Breatherians Unite!

My scale is telling me that I am transforming into a breatherian.

I'm not keen on this change, as I have long had an attachment to consuming nourishment the traditional way.  On the upside, it's slashing our food bill and I'll have tons of pots, pans, etc to donate to Goodwill.  The family won't miss my cooking, they've always been resentful of the lack of convenience food.

Any sister breatherians out there with wise coping tips?  I don't have much hope, knowing that faithful commenters here here and here are slender lasses.  One in particular (no names) hides her stash of evening sweets from the kids.  Sigh.  It's hard living here on the astral plane---

Crabby Patties

Life is simple. It is our expectations that seem to complicate everything.

For dinner all you need is the right bottle of white or rose, summer, crab cakes and chipotle mayonnaise.

For each pound of crab you will need:
one egg
1 tsp seafood seasoning
two tablespoons mayo
two tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup bread crumbs
half a bell pepper (red, orange or yellow, they're so much more festive than pedestrian green)
Minced chives (optional, adds a nifty bit of color)
season responsibly.

Mince your bell pepper and sautee in a tablespoon of butter until soft.  Cool.
Mix all of the above ingredients together.  Form into manageable patties, about  a tablespoon or saute, and
saute briefly until browned on both sides.  Serve on a bed of arugula.  If you don't like chipotle mayo blend some wasabi into a tablespoon of mayo and sour cream.  Kapow! 

Tanked Ogre

Who can imagine that something dealing with "split-strike leveraging" could be so compelling, and ultimately a page-turner?

A flim flam man people simply wanted to believe.
I've worked with one or two people like that, haven't you?

No recommended menu here, only a confirmation of my own biases, on business self-interest.

"Life's exactly as it looks
Love may triumph in the books
Not here"

---Song of Ogres
         W H Auden

Why not a frittata?

One hungry morning  I found leftover string beans from the dinner the evening before.  What to do, what to do?  Marcela Hazan, to the rescue.

Crack and mix four eggs.  Add salt, half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, a cup or so of chopped string beans (or asparagus, or cooked artichoke hearts). Add a tablespoon or so of butter to your ten inch skillet. Heat on medium. Once the butter foams pour in your mixture, even it out, if need be, and turn the heat to low, low, low.  Your frittata will cook from the bottom up, 10-15 minutes.  The top will be runny, so, slip it under the broiler for 15-30 seconds, until set. 

Slip onto a serving dish, garnish with a chiffonade of basil (I just enjoy that word, it doesn't mean chopped, exactly, more like in strips) and a side of sliced tomatoes from your garden. Or Trader Joe's.

What? You don't have a broiler?  Try flipping your frittata, like a pancake.  If you succeed, you're a better and braver cook than I.  Or, you could run out and buy this nifty gadget.

A pickled garnish

Picking up my Diana Kennedy I came across such a simple recipe.

Finely slice one pound of red onions.
Place them in a mixing bowl.
Add one half cup fresh lime juice,
one and a half teaspoons sea salt.

Macerate for two hours before sprinkling on grilled fish or meat everywhere.
Or add to your media noches.  Or pulled pork sandwiches.
It's crisp, tangy, and not at all as oniony strong as you might expect.

Keeps in a sealed container for at least a week, and I find the bright pink hue particularly beguiling.

Downton Abbey

Fans of Masterpiece Theater will recognize the title--the rest of us?
When you have a deep need for class differences, sibling rivalry, spectacular cinematography, Anglophilia escapism, "Downton Abbey" is just the ticket.

Only 7 episodes, and I rationed them like chocolate in 1984.
  Must be my sentimental side.

Sigh.

After Midnight

Medianoche, that fabulous Cuban sandwich, is filled with different textures and flavors, and perfect for any
pork roast leftovers you may have hanging around.  For those in the know, there is great debate over the appropriate bread.  Perhaps you have a Cuban bakery nearby, and can ask for the correct sweet, egg bread.  I make do with bolillo rolls. 

Per person you will need:
a sandwich roll
sliced ham
sliced or shredded pork roast
sliced Swiss cheese
yellow mustard
mayonnaise
dill pickles

Slice the roll.  Spread mayo and mustard on each side.  Layer cheese, pork, ham, pickles.  Brush the top and bottom of the roll with melted butter.  In a heated skillet or sandwich press, grill your sandwich, until the bread is crisp and a bit compressed, and the cheese melted.

One bite and you, too, will have after midnight cravings.