Revelations

No, this is not a biblical post. I know you were excited though...

This week, several things have been revealed to me that I haven’t thought much about before. Living in a new house in a new place with a (relatively) new husband, you come to find out really quick things that need to change.

Revelation #1: We NEED an iPad. Yes, need. I am not normally one to confuse needs with wants, but this time, the line is severely blurred. Reason being, we mostly watch TV online in the evenings, as well as Skype our families and friends, meaning that my blogging gets shoved to the back burner. Hence the sorry-it’s-taken-me-four-days-to-post post. Also, when we are watching TV, agreeing on something sometimes does not work. When soccer is on, it usually takes precedence above all else. WE do have regular TV, but sometimes, I like to watch something I want to watch. Not just “what’s on.” I’m a spoiled American. Sue me.

Revelation #2: I want a dog. I know Miguel cringes inside every time I say it, but I really, really want a dog. This business of being dog-less for so long (my inlaws’ dog, Tammy, does NOT count. She’s an idiot.) sucks. And I see about a zillion dogs a day walking around being all cute and stuff. Gah. I keep telling my hubs to find out which of his teammates have dogs and ask them if I can play with them. The only response I get is usually a raised eyebrow, sometimes accompanied by an eye roll. Need dog. Now.

Revelation #3: Need(ed) a new oven. If you’ve been keeping up, you know that my oven is horrid. And, I have the absolute BARE necessities in the way of knives and other chopping devices. Earlier in the week when I reach my last straw with that stupid oven, I nearly cried. And my wonderful husband who loves me so much, took me out the very next day to buy a brand-spanking-new toaster oven. 

 Basically, it’s a mini oven with no need for pre-heating. How awesome is that? Also, he decided that it would be helpful for me to get a food processor of sorts. I ended up with a hand blender (AKA Zoom-Zoom. Remember this for future posts…) with a food processing attachment. It’s pretty much the most amazing thing ever. I have been whipping up a culinary storm since then.

 I’ve baked banana bread, sweet potatoes, chicken- you name it- in this little wonder. I’m more than happy. And so is Miguel. No more undercooked meat. Bleh.

Tonight, I made the most amazing meal I’ve made in a long time. Super simple, but totally delish. On a side note, when I go to the grocery store, I occasionally buy things and have no clue what it is. Case in point, tonight’s fish. It was a white fillet with a funky name that looked good for most cooking methods. When I got home, I looked it up. Turns out, it’s a type of catfish… So without further ado:

Oatfish (Oat-Encrusted Catfish)

 With this delicious twist on a southern goldie-oldie, we had a rather interesting accompaniment.

Broccoli and Apple Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of broccoli
• 3 large apples
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

 Method:

1. Cut the broccoli florets off the stalk and set aside. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Peel the apples, core and cut into 1-inch pieces.
2. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and apple chunks. Saute about 6 minutes. Add the broth and the broccoli stalks. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli florets to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Judging by the noises of enjoyment coming from Miguel as he scarfed it down, it was super good. And I loved it. Yum. Wow. Yum.

Revelation #4: Madeira has the smallest, lamest library that I’ve ever seen. The English section is one shelf of random books I’ve never heard of. I ended up walking out with a few Portuguese children’s books… Hopefully it helps.

Revelation #5: I need to get out and do some interesting things. This week, I plan to do something other than cooking. Something you will enjoy reading. It’s going to be awesome. I can feel it.