I Had a Bad Day . . .

Well, actually, it was a really, really good day . . . till the end.

See, I am bad at asking for help. I can usually (most of the time) accept it when it's offered - and that's gotten better with time and practice. Today I did - sort of . . .

The Sweet Man knew that I needed - something - heck, maybe anything, to be a pleasant break, a few hours away from all that is swirling in my head, and invited me on a short road trip to TN. Yes! So after a road side breakfast at Cracker Barrel (c'mon, you know you like it, too!) we rounded out the day with a nice late-lunch/early-dinner. This man loves me, knows how to feed me and is patient with my proclivities. He could also tell I was getting antsy and not feeling so hot. So, things like this were in order . . . 

A very nice crab and lobster cake at a cute little downtown Chattavegas spot!

Along with a tasty, simple Caesar and followed by . . .

Delightful, lightly battered cod fish-n-chips!

Well, we ate well. And he deposited me at home. I thought about what to do for the evening and I made some not-so-great choices. Was I hungry? Just a chicken (for lack of a better pun)? I don't know yet. But I've got to figure it out, and fast, for lots of reasons.

Food for thought, indeed.

Yours,

Love Bites,

Carrie Neal

Back Again

Well, hell. It's been awhile.

Without going into full detail about the last six or so weeks - heck, let's give it all the way back to the tree falling on my still-uninhabitable apartment in February! - I've been cooking out of a microwave. And while I've gotten pretty adept at it, to wit:

A take on veggie soup using that ubiquitous college staple, Ramen noodles:

I vary the veggies based on what's on hand or freshest at the store! Souper  easy!

But, now that I am back into a full kitchen, it's game on once again!

Oh, the things you can do with a stove and an oven (not to mention a full size fridge and freezer)!

Over the past few years, I've found joy in cooking, whether for myself or a special someone or for someone in need or who's just hungry and could use a little homemade TLC.

And one of my favorite things to make is pizza. While I admit that I use store-bought, not homemade, crust, that's the only thing about any of my pizzas that's done the "easy" way. Really. This girl knows how to make some pretty delicious concoctions - from my asparagus and Boursin pizza that everyone from the Sweet Man to my girlfriends love: 

It really is so yummy! Get the Mama Nikki's pizza crust (thin or thick) and add olive oil and minced garlic to taste, then thinly sliced or shaved asparagus stalks, top with mozzeralla and Boursin, a little s&p and bake at 425 for about 10 mins.
  

Or my newest creation I made last night, with the same cooking directions as above, but with the following ingredients:

Olive oil and minced garlic, ham, mushroom, spinach and Havarti, dash of s&p = yum!

Something about cooking your own food - as opposed to eating out, which I do love muchly - is just comforting and fun, too. I'm grateful to be back in the kitchen and cooking and eating more tasty things to share with you!

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Mongolian Beef Me, Please

Well, it has been a hell of a rough couple weeks in CNLand. Post-funeral last week, I found out that my car insurance had lapsed, a friend of mine is the guy who fell off the Ovation yesterday, and I had to go to the ER last night (I will spare you the details).

Needless to say, when the Boy and I finally had a chance to catch up today, comfort food of some sort was in order. We needed to debrief and both were starving. Enter our most recent spot close to my parents' place and en route home from work for him - done and done.

Won ton soup (a new fave of mine ) - 

. . . seared potsickers (a lifelong fave and theirs are so good and full of pork) - 

And the Mongolian Beef. Sometimes, you just gotta go with the basics.

Classic, yummy and quiet enough that we could talk about some serious stuff. Two thumbs up for Chin Chin in Brookhaven!

Yours,

Love Bites,

Carrie Neal

Southern Style when Times are Rough

Well, y'all. It's been a rough week + in CNLand.

A dear family friend took his life last Thursday and we had his service yesterday. I am a sad, sad girl. See - my first memory of him is when I was seven and our family moved into our house in Brookhaven next door to theirs. It was June - I had chicken pox - my grandparents who usually took care of us any time needed couldn't because (oddly?) neither of them ever had them - and our AC wasn't working. So the very nice lady next door insisted I come over and lay on her sofa and watch TV (our cable wasn't working either- geez, moving is fun!). And from that day, when their oldest son brought me Cokes and paid attention to me - our families were friends. What 15 year old boy puts up with a random little girl his mom has stay over? He was that sweet. 

At the service yesterday, I was happy to hear the (note: very young) minister mention the same things I remembered about him: he was kind; he loved music - his bedroom was on the side of the house next to ours and often he'd play the keyboard or piano and have his window open and I remember hearing it at night; my dad's 40th Surprise Birthday Party and my brother and me, and his brother and him making our appearance then going to hang out in their carriage house, which I thought was so cool; dinner with our families every Christmas night (after my grandparents left for B'ham to see my uncle, aunt and cousin, and before they left the next day for their family in AL also- it's how I learned to make good white rice, from his mom); my wedding day brunch his parents threw . . . I could go on . . .

Southerners - maybe most people - like to comfort with food. So you find things like this at a visitation:

Cucumber sammies, pimento cheese, fruit plates - it's how we roll for grief in the South.

I couldn't eat a bite - even when one of my mom's (and his) very sweet friends tried to get the Sweet Man and me to sample something, but in a horrible situation like this there was something comforting about the spread that had been set out.

I pray none of you have to lose anyone to suicide. It is truly seminal. When a grandparent dies - when someone who's been terminal dies - those are things we can (almost) wrap our heads around. When it's a kid, or a brilliant person who takes their life . . . so much harder. What do you say? What do you do? I don't know. But at least we know how to make some good food. And then, hopefully, know to keep tabs on the people truly devastated - family and closest friends. My prayers are up and my memories are fond. It was a truly hard day and will continue to be hard for all who loved him. 

Still, yet again - I say that food plays a part in all the significant events of our lives. Love + Food + Relationships. They endure.

Yours,

Love Bites,

Carrie Neal

Gone Fishin'

So, last night was a joint labor of love - using leftovers from the Mexican fajita lunch The Boy and I had Saturday and adding my own ingredients, I made dinner for both me and Dad when he got home from golf.

See, J doesn't usually take leftovers home and if I do, I usually don't eat them (though we eat out all the time - not to sound too wasteful, we're really pretty good about ordering and sharing so as not to have leftovers; however, when I don't feel well, he ends up eating what he wants and stuff is leftover . . .as happened Saturday). 

I spent the day at home and had some tilapia I wanted to cook. Hmm, I thought - what to do?? Fish tacos! I had cheese and fresh tortillas, and leftover (and awesome) veggies and a little steak from our previous day's meal (which I added to Dad's version), so I prepared what I thought - and Dad thought, when he was pleasantly surprised upon returning home from golf - was quite a tasty repast . . . 

Pan-seared tilapia - I have various recipes but just did an egg/panko crust seasoned with s&p and garlic powder this time . . . message me if you love tilapia too and need ideas!

After making the fish, I heated some large soft tortillas - 

And juiced up the leftover veggies with some fresh ones, and made some new rice - 

Portabellas, red pepper, zucchini, squash - so good!

And voila, homemade fish tacos. Thanks to The Boy, time on my hands and wanting to make something nice for my dad, a lovely dinner was had. Resourceful, that's me! Happy tummies, that's we!

Creativity rocks, in the kitchen and everywhere else.

Yours,
Love Bites,
Carrie Neal

Crescent Love

Last night, my dad had an event to go to and, as I'd promised, I was home early - really early, like 6pm vs, say, midnight - and had the house to myself. 

See, I'm still bunking at my parents' place and am trying to be tidy and well-behaved (for my mom and dad's benefits, respectively). It's been a little rough but I think it's going much better. My room looks pristine and the laundry is (mostly) done, etc . . .

So after Luke and I enjoyed "Pretty Woman" and before my dad was home, I decided to make him a treat. A small little act of love - I thought he might enjoy these delicious ham and asparagus crescent rolls, as a change from his usual breakfast or lunch of things like hard-boiled eggs and the like - 

So good and so easy! Steam asparagus, wrap with ham, spread Dijon on rolls and bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes. Yum!

A little gesture of food and family love. Hope he likes them! Happy Sunday, all!

Yours,

Love Bites,

Carrie Neal

A bushel and a peck - a biscuit and . . .

Well, y'all . . . 

Staying at my parents is interesting to say the least - my mom and I have different ideas of "good housekeeping" - but I try my best in their place since they are kind and generous enough to let me bunk here post The Great Tree Debacle.

And The Boy is out of town - only briefly - but it interrupts our usual rhythm of meals and seeing each other daily, so I found myself compelled to make biscuits this morning - one of his favorite "food products," as he refers to them - 

I made biscuits in his honor - of course, I then added cheese and bacon!!

Adding the cheese and bacon made it perfect - I even ate mine with a knife and fork as he does  "sandwiches" - and only set off the smoke alarm briefly (good thing Dad is up early when I called him pre-7am to figure out how to turn it off!!). 

 

Gosh, so much about love, life and happiness revolve around food - I miss my boy, I need assistance with utilities, so to speak, I think of people I love and what I can provide for them, sustenance-wise - hmmm . . . food for thought!

 

Happy Monday, y'all!!

Yours,

Love Bites,

Carrie Neal