Blogging is FUNdamental

Here are some fun facts about me, for post # 98.

• I have this interesting habit of playing pretend. If I really want a certain ingredient, like frozen broccoli, but I have another frozen vegetable instead, I will cook in the same manner, using the other frozen veg, and firmly pretending that the other frozen veg is broccoli. I'm always a little surprised when I bite into my food and it's NOT what I expected, but since I was ignoring the facts all along, I get what I deserve.
  
  • Case in point: The other night I tried to make a variation on my Auntie Beth's yummy broccoli-rice casserole. It had to be a variation because it was 10 pm and I didn't have basically any of the ingredients, except rice. So I used my rice cooker and the handy steamer attachment to cook the rice and defrost some frozen spinach, I reduced some milk and a splash of chicken broth, seasoned it with salt, pepper, cumin, and a teeny bit of nutmeg, and shredded the last of my yummy leerdamer cheese. I put some parmesan into the milk sauce, mixed the rice, spinach, and Leerdamer together, poured the milk sauce over, and topped it with parm and breadcrumbs. Baked at 400 for 20 minutes.
  The whole time, I was imagining that my frozen spinach was, in fact, frozen broccoli. I was surprised when it wasn't. Even though I encountered its non-broccoli-ness every step of the way. But it was tasty. And bonus points for being an easily identifiable foodstuff: a casserole.

• I often say in my job that the level of work I've put in has earned me a cheeseburger. Or, "I deserve a cheeseburger". I really believe that payment in cheeseburger would work for me as a bonus incentive. I'm not saying I earned the calories. I'm not saying anything about how food can be earned in the psychological sense. I mean in the strictest physical sense, working till 8pm two nights in a row earns me a cheeseburger, and somebody needs to get on that.
  
  • Case in point: Last night, Jesse and I went to Bonnie's, which is Jesse's burger place from back when he used to live in the neighborhood. My burger place is DuMont Burger, and we are both fiercely loyal. Like, even though Bonnie's is less fancy and has quicker service and more places to sit, I will always prefer a DuMont burger. ALWAYS. Even if Bonnie's is just as good. So last night, sicne Bonnie's is closer to our apartment, and DuMont Burger is in Williamsburg which is close to nothing unless you live IN Williamsburg....we went to Bonnie's after I got out of work at 8pm, and had cheeseburgers. And for the first time in history. Seriously. I finished my entire cheeseburger and the majority of my fries. I would have eaten them all if Jesse hadn't been filching them off my plate, allegedly to scoop up the last of the amazing spicy mayo/french fry sauce they have. It was brilliant. It was delicious. When I took the first bite, I realized that I really, truly HAD earned a cheeseburger. Nom.

That's enough fun facts for now. I'll be back some other time, possibly tonight, with more fun and food.
Inching our way to the big 1-double-oh!!