So. Did you know that Duncan Hines is marketing Dolly Parton cake mixes? Rachel alerted us to this fact a few weeks ago. She spied them in the store and I saw them today. Now I love Dolly with all my heart and I think she is an angel sent straight from heaven to this earth and as such, she can do whatever the hell she wants but still, this is a tiny bit shocking to me. The package art is so retro, isn't it? And one does wonder when Dolly Parton last made a coconut cake. Could have been last night for all I know.
I was searching the cake mix section but I did not buy a Dolly Parton mix because I was looking for an angel food cake mix to make my famous (hahaha!) pineapple angel food cake to top with strawberries and mangos and peaches. I never buy cake mixes except for this one dessert. I was making my own angel food cakes from scratch in Jr. High but sometimes, you just gotta let go and let Duncan Hines.
So here's how you make it:
You empty a box of angel food cake mix (brand does not really matter) in a bowl and add one can of crushed pineapple in its own juice. You mix all that up and put it in a pan and you bake it according to directions. I just use a 9 by 12 pan. This is not fancy. And then, when it's cool, you serve it with fruit over it, whatever you got, and if you're really feeling it, some Reddi-Whip whipped cream.
You know you want some, right?
I swear to y'all- I have about run out of ideas for dinners. I think I have made everything I know how to make and then a whole bunch more things that I didn't know how to make but got recipes for online, mostly from the New York Time's cooking app which I very much recommend. In the last week I have made a most amazing fish dish from a recipe I found there involving coconut milk, garlic, honey, ginger, turmeric, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper. And fish. It is so easy and so damn good that I made it twice in one week, mainly because the recipe didn't use up all the coconut milk the first time and I did not want it to go waste, plus it was beyond delicious.
I served it over rice with asparagus sautéed with mushrooms and sliced almonds.
The second time I made it I also served it over rice, but this time brown rice, and a salad with cucumber and a Tahini and soy sauce dressing.
Jump back, Jack.
Let's see. I've also made white bean chili with chicken and corn, last night's chicken soup/stew, and now I can't even remember. Oh. A sort of beef Lo Mein was in there somewhere.
I think I'm burned out on meal planning.
Tonight we are going to have junk-food tacos made with grass fed beef and El Paso crunchy taco shells! Hoo boy. Also the cake. Which just came out of the oven and smells delicious.
All right. What else is there to discuss today? I met up with Jessie for some Costco shopping and lunch. We just chat, chat, chat, chat. I told her a story today from my rather reckless youth and it made me laugh so hard. It was something I'd almost forgotten and suddenly, there it was right on top of the memory drawer for no apparent reason. Memory is the strangest thing, isn't it?
Sue used to say that our minds are like a table top and you just keep throwing things on it and they keep piling up and eventually, some of those memories are going to have to fall off because there is no more room for them. But oh, those memories on the bottom of the pile! They are there forever.
And here's one more thing- I ran into Lauren at Publix. She wasn't working, just in there for some reason. She's like a celebrity at Publix. Everyone greeted her with big smiles.
And one of the first things she said to me was to comment on my eye-make-up. Now y'all know I never wear make-up anymore but a darling friend gave me some extremely fancy and beautiful golden eye-shadow for Christmas and I feel compelled to use it. So I had done my old eyes today and Lauren noticed and she told me that with my gold earrings and black dress I was making a statement.
Oh my heart. That girl is so sweet. Her back is better although she is still in some pain. As we parted, I turned around to tell her, "I love you, Lauren!" and she said, "I love you too!"
I love our family.
I better get in that kitchen and start chopping up lettuce and tomatoes and avocados and black olives and cooking some yellow rice and grating some cheese.
Now. Here's my big tip of the day that I learned from Jessie-
You can buy that bag of six avocados at Costco which cost less than two avocados at the grocery store and let them get just the slightest bit soft. You know- where when you give them a gentle squeeze they give just a little? As soon as they reach that point, put them in the refrigerator and they will be good to use for WEEKS!
This factoid has changed my life.
You are welcome.
Oh! One more thing.
If you are so inclined, you can watch a live-stream video with Jimmy Fallon, Keith, Mick, and Ronnie on Youtube tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. EST in the US. Adjust for your own personal time zone.
I am honestly somewhat excited about this. I just want to see what the old boys look like.
Thank you for your attention.
Love...Ms. Moon
I get a bit over figuring out what to eat, too. But when I cook, it lasts a couple of nights and cuts back on planning. I have food, just I run out of ideas on how to use it sometimes. That fish dish sounds great, though.
ReplyDeleteWe do second suppers of leftovers often but mostly they get used for lunches. Luckily, Glen has no problem eating leftovers. I ask him what he wants for lunch and he'll say, "Whatever's oldest."
Deletelove to cook but lose inspiration at times.... and yes, one of the only times I would ever buy a cake *mix* would be for angel food cake. I rarely bake anymore..especially desserts, since hubby not eating sugar... but a good angel food cake with fruit and whipped cream....divine. Junk food tacos sound good too and that fish dish with coconut milk is one I'll have to try. Being here in Cali w/ avocado's growing exclusively...(even our own trees, if the squirrels don't pick them all) I learned that fridge *preserve* technique years ago- it works.....but only for about 4-5 days IMO. Publix w/ eyeshadow on? I'm impressed!
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I've found the avocados to last for WEEKS in the refrigerator. I think that the trick is, is putting them in there before they're soft. Just a little bit of ripeness to them.
DeleteYes! I wore eyeshadow!
I bet you'd love the fish dish.
Oh you bet I want cake now!!😄 Your cooking sounds so delicious too… it’s such a pain sometimes figuring out ‘what’s for dinner’…! Btw-did you hear that The Rolling Stones are releasing a NEW album??!! I thought of you immediately when I read it!😃Anyway.. off to get dinner going-I love the NYTimes recipes too, and we especially like Melissa Clark!- enjoy your evening😄XO, Rigmor
ReplyDeleteYes! The interview this morning was to announce that album which is coming out next month. They also played a video of one of the songs.
DeleteNice to hear about another NYT's cooking app fan. I really don't know what I'd do without it.
When i was part of a couple, a friend invited us over for dinner. She served meatball sandwiches and chocolate cake. That was perfect. Sometimes you just have to simplify.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a perfect meal! Yes, I love simplicity.
DeleteMy sister was a decent cook, but she cooked all the tried and true "recipes" from our childhood, mostly because her husband was a farm boy and would stand for little beyond meat and potatoes. So, when I went out on our own with the left over grands, I had to figure out cooking and NY Times was my go to. I still remember falling head over heels for bruschetta spaghetti and typing it out on the blog to get around the paywall. I swear it was five years ago. This week my sister rhapsodized about bruschetta spaghetti; she just discovered it on the NY Times cooking site. Made me wish I was still cooking, just a little bit.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I read this last night, I went and found that recipe for bruschetta spaghetti and saved it to my recipe box. Thank you, Joanne!
Delete37paddington: I’m all caught up now on the posts I missed while traveling. That avocado tip from Jessie us a game changer. And grief, it’s too much lately but as I read all the comments on your post about grief all I could think was how utterly sad it is not to know that the last time you see a loved one will be the last time. Suddenly they’re gone, yanked from this world, it’s like an amputation. We keep on.
ReplyDeleteI think about that too. About how you could see someone and just say, "Bye! See you next week!" or whatever and then...no. You don't. It's happened to me before, especially in the case of death by suicide. He was supposed to come to our house for supper that night. He never showed up. That's been well over forty years ago and I still think of him.
DeleteThat avocado tip is a good one, we've been doing it with Costco avocados for years. Know what you mean about running out of meal planning ideas....
ReplyDeleteI cut a Costco avocado last night and for some reason, it tasted like the best avocado I'd ever eaten. This does happen sometimes, doesn't it?
DeleteI saw Dolly Parton cornbread mix at Walmart just the other day!
ReplyDeleteFresca (https://gugeo.blogspot.com/) just talked about making jalapeno/cheese cornbread with that mix!
DeleteThe fish dish sounds very nice. I don't eat enough fish, it's kind of too expensive here, but now and again I'll buy a fillet of something boneless, but just fry it up in some butter with a squeeze of lemon and serve it with whatever is handy.
ReplyDeleteWell, right now I have a PLETHORA of fish! And the man's going fishing again this weekend. We're eating fish again tonight but a different method of cooking will be employed.
DeleteYou make a lot of food, Mary. I cook in big portions even tho there are only 2 of us at home now so we always have lots of leftovers to eat up before I make something else.
ReplyDeleteI think it's just part of my routine to make supper every night. I enjoy it. We do have leftover meals but I generally try to add something new to the menu.
Deletewhat a coinkadink! that fish recipe with the coconut milk? I printed that out and got all the ingredients and was going to make it last night! Only I didn't because I didn't really feel well so I just did a simple baked catfish fillet recipe and served it with canned red beans and rice and a little salad with mixed greens, cucumber, apple, dried cranberries, pine nuts, and sliced almonds.
ReplyDeleteoh, and about the avocados, when they get that perfect ripeness but not ready to use them I immerse them in a glass of water and put that in the fridge and it keeps them perfect for weeks.
Well, Ellen, you have to try that recipe. It is damn good.
DeleteI think the difference between your method of avocado preserving and mine is that I don't wait for them to get to perfect ripeness but put them in the refrigerator when they're a little bit firm still and yes- WEEKS!
I hope Jimmy asks Keith and Mick about the new sculptures in Dartford! But he probably won't.
ReplyDeleteI would be tempted to buy those Dolly Parton cake mixes just because I love Dolly Parton so much. She is a rarity in the celebrity world, isn't she? Someone whose image is almost entirely positive. I'm sure someone somewhere has said bad things about her but I can't imagine what or why.
I want a packet as a kitchen accessory
DeleteNah, they didn't talk about that. Those old boys weren't hanging out for too long.
DeleteYou are so right about Dolly. And I have a friend who has a recording studio and he has met her. They talked and then the next time they saw each other, she asked him about his daughter who had been sick. And there was a long time between the two conversations. She is just truly good and that book program! My god. I love her.
That dinner is amazing but I adore the plate more
ReplyDeleteYour vintage style , I ve always been in awe of
Oh, honey. I've just been collecting china in thrift stores forever. I get what I like. No matching patterns in this house! I love variety.
DeleteI love Dolly Parton so much. So much. I'd probably buy those mixes just for her sake. If more celebrities looked to her example, this world would be so much better.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree with you more, sweetie.
DeleteAll those things sound delicious! May I recommend the website Smitten Kitchen? Such good recipes - so many of hers are in my rotation. Also - I have just returned from an exhibit of Terry O'Neill's star photographs at fotografiska nyc - the photos of a young Mick Jagger in a fur hood made me think of you immediately!
ReplyDeleteI think I have read some of Smitten Kitchen recipes. I will recheck that. And I will also check out the Terry O'Neill's photos. Thanks!
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