"Guess Where I Am!"

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon - the last day of Mom's visit with us. The previous day, she and I had just gotten back from our trip to Washington to see the kids. It had been a long trip. When visiting a 14 month-old, you don't get a lot of sleep so we were taking some well-deserved R&R.

I was at the stove making lemon curd for Mom to take home when the phone rang. It was Pat, a women I used to work with. She had come over to the coast for the monthly flower market. Unfortunately, she was one week off. The market had been the previous Saturday.

Wanting to be a good ambassador for my community, I asked Pat over to the house. She may have missed the flower market, but she could still see my rose garden. The phone conversation went something like this:

"Come on over."

"I don't want to be a bother."

"It's not a bother."

"But, you're busy with your mother and in the middle of cooking."

"No, we're just sitting around, and the curd is almost done."

"Well, if you're sure that it's not too much trouble....."

"No, no trouble at all."

Eventually, Pat agreed to come over when she finished looking at the shops on Main Street.

Now, I panic. Was I nuts? I had just started a triple batch of lemon curd. I hadn't had a shower. My hair was dirty. I was wearing something I'd pulled out of the clothes hamper. I hadn't been to the grocery store since getting home. And, the shops may be cute, but they certainly wouldn't entertain Pat long enough for me to finish the curd, shower, dress, and shop before she got here.

Damn, me and my mouth. Sometimes, I have constipation of the brain. In other words, I run off at the mouth before engaging my brain.

Oh, well, it was once again time to put my ingenuity to the test. What to do! What to do!! The first thing I had to do was finish the lemon curd. I would cheat. Instead of stirring constantly, I would stir, then run around looking for something to make.

Stir, stir...run to the pantry (I have been blessed with a house with lots of pantry space, plus we seem to go crazy at PriceCostCo, so we have a lot of stuff to fill the pantry with)...find a can of white chicken meat...run back to the stove...stir, stir...run to the refrigerator...find a half of a package of cream cheese run back to the stove...stir, stir...run to the vegetable bin...find 2 half rotten onions and a package of limp celery...run back to the stove...stir, stir...run to the cabinet...find some herbs...run back to the stove...stir, stir,...toss remaining ingredients into food processor (well, only the good parts of the onion)...blend - viola....chicken spread!

I found some cherries that we had purchased at Pike's Place in Seattle, but hadn't eaten on the train. A cheese that I found in the back of the refrigerator and crackers completed the feast.

I even had time to wash my face before Pat got there. Between that and brushing my hair, I felt almost human.

So, the next time this happens to you, here are some quick snacks that you can make:

Chicken Spread

12 1/2 ounces chicken, canned
1/2 small onion
1 stalk celery
4 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt -- to taste
pepper -- to taste

Place onion and celery into a food processor with a metal chopping blade. Process until onion and celery are finely minced. Change to plastic blade. Add chicken and process for about 30 seconds. Add cream cheese, rosemary, and garlic powder. Process until fully blended. Taste. Add salt and pepper. Process until fully blended.

Hot Cheesy Salsa

Cream cheese
Cheddar cheese -- shredded
Salsa
Corn chips

Amounts of these ingredients depend upon how much you have on hand and how big of a plate you use to make it. Spread 1/2 inch thick layer of cream cheese on a microwavable plate. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Microwave at 50% power until cheddar cheese is melted. Top with salsa. Serve immediately with corn chips.

Apples with Peanut Butter Dip

Apples -- sliced
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon jelly or honey

Mix peanut butter and jelly or honey. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute. Stir. Continue to microwave and stir until fully blended. Let cool for 2 minutes. Serve with apple slices.

And for the curious....

Lemon Curd
Makes about 2 cups.

Zest of 2 lemons -- finely chopped
2 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
1/4 pound unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a double boiler. Cook over a mild simmer until thickened (about 20 to 30 minutes). STIR CONSTANTLY. Cool and refrigerate.

NOTE: Zest is the colored part of citrus rind. You can obtain it by grating.