Yesterday it was rainy and I felt like having a tuna melt and some Campbell's tomato soup. So I did. And the odd thing was that I put celery -- actual raw celery -- into my tuna salad. Voluntarily. Those of you who know me know that this DOES NOT HAPPEN.
Now, I will grant you that it was minced up REALLY small, because there is just no universe in which large chunks of raw celery have any place in a tuna salad. *shudder* But for a melt, my usual relish didn't seem right. I wanted the diner-style tuna melt that I have so often had at greasy spoons... and those always have celery in 'em. So I went for it, making sure to mince up my celery nice and small. And it's true -- the celery tastes good in there, if your tuna salad happens to be consorting with melty cheese and crispy butter toast.
Open minds are fun.
Sorry, still busy enough to not post much. However:
- The Chilly Cow on Mass Ave in Arlington Center is YUM. Really excellent frozen custard. The pumpkin tastes like frozen pie, but we recommend the vanilla. Tastes almost butterscotch it is so rich and creamy.
- The chicken with vinegar at Chilli Garden in Medford is DREAMY. Comes with celery and bok choy and thin-sliced chicken in a buttery sour sauce. Absolutely fantastic. Also, it is something that can be safely eaten before swing dancing, unlike most Sichuan dishes that are full of garlic and/or spicy peppers, and therefore we will now be able to eat more frequently at Chilli Garden -- we are in Medford fairly often to dance and every time we mourn the reality that we can't take the opportunity to have a Chilli Garden fest.
- Sera brand turkish red pepper paste mixed with mayonnaise (and some spices, but that's optional) made a really excellent marinade for chicken thigh that went into the grill pan tonight. Easy as hell and really delicious.
- corn off the cob + lima beans + leftover green and yellow beans + lots of dill = yum
It got a little wacky here, with work and a bunch of dance events and other miscellaneous whatnot. Sorry for not posting, but when it gets like this the LAST thing I want to be doing is sitting at the computer even longer. Cannot be helped.
I just made a batch of chili that kind of wasn't so hot -- i think that unsweetened chocolate is not the way to go. Also needed more tomato. But it was definitely a chili sort of weather we've been having, so at least there's that.
Also a rather nice hungarian sauce of sauteed cubanelles with paprika, tomato and Turkish hot pepper paste. Had it on pasta with pork chops, and again with some sauteed kale and potatoes.
And I need to remember to make more cooked carrot and celery dishes. Braising the two together with chicken broth is a delicious thing, and I am continually forgetting that I can and should cook these vegetables on their own.