No Farmer's Market Today After All

Seems like Durwood laid in veggie supplies late in the week so we don't have to go.  That's a good thing because we won't be overspending our grocery budget but a bad thing because there won't be any crab rangoons for me for breakfast.  Dang it.  Ah, well, this weekend promises to be a real killer, diet-wise, so I should just suck in my pouting lip and eat Cheerios with fresh blueberries like a good girl.  (but I don't wanna be a good girl, wah)  Okay, I'm fine, I'm fine... gimme a minute.  *deep breath*  Moving on.  I've got the rice for the Mexican rice cooked and cooling.  Next I'll grate all the cheddar and monterey jack, measure out the sour cream, open the cans of chopped green chilies, and stir them all together.  Then they get slapped into a buttered baking dish, topped with a few more squares of butter (just for the sheer decadence of it), then I'll slide it into the fridge and bake it this afternoon so it comes out of the oven around 3:30, go right into the van and zoom over to the party.  Yay, party!  Oh, you'd like the recipe?  Okay here it is straight from the stained and yellowed original:
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Mexican Rice 
(from M.E. Bratkowski, wife of Zeke who was Bart Starr's backup QB in the Packer's Glory Years)

8 oz. sour cream
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1/4 lb. cheddar cheese, grated
1-4oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
1 cup raw rice, cooked to make 3 cups (or thereabouts)

Butter 8 X 8 pan.  Mix all ingredients together, reserving 1/4 cup Cheddar to sprinkle on top.  Press rice mixture into pan, top with reserved cheese. Dot with butter.  Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
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I'm making a triple batch; they're expecting 15-20 guests; I hope it'll be enough.  This stuff is to die for, people.  I'm not expecting to have one grain of rice left over.  None.  I intend to do my part to see that that happens too.  Watch me.  Stand back, might be even better.

June 9--Charles Negre, A Street in Grasse.  The sun beat down like a piledriver between the ancient walls of the town.  Ellen felt it like nails driven into her eyes and she wished she hadn't let Miriam talk her out of buying that straw hat yesterday.  "How will you get it home?" her sister had said, eyeing the wide brimmed hat.  Ellen had hummed her agreement, shrugged, and put the hat back on the shelf, even though it was only two euro.  Next time, she told herself as she trudged through the inferno, I'll buy the hat even if I end up leaving it behind.  She thought that Madame Toulon, the proprietor of their hotel, would not hesitate to return a hat left in a room back to the shop to be sold over and over to the tourists who came to explore the old town and sit in cafes.  The thought of a hat being bought and rebought somehow made her feel better about the day.  It'd serve Miriam right if she got cooties from her pillow.  Ellen resolved to stiffen her backbone, especially where her bossy older sister was concerned.  "Ellen.  Oh for God's sake, Ellen, get a move on," Miriam's voice echoed down the alley.  Ellen glanced up and slowed her steps, just to be irritating.  She smiled to herself.  Let the next French Revolution commence.
 

Today's Photo a Day theme is "your view today" so I give you the view from the coffee pot chez Malcolm. Durwood's taking his nap and I should go eat and then drag a Swiffer around the living room.  Better evict Ol' Cesspool from the bathroom too; company's coming tomorrow and sure as shootin' one of 'em will have to use it.  Oh, I can't forget to go pick up some finch seed for the birdies.  I can make the regular seed last until next payday but the finches are going to go begging if I don't get more soon.  Au revoir, cheries.
--Barbara