Spaghetti vs. Exhaustion

E:  Hey Food Geek, it' me, Exhaustion!

me:  Hello old friend, how are ya?

E: Meh, not bad.  Better than you, judging by those bags under your eyes.

me:  Shut it.

E:  Aww, now c'mon.  Don't be like that.  Make it easy for yourself, just go grab some McD's and call it a night.

me:  Now that's just WRONG!

E:  You know you want it.

me:  Whatever.  You forgot about my mad skills.

E:  What?

me:  Homemade meatballs, in the freezer, just WAITING for the day you come knocking.  Add a little spaghetti, some Prego...

E:  HA HA, SLACKER!!!!  The Food Geek is using JARRED sauce???

me:  It's easy, and it's my favorite.

E:  Stupid American, Italians over the world are weeping.

me:  Yeah, well, when they can make a sauerbraten like me, we'll talk.

E:  But...

me:  AS I WAS SAYING...add a little Prego (Garlic and Herb flavor, if you please), crack open a bottle of red wine, and dinner is ready 15 minutes after walking in the door.

E:  (!!)

me:  Yeah, suck it up.

Jerk.

Moral of the story...use a weekend you're NOT exhausted to make a HUGE batch of homemade meatballs that you can toss in some sauce anytime.

Dinner is served.

Memories and "Monkey" Bread

I recently lost someone who was very close to me.  Teresita was my fellow Food Geek and best friend.  After struggling for 2 years fighting a rare form of lung cancer that hits non-smokers (!!!) she finally found rest.  And I miss her.  I miss her terribly.  She and I would sit and talk about food for hours, she would accompany me on my excursions and we would analyze what we eat...and I LOVED that!  Who else will go all geek-tastic with me about food?

The other morning I woke up with her on my mind (again) and decided to make a breakfast she would have loved.  I think I made it for her before, but there have been so many meals that I can't be certain.  I call it Monkey Bread, but I don't think it adheres to the traditional Monkey Bread recipe.  Mine is very simple:

Louisville
Food Geek
Monkey Bread

1 can refrigerated biscuits
Cinnamon sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine/butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans/walnuts
Maple syrup to taste (optional)

Open the can of biscuits, cut each biscuit into 4 (make an "X" through the center). Roll the bits of biscuits in the cinnamon sugar. Put the brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup (if desired) into an 8-9" round cake pan while you heat the oven to 450°. When it starts to get a bit bubbly, take it out, stir it so all the sugar dissolves and the is coating the bottom of the pan well. Sprinkle the nuts on the glaze. Place the biscuit bits all over the nuts. They don't have to be packed in there, they'll swell as they cook. Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven, invert on a plate, and serve. If any of the glaze and nuts sticks to the pan, just use a spatula to get ever last yummy bit.

I enjoyed it with a cup of coffee (Teresita's weakness) and thought about her. I want to be better about posting here. I won't set a requirement for myself, but I will try to post more often, because every time I sit down to eat, I think of her, and how much fun we had just eating.

Miss you, T!