It seems like I’ve barely run to the store to buy a jug, when it’s mysteriously gone again. While I love my housekeeper Isa, she isn’t very good about writing down the cleaning supplies we need in the near future. This usually leads to me having to drop everything to run to the grocery store and buy detergent, or worse yet (if I’m out all day) leaves me with a basket full of dirty clothes.

I was buying the Jumbo size of Detergent, to alleviate this dilemma, but I got the feeling it just encourages her to use more detergent, since it seems the supply is endless. I recently read you only need two tablespoons of detergent per load to clean clothes and extra detergent is just a waste of money that irritates the skin. We use Tide with no dyes or fragrance (Zeke is allergic) and it isn’t cheap.

So I changed my detergent-buying philosophy the last time and bought a small container of Tide, thinking the petite size might discourage reckless usage. Imagine my dismay when, four days after I purchased it, it was empty and left by the front door as a reminder we needed more. I looked at the jug and it said the concentrated formula would do 32 loads. There’s no way Isa did 32 loads in two days. Maybe she doesn’t know it’s concentrated.

I texted Isa, asking her if she knew why we were going through detergent so quickly. Texting is best since she doesn’t speak much English, nor I much Spanish; she uses Google translate to read my texts. She said:

“Good question. Every time I come there’s a load of Rachel’s clothes in the dryer.”

Isa.

So, she was implying Rachel was using up all the detergent. The problem with this theory is that Rachel moved out two weeks ago and I bought the Tide after she left. So mystery, unsolved. Also, I’m starting to re-think my detergent buying ways. Detergents are mostly water and the jugs made of plastic seem a complete waste of space and money. We now know, only 10% of what we put in the recycling bin actually gets recycled. I’m thinking of trying some detergent tablets I saw on Instagram, that you just throw into the washing machine; no jug needed. They also eliminate the need for measuring.

This same day of the detergent dilemma, I was babysitting Phoenix (who still won’t let me put him down) and found the little plastic heart to Wyatt’s Operation Game on my white tablecloth. Since I didn’t have two hands free to put it back in the box, I left it in a bowl above the game in the Family Room. When I returned to the Family Room, the heart was gone. I checked the Operation Game. It wasn’t there either, so asked Isa:

Donde esta un pequeno corazon in la family room?

in my bad Espanol.

I was pretty impressed with myself for remembering the word for heart, since I took French, not Spanish, in High School and my vocabulary isn’t muy bueno.

“No, no, no!” said Isa, shaking her head and giving me the impression she thought I was talking about a gold locket or some other kind of jewelry.

I wanted to tell her it was just plastic, but that’s really out of my Spanish vocabulary pay grade. It’s so small, she probably thought it was trash. I could probably get another one on E-bay, but don’t want to spend ten bucks, plus shipping, on a plastic heart, so I guess we’ll just skip the cardiac card in the Operation Deck.

Then, I went into the kitchen for lunch and discovered a teeny, tiny metal screw that Zeke had stored in a plastic take-out container, was gone. Actually, the whole container was gone. The screw went to the light over the stove and Zeke couldn’t get the other one out so he’d put it there. Oh well. I thought it was a lousy place to store the screw, at any rate. I didn’t even mention the screw to Isa, because enough already!

I had my sisters Kelley and Elise over for dinner Saturday night, with their respective others.

I guess it was still Mercury Retrograde, because there were more failures awaiting me. There was a half a large Pork Loin in the freezer I planned to cook. Last time, we grilled the other half and it was tough as a boot. This time, Zeke suggested cooking it in the Crock-Pot with mojo and sliced onions, which is exactly what I did. I made fresh mojo and cooked it a couple hours and, again, it was tough as a boot. I didn’t want to serve it for dinner, so we picked up Wagyu Skirt Steaks at Josh’s Meats after lunch at Sports Grille.

We’d just come from lunch, but they had quite the spread at Josh’s for lucky customers. There was grilled Wagyu meat, little tacos and delicious sandwiches with soft bread, steak, cheese and caramelized onions. I don’t know if they do this every Saturday, but if they do, count me in!

The rest of the menu was: Poblano Chili Souffle, a delicious Salad with greens and jicama Elise brought and a loaf of brown bread. Kelley and John brought Snapper Ceviche and I served Tostones with sour cream and caviar, my favorite appetizer at my friend Martha’s house. The ceviche was delicious, the tostones not as good as my friend Martha’s, which are homemade. I’d try to make caramel ice cream, but it ended up tasting burnt, so dessert was Fudgy Brownies with Vanilla Ice Cream (Haagen Daaz) and toasted pecans. It was freezing that night, so we also made a fire and S’Mores.

I figured it was less about the food, than the company and the effort.

The steaks were tender and flavorful. I served them with Chimichurri we got at Josh’s and everyone enjoyed the Poblano Souffle (except Kelley, who can’t eat eggs). It’s one recipe I can’t give out, as I was sworn to secrecy by Veronica, an excellent cook who gave me the recipe with a non-disclosure agreement. Earlier in the day, I walked outside and a little hawk flew from my neighbor’s house to mine, sat on the black gate and looked me straight in the eye, before flying away. Of course it made me think of my Dad and that he would be happy his daughters were getting together for dinner.

Liking lately: Wordle, The Lincoln Highway (book) and The Woman in the House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window (Netflix Show) and The Ting Tings (band).

I bought a larger jug of detergent this time and Isa has taken it into her hands to solve the mystery.

I’m not quite sure this is going to do the trick.

They call me quiet But I’m a riot Mary-Jo-Lisa Always the same

That’s not my name That’s not my name That’s not my name That’s not my name.

The Ting Tings

Up Next: Superbowl Buffalo Dip or Pickled Eggplant

This recipe actually calls for a little preparation (1 hour) and a cedar plank; it works great if you’re already planning on grilling something for dinner. Since I didn’t plan ahead and hadn’t soaked the said plank, I just served the log of goat cheese with the honey and pepper (make sure you use lots, otherwise it just looks like a sad log of goat cheese). I cracked my black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have one, put them in a plastic bag and whack them with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to crush.

Other alternatives to the honey and pepper goat cheese (and taking a page from Trader Joe’s) is to spread the goat cheese log with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, or a heated jelly (such as fig), or to cover it in ground spices (like thyme, rosemary, sage) of your liking. Any way you dress it up, adding a little festivity to your goat cheese doesn’t take much time and adds a lot to the presentation.

Honey-Pepper Grilled Goat Cheese

Prep: 1 hour Grill: 5 minutes

• 1 large cedar plank
• 1 (11 ounce) goat cheese log
• 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Flatbread crackers, or water crackers or grilled French bread.

1. Soak plank in water at least 1 hour. Roll goat cheese in pepper.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400). Grill wood plank on one side, 4 to 5 minutes or until well marked. Turn plank over and top with goat cheese.
3. Grill cheese, covered with grill lid, 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is hot and edges are slightly melted. Remove from grill and drizzle with honey. Serve immediately with crackers.

Serves 10.

Up Next: Week in Review

While I haven’t been to Hillstone’s in ages, (even before the Pandemic, I couldn’t stand the crowds), I do miss this salad. I tried to re-create it at home, but it never tasted exactly right until I found this recipe online at La Dolce Vita, written by Fred Bollaci, known as the Healthy Gourmet. I had leftover steak and a beautiful Mallika mango from my tree (one of only 3 I’ve had this year), so I had most of the makings for this salad.

I didn’t have ramen or lo mein noodles, so subbed angel hair pasta and didn’t have arugula or watercress (although I love both!) so subbed Romaine and spinach. Don’t skip the herbs, however, as they really add another, fresh, dimension to this salad. If you’re not a steak-lover, this salad would also work great with leftover pork or chicken. This is the perfect salad for Miami Foodies this summer. The temperatures have been brutal, so who wants to heat up the kitchen? Even my meat and potatoes husband Zeke, enjoyed this sweet, savory and spicy salad for dinner. I hope you will too.

Houston’s Thai Steak and Noodle Salad

Serves 4

Steak

1 1/2 inch ginger, peeled, finely chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 garlic powder

1/4 olive oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 pound filet mignon steaks, 1 inch thick

Kosher salt

Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup hot chili paste (I used sriracha)

1/4 cup peanut oil

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Kosher salt

Salad and Assembly

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 large mango, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 bunch arugula, leaves torn

1/2 bunch watercress, tough stems removed

2 medium carrots, finely shredded

2 scallions, chopped

2 cups finely shredded savoy cabbage

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 avocado, cut into 1 inch piences

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

1/4 cup crumbled toasted, unsweetened coconut flakes (I skipped this)

1/4 cup finely chopped, salted, roasted peanuts, plus more for serving

Lime wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

Steak

Whisk ginger, soy sauce, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Whisking constantly, gradually add olive oil, then sesame oil. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag and add steaks. Close bag, pressing air out and turn steak to coat. Chill at least 6 hours and up to 12.

Prepare grill for medium heat. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry. Season lightly with salt. Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until lightly charred all over and the temperature in the thickest part reads 12o, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into 1″ pieces.

Dressing

Whisk lime juice, chili paste, peanut oil, fish sauce, sugar, honey and garlic in a small bowl to combine. Taste and season with salt if desired.

Salad and Assembly

Cook noodles in a small pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Toss with oil in a large bowl. Add mango, arugula, watercress, carrots, scallions, cabbage, tomatoes and dressing and toss to coat. Add steak, avocado, cilantro, basil, mint, coconut flakes and 1/4 cup peanuts. Gently toss to combine. Top with additional peanuts and sere with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Divide salad among plates, piling as high as possible. Top with additional peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Recipe by Hillstone Restaurant Group

Up Next: Foods to Always Have in the Freezer, Mango Mania.

“Why are you eating Funyuns, Sunny?” Whoopi, speaking from the social distance of her own home, asked.

“I love Funyuns,” Sunny answered, shrugging.

Apparently Whoopi was dismayed because she hasn’t been able to find her favorite brand of potato chips (Wise). Megan McCain’s junk food addiction of choice (also quarantined at home since she’s pregnant) is Cheez Whiz, straight out of the can. Everyone agreed putting it on her finger to eat at this time was too risky.

I read an article about how people are ditching quinoa and kale for Doritos and Oreos, during this stressful time of the pandemic. Many people (including yours truly) are worried about gaining the COVID 19. 19 pounds, that is. Stuck at home, with nothing to do but eat.

My junk food addiction during these freaky as heck, uncertain times has been Trader Joe’s White Truffle Potato Chips. It sounds like a pretty ritzy addiction, but I was simply eating it because it was there. They are, by the way, delicious, especially with caviar dip (now that does sound ritzy!), although I won’t be visiting Trader Joe’s anytime in the near future. It’s crazy enough shopping there during normal circumstances and these are anything but.

My actual embarrassing junk food of choice is pork rinds, a favorite of George Bush Jr’s. (that makes it even more embarrassing). Sometimes, I just buy a small bag in the grocery store and eat the whole thing. Something about crunching those hard and salty snacks is a stress reliever, even though I feel sick after I eat them. There’s a conflict going on in my body and brain, of wanting to eat clean to stay healthy and that of just craving comfort food.

After Hurricane Andrew, my then sister-in-law brought bags full of groceries for our family. The item that made me happiest was a box of Cinnamon Pop Tarts, a blast from my past and link to my childhood. It was one of the few crappy foods my Mom let us eat. I’m sure she brought them for the kids, but I’m the one that ate them.

Likewise, I’ve been craving comforting food during this time, so have been eating a lot of soups and sandwiches for lunch. Tuna melt and Campbell’s Tomato Soup, was homey and warm (although I’d forgotten how awful the tomato soup was with corn syrup in it) and I had Trader Joe’s Poblano Corn soup yesterday, with a Pita Pizza with Monterey Jack Cheese and sliced peppers on top.

In order to establish a sense of normalcy during abnormal times, I created a meal plan for the upcoming week. Sundays, the day my family used to have pasta, is Italian night. Monday is Meatless Mondays (which I’ve been trying to do for a while) or take-out pizza. Tuesday is Taco Tuesday or Flannigan’s ribs (buy one, get one free day). Wednesday is Burgers and Beer night, reminiscent of Riviera’s, or Hot Dog and sausage night, simply because I need to rid the freezer of hot dogs. Thursday is Mystery Meal.

On this night, family members get to request a dish they would like and then they cook it, with assistance by Zeke or I. This way, we’re fed and they get a cooking class. Win-win. Friday is Fishy Friday, with some kind of seafood.

Last night I marinated peeled, deveined shrimp in leftover artichoke heart juice, then put them on skewers (some had bacon around them). Zeke grilled the shrimp; I served it with mashed potatoes, stir fried pea shoots (I need something green!) and grilled N’aan bread, which I was told suffered from freezer burn.

“Welcome to Seafood Night,” I said last night, toasting with my glass of wine.

“I hope you enjoy tonight’s meal and if you don’t…”

No need to finish that sentence, because where else are they going to go?

Saturday night is Grillin’ and Chillin’. We are lucky in South Florida to be able to grill and have such beautiful weather, while we’re stuck at home. I’m not too sure about the chilling part, at this stage of the game, but we have been watching a lot of Netflix– Tiger King, to be specific. The girls and Zeke have also been working on a 1500 piece puzzle in the Family Room. There have also been some games of Beer Pong, though played with Rose. I haven’t (as of yet) participated.

This schedule can be amended depending on ingredients I can procure and the mood of the chef. Luckily, take-out is still an option and I read that the coronavirus can’t be transferred via food, so that’s a relief.

I texted the girls and asked what meals they will be attending, in order to get a head count, because on any given day we could be just the two of us, or up to five people. I’m making my list, submitting in my Instacart order and hoping it won’t take a month to arrive. I’m putting toilet paper, Clorox wipes and rubbing alcohol on the list, although it’s probably wishful thinking. A girl can dream, can’t she? It’s about all we have now- wishful thinking about a day when this is all over. And our health and our family.

Come to think of it, that’s a lot.

Stay safe and support your local restaurants. See my previous post for recommendations.