Pot-Stirrers

We’ve made some great meals in our close kitchen/living quarters, but Wednesday was not one of our greater nights. We had to improvise- “make it work,” as Tim Gunn would say.

On our way home from the gym at work, KR and I decided we should try and eat at home instead of grabbing food out before we left to go to Bible study. Easier said than done, especially when you haven’t been to the grocery store in a few weeks.

We checked and possibly stretched a few expiration dates, and after a few minutes we had pots boiling, since dry pasta was in abundance. It usually takes about 75 seconds for the temperature in the room to burn through an ozone layer, so we tried to get things moving. Having limited counter-space, oftentimes pots and pans spill over onto the coffee table, the fridge or the microwave. At one point I had one on top of the toaster- not at all a fire hazard, thanks for asking.

In the midst of the cooking frenzy I realized I couldn’t reach the farfalle noodles in the highest cupboard over the stove, therefore forcing me to stand on the arm of the couch, over KR and her boiling pots, to get it.

It started feeling like we were in a quick-fire challenge on Top Chef, what with our limited ingredients, hazardous cooking conditions and minimal time. Instead of the show’s head judge Tom Colicchio, AV arrived during part of the frenzy and watched us from the couch, ultimately choosing to stay home for the evening and cook “baby-sitter food,” as we now refer to chicken nuggets and Kraft macaroni and cheese.

At one point I was so impatient waiting for the water to boil that I microwaved a corn tortilla with cheddar cheese for ten seconds just to stave off my hunger. My “amuse bouche” of sorts, as KR called it; I could only laugh and wonder where she heard that word… it was probably from Tom, she loves that guy.

We watch way too much Bravo.

AV and I had a date last night that involved slices of white pizza and banana pudding- an excellent combination. Right up there with cheesy tortillas and pesto pasta. In preparation for the new episodes of The Office, which start next Thursday night, we watched several episodes from the couch and neglected getting our laundry and dry-cleaning altogether. It was lovely.

KR went to Nobu 57 with her boss and some clients, after lengthy research and discussion regarding the menu. A celebrity hot-spot and known for their sashimi, I was IMing her such entrée options as “braised sea urchin” and “jalepeno yellowtail.” There’s nothing like a great sea urchin to get you going on a Thursday night, right? We clarified the difference between sushi and sashimi before she left- sushi being the rolls and sashimi being the rice with strips of raw fish draped over them, in case you were wondering.

She reported back that everything was great, and that the bill was about equivalent to one of our paychecks.

Looks like no sea urchin for me, darn.

“It's been sitting in my car all day. Sun beating down on the mayonnaise. Just, you never know.”
- Michael Scott, ‘The Office’- Cocktails episode