FEROCIOUS women model their FABULOUS Brenda-Tie-Wear

FEROCIOUS!

When I was growing up down there in Raleigh, NC, I had a Chinese American friend named Brenda Tie.....one of the funniest, most interesting people I knew. We probably knew each other since Junior High times but became good friends in high school, and then were part of the same zany group of friends....FOMAS....Future Old Maids of America, when we were in college.

For several years I worked in the restaurant that her parent's owned, the Canton Cafe. (Where I told many customers that, no, I wasn't really Chinese. Or sometimes when they commented that I didn't look Chinese, I'd assure them that indeed I WAS. Hahaha, still makes me laugh).

Anyway, I kept up with Brenda many years after that too, sometimes seeing her when I went back to Raleigh to visit my parents.

Oh! And plus! PLUS! Brenda was one of the friends that invented the High-Five with me!

When my own girls were little, we lived in the woods of Virginia far far away from the leading edge of style and fashion. Besides that, we were more rough and tumble types....sneakers, hiking boots, blue jeans, corduroy....nothing fancy. And really knew nothing of leopard print.

At that time, Brenda's family, she has a husband and daughter, lived in Atlanta. Though certainly not NYC, it definitely far outpaced our neck of the woods, fashion-wise.

Our families exchanged Christmas cards for many years. They always sent those cards with a photo of their family. One year the card came with Brenda and her daughter completely decked out in leopard print. My daughters...and me...were completely boggled and amazed by all that leopard. We'd never seen the like of any such thing! Certainly not in Shifflet's Hollow, or Free Union or even in Charlottesville. We were completely in awe of this fashion statement. And thus it became known in our family as Brenda-Tie-Wear.

Anytime we'd see leopard print, we'd always point it out...."there goes some Brenda-Tie-Wear!" It was exciting......whenever we saw it.

We've made Brenda-Tie-Wear a part of our vocabulary, sometimes giving one another leopard print just for the joke of it.

About a week before Christmas this year, Steve and I were in Target having a fairly important and serious conversation with someone when we both spotted it at the same time. A whole display of Brenda-Tie-Wear! Hats! Mittens! Scarves! We could barely contain ourselves and strained not to go dashing right over, though in the end managed to maintain composure like grown-ups are suppposed to do.

Oh the joy! The whole rack was on sale too. 40% off. Bonanza! So we bought 7 pairs of mittens and 7 hats. One of those sets was for me. Yes, I wrapped my own hat and mittens and put them under the tree for myself. I didn't want to be left out of this very exciting Brenda-Tie-Wear moment. And yes, Curly Shirley, Steve's mom got mittens and a hat too. Of course.

I mean, really, don't we all look just so cute......uh, uh, FEROCIOUS!

Stylin' ferocious women (from bottom and left to right): Anna, Lucy, Ariel, Gwendolyn (Alyssa's friend), Alyssa, Curly Shirley, and myself.

Hooray for Brenda-Tie-Wear!

Jambalaya Commander's Palace!!!

Alrighty O! Last weekend I made Deb's Jambalaya Commander's Palace. I love this dish. Though the first time I made it, the rice wouldn't cook.....I guess I shoulda put the juice in with the tomatoes after all....and maybe even more juice, stock, water.

The next day I added more stock and some, oh yum!, a little more mysterious Cajun Seasoning (Sazonador Cajun....to be even more exotic) and oh my, oh! this is the flavor of my dreams.

Za! So I would offer this recipe with a few modifications.

Plus it makes a TON. I made half and have had it as leftovers, just Steve and I, twice.....plus two lunches for me. And I'm not tired of it. OH! And I froze some too. Thank goodness. But lots and lots. If you ever have to garrison the platoon at your house, this is the recipe you want to use.

Filling, delicious, and lo-o-o-o-ts! And lots.

If you want any of these recipes, just ask. I have them in a special file folder and can copy them easily. Eventually, I'll put them together in a booklet and boy o boy, will we all be eating well.

Cooking with Joy

Here it is.....the beginning of the long cold dark winter. I am at loose ends, can't figure out what to do with myself. Not ready yet to go back to work. After the busy-ness of the last few months you'd think it would feel good to just relax, but quite honestly, it feels mushy, stewing-in-my-own-juices lazy and too weird.

I need a project!

Oh but, ah......I have a project. One that got off to a great start last year, but then stalled out as other things filled the time and hurriedness took over.

The Joy of Cooking project. I love it! Asking each person I know of their favorite recipe, I will shop, prepare and cook that dish, thinking of them and enjoying the process of cooking with mindfulness.

First recipe this year: Poor Man's Lobster Theridore given to me by Sharon. I DID have to write a threatening ransom-style letter to get this recipe, but it was so worth it.

The dish was easy to make and delicious. I didn't feel poor at all! Richer even!

These are the recipes that I've made so far and I have to say, every one of them is wonderful. I've made them again and a couple have become mainstays. The cool thing is that some of them I'd never try without this project. When given a recipe, I MUST make it, no matter how hard or how exotic the ingredients. And you know what?! Some of those flavor combinations are some I've never experienced. Some of the ingredients I've never heard of either.

Yippee! Back to the project at last.