Spinach and salsa

These things I warmly wish for you
Someone to love, some work to do,
A bit o’ sun, a bit o’ cheer,
And a guardian angel always near.
~ Irish Blessing

Popeye’s a smart lad! I’m enjoying this bag of spinach in my fridge at the moment – laying it on toast, hiding it beneath scrambled eggs, sautéing it with garlic, eating it with nothing but a squeeze of lemon juice… spinach spinach you are great.

Spinach aside, I’ve been dining out a lot, catching up with friends, reflecting sunlight in my ice cold ginger beer, drinking in the riches of the earth at Memphis Belle, eating filled French sticks at Finc and chocolate tart at Caffe Italiano and red duck curry at Chow and steak with garlic butter at Floriditas…

… :-O
… :-)

I don’t really know which face belongs at the end of that paragraph. Maybe both. The first for too much eating out and not saving $! The second for friends and food.

Cathy came for lunch today, and I took a rapid blurry shot of lunch so we could catch the sunshine on the deck… this is chicken pieces seared and pan fried with paprika, chilli, dried basil and muscovado… served on a bed of walnuts, red onion, capsicum, salad greens… drizzled with a warm dressing of garlic, olives, sundried tomatoes, and lemon zest. I then sprinkled some black pepper on top, and served it all with garlic bread, feta cubes and lemon wedges on the side.

I enjoyed making this, and it was good but I think I might try to make it simpler next time so the flavours don’t bump into each other as they glide across the tongue. Also, I need practice with chicken – I’m not finding it easy to get the texture right!

We were baked to a crisp while eating lunch out in the sun, and we just grinned, chatted and stayed outside till we became human apple pies (or well-roasted human chickens?). It was great!

Anyway, it’s 229am, and I suppose it’s time to try closing my eyes again. I am just physically unable to sleep after I took my dancing shoes for a night out at a salsa party… they got worn out and frankly, so did I – the only difference is they have gone to bed while I’m still dancing (however sleepy I am).