Thank You

I just wanted to thank all of you who left me such kind words about the loss of Fatty. It really me touched me to see that so many of you knew just how I felt and grieved along with me. I received beautiful emails, comments, and even a card in the mail.

Kimberly a special thanks for your comment and beautiful poem. I am so happy to know that there are people out there who I can connect with through these pages.

Thank you all again. Your thoughtfulness means so much to me.

Beef Stroganoff

Tati and I took off and went to Things Made Wonderful today (my absolute favorite store). It was good to get away from the house. The ride up there is beautiful and Tati and I laughed and talked the whole way there. I needed that. They had an outdoor garden party so there were some little booths set up outside. It was nice. I picked up a few things, 2 really cute wooden daises for the yard and a new table runner for the kitchen. I was in much better spirits by the time I left the store.

I made Beef Stroganoff last night for supper from a recipe at Simply Recipes.com. What can I say, the girl can do no wrong. It was really tasty. John will be bringing the leftovers for work tomorrow. He starts his new job! Yeah!

Beef Stroganoff

6 Tablespoons butter
1 pound top sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 1 inch wide by 2 1 /2 inch long strips
1/3 cup chopped shallots
½ pound portabella mushrooms
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon dry tarragon
1 cup sour cream, room temp

Melt 3 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Increase the heat to high/med-high and add the strips of beef. You want to cook the beef quickly, browning on each side, so the temp needs to be high enough to brown the beef, but not so high as to burn the butter. You may need to work in batches. While cooking the beef, sprinkle with some salt and pepper. When both sides are browned, remove the beef to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots. Cook the shallots for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings. Remove the shallots to the same bowl as the meat and set aside.

In the same pan, melt another 3 Tbsp of butter. Increase heat to medium high and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. While cooking, sprinkle the nutmeg and the tarragon on the mushrooms.

Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream to the mushrooms. You may want to add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the sauce (or not). Mix in the sour cream thoroughly. Do not let it come to a simmer or boil or the sour cream will curdle. Stir in the beef and shallots. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately over egg noodles, fettuccine, potatoes, or rice. Serves 4.

I served this over these really cool noodles that I found called Mafalde. The look like little mini lasagna and worked really well with this recipe.

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

I can’t possibly cry anymore than I have in the last 3 days. Yesterday, for the 2nd morning in a row, I woke up with my eyes swollen almost shut. I laid down with some tea bags on them to try and reduce the swelling. It did help a little. I was up early, 6am. The house was silent, just me and my cup of tea; even Moose wasn’t getting out of bed to keep me company. I noticed my Mom cleared the house of anything that reminds me of Fatty. The Rubbermaid container that his food was in is gone, and there is no trace of cat food or treats. Friday morning I had thrown his food bowls in the trash. I just couldn’t look at them. John took his favorite blanket with him. His bed is also gone. The spot where it always was seems empty now. I don’t need “things” to remind of him. I have my memories and my photographs. I know there will come a time when I look back and smile and laugh and tell stories about him, but right now, I’m still hurting.

I kept myself busy yesterday to try and help lift this cloud of sadness that is lingering over me. We worked in the yard again. I stained the little wheel barrow John built for me, I cleaned out the armoire in the kitchen and I cleaned the fridge and washed every square inch of it. I even scrubbed the rubber molding with Q-tips. I know, I know, a bit compulsive, but it was dirty! John put the Beatles on for me because he knows they make me happy and after awhile I found myself singing along and before you know it I was looking for a cupcake recipe to make, cause we all know cupcakes make everyone a little happier.

I had narrowed it down to dark chocolate or yellow cupcakes. I asked John to pick, he chose the yellow, so yellow it was. From Cooks Illustrated I bring you:

Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1 ½ cups AP flour
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg, room temp
2 large egg yolk, room temp
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin using 2-ounce ice cream scoop or heaping tablespoon. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Use skewer or paring knife to lift cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature, about 45 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1 cup heavy cream
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped (I used chips)

Bring cream to boil in small saucepan or in microwave. Place chocolate in medium bowl and pour boiling cream over. Cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool and slightly firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment; whip mixture at medium speed until fluffy and mousse-like and forms medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Spread 2 to 3 generous tablespoons Chocolate Ganache Frosting on top of each cooled cupcake; serve.

These didn’t turn out as good as I expected. They were a little on the dry side but it might have been because I used the nut cups again. I think I left them in a bit too long. I had a half of one and they were edible, but not great. They really aren’t too pretty either.

FATTY

1987 - 2008

I suppose I could have titled this “Things that break my heart”, but I won’t do that. What happened this morning did make my heart ache in pain though. I have started and stopped writing this a dozen times, my words blinded by my tears, memories flooding my mind.

For the last 21 years Fatty has been a beloved and faithful cat. He brought me more joy then I could ever put into words. The little kitten that I picked up in 1987, that could fit in the palm of my hand, who has been my constant companion through all the ups and downs during half of my life is gone. He had a stroke last night. One minute he was out on the deck enjoying the sunshine and the next he was dragging his hind legs. I yelled for John. I knew it was bad. He called one of the Vets from work. I couldn’t listen. I knew what he was telling him. I knew.

Fatty had been failing steadily for well over 6 months. He’d have his good days and his not so good days. The last month or so his not so good days were outnumbering his good ones. He wasn’t even fat anymore. Just a shadow of the big round lump that he used to be.

I can say that he had a glorious life. He lived outside for most of the year, only venturing in during the chilly fall nights. He hibernated with us in the winter. His favorite spot was on the back of the couch. I would pick up him when he couldn’t jump up anymore, just so he could spend some time there, looking out the window.

When I was divorced and living on my own for the very first time in my life, it was often just Fatty and me. The boys Dad would come to take them and I was left alone in the house, petrified. Every night he would lie on the couch right above my head, and he would let one paw hang down so it touched me ever so slightly. I always liked to think that was his way of saying “I’m here Mama”.

He was hunter. I couldn’t even begin to count all the mice, moles, squirrels, and birds that he left for me over the years. Always making sure I saw his latest catch, happily purring and rubbing against my leg until I said “Good Job Fat Man” and gave him a scratch behind the ears. He was happiest outside, lying in a sunny spot, drinking out of the mini birdbath that he claimed as his watering dish.
He always kept us laughing. One of the funniest Fatty stories happened at Thanksgiving time. I had baked up a bunch of pies, wrapped them up and covered them in linen towels. I had them lined up on the stove. Thanksgiving morning I awoke to find Mr. Fatty comfortably curled up in one of my pies. He was quite content all balled up in my pumpkin pie. Must have had a nice warm nap. I wish I had a picture of that, but at the time I was quite perturbed with him, so I wasn’t reaching for the camera.

He and Moose didn't get along so well at first. Fatty had been the king of the house for many years and he wasn't so happy to have Moose join the family. They slowly got used to each other. Over the past year they would lay on the couch together and even drink from the water bowl at the same time. They became buddies. You just couldn't help but love Fatty. He always looked cranky, in almost every picture he looks a little pissed off, but that was just him. Inside he was a big lovable mush.

When he was younger he would announce that he was ready to come in by jumping up on the deck rail and inserting a claw into the screen of the kitchen window. He would snap that screen back and forth until you heard him and let him inside. Pretty smart kitty.

Mitch and John had to shave him a few times over the last few years. He had stopped grooming himself and became so matted that they had to get the industrial sized shears from work to shave his back. He looked so pitiful after those shaves, but he felt (and smelled) so much better.

As he got older, even his voice changed. He no longer meowed, he squeaked. Short little bursts of sound to let us know he was hungry, or wanted out. We discovered the squeak about a year ago. About 3am one morning I heard what I thought was one of the smoke detectors starting to loose battery power. You know how they make the annoying noise every 30 seconds or so? Well I heard that noise and nudged John to get outta bed and please pull the battery out until morning. When he returned to bed I asked him which smoke detector is was. “Fatty” he said. “That was Fatty. He was hungry”.

Two years ago John brought him into work to have a small tumor removed from his side. As the Doctor examined him he told John he couldn’t believe that he was 19 years old at the time. He was in great shape. His only complaint was that he purred so loud that he had trouble hearing his heartbeat. That was my Fatty, always purring, always happy. He really was the perfect cat.

John always said he was the first friend he made in Rhode Island.

He had been my friend for 21 long and happy years. I don’t think there is a cat out there that could have wished for a better life.

I will miss you my sweet boy.

Things that make me happy #12

DAISIES

Not just any flower, but daisies in particular. I usually buy a bunch about every month or so since they almost always last about 3 weeks. I break a large bunch up into smaller groupings and scatter them around the house, sometimes in vases or old milk bottles, or this neat little vase I found today and just had to have. The top has a "frog". Not a ribbit frog, but a floral frog, which is little round holes to help the flowers stand up straight. I love it.

This months bunch is yellow. Last month my Mom got me a huge bunch of white ones for my birthday. Any color will do for me. They are my absolute favorite flower. I'll take a bunch over roses any day of the week.

Daises make me happy.

Check out the 2 new love nuts the guys found when they were diggin the flagpole.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sometimes the mood just strikes you and you have to walk away from the cupcake recipes and make a muffin now and then. I like to think of cupcakes and muffins as cousins in the world of food. Similar, but still very different. Muffins conger up thoughts of breakfast, portable food, where the cupcake says celebration to me, birthdays and parties. Although I love my cupcakes, sometimes you just want a nice muffin and a big glass of milk.

This is yet another in my never ending pile of recipes I want to try. John and I split one in half to do a taste test. I got a big “Mmmm” outta him immediately, so I knew they were good before I even bit into my half. I said to him “this is a Nigella recipe, you know the dark haired English lady on Food Network?" For a second he tilted his head and scrunched up his nose, and then he said “Oh the one with the big boobs”. Yes honey, the one with the big boobs. Why am I not at all surprised at that?

These muffins, although light in texture, have a wonderful chocolaty flavor. I will definitely be making these again. I’m sure the big boobed lady will be proud.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins
Nigella Lawson

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
3/4 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 cup milk
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special equipment: Muffin tin with paper muffin cases (I used nut cups for a change)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into a large bowl. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffins. Spoon into the prepared muffin cases. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top and then bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Baby Back Ribs

Yesterday was glorious. The weather could not have been more perfect. Low 70’s and sunny. We spent over 8 hours working in the yard. The kids rode their bikes and scooters, the dog and cat spent all day laying in the sunshine, we worked and sweated, and it felt oh so very good. I edged a new garden bed that I had made last year, we got out two of our three patio sets, washed them up for the season and had the back yard looking almost like summer again. We cleaned out the shed and purged all the old junk and toys the boys no longer play with and John finally got the flag pole he has wanted for over 6 years now, and put it in the ground. All the kids, even our neighbor Isabelle, wrote their names in the concrete. John was so happy to see his flag flying.

I knew it was going to be a hectic day, so I had made some pasta salad earlier on in the morning and had put a delicious rub on 3 racks of baby back ribs the night before. Every time we opened the fridge this fantastic smell came wafting out at us. The ribs slow cooked in the oven for about four hours on 250, tightly wrapped in foil. I could literally pull the bone right out of the meat. John threw them on the grill to crisp them up and then he poured on some BBQ sauce. They just melted in your mouth.

I used America’s Test Kitchen’s Rub. The only things I omitted were cayenne pepper and the white pepper, both of which I did not have, and also did not want to use. We are wimpy on the heat factor here, all of us cept John that is.

America’s Test Kitchen Rub

4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper