Down the Drain

How long has it been? Ah yes- the Lenten season was the last time I was here. I have been on a dead run ever since and when I'm not running I'm decompressing. I haven't had a creative thought in months. I used to dream BIG, I used to have a mind that went above and beyond the current surroundings to create something beautiful- if only in my mind. I used to get excited, giddy even, about what lies ahead...now I just look forward to going home and doing a memory wipe every night. Not good, I know- since I have to be sharp as a tack in my line of work.

I have gained weight, my face is breaking out and well...that's not good. The sickness stuff is off and on, I am feeling better than I was but about a month ago I had some pretty bad dizziness and pain.

The home front isn't outstanding either- we've both said and done some hurtful things over the past few months, and now we're 'taking it slow'--or so I've been informed by MMM.

I actually sat on the couch ALL DAY on Saturday and the most I did was cook a fabulous meal for myself since MMM was at work. After about 20 cooking shows you tend to feel like you might have 'the juice'-- so I drummed up the following:

• Seasoned about 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and rosemary
• Browned the breasts on medium/high heat in butter in a deep frying pan
• About halfway through the browning process, throw in some "crushed" garlic cloves. Note- put the cloves under a large knife (flat) or tostonero, press down with your palm and just crack the skin open so it peels off easily. Leave cloves whole and distribute around chicken pieces.
• When chicken is about halfway cooked but thoroughly browned, transfer chicken only to a baking dish, leaving butter and garlic cloves in the pan (turn down heat)
• Take about 4 or 5 orange and lime slices with rind removed and distribute over chicken
• Dollop with your choice of white wine, cover and bake for 20 minutes or so at 350
• Go back to the butter mixture and throw in about 2 cups of brown jasmine rice, sauteé slightly
• add water, chicken boullion or just add chicken broth
• add a healthy splash of ground cloves
• add about 1/2 cup of dried zante currents
• Add enough water to cook thoroughly (brown rice tends to be a little more tedious than others)
• Cover and simmer until done.
• Serve with a green salad and lots of white wine.

Last night I made an orange poundcake and served it with the following:

Take 2 or 3 fresh figs (mine were frozen, but as long as they're not dried) boil in a syrup of honey, sugar, white wine, cinnamon sticks, and 1/2 orange with whole cloves stuck in the skin. Simmer for 30 minutes or so, you may serve hot or cold over orange pound cake with a dollop of fresh whipping cream over the top. DIVINE.