Oh my. It’s been more than a month. Is anyone still out there? I’ve SO wanted to come back here and chat…lose myself in the tasting and the talking about food and all things gustatory…coax deliciousness out of my new kitchen and share it here.
However: That new kitchen is taking a wee bit longer than expected to iron out its final kinks. In truth, the kitchen isn’t the only place playing host to “final kinks” (thus a seemingly never-ending parade of carpenters, plumbers, and what-have-you coming and going). The unpacking seems to never end (where did we get all that stuff???). And the move of my home office posed quite a few (hair-pulling) technical mishaps (resulting in a mountain of work not unlike a 16-car pile-up with a cherry on top). And somewhere in the middle of all this there were some, um, nursing dramas (the likes of which I will not bore you with here).
But here I am now, eyes firmly focused on the light at the end of the tunnel, and, more importantly, on all the wonderment around me I am thankful for (that make those little “road bumps” seem oh so inconsequential): That I actually have a new kitchen (albeit unfinished) with a new stove that can (finally!) fit 2 cake pans at once (hello layer cakes!) and more cabinet and bench space. That I am celebrating 4 happy years today with my best team mate ever. That, as cliché as it may sound, my mother has truly become my best friend. And, certainly not the least of all reasons, this little certain someone who is bewitching us at every turn :)
So…lots of reasons to jump out of bed each morning despite the lack of sleep. All that plus a bowl of this. My new obsession care of Alanna. I wish I could convey to you how deliciously addicting this is. How I daydream about it all day until it is the next morning and I once again have it in my arms. Thick, comforting oatmeal made sweet and nutty…it’s so much more than a sum of its parts, truly it is. Just ask Kalyn and Pille. I’ve added my own twist here by plopping in some jelly. I’ve used guava jelly (my favorite partner for the peanut butter sandwiches of my childhood…anyone remember Lady’s Choice Stripe?) but I imagine you can use any jelly you’d like – pick the one you would normally use for a PB&J sandwich. You can find Alanna's original recipe here. Pille's uses the stove top if that's what you prefer. To make mine, use either recipe and add a spoonful of jelly per bowl. This is just the thing to get you through a morning of plumbers, electricians, and carpenters, oh-my!
And speaking of those lovely fellows…I must go and get ready to greet them yet again. To those of you who are still here (marvelous bunch, I love you…I really do), the kitchen’s being revved and new food will once again be on the program soon!