Day 8! What A Day!!!

Today was my youngest son's first birthday!  Jaryn made out like a bandit! But I'll get to that when the time is right ... let my tell you about my continued food adventure!



This morning started with my attending our men's meeting at a local Piccadilly.  They make a wonderful breakfast ... but all of it, other than the "fruit" is off of my list.  However, they made me an egg white omelet with veggies in it and that was that.  After the meeting, I was already hungry, considering the smell of sausage and bacon that was invading my sanity.

Waiting for me at home were my hungry spawnlings.  I thought that they might attack me in a cannibalistic fit ... but I was alright.  I think my skin is too tough for their fangs.  You have to have tough skin to do what I'm doing (narffff!). 

I had promised to try to remake the blackberry whole wheat pancakes that I ate at Cracker Barrel.  I learned a couple of lessons today.  First and foremost, whole wheat flour needs a lot of help to keep your food from tasting like dirt.  Second, and also very important (though not as quite as detrimental as the first) was my realization that whole wheat flour does NOT have any leaven in it.  I usually use self-rising flour ... well the first batch came out looking, smelling, and tasting like a giant dried leaf.  Some more truvia and some baking powder, and my pancakes had some life, taste, and dimension ... though they still tasted like I was munching on hay.  The blackberries were SOUR!  It took a good amount of doctoring to get them semi sweet without violating my stance on sugar.  I have some maple syrup (on the list) that I use specially for my pancakes ... which, when made normal, are the best pancakes you will ever eat. 

I should have stuck with blueberries, at least I only would have conducted only one experiment.  I will continue working with the when flour ... I'll win.  I know I talked up a game yesterday ... and that some people would not expose their mistakes in fear of being doubted ... but my thing is that I always want people to believe me when I give my word.  To me, there is nothing more valuable.  I do not lie, I do not exaggerate.  The truth is far too unbelievable.  I feel that if I tell you I screwed up on something, then you can believe when I say I succeeded at something.  Enough of my soapbox. 

The blackberry syrup was the worst ... it looked like mucus ... next time, I'll process it.  All I did this time was add in some 'butter' and some Truvia.  The 'butter' I use is Brummel and Brown.  It is delicious.  I was introduced to it by a good friend (that I have not spoken to in too long - Mike Rodriguez).  It is made using yogurt and it is outstanding!  I'll try again ... that's all I can do.  On a good note, the kids loved it.  They ate it up.  Couldn't be that bad... cause they are picky.  But I didn't care too much for it.  Kids eat dirt and poop so ... I will use my own judgment.

For lunch, I had some grilled fish and some wheat bread.  Knowing that Jaryn's party was this afternoon, I had to get myself ready for suffering and torture.  It smelled so good here last night.  Adding insult to injury, I had to load it all in the van for Yuci.  I wanted to lick everything.  I started on a sauce for tomorrow, it turned out so good.  Check out the progress below.

So I started with about 25 tomatoes, a few chopped bellas, a red pepper, some green onions, fresh sweet basil, rosemary, and garlic.  The flowers are not part of the meal.

 I cut the red peppers into strips and roasted them with the garlic still in the skin.  My younger brother, Tommy, taught me that roasting them makes them easy to skin and they are soft and ready to be sliced paper thin.  Try it, they taste better that way.

 I bring about half an inch of water to a boil then load the tomatoes and cover.  After a few minutes, the skins come right off.  Try not to use refrigerated tomatoes; the skins don't like to come off.

 Puree the skinned tomatoes in a food processor to speed this up ... or if you have 6- 8 hours, cook until the tomatoes fall apart.  Stir in the bellas too at this point.

 Saute the seasonings and veggies in a skillet.  Slice the garlic paper thin so it dissolves.  Cut the roasted red peppers as small as possible.  People like taste but few like mush.

Stir in some red grave and get the seasoning off the pot.  This way you don't lose any of it.

 Mix it back in with the tomato sauce and let cook.  For a real treat, stir in some grated Parmesan cheese!  You will need salt here and nothing else.  Salt to taste and enjoy.  I'll finish the meal tomorrow with some grilled chicken and pasta.

So it is late and I will have to finish my day tomorrow.  I have more pics for you ... hope you enjoyed these ... nothing like being able to cook your own sauce!

Thanks for listening .. sorry to leave you hanging about the party ... but I'll catch you up!