July 2022 – Rainy Saturday Creative

A Weekend to Cook: Using the pantry and produce box

Posted on July 30, 2022 by jsunrain

A couple of weeks ago I made stuffed shishito peppers. I enjoyed it so much I decided to make it again. Enjoyed it again and I think I am satisfied now. The recipe is here: Shishito Peppers Recipe – Cream Cheese Stuffed | Kevin Is Cooking

The strawberries and Campari tomatoes are already in my stomach. Oranges and grapefruits to enjoy whenever. No plans for the lemons, potatoes, or green peppers yet. Green beans and green onions are for fried rice. I will probably make that tomorrow. It will be similar to what I made here: First Farmers Market of 2022: what I cooked day 2 – Rainy Saturday Creative

The garlic was for a ravioli bake. First a few weeks ago the cafeteria had a ravioli bake and I really loved it. My coworker says she makes it it home. I basically followed her instructions which I will get to in a minute.

I am also trying to use up stuff that is crowding my pantry. I didn’t have any immediate use for all these tomato products and they were approaching their expiration date. So instead of buying tomato sauce for the ravioli bake I made my own. I put all the tomato products, except for the tomato paste, in a large bowl. I squished the whole tomatoes and threw away some of the hard bits. Then I used an immersion blender to make it smoother. I did this first because I wanted to leave the texture of the onions and garlic.

I first sautéed some onions and garlic. Then I added the tomato paste and some seasoning. Italian, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stirred all that for a couple of minutes. Then I added the tomato mixture to the pot and stirred it all together. I almost forgot to add roasted peppers, not that it needed it really. I chopped up about a cup and added it in. Then I let everything simmer for about a half hour stirring occasionally. I let it cool down before assembling the ravioli bake.

I put the ravioli bake in a 9×13 pan, though I would suggest larger one if you can. I had a 25oz bag and didn’t use all of them. I put in a layer of sauce, then ravioli, then sauce, then ravioli, then the last of the sauce. Topped it with shredded mozzarella cheese. Baked in the at 350° for 30 minutes and then 375° for 10 minutes. It came out pretty good. Sauce was still a little too chunky for my taste, but it is fine. Next time I will use jarred sauce.

Laundromat Diaries July 29th 2022

Posted on July 29, 2022 by jsunrain

When I entered the laundromat, it was dead quiet. Though I noticed someone’s clothes in the wash machine that is done. I imagine they will come along at some point and put it in the dryer.

While I was putting my clothes in the wash and feeding it quarters I heard the door open. In the other aisle I saw a hat moving to the back of the laundromat. Then the bathroom door closed. After I got settled in the easy chair I saw an old man that belongs to the hat, walking around pressing all the coin returns to see if he could get change. I don’t think he had any luck.

Just after the old man left the person whose clothes were in the wash came in. In a whirl he was gone again while his clothes dry. I sometimes go home or run errands while my clothes are here too. Most of the time I am content to stick around.

I decided to eat at home after I am done with the laundry, so I didn’t sit at the booth this week. I sat in the one easy chair. Before COVID there was another easy chair. It was big and green and leather or faux leather, all beat up with duct tape patches. I LOVED that chair. They got rid of it because they felt they couldn’t keep it sanitized well enough. Makes sense, but I was sad. The laundromat remained open because we still need clean clothes. Most of us wore masks. There is always an outlier. A few months ago they got a new easy chair. Not as big and comfy as the old one, but the most comfortable seat in the place. On the left is the old one and on the right is the new one. Nice place to sit and read.

After a while the usual Friday night man comes in, quickly followed by mother and her older teenage daughter. They have never been here before. The mother firsts notes that there are booths. Then realizes they forgot laundry detergent so bought some out of the old machine. The daughter is quiet, perhaps bored. Mom is a spitfire here to get things done! My wash will be done in a few minutes.

When I got to the washer, it said one minute left. That one minute lasted two minutes. I counted to 60 twice. The washing machines have always lied. You need to add at least five minutes to the time it gives you. The dryers at least tell the truth. I know like clockwork the dryer will be done in 64 minutes. I like my clothes bone dry, I don’t want to chance any wetness. With that 64 minutes I can truly relax with my book as bad 80s music plays. Someone remind me to bring headphones next time. I should just keep them in the car. Another mother and her adult daughter just walked in. These two are easily talking to each other.

At some point reading makes me sleepy, I still have over a half hour before clothes dryer is done. I play games on my phone. Go for a tiny walk see the barely there park next to the strip mall, check out what the back of the building looks like. I recently bought a near perfect purse at Goodwill. Decent amount of pockets and large enough to carry a notebook and reading book with me. So at CVS, which is next to the laundromat, I bought a notebook and gel pens I totally didn’t need, but one was the prettiest teal color! By then my clothes were finally ready to take out of the dryer and go home!

Laundromat Diaries July 15th 2022

Posted on July 15, 2022 by jsunrain

Left work early so I got to the laundromat early. Place is busy! They have two booths: one is occupied but the second one is misshaped now so I can’t sit there. Change guy is here. So overall busy and slightly noisy. Annoying day at work, semi annoying laundromat. And yet I don’t want to go home during the wash and dry cycles. I didn’t bring a magazine or book, and again, I don’t want to go home, so I got one of those variety puzzle books next door at CVS, but it will be a trip to do sitting in the small easy chair. Maybe I will stand at one of the folding tables instead. I don’t want to be on my phone the whole time, that gets boring.

Just before I threw my clothes in the dryer, the lady in the booth left, so now I am more comfortable. The two ladies talking non stop went outside to continue talking. Not sure why, no one said anything, but they did. Now it is me, one other lady and the change guy. Starting off with an easy word search, a nice pleasant way to clear the head, and my head needs plenty of clearing!

Some really nice lady walked in and we talked for a couple of seconds. I always forget how horrible the music is here and that I should bring headphones, but I suppose that would make small talk not possible.

Suddenly something good sounding is on, though I don’t recognize it. Wonder if the change guy has something to do with it. Not mad!

Think he does. His music is playing louder than the laundromat’s music. I hope he stays here until I leave. His music choices are so much better.

Dang it! I still have over a half hour and he left.

Moving onto Codeword! Always loved this one. Also love cryptograms and logic puzzles even though I am not as good at logic puzzles as I used to be.

When I left I was the only one in there and ready to go home. There were still washers and dryers going for other people, but it was nice to be done for myself!

First Misfits Market Box

Posted on July 14, 2022 by jsunrain

I received my first Mistfits on Wednesday July 13th 2022. There are tons of unboxing videos on YouTube, I do not have one. You can watch those if you want to see the packaging. I am not going to cover that except to say everything arrived great. Only issue is the blister pack holding the mint opened somewhere in the process and so the mint was loose in the box. It was still good looking and usable. In the YouTube videos some complaints people have are things that wouldn’t be an issue for me. Where people had legitimate bad stuff they were able to contact Misfits and get a credit. And I should say I am in no way sponsored and I don’t have some code for you. I went to the web site and the first order was $10 off.

This is what I got in my first box:

The kale I cleaned, removed the stems, ripped up some and put in a plastic baggie with a paper towel to keep it fresh. I will cook it two ways this weekend. Try a friend’s sauté recipe and also making kale chips in the air fryer. I hate kale but as long as I have it may as well give it another chance. The avocado’s are destined for avocado toast. Right now they are still rock solid.

Oranges will be just peeled and eaten. The tomatoes I cleaned and sliced. I might use them for other things, but for now I am thinking tomato sandwich.

The scallions and peppers were cleaned, sliced, and stored properly. Not sure what I will use them for exactly, but they are food I love to gorge on, so I am sure finding a purpose won’t be a problem. The onions will hang out until they have a purpose. Again, I am sure they will have a purpose soon, I love onions.

I forgot to take photos of the blackberries, spring mix, brussel sprouts, mint, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber. I don’t like cooked brussel sprouts. They always look good in photos roasted, but when I tried it, it wasn’t good. Years ago I followed a recipe for a raw brussel sprout salad and it was good. I no longer remember the recipe, but I cut them and added them to the spring mix. I don’t like to eat cherry tomatoes whole, so I cut them in half and put them in a separate container. I will add them to the salad on an as need basis. I will probably snack on some as well.

I made a sort of tzatziki sauce, but no dill. I diced up the cucumber real small and put it in yogurt with minced garlic and added salt. I was going to use this as a salad dressing for the salad, but I think I have another idea. Stay tuned.

The blackberries have already been devoured.

So far I really like it. I switched my delivery to Saturday because that is when I will more likely be home and can relax as I prep the produce for whatever I want to make. I didn’t do a good job of editing this week’s cart, but I will make sure not to order kale and brussel sprouts in the future. You have to have a minimum $30 order. If you want cold items like meat that is an additional $30 of stuff you have to order. But if you can skip that then you don’t have to worry about it. You can skip weeks if you want to. For the produce I thought prices were comparable, if not better than were I shop. For non produce items, the prices didn’t seem that good. The shipping for me was $7. I got the small box. I will likely keep it up, but I might skip weeks here and there. I never buy this much healthy stuff when I shop, so this is great.

Laundromat Diaries July 8th 2022

Posted on July 8, 2022 by jsunrain

I did do laundry last week but I was tired and headachy and decided to go home during each cycle. Also, someone had almost all the machines used, I believe I got the last washer. Not sure.

Thankfully this week there was only one woman here when I came in, and shortly after me another woman. Plenty of washers available. Only distraction is the worst of 80s music. There is plenty of 80s music I like, but the radio station they have on doesn’t hardly play any of it. If I was the only one here I might blast some delicious goth music!

Dinner tonight was the meatball and provolone sub from Cousins. Cousins is my favorite sub shop. Only thing is they don’t wrap their hot subs in foil to keep them hot. It was lukewarm by the time I got settled into the laundromat. It was still good, just could have been better.

This last week for a few days I went on a social media detox. Not because of social media itself, but because it is a major time suck and I wanted to devote time to reading, knit/crochet, podcasts and finding my inner self or however you want to call it. It has actually been kind of nice.

The book I am reading this week is Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There”. It is a really good read so far. Not boring at all. Might be if you hate nature I suppose. Is there anyone that hates nature? Can’t imagine. My best friend, an avid birder, his birthday is at the end of the month, I bought him a copy.

A podcast I have been listening to when I am not reading is the one from Joanne Lee Molinaro|The Korean Vegan. Even if you aren’t vegan, the podcast is more about navigating life. A couple of episodes dip into the veganism, but not overwhelmingly so. I have her cookbook The Korean Vegan which is lovely even if you aren’t vegan, and I am not, but I dab into it. Along with recipes are family stories. Get the cookbook and/or listen to the podcast. I highly recommend both! Korean Vegan Podcast

Just before putting my clothes in the dryer another woman came in. The first woman I am guessing is done and the second probably elsewhere during her wash cycle. The one man I see most Friday’s came in after I put my clothes in the dryer. So now there are three of us, but all is quiet and peaceful. Depending I don’t mind some commotion, people having conversations, and children running around. I was once one of those children when going to the laundromat with my mom when I was 5. I remember the adults smiling at me as I joyfully made the rounds.

I had errands to run after laundry and it would help me finish my Apple Watch circles and finish my 10,000 steps, but I saw 35 minutes before my dry cycle was done my watch battery was almost dead. So I went home and managed to get it back up to 30%. Just enough to get me through the rest of the day. Came back to the laundromat and got my clothes. The man I see almost every week was finishing up around the same time. I then ran my errands and met my exercise goals.