Four Foods For Friday #107

Uh oh. Kitchen “appearance” questions. My kitchen is a DISASTER and is in desperate need of a re-do. I am praying that this year is the year.

One question again this week.

1. Name two items on your kitchen counter.
2. What’s in your sink now?
3. What’s on your stove now?
4. What’s in your oven now?

1. Just two? Ummmm… like my contemporary coffee tables that I have scattered throughout the house, my kitchen counters are a catch-all for lots of stuff. I’ll *try* to keep it down to just two things: my Hamilton-Beach coffee maker (new one, review coming soon!) and three dish drainers of clean dishes! We have no dishwasher, and with 6 people in the house, three of whom work full-time and three of whom are in school… the dishes do pile up. :S

2. Dirty dishes. Not too many, though, thank God.

3. A tea kettle and a spoon holder that says “Give us the day our daily bread.” It’s new, and I like it.

4. Burnt food at the bottom.

So, that’s my FFFF! How did yours go?

Four Foods For Friday #106

Here we are again! The question is nice and simple, too.

What are four spices you must have in the house?

Good question! I am a “plain Jane” kind of cook; I don’t use too many salts, peppers, oils, butters, etc. Even at the dinner table, I rarely butter my bread or salt my food. But there are a few favorite spices I just love. I spent a few years experimenting with various spices, such as a curry/cinnamon mix that was actually kind of good. Plus, I hear curry is incredibly good for you. Not only has it been suggested to fight cancer, it is a possible appetite suppressant and therefore one of those natural weight loss supplements. I have no idea for sure– I never lost an ounce from eating a curry dish, I think you’d have to turn orange from eating it before you saw any results, eh?

ANYWAY. Spices. Here are my absolutely necessary spices:

1. Basil. I make a lot of Italian dishes, and I over do it with basil. I just can’t help myself!
2. Salamida Hickory Spice “Pinch” seasoning. This stuff is amazing. I use it on everything- soups, chickens, rice, veggies. It’s outstanding.
3. Garlic powder. For those days when I’m too lazy to mince garlic cloves. Which seems to be a lot of the time.
4. Oregano and Paprika and Cinnamon. It’s a tie.

Four Foods For Friday #105

Ooo I love these short and sweet FFFF questions. The longer ones are not bad, not at all, but sometimes it’s nice to list things.

What are your four favorite soups?

Weeeelll… I’m not much of a soup eater. I know they make a terrific diet aid, but I never feel full after having them. So my favorite soups are probably more like stews because they are thicker and have “stuff” in them. For what it’s worth, here they are:

1. Beef vegetable soup. With tender, tiny beef chunks and lots of veggies.
2. My Black Bean & Ham soup. It’s not something I’d want every day (no soup is), but this is very tasty.
3. Special Lentil Soup. I love the Salamida Hickory Smoke seasoning. I use that stuff on everything.
4. Good ol’ canned tomato soup. I used to eat it a lot as a girl whenever I stayed home from school. I always ate them with tuna fish sandwiches. It was one of the rare times my tummy every felt happy after having soup. And it’s one of those rather rare good childhood memories.

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