Memorial Day was mild and sunny, perfect weather for decking. Reading, dozing, listening to birds.
Also being nearly dive bombed by a pair of crows who zoomed past at the exact moment I stepped out, missing my head by inches. I'm guessing a courtship dance, as I watched them in sync, up and down the sky, skimming the fences.
And when I repotted the bigger coleus I broke off a couple of branches, coleus being brittle. It looks fine anyway, and the chipped teapot is back in service rooting the small pieces in water.
Meanwhile in the kitchen,
here's a celery heart in water, ready to sprout for a bit of instant salad.
About the tofu sticks. I always get the tofu block very dry before slicing. And to bake, I just battered and breaded as usual. I preheated the toaster oven to bake at 400°f.
Then I spritzed a flat shallow metal pan with avocado oil, arranged the sticks then spritzed them with a drop more oil, not much. Baked for twenty minutes, turned them over, ten more minutes. Done. And just as crisp as fried.
The rest of the uncooked sticks I covered and put in the fridge. Today I had a second helping and they were still crisp.
They're pretty much fast food, and they've reintroduced me to the pleasure of dipping sauce.
This morning wasn't exactly like a holiday around here. I took care of the recycling, and the garbage, three trips, swept the kitchen floor, reorganized the outside storage area, where I found a broken old garbage container, another trip to recycle. Shook out little rugs. Swept the front steps and the patio. I got my steps in. Gardening was quite restful in comparison.
Happy day everyone, if you get the urge to rush about organizing and sweeping and tossing, lie down till it passes.
I was thinking myself about the tofu sticks and a dipping sauce. Maybe they are strong enough for regular dips.
ReplyDeleteYou did a lot more around your home than I did. I spent quite some time thinking about what needs to be done. Cleaning need careful consideration and much thinking. The time would be better spent actually doing the cleaning.
Not sure if the tofu sticks would work with a regular dip, but it's worth a try. My late spouse was more of planner than a doer. It's probably why he married a vdoer!
DeleteDoer!
DeleteI’ve perfect the art of lying down till it passes.
ReplyDeleteI need to study that.
DeleteDipping something crunchy in a yummy sauce is a perfect meal!
ReplyDeleteIt's more like fun than most meals.
DeleteI bought some coleus seeds, a mixed selection.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to put some of my conservatory plants outside for their summer holiday They usually come back in with additions, like grass and ivy-leaved toadflax.
Mine sometimes come in with tiny toads and frogs. One year I had to round up half a dozen, clinging to the walls all confused.
DeleteGreat to know more about tofu sticks...they sure do sound delicious!
ReplyDeleteThey're interesting food. I always like that.
DeleteAfter a holiday, I'm all goofed up on which day of the week it is! I have to keep reminding myself it is Tuesday today. Thank goodness my labeled pill box keeps me on track! ;)
ReplyDeleteHandsome Son and I exchange texts daily and he tactfully reminds me what day it is! Keeping old mom oriented.
DeleteThe crows here are providing entertainment but at a distance. I’ve been washing windows. Such a hateful job but I won’t leave them with the red island mud for the summer. Have a great day, Boud.
ReplyDeleteIt hadn't occurred to me that the red shore can get onto houses, what with rain and wind. That's a job I don't have. Pollen galore, washed down by rain.
DeleteI'm okay with the state of my house for a long time and then suddenly- some line is crossed and I sigh and realize I have to get it cleaned up, straightened out. I wish I enjoyed housekeeping chores more than I do.
ReplyDeleteIt's that old you don't have to like it, you just have to do it kicking in. I guess you no longer have a house cleaner?
DeleteNo. We had to part ways. Long story. I yearn for cleaners like yours.
DeleteThank you for the notes on baking in place of frying the tofu sticks! I'm going to try that next time. Seems like a good bit less fussing, which means I could use that time to make a real salad to go with them. Oh, and I'm definitely in it for the sauces and toppings when it comes to many foods! Not usually types that are creamy or cheesy, but the katsu sauce is exactly my kind of yum -- tangy! Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteLet us know how it goes. Yes, I like the tangy sauces, with blander foods.
DeleteYou give very good advice! I did my usual yesterday, laundry, etc.
ReplyDeleteSome of it is the fruit of experience, for better or worse.
DeleteI'm lying down, and I didn't even feel the urge!
ReplyDeleteWas this after the post hole digger caper??
DeleteI like the baking of tofu. Also I too use ends of celery and other food items to grow. Nice post I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI love getting that bit more from food.
DeleteThanks for the baked crunchy tofu report. I will definitely try that - after buying some ketchup.
ReplyDeleteYour sky today was beautiful!
Chris from Boise
Yes, ketchup will help. Or maybe tomato paste, or sauce. The sky has been lovely lately, interesting colors and shapes.
DeleteWish the RC was a tofu fan because I'd like to try your version. I will share your 'how to' with our #2 son and DIL because they enjoy it and might like to try a different method of cooking it.
ReplyDeleteRe the bomber-crows, I suspect they might have been young ones testing out their flying skills. Here crows have nested and had their babies for at least a month and, because your spring is ahead of ours, I wonder if they were new flyers.
Please pass on the referral to Yeung Man Cooking on YouTube, too. That's where I got the tofu recipe.
DeleteI wonder if they were young crows? You could be right. Many birds here haven't got young yet, long cold stormy spring with high winds. But crows may rise above it.