May 17, 2021

            Ahhh, It’s a beautiful Sunday morning as I write this article. The coffee tastes particularly good today. Maybe it’s because my back is in agony. I did too much yardwork yesterday. I was trying to clean up the mess of weeds and volunteer locust trees that didn’t belong among the flowers. It may have been because I overindulged by a beer or two too many yesterday, but either way I am awake, I’m alive and I’m carrying on with my coffee cup in hand.

            Not much to report on the cookbooks progress today. I was pretty much in the back yard all afternoon so Sam made a wonderful a salad of romaine lettuce, cucumbers and parsley to start dinner. He also heated up some Trader Joes mini pizzas. We all love those things. I was still hungry or just needed something else to absorb all the alcohol so I made steamed vegetable Gyoza. These too I purchased at Joe’s.

            They are really easy to make. Just add water to an extra-large frying pan with a vegetable  steamer inside, give it a spray of Pam® and toss the Gyoza on top. Cover then let the gyoza steam away. Mmm those little pretties. Don’t peek! You will let all the steam out! After a few minutes, *poof* they are done!

            I pour out some soy suace into a small Pyrex custard dish. Then add a bit of wasabi and serve. I was the only one eating them and they were yummy.

            Sam had made some chocolate chip cookies Friday night for dessert. We took those to our friend’s house. Well, we took most of them with us, but we left six at home. I was so in the mood to eat those all day Saturday. I even purchased some fresh milk Saturday morning specially to have with one chocolate chip cookies. The cookies were made from my sister in-laws recipe and I love her cookies or anything she bakes. Like I said, we took the majority of them to our friends house on Friday night for Pizza night.

            Pizza night was Friday night and it was great. I had picked up two lightly cooked classic round New York pizzas (I ordered them on the way from the local pizza place). Then we each added our own toppings to each slice and reheated it in their oven on a preheated pizza stone. I only needed one slice. On mine was: Pepperoni, sliced meatball, sausage meat, sliced artichoke hearts, large diced red onion and sliced black olives. We had that with a nice bottle or two of red wine. I liked the one from St. Frances in Sonoma County better then its European cousin. The European red wine was far too acidic for my taste.

            Dessert Friday was Sam’s chocolate chip cookies of which I had none because I ate a slice of the banana cream pie from a local bakery. Silly me but I figured it would be okay because we still had half dozen cookies at home.

On Saturday, after my  second round of pizza in tow night and salad and vegetable Gyoza I sat and digested on the couch for a bit. Both Sam and Jennifer ran out to the store in search of chlorine, for out tiny above ground pool, which apparently there is a shortage of chlorine now. It was then that I started scouring the house in search of the six cookies. I needed only one to have with a large glass of cold milk. They were here earlier before I went outside to work in the yard. They must have saved me one, right? They knew I purchased the milk for them because I said I did.

After a brief search of the premises, nope there were no cookies to be found. I then proceeded to watch old reruns of Laugh-in in the hopes it might cheer me up. No such luck.

            Sam and Jenifer had returned from the store. Jennifer went upstairs to lie down as she was tired from a discouraging shopping trip that ended with no chlorine. . I inquired as to the whereabouts of the cookies with Sam.

Sam had said they seemed to be gone as he found the empty zip lock bag. “I have enough dough to make three more if you want?” Sam said. Bless that boy! It took what felt like an hour but I would have a deliciously warm chocolate chunk cookie and milk soon. It was then (as the cookies emerged from the oven) Jennifer came back down stairs. She too was still hungry as the mini pizzas were not a very big meal. She had some Raisin Bran while Sam and I each ate one cookie. The cookies were awesome! Well worth the wait. I only need one of this rich delectable delight and a large glass of milk. I was asleep on the couch soon after. Only to wake up 30 minutes later with screaming back pain.

            It was time for a hot shower, some Alieve® and a good nights sleep.

            Until next time, Don’t over do it and stay healthy, be happy and eat homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

            The Drunken Chef (Russ)