More deviling

Pickle juice is also a good addition to any mayo-based treat. Try it in potato salad, egg salad, macaroni salad- you get the idea.
For the devilish type: Some other additions to try are curry (good for your fanciest tailgates), bacon (good on anything), or mashed avocado for a little health boost/guacamole spin.

Shamed, and Deviled

Yes, my excuse for being MIA in forum-land is indeed what used to be called a 'delicate condition'. One of the many delightful outgrowths of this condition has been a recent obsession with creating the perfect deviled egg. Who doesn't like these? Perfect for the summer cookout (as long as you don't leave them in the heat too long), an appetizer that always pleases. Too bad making them yourself is so time-consuming, but, even the lazier Homespun Sister has to admit the homemade ones are far and away better than your pre-made supermarket creations.

Want to know a secret? After making many batches, getting input from people's Southern Mamas (one said: I just put Hellman's mayo, a bit of lemon juice and a bit of Dijon mustard in mine- topped with anything like chopped parsley, fresh
chives-caviar- whatever! Some people add relish or chopped green olives to the basic mixture.-") I have hit upon the Holy Grail ingredient: PICKLE JUICE. This isn't just a pregnancy talking. When you mix up your yolks, Mayo (I like Duke's), powdered mustard, celery salt and pepper, toss in some of the juice from your favorite pickle jar, be it dill or sweet (just never serve me the sweet without a warning, or you may have to clean deviled egg off your floor.)

public shaming and baby food

In an effort to get the other half of the homespun urban team back on the blogging saddle, so to speak, here's a topical query for the readers: What about making your own baby food? Yes, there will soon be a homespun baby on the way, and perhaps it's because it's not my baby, but it seems kind of silly to pay for baby food. Why not just buy the fruits and veggies in season, cook them, and puree? Wouldn't it be cheaper and better? Are there readers out there who snort at this idea and say "sure, let me see you and your homemade babyfood when you haven't slept for three days and you're covered in baby spit." I'm not mad, I'm just asking.

A salad for all seasons

I just made a salad that is pretty amazing, given its humble ingredient list. Like many good ideas, this one was born of necessity- I needed a salad for a dinner and all I had in the house for vegetables was carrots, canned beets, and canned chickpeas. I did a quick recipe search, got some general ideas and came up with this:
Cut carrots into thin sticks. Rinse chick peas and dry. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin. Roast in a single layer in a 375 oven for about 20-30 min. Add the beets in the last 10min, also tossed in the oil mixture. Let cool while you're fixing the rest of dinner. Toss with some vinegar, a little more oil if you want, and that's it! I know it doesn't sound that exciting, but this is one where the product is so more exciting than its written description. (And even if you're not a huge fan of chick peas, try it: roasting them makes them crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It will wipe away all memories of the chick peas on the Super Bar at Wendy's..) Plus, it tastes fresh, but is available all year long. Some variation include serving it over fresh lettuce, toss in some goat cheese, blue cheese, nuts, whatever. Tasty, good for you, and makes you pee red the next day- a fine salad all around.

We have growth. Repeat: We have growth.

Something is growing by the back fence/neighbor's yard- I'm not 100% sure if it's snap peas or morning glories, but I'm leaning towards peas. Who knew? Apparently the house is not sitting on a former nuclear power plant/thermometer factory/toxic waste dump. Stay tuned, sports fans.

WWJD in the bathroom?

I'd like to think he'd wash thoroughly...

Your homespun garden

True confessions: This is an area of homespun living that is my
weakness. Not weakness in the sense of "oh, I can't help myself, I love
to garden", weakness in the sense of "every green thing I touch dies".
But hope and the desire for a decent tomato that doesn't cost $4.98
springs eternal, so I've started to urban garden. Two containers oftomatoes
, herbs, assorted flowers are on the porch and on top of the garage.
I've flung seeds of morning glories, beans, and sunflowers in the dirt
near the fence to see what will grow. While digging in the dirt I found
some shards of what looked like someone's grandma's serving platters, which makes me wonder if I'm growing "Sweet 100's" or "Contaminated Leaddys". Anyone know how to test soil?

Stayed tuned, sports fans: if anything actually grows, I'll let you know.

I scream for ice cream?

I scream for Ice Cream? Dude, I almost wet my pants. It's the first day of decent, no, even NICE weather here in Boston, so to celebrate I dusted off the ol' ice cream maker and churned out a butter nut crunch that is so good it's hard to put into words. I guess 5 C. of whole milk and cream couldn't possibly be a bad thing, but add almonds, walnuts and pistachios to the mix and that stuff is off the hook. I also used a really corse salt when I cooked the nuts in butter (oh yeah), and I love the outcome. The salt doesn't melt into the ice cream but isn't quite crunchy, so you get a delicious salty sweet mix. You can't even imagine. Seriously.

Happy Homespun Easter, Nip-Hunters

Start old school: the whole family colors Easter Eggs the night before, and then the adults hide them around the lawn the next morning.

The nip hunt, however, brings the fun back for the adults. Side Bar: For those that don't know, a "nip" is not something dirty (for shame!), it’s one of those baby bottles of booze tucked on airplanes and in minibars. In New England they're called "nips," and that just sounds fun. Back to the hunt. Go out and bought assorted nips, quality ranging from Day-Glo flavored schnapps all the way up to a good single malt and a tiny replica of the Chambord bottle.

After the kids find their eggs, give them the nips and had them hide them on us. Nothing says “Easter” like the a flock of 10-12 year olds running around the lawn in their finest toting handfuls of booze. (Your neighbors will really love this. Especially if you do it in the halls of an apartment building.) Even our mother, who is a teetotaler of the highest degree (recurring quote “I don’t see why you girls think you need to drink to have fun,”) was turning over large piles of leaves to score that tiny Chambord.

The kids loved turning the tables on the adults, the adults loved the hunt and the after-hunt. It’s just like being a kid again - only with the adult reward of a beautiful cocktail

The $27.95 meal for only $5!

Everyone loves to get something for nothing, or at least something for cheap. In the New England area there is a grocery store called Market Basket that's known for being really cheap, especially in the meat department. In fact, the best part of the meat department at MB is what's called the "Primal Cut"- basically a side of animal for under $30, or close to that. The latest take at the MB was one lamb shank. I cooked it down with some red wine that had been open for too long, carrots and celery, balsamic vinegar and some broth and served it over mashed potatoes. I love the "slow and low" style of cooking, and if I saw that entree at a nice restaurant, I'd order it and probably pay in the $20 and up range (at least in Boston). However:

Shank: $2.37
Potatoes: $.75
Broccoli side: $.79

The sweet satisfaction of a great meal for damn cheap: Priceless