News from the Penguinery

Spring is here, I know because I just bought sweet potato leaves at the Asian market (more on that later). The great processed food purge continues at KP HQ. There is one last bag of brownie mix and most of the pancake mix is gone, the last of the dry mixes. (Isn't that what I said in the last update?) Shaking my dependence upon canned goods has proven more difficult. What can I say? I LOVE SPAM! Bread baking is...not my forte.

I am happy to announce that DBF has not, to the best of my knowledge, purchased breakfast from the deli in his office building once this year. I've kept him well stocked with waffles, banana bread and the occasional container of hash. In fact, he complains when I don't have something that he can take for breakfast. There are a lot of homemade waffles in my freezer, I just hope he doesn't get tired of them before we eat them all.

We are, for the most part, eating better...or at least not eating out as often. My grand declaration of not eating out more than once a week hasn't panned out but it hasn't been for want of planned meals...I admit that I'm lazy. We're getting backed up on leftovers and I'm starting to rebuild the homemade microwave meal collection.

I am about ready to give up on using the stand mixer to knead dough because my eyes don't know when things are ready. My hands, however, know how to make a passable pizza dough and plain loaf of bread. Yes, I can start the dough in the mixer and finish it by hand...but it doesn't work that way for me. Or, at least, it doesn't work that way for me right now. I do own a bread machine, minus a part, thanks to a dear friend not having space when she moved. Using a bread machine feels like cheating so it sits in the garage while I contemplate if I want to toss it or buy the missing part.

After ten years of dreaming I finally have a bicycle. While my body didn't forget how to ride a bicycle after a 20 year break, it also didn't forget that I'm a sedentary office worker. The first goal is to ride around my neighborhood for 15 minutes without being sore and tired. The reward is buying a pretty basket for the bike if I make it to the farmers' market for opening day in May. Well, the reward is being healthier but the tangible reward is a nice basket.

What have you been doing?

Best Wishes,

KP

Why start a project if you don't follow through? (Project Update)

Penguin date 7th of January 2011...the not eating out part of the project is not going well. This is mostly due to poor health and general laziness at Blackbird Tavern. But I want to focus on the accomplishments:

• Boxed mac-n-cheese has been eradicated from the pantry.
• Same for muffin/bread mixes (1 pouch of brownie mix and 2 pouches of taro pancake mixes remain).
• We are generating less trash because our food comes in less packaging.
• The holiday baking supplies have been put away.
• All the baked good bomb boxes have been mailed and delivered.
• The New Year's Eve food was well received and we're almost done eating the leftovers.
• I have the fixings to make a big batch of Japanese style curry this weekend.
• Thanks to The Kitchn I have a much better method for storing said curry.
• The green onions that I'm growing from the bunch I purchased at the store are almost ready to plant.

How's your January going? I'm going to make a pilgrimage out to McCutcheon's tomorrow so I can restock my parents' pantry with orange marmalade and strawberry jam.

Best Wishes!

KP