red pepper and patience

This red pepper is what I have waited for all summer. It took a while to grow into a big green pepper. "Go ahead and pick it," they said. "The deer will eat it," they said. "It's so big!," they said. 

No. I want to wait until it turns red. 

They were shocked when it finally started turning red. The turning itself took several days. 

It happened in the garden in the background of this picture. 

I need to plant more okra next year, as this year's harvest has happened one or two pods at a time. Mema showed me her Our State magazine, where I read about okra and the writer's suggestion to try a pod raw. That makes sense when you only have one, and I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. 

Mema gave me the idea to take a picture from above. It is almost a heart. A. labor. of. love! 

Everything I do is hand me down style. Besides learning the how-tos from friends and family, I followed my great grandmother's model of planting, working, then leaving town. During the most productive days, especially with the cucumbers, I headed to the beach and left my mom in charge. Apparently my great grandmother used to do the same to my grandmother, her daughter-in-law, who lived next door. 

Papa snapped this one. I handed him my DSLR as my dad, grilling beside us, laughed. My papa took only one picture, and I think he did very well. 

I cut up the pepper and ate it in a salad that I shared with my small group. Honestly, the taste was nothing special. But I will try peppers again next year! 

Szechuan chicken

For a recent weeknight supper, I made Szechuan chicken for the first time.  I used this recipe because it was the easiest I could find that required me to buy the least ingredients.  B has been ordering Szechuan chicken frequently from a Chinese restaurant, so I set out to make it for much cheaper at home.  However, I had never tasted Szechuan chicken and only knew that I was aiming for a spicy flavor.  

The recipe suggests serving it over white rice, and I wanted vegetables to go along with it.  When B arrived, he told me that he eats it with the vegetables, chicken, and sauce all mixed together.  That worked out perfectly because I made the amount of sauce in the recipe and cooked a little less chicken than in the recipe.

I cooked a bag of snow peas, carrots, and broccoli, then added sliced mushrooms, canned water chestnuts (drained), and a sliced pepper that my dad's coworker had grown.

It came out tasting just like stir fry that my mom used to make.  The tiny bit of cayenne pepper didn't make it spicy enough, so we ate it with sriracha.  Then, B said, it tasted more like the Szechuan chicken he's used to.

Do you like Szechuan chicken?  Do you ever attempt to make Chinese food at home?  What's your favorite Chinese dish?

By the way, it was somewhat similar to the food I ate in Asia this summer (1, 2).  I LOVED it when we had plain white rice (instead of fried) at a meal there!

avocado chicken salad and late night cookies

I've had a great time cooking lately, but to be honest, B cooked the meal below.  

Before I left for Zumba fitness class, I helped him get set up a little bit, then I came home to this!  I sprayed a baking pan and placed on it four chicken thighs, seasoned only with salt, pepper, and some fresh thyme from my dad's friend.  I'm not sure how long or hot B baked them, but they turned out to be delicious!

I can only stand leftovers of certain things as is, but I enjoy turning leftovers into new dishes.  I had been curious about various avocado chicken salad pins I'd seen on Pinterest, so I set out to try it.  I shredded two leftover chicken thighs and mixed them with about half of a large avocado, mashed,  about a teaspoon of chopped cilantro, a generous dash of lime juice, and some salt and pepper.  I tasted and adjusted as needed.

I hate mayonnaise, so I have never chosen to eat chicken salad before, but this kind was irresistible!  I texted my mom to tell her that I was actually eating chicken salad, and she texted back, "you're grown up now."

I ate chicken salad sandwiches probably five times and did not get tired of it.  Maximizing those leftovers!

I took a page from mom's book and made some late night cookies last week.  This recipe for peanut butter cookies is simple and delicious.  

The only way my parents eat cookies: with a glass of milk.  [Hey E & C - we love your engagement party cups.]

How do you feel about chicken salad?  What's your favorite cookie recipe?