Taking a Day On

Some people have eyes bigger than their stomachs and during this time of year, we can all fall to gluttony. We snack and nibble. We bake and nibble some more. I am one of the odd people who can bake and walk away. I can cook and not eat. I seldom have cravings despite being a certifiable foodie. So when the gastronomic report arrives declaring a craving, I am keenly aware and unable to ignore. In the last week I have wanted some rich, hearty Italian cooking and then learned my preferred Italian restaurant had closed; I was quite despondent. I usually select my dining out choices by menus with items that I either cannot cook or can’t cook in a small enough portion to be feasible. And I had a craving for potato gnocchi and butternut squash but I had to figure out how to satisfy this picky palate. The solution was roasted butternut squash toasted with pan roasted chopped pecans and rubbed sage. I ate it over the fettuccine Alfredo I made for the boys’ dinner Wednesday. It was a bit heavy, but really really good.

I will make the squash again but serve it as a topping on rosemary bread like a bruschetta topping with goat cheese crumbles. Last night I set into making ricotta gnocchi for dinner. It is a recipe I adapted from Marta Stewart. I leave out the lemon zest but add crushed garlic OR garlic powder and rubbed sage.

I burned the entire dinner in the electric skillet that I rarely used (but is large enough to accommodate all of the gnocchi…..and burn all the gnocchi.) They went done the garage disposal along with my hurt feelings. I am unforgiving and lambaste myself when I fuck up especially when it is something totally unavoidable.I hate feeling stupid or incompetent.

I have also discovered that the “eyes too big for your stomach” can extrapolate to the To Do list and time management. I more frequently think I can do MORE in a fixed span of time that is feasible. I want to be able to tap on my clock like an icon on an iPad and stretch and expand it to reveal that one hour can be nine. I have good intentions. The list is not just of the required tasks I should be getting done today but also my creative desires, pet projects and visions. And I just simply can’t finish them. I have to push back and STOP. There is no ability to loosen the belt out a notch and make room for dessert when it is a list of tasks upon which you have gorged. You can’t purge up a bunch of them and get more time back. It is frustrating.

So of the things I have managed to accomplish yesterday included getting the boys to school with lunches and the necessary de riguers. I peeled, cubed and boiled the two sweet potatoes; they became a new twist on the Rustic Potato loaves in Baking with Julia.

I did finally finish the pillowcases for my bed. They match my quilt. I like them very much and I find this particular sewing project uber easy. And so, I want to make pillowcases for everyone as gifts for Christmas. It is a fine thing to do with all that fabric I have neatly washed, ironed and stored in Rubbermaid bins in the craft closet.

I also was able to pick up a package at the downtown post office. I bought an original print by Gennine and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have this pair of birds that will one day be displayed in my house…..my new house….the house that fills my head with no end of dreams and desires. Better get back to work.

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