Monday, September 14, 2009

Lemon, Garlic and Chick Peas


Mr. Moon is out of town on his weekly business trip to Orlando. He buys cars down there at the auction to sell to his customers. People trust Mr. Moon to buy them the best cars for the money that he can find. It's been hard lately because he specializes in newer, low-mileage, well-cared-for cars and people just aren't buying new cars and trading the old ones in. He has customers but he can't buy the cars at auction for a good deal and so the car business has been thin. I just talked to him on the phone and as we do almost every day, we agreed that no matter what is happening in the business world we are blessed.

Anyway, here I am and it's drizzling. I hope we get some rain because it's so still and warm and humid and the rain would bring sweet relief. I imagine that everyone who has broken a bone is suffering right now. I know May is and that breaks my heart. I wish I could take that suffering on. I am old and suffering is natural for the old, not the young.

Usually, when Mr. Moon is out of town I eat leftovers but this week there are none. And for some reason, I got the cravings for some middle-eastern food. The lemon, the olive oil, the garlic, the chickpeas. Or baby-butts, as my kids always called them. So I have made tobouli with red bulgar wheat and lemon juice and olive oil, garlic, parsley, mint, olives, salt, pepper, tomatoes and green pepper. I have also made humus with chick peas and tahini and lemon juice and garlic (are you seeing a trend here?) and soy sauce and more olives. And I cheated and bought a box of falafel mix and it is waiting for me to cook it in small patties in the skillet with olive oil spray. I have also made the taziki sauce with yogurt and cucumbers and oh yes, garlic and lemon juice.

The rain is coming down and my falafels are cooking in the iron skillet now. I have the smell of curry and lemon juice on my hands.

Life is sweet and lemony. Life is garlicky and spicy.
Life is good in Lloyd tonight. Life is good.

22 comments:

  1. Yet another thing we have in common, Ms. Moon ;) My Uncle is in the same line of business as your hubby and headed down to Orlando yesterday. He is also having a hard time buying anything and is therefore having a hard time making a living....crazy times we are living in, but yes, we too feel blessed.

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  2. That looks sooo yummy! I can be there in six hours - will the falafel still be warm?

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  3. Robin- Thank god the cars are not all we depend on. And yes, thank god we can count our blessings no matter what.

    Nola- I'll heat 'em up.

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  4. I have no words tonight but I'm here, listening.

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  5. Maggie May- I understand. I wish you were here so I could feed you. You would sleep under a blanket of cotton in a dream of lemon and garlic. You would wake up and I would give you coffee.

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  6. Ohh that sounds good. I made a lean cuisine pizza and it was NOT worth taking a picture of :)

    Um, Maggie and I can hang out there together ok? Because that blanket of cotton sounds heavenly :)

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  7. I don't know what falafel is but the rest sounds wonderful. Have a sweet sleep!

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  8. how very blessed you are to have someone who loves you SO MUCH to prepare this wonderful meal for you.

    tee hee.

    xoxoxo

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  9. Mmm, that does sound like a good life. I love all that food. I've been wanting to buy chickpeas for a while, but I have the choice between dried ones or processed and already turned into hummus ones over here. I'm scared of the dry ones, so I buy the ready-made hummus full of e-numbers and I'm really not comfortable with that. Which kind of chickpea do you use? If you say they come from your garden, I will give up. :-)

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  10. Num. Love tabouli. And all the rest. My mother used to make an incredible Persian yoghurt and cucumber soup, did you ever do that one?

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  11. Kori- You don't know the heavenly goodness which is falafel? Oh my. Sorry. Try to find some.

    Adrienne- No kidding!

    Mwa- I used canned tonight. But don't be afraid of dried. Just soak them overnight and then simmer them in plenty of water with salt (and garlic, if you want) until they are tender. You can make humus out of them or you can make a delicious soup with them. I use cabbage in the soup and bell peppers and maybe spicy peppers and onions and of course garlic and maybe some tomatoes and potatoes and if you are not feeling vegetarian, some sausage. The best!
    And no, I do not grow chick peas.

    Ms. Jo- I have not made that soup. It sounds lovely.

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  12. I make veggie rice with chick peas all the time for dinner.
    Cold chick peas lemon and cilantro is one of my favorite snacks.

    I don't cook for myself all that much, but the other day I found these mushroom and soy patties and I've been cooking them with hot peppers every day and eating them for lunch. With a beet and sprout salad. SOOOO good.

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  13. That looks killer. I went shopping yesterday and made myself chicken tacos, and they were exactly what I wanted.

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  14. Erin- How do you make the beet and sprout salad?

    DTG- It WAS killer. It still is, I'll bet. There's plenty left.

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  15. I just put my own pickled beets and red onions over alfalfa and brussel sprouts. I have a couple different bottles of my own dressings in the cupboard...sometimes if I'm in the mood I'll sprinkle some of that over the salad...

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  16. Erin- I WANT some of that! Oh yes I do. I wanted to pickle beets this year but my beets never grew. Dammit.

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  17. that sounds like the crappiest dinner ever. i hope YOU liked it, cause i sure wouldn't. now that pig candy....

    daddy b

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  18. Daddy B- Are we on the rag today or just feeling super testy? I love you!

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  19. Such good images in this post - sounds, smells, and sights!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.