The House that Sweaters Built

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It's Contagious!

Good inspires good. It's contagious!

Just to show you how my mind works, I'd love to have a mini dance marathon for the ten year olds on my street, with live accordion music played by Bill and me, and a dumpling buffet, made up of empanadas, pierogis, egg-rolls, knishes, and spinach pies. A dumplings-of-all-nations dance party and a Mary Poppins sidewalk chalk drawing day. I am still an idealistic 12 year old at heart.

This can become the most magical corner in the city. Woonsocket does not have big-city problems, we are a cute small city. There's nothing we can't heal.

Cabbage on Call

I love cabbage. I used to tell my parents that I must've been adopted because I love cabbage and opera but grew up with neither.

At Price Rite I bought 3 baby-head sized cabbages, one Asian napa cabbage, and a savoy cabbage.

Yesterday I just started chopping because a friend was coming to lunch. I made an Asian style stir fry with the napa and the savoy cabbages and added rooster sauce, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, and soy sauce to the oil. I defrosted boneless chicken breasts and added them in. I chopped carrots and added them too, and some leftover beans. It was spectacular!

Before bed I chopped more cabbage. I filled two gigantic containers and said to my husband. "It's cabbage on call!" The next morning I added buttermilk and mustard to make coleslaw, another favorite food.

Summer Tea

My husband starts the day with hot black tea and a blueberry Celestial Seasonings herb tea mixed in. Today I took the leftover brewed tea and added sugar ice and orange juice for a refreshment after my walk.

Tidying Up

We rarely entertain since we go to sleep at 8PM, we don't drink, and we have a house that is our office. But once in a while we have to make sure someone comes to visit just so we clean up.

Empanadas using Masa

I am ready to make empanadas. I have a tortilla press made of cast aluminum although glass pans work well too, and I have a big bag of masa harina. I am still tryng to decide on the filling. Company is coming today.

I love this blog. Mexico in my Kitchen

The Deli Delicious in Cranston

Saturday night we played as a duo for a 70th birthday party in North Smithfield. The event was catered and the food was so amazing. I had to peek into the kitchen and find out who they were and make a note. Every bite was memorable. I can't recommend them enough! If you are having a wedding or party, call them!


The Deli, Delicious
in Cranston, RI

phone (401) 461-4774

A bit about The Deli, Delicious
The Deli Delicious! is a caterer/deli creating specialty foods as well as Middle Eastern Cuisine. We are an established business with a store in the center of Cranston, Rhode Island . We have made a commitment to purchase locally grown products whenever possible. Our food items are made fresh daily. We serve items such as hummus, baba gannoujj, falafel, yalanchi (rice stuffed grape leaves) as well as classic deli fare. We are a full service caterer with a focus on party planning to make every event spectacular. We also provide party platters for pick up or delivery. We participated in seven farmers markets throughout the state this past summer as part of our mission to introduce ourselves and make friends throughout the state!

—Stephanie Masoian, Tracy McDonough

Aunt Stella's Baklava

This weekend! Aunt Stella's baklava at the Romanian Picnic at St John the Baptist on Elbow Street, Woonsocket, RI.

Lazy Lasagna

My new fad is to simmer my homemade tomato sauce with 6 of Jamie's hot Italian sausages. In the morning I layer the sauce and raw lasagna noodles in two glass Pyrex baking dishes alternating with layers of my favorite raw vegetables. I like fresh spinach, eggplant slices, (pre salted, sliced, and drained) and fresh sliced mushrooms. Layer with pepper-jack sliced cheese and bake at 350 until done. This takes about an hour or more.

My sauce is three cans of Price Rite crushed tomatoes, one small can of tomato paste, I can of black olives chopped, 4 -6 stalks of celery chopped, chopped onion if you feel like it, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, red wine if you have it, salt and pepper as needed.

Simmer at 225 degrees in slow cooker overnight. Be sure there is ample liquid in the sauce because the lasagna noodles will make use of it.

Dream Castle

I ate my home made leftover eggplant lasagna for breakfast this morning. It was very satisfying. I ate with my fingers too. We were rehearsing in the living room when I had a fantasy that maybe we could play at the Castle Luncheonette as a duo outside. This is my dream. The Castle is the HEART of my neighborhood. Perhaps I will ask them and maybe we can play for our supper! I would love that.

Elaine Stritch

As the prostitute once said, It's not the work that gets you, it's the stairs.
- Elaine Stritch

Banana Trees

My neighbors in the green-pea-soup-colored Happy House had a yard sale last weekend and they were selling mostly baby items. They had three tablet style cell phones laid out for sale.
How much? I asked.
Ten dollars, Sherry replied.
I only have six dollars, I said.
For you, six, because we like you, Sherry replied.
People laugh at me because I've never owned a cell phone before.
How do I work it?
Press the button to turn it on.
Bruce stepped forward and touched the screen.
You know YouTube he asked? You can go to YouTube.
He touched the screen again and stuff started to move.
My stomach flipped over.
I'll have to take Dramamine to work this thing cuz I get motion sickness looking at the motion on the screen.
Really? Beth asked.
Yup, it's true, I said.
I am from another time.
Whose paying for it? I asked
It's the internet, it's just in the air, Sherry said.
Really, are you sure?
You'll need a charger from the dollar store, and it's only 35 dollars or 55 a month for phone service unlimited, Beth chimed in.
I don't have 35 dollars.
I took out my six dollars from my Emily the Strange - Change Comes from Within change purse and handed it to them. I've carried this six dollars around for six months. I laughed.
Thanks I said.
I was already having buyer's remorse and I hadn't even crossed the street. Was this a misspent six dollars? I was sure it was although it seemed worth the conversation, I told my husband.
Then I let it sit on the kitchen counter.
The next day my change purse was in the foyer on the floor. I must've dropped it on the street and someone must've picked it up and pushed it through my mail slot.
Boy, am I lucky.
I had no idea it was missing.
I went over to tell the Yard Sale family, thank you for dropping off my wallet.
It wasn't us, they said.
Well it's a mystery then.
I noticed the tree towering over their backyard. What a big tree I said. That's a banana tree, Bruce said.
It's a catalpa, I said, smiling.
I was told it was a banana tree, Bruce replied.
Not here, maybe in Jamaica though.

Walkabout

Last night at 7PM I walked to the pond hoping to meet Doreen and her newly adopted rescue dog, Ranger. She wasn't home but I ran into other folks and their dogs. I met a newly adopted puppy Bella the Portuguese water dog on Ethel Street, and Macy the gray mastiff, and Riley the retriever, both on Edgewater Drive, and one mop-headed Pekinese on Miller Street. I got home at 9:30 PM and chatted with Ed and Marlene who were standing around out front. We chatted and laughed, telling stories about why none of us could ever become president due to infractions from our past.

At moments like these I want to block off the street and have a lasagna party with all the neighbors. Maybe we can do it without blocking off the street traffic. A sidewalk buffet, with dancing and live music!

Yesterday Leo and his cousin were dancing a tango out on the sidewalk. I was at my drafting desk and spotted them on the sidewalk below. I smiled as did everyone else who was watching. They are only ten years old, but had all the dance moves, including turning their heads sharply back and forth and Leo dipping his cousin back. She wore a colorful dress and they were having a blast.

Later when I saw Leo I said "You're a great tango dancer!" He was surprised that I knew he'd been dancing. "We just made up the dance," he said. "Well that's how it goes," I said. I suggested we have a dance marathon for Autumnfest, or better yet right here on the sidewalk. "Tomorrow?" Leo asked.

I walked on Social Street and cut over to the garden on Clinton Street, and then went back again when my library books arrived. Later that night I went to Harris Pond, both trips just wearing my flip flops with my dress. (We called them thongs back when we were growing up). It was a five mile day.

I woke up at 2:30 AM unable to breathe. I was dreaming I was to play in a band at RISD with the Talking Heads' Tina Weymouth. She asked why I wasn't playing sax. I told her that I couldn't breathe so I'd have to play snare drum.

Back in real life Bill ran down and got an antihistamine and a decongestant for me. My nose opened and the antihistamine knocked me out. When I woke I was sure today was Sunday. It knocked me to Sunday!

I had my annual physical a few days ago and I said I felt good for 54. The doc said, "You are not 54!" I said "Really?" He said, "You are 53." "Thanks for the extra year," I said, smiling. "The greatest miracle I've performed all day," he replied.

Ask a Farmer to Barter for Bread

There isn't a vegetable I do not like! I am no gardener though. I'll gladly bake my sourdough bread and trade with any farmer for veggies any day. Just let me know.

Lost and Found

This morning I found my wallet inside my house mail slot. I didn't know it was missing! I must've dropped it yesterday afternoon while walking Lily. Someone saw my license address, and put it in the house mail slot. Thank you kind person.

Today I went to the doctor for my annual checkup and told him I was 54. He said "You are not fifty four, you are fifty three."
"Thanks Doc, you just gave me another year!" I said, and we both laughed.

Painter Francis Bacon

When one is right inside the work … it’s very stimulating and exciting, because that’s when you bring things nearer to the nervous system. You must understand that I don’t paint for anybody except myself. I’m always very surprised that anybody wants to have a picture of mine. I paint to excite myself, and make something for myself. I can’t tell you how amazed I was when my work started selling!
Francis Bacon, painter

The Girl who Married a Bear

Here.

Computer Crash

Dear Friends, Acquaintances and Readers,
I write about 800 e-mails a week. My computer is Windows 98. LOL. It finally crashed and I lost all of my addresses. Please write me here if you have not heard from me.
Thank you,
Emily

Baby Breads Rising

I have two dozen mixed-grain sourdough breads rising in the proofing oven. Yesterday there was no room in the fridge so I set the dough on the bench in the piano shop and . . . out of sight out of mind. I totally forgot. I came back after running a chore and it had exploded out of the big clear plastic pickle bucket overflowing onto the bench and my husband's maps and the carpet. As my friend Teddi says "Bread is always a story." Stay tuned.

Dominican Style Empanadas

The bodega is making empanadas! I am inspired.
I found a recipe Here.

Suzy Homemaker

Today I feel like Suzy Homemaker I am sewing, baking, reading, writing, cooking, vacuuming and loving it.

Craving Spinach

My new habit is buying two bags of bargain Price Rite baby spinach each week. I love spinach and I love Popeye! This morning I slept late--and got up at 5AM. I've been on the monk's schedule; falling asleep at 8PM and waking to write at 3AM.
Anyway I got up at 5 today Saturday, and at 6:30 made coffee adding a dollop of vanilla ice cream and home made cocoa sauce floating on top. By 10:30 I was hungry for a hearty cowboy breakfast.

I sauteed onions and garlic and added tons of fresh spinach and 6 eggs, soy sauce, Adobo seasoning, and Cholula Mexican hot sauce, and freshly ground black pepper. We ate at the round oak dining room table eating from my little blue Pyrex luncheonette plates with my home made circle breads toasted.

I had seltzer "Jewish champagne" for dessert.

Now I am eying Italian Spinach Pie recipes to bake tonight.
Here's a great recipe and post from the blog Amiable Life.

Salty Crunchy Tangy Moist

We went shopping last night at Price Rite. I bought a stack of corn tortillas --five pounds for 2 dollars! I decided to deep fry them one at a time, in 2 inches of corn oil heated in my slow cooker. This is a new pleasure and a ritual I find very meditative. I fried a bunch. Then I made a quick vegetable salad of chopped red onion, tomatoes, avocado, cukes, defrosted corn niblets, sliced black olives and freshly squeezed lime juice and salt, as a dressing. The veggies and tortillas made a perfect marriage of salty crunchy and tangy moist.

Our Munroe Dairy Band Plays our 11th Bristol Parade

We had a fabulous parade yesterday at Bristol's Fourth of July. The cool cloudy weather made it perfect for our three miles of music making. There were ten of us playing dressed as milkmen in our whites, 8 point hats, and black bow ties. We got rained on as we lined up rendering our outfits translucent. But we had anticipated this and told everyone to wear white underwear!

The always gentlemanly milkmen loaned us their yellow Munroe Dairy wind breakers and dry towels so we could dry off and warm up before we had to play.

We had the best parade ever. My former next door neighbor Lucille handed me a bottle of cold water and I handed it to Bill just as he was in dire need of a drink. Thank you Lucille!

The thunder and lightning and torrential rain arrived after we performed. Not everyone was so lucky. There was a lot of wet wool.

When we got home I simmered a pot of homemade tomato sauce using Jamie's fresh hot Italian sausages, olives, eggplant, celery. The aroma was magnificent when we woke up. This morning I decided to cook pasta. I made two trays adding spinach and pepper jack cheese for an improvised lasagna. My Aunt rose and Aunt Florence are smiling from heaven.

My spotted cow dress and white tights and black leather Mary Jane's and all of the wet towels are drying in the sun.
Thanks to the guest musicians, Maureen's amazing turkey and chicken salad roll-up sandwiches, the adorable milkmen Jay and Victor, it was an exceptional day at Munroe Dairy Summer Camp.

Cold Food + Wet Towels + Lots of Ice!

I made German potato salad and it was delicious on a bed of spinach with iced lemon lime seltzer. I have had cold food and cold drinks for weeks now to fend off and tame the hot flashes. I sleep with a wet towel!