Off Kilter

My world seems a little off kilter. Nothing serious, mind you, just a series of conditions and events requiring my need to re - equilibrate.

Tonight is an example. I ate a hamburger. I don't do hamburgers. Not only did I eat one, but ate a large one with relish. Not the relish you eat. I thought I would nibble it, perhaps, or eat just half. Instead, I licked my fingers after the last bite.

But first came moving Buddy and Roo's playhouse. After we built our front patio last year, the center of our outdoor activity moved from the back yard to the front - away from the playhouse. When I noticed it had been abandoned, I moved it closer to the front. It continued to just collect spiders. Roo and I agreed we would send it to her house, thinking she would use it there when friends came to play. Once the playhouse was in my daughter's front yard, we discovered both kids had grown too tall to stand up in the little house. A symbol of their toddler years is gone.

And so are the car seats! Both of them. First Billy's a few months ago, then, more recently, Roo's. Both kids use booster seats, now. Buddy's is brown. Roo's is hot pink. I am astonished every time I open the car door. Each time I am reminded that the children are growing up.

And I am growing older, too. My approaching 70th is, alone, enough to throw me off kilter. I have always been comfortable with my age, never keeping it a secret. But seventy? Come on! No denying I am "old" now. If you have reached seventy, you know. If not, let me tell you. That birthday will surely give you pause.

Then a little over a week ago, a family member died. She was just 61. Since she lived in South Carolina, I rarely saw her anymore. In spite of the distance, however, she occupied a large space in my head. She led a difficult life, and I had spent so many years helping manage her affairs that she leaves an emptiness - part relief, part sadness for the tragic life she led, some measure of guilt that I didn't make her life better. But there is also satisfaction that her last two years were better and more independent than earlier ones. And I had finally begun to not dread her calls and to actually enjoy some of them. What goes into her space?

And now my eyes are out of focus. A big pain in the head - literally. The doc says he can fix them with a little laser zap, but not for a month. Meanwhile, I will go around with a fussy view of the world.

Gary has a new chair, the house is cluttered, there is a big tree in my living room, and this week's schedule is a different from my normal routine. My mind is too busy to let me paint with abandon. My studio is messier than usual. I am learning a new computer for the art center.

Yes. Off kilter.

Shrimp Recipe

I mentioned this recipe on Facebook, and so many people asked me for it that I am going to post it here. It is from the September 2010 issue of Food and Wine, page 65. I will enter the recipe as it appears in the magazine and then mention the changes I made or will make next time - just quantity, though. It tastes good just as it is.

Quinoa with Spice-Roasted Shrimp and Pistou

1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
!/4 cup canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup(packed) basil leaves (they obviously mean fresh)
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley (they obviously mean fresh)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
2 1/4 cups water

1. In a resealable plastic bag, toss the shrimp with the garlic and onion powders, paprika, oregano, fennel, dried thyme, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until coated. Let stand at room temp for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor pulse the basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme leaves,garlic, and cheese. Add 2 tablespoons oil, puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a sauce pan, combine the quinoa, water, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
Season lightly with salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until the quinoa is tender - about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
4. On a baking sheet, roast the shrimp for about 8 minutes, until curled and pink. Cut the shrimp into thirds and add to the quinoa with pistou. Toss well, season with salt and pepper and serve.

My note: This recipe is for four people. I doubled it for the eight people we were having for dinner - except we bought two pounds of shrimp. Each person was served seven shrimp - just about right. We have a great fish market nearby, so we bought fresh shrimp. I am sure frozen would be OK, maybe not quite as wonderful.

I didn't cut my shrimp into thirds and toss in with the quinoa. I did toss in the pistou. Then I served the shrimp on top. Way prettier for a dinner party.

When I doubled the amount of quinoa, I had enough for my dinner party and then two more nights for Papa and me. So, maybe you don't need so much of that. I usually cook quinoa in broth, but I used water like the recipe says. I may use broth next time.

When deciding what to serve on the plate with the shrimp and quinoa, I considered color. Since the pistou would be making the quinoa green, I thought I needed something red on the plate and decided tomatoes would be a nice compliment to the other dish. So I roasted tomatoes, one of our favorite dishes, anyway.

Here's how:

I bought enough small (about 1 1/2" to 2" diameter) tomatoes to serve at least four per person plus a few.

I boiled a big pot of water and dunked each tomato until the skin broke. I lifted the tomatoes out, let cool just a bit, and slipped the peels off.

I lightly greased a large casserole dish and lined up the tomatoes in a single layer. I dotted butter evenly over the tomatoes, then sprinkled on a little sugar, salt, and pepper.

I roasted them at 300 degrees for about two hours. They were wonderful with the main dish.

I garnished the plate with chopped fresh parsley.

We had a crabcake appetizer, a green salad with raspberries, and a chocolate dessert. Yum.

Hope you enjoy.

School / Proud / Grateful

My daughter, Roo, and Buddy attended conferences with teachers today. Reports were so good that daughter and I were weepy. We are fortunate to have a great school and wonderful teachers who totally understand Buddy and Roo.

Surprise

Today my friend, Kay, picked me up at eleven. We planned to go to Cayucos for lunch and "catch up." In the last few months, we'd just not spent much time together.

We enjoyed the spectacular drive along our stretch of the California coast,then shared a great lunch and dessert. Afterward we went next door to a bakery just to check it out. I looked around at all their goodies while Kay looked trough publications stacked in a basket by the door. She picked up the latest copy of "Women's Press." "Hey," I said, "That's my painting!"

The editor had requested a digital image of "Dream Performance," but I hadn't heard if she was going to actually use it. So while it shouldn't have been a surprise, really, it somehow was.

See the painting on the sidebar to your right.

Fun:)

Yay!!!!!!

OK, so I whined about all my work on the grant proposal for the Art Center. I'll admit it. I worked hard for several reasons. The first, of course, is that I wanted the Art Center to have the opportunuties the grant would offer. I also felt that I would not be fulfilling my obligation to the center if I didn't at least try for the grant. The third reason is ego. I would have been embarrassed to submit something with my name on it that was less than polished. So I polished and polished.

Yesterday, I found a large white envelope in my mail slot. I was chatting with other Art Center members about silly stuff while casually opening it. Then my eyes just about popped out! We got the grant!!!!! $7,500 to be spent on computer equipment that will allow me to make digital presentations about the Art Center and for a display wall and storage in our classroom. We use that wall for our children's shows.

I am pleased....to say the least. My ego is intact, and the Art Center benefits:)

Now I will probably whine about all I must do to develop the presentations. I apologize in advance.

Reflection

When my iPad screen is dark, I see my reflection. Since the iPad rests on my lap, the angle is just the worst possible, doubling my chin, wrinkling my neck ......well, you get the picture. The iPad reflection, for some reason, also points out more clearly than any mirror all little scars, creases, and rough patches.

I am learning to avoid looking. Seeing myself the way iPad does is damaging to my self image. I want to be delusional bit longer.

Hint #2

Also put on your gloves when you use the new caramel and butterscotch inks:) Slow learner.