Artichokes and Monkey Bread

Okay, last night was a night of firsts. It was my husbands first time eating an artichoke, and it was my first time making Monkey Bread.

First I called dad to find out how to prepare an artichoke, then, following his instruction, borrowed a pressure cooker from the Mom-In-Law, and cooked the artichokes under pressure for 15 minutes. While those were cooking, I started in on the bread. Using the Mom-In-Law's recipe I made one loaf, and realized I had too much dough, so I sat, with the bread baking, and my only burner occupied, rolling little lumps of dough for monkey bread. I dipped the dough in butter then rolled it in cinnamon and sugar until it was well coated, and arranged them in two layers in a greased round cassarole dish. I covered it and set it in the refridgerator for morning.

As soon as the time was up for the artichokes I took them off the burner, and immediately put the prepped skillet on. In the skillet was Butter, whole Rosemary and Thyme leaves, then chopped Oregano, Sage, and Basil. I melted the butter, then threw in a cubed boneless chicken breast, and sauteed until the meat was golden brown. I took the Artichokes out and set the table for an appetizer and I set the chicken to one side and started the water for the noodles. Half way through the appetizer I took the bread out of the oven, and the water was ready. So I threw in the noodles, set the bread to cool, and went back to the artichokes. As soon as we were done with the Artichokes, the noodles were ready, and supper was set on the table. Unfortunately, I did cheat a little bit and used Ragu Parmesan Alfredo Sauce (which I don't care much for), but I would need another burner to get the Alfredo and the noodles cooked at the same time.

Now that you've heard about my culinary masterpiece (at least I think so...), you can get the tour of my kitchen if you'd like to read further.

My kitchen is a box with 11 foot ceilings. It has 3 windows with Northern and Eastern exposure. It is the first room you walk into when you enter our home. And when I talk about my kitchen, I have to start with my porch. When my Husband and I were engaged, I kept thinking of food. The sorts of meals I would prepare, and the delightful aromas that would fill our over sized, yet comfortable, home. I went with the Mom-In-Law one day to a green house in a town about 30 miles away. I loved it. My dad was the person who introduced me to cooking with fresh herbs, and my sister taught me how to cut and dry them for the winter months, so needless to say, I bought some. I was conservative, at first, knowing exactly what I wanted. Rosemary was a staple. Oregano was a must. Basil to keep things sweet, Thyme was of the essence, so I took some Sage advice, and bought them all. I planted them in an old metal wash tub and set them on the porch to grow.

And here they sit. On my front porch, and they've now expanded into their own separate pots, lining the front steps, the washtub still holds my Sage and Basil because they've gotten so big. They're watered every day, and I even keep a few inside just for decor, and the hopes that they'll survive through the winter.

On my kitchen walls are some sparse cupboards and counter tops, a very small refrigerator, and two stoves that currently don't work (my gas range, and the Mom-In-Law's wood range). The counters are cluttered with things like my hot plate, and toaster oven, and an electric mixer my mother bought for me several years ago. I have my own baking counter, which, by two doors on the same wall, seems to be separated from the rest of the kitchen by invisible walls. The cupboards are all painted white for a fresh look, with their original copper handles. The walls are painted yellow to always keep the sunshine around me as I cook. And the final touch, my parakeet Andy sits in her cage in the corner, so she and I can sing while I cook.

And that is my grand life of food. The sunniest room in the house, also the warmest, most inviting, and deeply inspiring. I can only say I love my husband, my kitchen, and my life.