Inside The Perimeter

Excellent lunch with beer with ITP-Reader Barb at Schoolhouse yesterday.

I wanted to make “Ham and Bean Soup” from “‘I Love My Instant Pot’ Affordable Meals” by Aileen Clark last night. However, I’m having a hard time finding a bone-in ham steak for the recipe. I meant to stop into the Nam Dae Mun Asian Market on my way home from Schoolhouse yesterday, but didn’t do so.

It’s been awhile since I mentioned a brewery closure, and this one happened sometime last summer but I just found out about it. Ironmonger Brewing in Cobb County has closed. I drove past its location yesterday, and remembered to look it up when I saw the coaster I have from there while I was starting a new jigsaw puzzle.

Wordle: three, my starter was COUPE

Once again I hit it out of the park with my dinner, this time “Drunken Noodles with Chicken” from “The Complete Cooking for Two” by America’s Test Kitchen. If/When I make this dish again I will include thinly sliced onions as well as mushrooms to the concoction. As an added bonus, the Asian greens that I included into my concoction was harvested from Wee Little Farm just prior to cooking.

While I love researching and cooking meals, I’m a little less enamored with having to do all of the cleanup as well. It would be nice to have someone with whom I could share the chores. Last night was one of the few times I wish that I could use my ancient dishwasher.

This morning’s breakfast was avocado toast, not because I’m a hipster millennial, but rather because I forgot to eat the avocado with my lunch of nachos yesterday.

Wordle: five, my starter was VOCAL

I made “Hoisin-Glazed Baby Back Ribs” from “Milk Street Instant Pot” by Christopher Kimball for dinner on Friday. Unfortunately there was a bit of a cock up because the recipe didn’t specify a cup of water in the ingredients list, and I missed this addition in the directions. The end result was fantastic, but boy howdy did this preparation make a hell of a mess, made even worse when the liquid left over in the Instant Pot bowl spilled everywhere as I tried to clean it out. I will be doing this again in the near future, trying a different sauce, or maybe a dry rub?

Saturday’s dinner was “Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo” from “Louisiana Real & Rustic” by Emeril Lagasse. As I mentioned Friday it’s been decades since I made this, and the four hours it took to cook Saturday’s dinner reminded me why. Holy crap did I do a fantastic job! My dish was also improved with the addition of frozen WLF okra.

I had intended to make a soup for dinner last night, but decided to eat leftovers instead.

Tonight’s recipe will be “Drunken Noodles with Chicken” from “The Complete Cooking for Two” by America’s Test Kitchen.

And a happy birthday to ITP-Reader Bob!

Wordle: three, my starter was CRASH. Repeat after me: “The solution was in my list of starter words”…

Because I didn’t do a road trip yesterday, though I did get my bike ride, I was home for dinner. Instead of eating leftovers I made another Barbsagna using up a lot of pantry staples. I also did something out of character, opening a bottle of red wine and had some with dinner.

Talk of muffuletta earlier in the week has gotten me in the mood for New Orleans fare. I’m researching gumbo, and tomorrow will be my first gumbo creation in about 25 years.

Wordle: two, my starter was ENTRY

Continuing this week’s inadvertent “Project Week” theme, I will introduce another project which has gotten underway; this one is an art project… I have long been fascinated by inscriptions in books, as well as the words which are written on postcards. I have accumulated a small collection of both – books and postcards- and am trying to figure out how to photograph the items with their words transcribed.

As of publication I’m using the last of our “unseasonably” warm January weather (at least for now) to go out for a road trip / long bike ride. I am waffling on this however.

Wordle: three, my starter was RISKY

In my now ongoing effort to cook from my physical cookbooks I made waffles Sunday morning using the overnight waffle recipe in Shirley Corriher’s book “Cookwide”. For me it was too buttery/oily, but I won’t write it off just yet.

After a long, fun, and productive day away — including lunch with Barb and Allan, followed by meeting Sal and Allan at Schoolhouse Brewing — I returned home in time for dinner. After dinner I started watching tv, and it was if my batteries died as I crashed hard and accomplished nothing else for the remainder of the night. Of course when it was then time to go to bed, I was not tired…

Wordle: three, my starter was COUGH

Last night’s “Beefy Noodle Skillet” from “Ramen Noodle Recipes” didn’t look like much, but tasted okay. It was a lot like Spaghetti-Os with broken ramen noodles playing the role of the Os.

I’m working on a project, admittedly one that will make no money. The project, is to watch all of the episodes of True South which have been broadcast, and note down each song and restaurant/bar/market referenced. In addition to compiling a list, I intend to make an Apple Music playlist for each episode, as well as pin each business in Google Maps. There is already a True South song playlist on Spotify, but I don’t know if it’s complete, and I am no longer a Spotify user. I am also conflicted that I am using Google Maps instead of Apple Maps, but must admit that Google Maps is still superior.

Wordle: three, my starter was WAGER

Yesterday was a perfect day to get out for a bicycle ride. I wish that I had done so…

To honor the birth of ITP-Reader Steve, I’m going to get my eyes checked this afternoon.

Tonight’s Money Night Cookbook Recipe will be “Beefy Noodle Skillet” from “Ramen Noodle Recipes”.

Wordle: FAIL, my starter was ENTRY.

I’m working my way through a rewatch of “Get Back” the Beatles documentary. I have a few more series to get through on Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ before I cancel them at the beginning of February. Sadly this also means I will lose the Bundesliga (German soccer) but it will be nice to reclaim $25/month.

Yesterday afternoon I cooked a pot of collard greens, with guidance from a video I saw on YouTube. Last night I started perusing the physical cookbooks in my possession, and have found three which address this southern staple; I sense an ongoing project here, especially if I can harvest them from WLF.

Today’s Strands theme all but steals the title of my longest running art project “Home Was Where The Hearth Is”!

Wordle: six, my starter was RISKY

Happy New Year!

Being old and solitary, I just about forgot that last night was a time for celebration. Of course I was at home alone, and in bed before midnight.

I miss Cheddarhead…

I have had a rough few years, mentally, physically, and fiscally. The latter will continue to occur until I either find a source of decent income, or make a dramatic lifestyle change.

That being said, what has become apparent is that I have an amazing group of friends, who humble me constantly with their generosity and good will.

I am selecting a theme for this year, and it is “Resurrection”.
No, I’m not Jesus.
No, I’m not returning to hashing.

Here’s to all of you! May 2026 be healthy and happy.

Cheers,
Paulie

Oh yeah…
Wordle: three, my starter was USAGE