My Life No Longer Mine

  

My life, my life no longer mine.

A ship that’s lost on stormy seas,

Now howling, raked by winds of time.

 

No longer sails in sunlight bold,

The dark of night rules long my sky.

Each morning yields the winter’s cold.

 

My rudder’s splintered, spit and broken

My hopes awash and left forlorn

Now rocky shoals yield fate unspoken.

 

My life is tossed on angry waves

Soaked by whims of careless tides

Ever closer to the grave.

 

No longer sweet the moon lit nights

No longer smooth the voyage ahead

My life now tastes of salty brine.

My life, my life no longer mine.

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Rosemary, Lemon Cornmeal Cake by The Careless Cook

  

Ok, I confess.  I looked though a few recipes, then branched out this way and that, like a squirrel crossing a road in heavy traffic.  But, as I always say, a recipe is only a suggestion.  In the end, successful cookery is a battle waged by your brain and eyes, creative spirit and appetite.

 

A kitchen is the proper place to piddle, to try this and that, following your own path, whether it leads to accolades and cheers from a grateful nation, or the gloom of despair, as your former friends toss down their napkins and stomp out the front door.  I have had no stompers recently, but I haven’t been dating in a long time.  Even then, it wasn’t the food.

 

Shall we begin?  Don’t be so hasty!  In the evening, it’s first time for Martinis, or in the morning, something like spicy tomato juice…wink, wink.

 

Rosemary Lemon Cake

Oven to 350ºF or 180ºC

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3 cups flour

2/3  cup sugar

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup powdered sugar  (plus more to dust the cake)

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used Canola oil)

½ cup melted butter (I used salted butter)

2 generous tablespoons honey

2 ½ cups full fat oat milk, or buttermilk, or plain milk (I like the cream-like flavor of Oat-Ly brand oat milk)

4 eggs

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped (remove the stalks OF COURSE!)  I do it the easy way and use scissors to trim the leaves off the stem.

 

Puttin’t it Tee-gether

 

In a large bowl, put all the dry ingredients, including the chopped rosemary leaves, and mix well.

 

In another large bowl, put all the wet ingredients, including the honey and melted butter. Mix well.  I used an electric handheld mixer.

 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until fully blended.

 

Pour the batter into a well greased 13 x 8 baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are browned.  If you’re not sure, use the knife test. A quick stab in the middle should come out clean.

 

Note:  If you and your guests have kept the Martini glasses filled, the cake will be of little importance, but they will cheer you anyway.  Should you be so unfortunate as to run out of vodka, gin, vermouth and olives however, better make sure the cake is damn good!

 

It will be!  Trust The Careless Cook!

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Noisy, Noisy!

 

Noisy, noisy everywhere, gives me no time to think. 

Music blasting through my dreams, I didn’t sleep a wink.

Owners of stores and coffee shops think I came in to dance. 

Cogent thought and sober musing doesn’t stand a chance. 

And the so-called service dogs romp around and bark.

What service are they giving as I sit here in the park?

Oh how I long for quiet days, those blissful days I knew.

The sound of tiny raindrops, but now those  times are few.

People talking on their phones was once confined to home.

Now I bear the burden everywhere I roam.

No wonder now the days are passing in a blink.

Noise noise everywhere.  There is no time to think.

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She Was A Woman That I knew

 

She was a woman that I knew,

When I was young 

And she was younger.

A blur of love or maybe less.

Infatuation colors the minds of the young

Bright streaks of scarlet, hues of gray

And everyday a new rainbow.

And sorrows piled high in the shiny

Barrow of the young.

Her eyes so blue, her face a mask

Of beauty and smiles,

That touched my heart 

And rested in my needs. Oh, yes! 

A summer swim in sun so bright

It burned the imagination,

And water so cool even the air glistened

Hello my darling.

Goodbye my love.

And now that I am old, 

Near forgotten love

Bends me to the days 

When I was young

And she was younger.

Buttered Cheese Biscuits by The Careless Cook

 

 

Some recipes are so good you won’t believe they’re so easy. Even The Careless Cook was taken aback by how quick and simple this one is.  Don’t have much time?  No sweat, no bother.  

 

In my own situation, I was informed that I really should get out of bed, get to the kitchen, and make a pile of biscuits for a ladies’ group of eager eaters.  I had less than an hour.  Thirty minutes would be about right.

 

Extensive recipes were out of the question.  However, goodness was paramount. 

 

Buttered Cheese Biscuits

 

Still in my pajamas, I raced to the kitchen and set the oven for 450ºF.

 

Here are the these simple ingredients:

 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 generous tablespoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup of milk (I used oat milk because I like the flavor) Feel free to be generous with the ¾ cup and add a bit more milk if needed to make a soft dough

¼ cup of butter, melted 

¾ cup of shredded cheese (I used a pre-shredded mix of cheddar and pepper jack.  Using a bit more is better than a bit less.)

 

Whip this dough in shape! 

 

Time to use that big bowl and the wooden spoon.  Add all the dry ingredients, including the cheese, and mix well.  Then, add the milk and mix until you have a soft dough.  If it’s still stiff, add a bit more milk, but not too much!  You’re not making pancakes!

 

Scoop out generous tablespoons of dough and drop on an ungreased baking sheet.

 

Set your timer for 8-10 minutes and slip the biscuits in the oven.  With my oven it took the full 10 minutes.  You’ll know it’s done when the peaks are brown.

 

While the biscuits are baking, melt the butter.  I used the microwave. 

 

As soon as the biscuits are out of the oven, paint them with melted butter.

 

Ah, yes, just in time to feed the ladies’ hunger!  Also time to go back to bed.

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