filled to the brim with things I can barely pronounce, let alone know what to do with them (Just kidding). They don't call me the Cooking Lady for nothing. So in went wasabi paste, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, a bit of cumin and a few other things. Put them in my manual patty maker (Wow is that thing cool), which makes them perfectly sized so they actually fit the bun...what a concept.They went on our generic George Foreman grill and whamo!, they were deeelicious.

I knew then that I could curtail my red meat and eventually give it up. There are nights when my son and husband both work the evening shift and me and my daughter do not have to consume meat. Well she never does...duh! But we are nearly giddy when meat is not on the table, and trust me when I tell you, we do not go hungry.

Years back I had vegan friends who lived up north (As did I) and I put together a vegan Christmas meal. No, I did really, and man oh man, were we all full. I had to do a bit of research, but I had a blast. It definitely stretched my culinary skills.

So keep tuned into see how I manage this task. I think I will be successful. I have given up white sugar and white flour, the rest should be a breeze.