#I mostly like cutting up things like onions and peppers by hand

[petermorwood]

Flammkuchen / Tarte Flambeé / "German pizza"

This evening I found a slab of Speck (strong-smoked bacon) in the freezer that I didn't know we had, there was half an onion and a tub of Lithuanian sour cream in the fridge, so @dduane decided to try Flammkuchen.

Originally, so the story goes, it was made by bakers as a pre-thermometer way to check the temperature of their wood-fired ovens (and provide a quick snack at the same time).

Tarte flambée is the French name, but "German Pizza" or indeed any sort of pizza it certainly isn't; there's neither tomato sauce nor cheese, and no yeast in the dough.

Whether it's German or French depends on who you ask, since it originates from the province of Alsace, an area which has changed hands a lot in the past couple of centuries and whose ownership has been A Source Of Friction Between Guess Who for almost as long.

To stay neutral, the recipe DD used is Swiss. ;->

Here's the translation:

*****

Alsatian tarte flambée

This delicious speciality from Alsace is also ideal for an aperitif. Thinly rolled bread dough with sour cream, onions and bacon cubes!

350g flour (12½ oz) 1.25 tsp salt 2 dl water (6.7 US fl oz / .42 US pt) 2 tbsp olive oil 200 g crème fraîche / sour cream (7 oz) 2 onions (we had less, so used less...) 120 g farmer's (thick, well-smoked) bacon in slices (4¼ oz) a small grind of pepper

And this is how it's done:

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Pour in water and oil, mix and knead into a soft, smooth dough. Form the dough into a ball, cover and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 240 degrees (464 F). Halve the dough and roll it out into an oval shape about 3 mm thick (1/10 inch) on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough on two baking sheets lined with baking paper.

Spread the crème fraîche / sour cream over the dough, leaving a border of approx. 1 cm (½ inch) free all around. Peel the onions, cut them into fine rings, cut the bacon into strips, spread both over the crème fraîche / sour cream and season.

Baking per tray: approx. 12 minutes each on the bottom shelf of the oven.

*****

Since this was our first time making Flammkuchen, we baked them one at a time to check for errors. There were none (Swiss recipe!) and 12 minutes was exactly right to produce this result both times:

DD needs to be careful because of IBS so they were made with mostly bacon on one side, mostly onion on the other, and with a glass of cool white wine they made an excellent Sunday supper.

Next time, now we know how well this recipe works, we'll be more generous with the toppings. :->

Incidentally, rather than baking-trays or the pizza stone we need to replace (ceramic utensils, tile floors and gravity Do Not Mix Well) we used the cast-iron griddle which in summer often goes on the BBQ...

... and gave the oven a thorough pre-heating, then transferred the Flammkuchen in and out with a peel, all of which worked splendidly.

That tip about using baking paper is excellent, BTW: no sticking, no spillage, no washing up. I bet it'll work with other things as well.

Like, for instance, more Flammkuchen... ;->

[x-emeraldsky-x]

Sasuke pressed his index finger to his lips, looking up at Sakura from where he sat. She continued to cut ingredients for dinner, noticing his gaze after a few minutes. He averted his eyes, cheeks dusted a light pink. He tried to play it off by resting his chin on his hand, but Sakura new this game all too well.

His indirect question was answered with a gentle kiss, the taste of cucumber and capsicum tingling off Sakura's lips. She's always had a habit of snacking on her cooking ingredients. He brought his hand to the back of her neck to deepen the kiss, subsequently stopping her weak attempt to pull away. Sakura obliged in his desire until her back strained from leaning. She nipped his lip, causing him to yelp, and made her escape during his distraction.

"How about after I cook dinner, hm?"

Sasuke pouted. He wanted her now, and his desire for her outweighed any desire to wait, but there was promise in her voice. Promise that after cooking, she'll take him to their bedroom and pin him down. And for that, Sasuke would wait a lifetime if he needed to.

He watched her closely, every small tense of her muscular arms made him want to be held, the short glances of her eyes made him want to be seen, and the gentle grip of her hands made him want to be touched. Every second he spent staring, the more he sat wanting.

Sakura finished chopping and turned to the stove, a pan already oiled and heated waiting for her. Sasuke shifted the chair to see better, marvelling at how unphased she was when the oil splashed on her arm when the ingredients went in.

Part of him felt silly for finding such small things so amazing, but the growing impatience pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

He watched her swirl the vegetables with a wooden spoon, taking note of her concentration and technique. Sasuke felt a pang of jealously in his chest, even though it was just a pan and spoon. He wanted her focus on him.

Sasuke stood from his chair and shuffled next to her, looking up at her and resuggesting his advance.

This time, however, Sakura didn't pull her gaze to him, she didn't lean in nor did she pause what she was doing. Sasuke pulled himself closer, placing himself in her periphery.

"Sakura," he started. His words turning into mumbers the more he spoke. "Please... please kiss me."

Sakura hummed, finally catching his presence. It took her a moment to process his words, and she laughed a little once she did.

"You're too cute," she said, tilting her head forward and chuckling. "Last one."

Sasuke connected their lips impatiently, gripping Sakura's qipao tightly in his hand to pull her closer. Sakura caved to his desires until the smell of burning zucchini broke their kiss.

She worked quickly to try and correct the error, hoping the slight char wouldn't affect the overall dish too badly. In the end, though, it was only for them. Sakura would eat anything put on the table, and Sasuke would eat anything Sakura prepared for him, so nothing would be wasted.

Sasuke slowly pulled away despite his desires, giving Sakura some room to move. He returned to his chair and went back to watching her, licking his lips to savour the taste of her lip balm. An off vanilla taste that mixed poorly with onion and pepper. He loved it regardless, mostly because it came from her.

As the clock ticked by and the pops of the oil slowed, Sakura's gentle humming came into ear. It was an unfamiliar tune, something from Naruto's interests he assumed, but it was soothing. She often hummed like this during her tasks, the house was rarely quiet because of it.

Sasuke didn't mind it either. Like this, everything was cozy and warm. Calm despite the nature of the Hidden Leaf and it's prized medical ninja. It had become home after all those years away, and in the end, Sasuke didn't mind waiting if it was like this.

His eyes slowly fluttered shut as he listened, almost slipping into sleep then and there. About fifteen minutes left until dinner was ready and he'd have her full attention. About fifteen minutes of hearing her hum.

They were fifteen minutes he didn't mind at all.

[invisibleraven]

Just a little something for the darling @jmrothwell on her birthday. Love you sweetie!

By this point, Julie had gotten used to living with her ghosts-used to walking into a room and finding them there. Sometimes just chilling, sometimes catching up on television, sometimes even napping.

But they usually tended to avoid the kitchen-the reminder of how they died and their inability to eat stil cut deep, so they often didn't go in there unless she was there.

Well, except Reggie. He liked 'helping' her dad cook, the way the sun made the room light up throughout the day, and fixing snacks for her and Carlos.

Today though, she found him covering the counter in supplies that made no sense to her.

"Reg? What are you doing?"

"Hi Julie!" he replied, then looked at the covered counters. "I'll clean it up I promise."

"You always do," she replied. "But I was wondering what you were making?"

"Pizza!"

Julie smiled fondly, shaking her head. Of course-of all the foods that Reggie lamented missing, pizza topped his list. She got that, she'd be pretty sad if she couldn't have pizza ever again too.

"You remember you can't eat it right?' she said as she sat at the counter, rolling a tomato in her hands.

"I know, but I like making it too," Reggie replied. "My MeeMaw taught me how when I was young. We made everything from scratch, all from stuff we grew on the farm. The only thing we bought was the meat."

"That's really cool," Julie admitted. "Don't think we have all those supplies though."

Reggie smiled at her-that crooked disarming smile that always warmed Julie to her toes-not that she would ever admit that. "No, but you have the basic staples-you just have to tell me what toppings you want."

"Do you want help?" Julie offered as she passed back the tomato. "I can chop veggies and shred cheese."

"That'd be great," Reggie replied, passing her a pepper, cutting board, and knife. "It's always more fun to cook together."

"What other kind of stuff did you make with your grandmother?' Julie asked as they chopped.

"Bread-we made challah every week for the Sabbath. Lots of soups and stews. I learned to pickle and preserve a lot of foods, make jams and jellies. Pie, lots of pie, mostly peach, it was Georgia after all," Reggie reminisced.

"So where did the pizza come from?" Julie asked, handing him the onion-one benefit of him being a ghost was that it didn't make him cry, while she took the mushrooms.

"Oh, I was a big fan of the Ninja Turtles," Reggie admitted. "And well, there wasn't a lot of places to get a pizza in rural Georgia, so MeeMaw figured out how to make it just for me."

Julie had to coo at that. "That's so sweet."

"That was MeeMaw."

They were quiet for a moment, just chopping together until they were satisfied with the amount of toppings, leaving Reggie to stretch out the store bought dough that Julie didn't even know they had.

"So which turtle weapon did you try to master when you were a kid?' she finally asked.

"Sai swords," Reggie replied. "I was...really bad at them. I so wanted to learn to twirl them, but I kept dropping them, or almost losing a digit. Then I switched to the bo staff-figured it would be easier since I was decent with my toy lightsaber."

"Was it?"

"I might have given myself a concussion?" Reggie admitted, a blush painting his feature.

Julie burst out laughing at that, a deep belly laugh that made her sides ache as it went on, eyes streaming with tears, especially when Reggie joined in. "Oh, I needed that."

Soon enough the pizza was done and in the oven. Reggie dusted his hands off, then looked at the kitchen. "Now to tackle this mess."

"Do you want help? I'll dry," Julie offered.

"You don't have to, I'm sure you have better things to do with your time until it's ready," Reggie replied. He often deflected like this, so unsure that anyone really wanted him around, and it always made Julie's heart ache when he did, wanting to find whoever had made him believe he was unwanted and hit them with a comically large fish.

"I helped make the mess, I help clean it up," she stated. "Plus, you can tell me more of your ninja exploits as we go."

"I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one afternoon."

"Fine, then I'll tell you about my horrible history of trying to be a cheerleader and baton twirler."

"Did you give yourself a concussion?"

"No, but I did break a vase...and papi's nose."

Reggie giggled at that. "Okay now that you have to explain."

Julie leapt into her spiel of her disastrous attempts to learn the baton, and the dishes passed in a flas as a result. Made even better as once they were done cleaning, the oven was signalling that the pizza was done.

"How is it?" Reggie asked, watching her with envy and longing in his eyes as she took her first bite.

"Delicious."

"Wish I could have some," Reggie sighed. "I miss pizza-but it was really nice to make it with you."

"It was," Julie admitted. "Maybe next time you could teach me how to make pie?"

"I'd like that," Reggie admitted, his hand finding hers on the counter, and Julie smiled as neither of them let go.

And she wondered how hard it would be to find some real Georgia peaches-and bo staff lessons.

Maybe this time they would incur less injuries-and if not, at least it would be a lot of fun. And if all else failed, there was always pizza.

[kitchenwitchtingss]

WITCHY SAGE SKEWERS

They've got witches at the barbeque now????

I rarely ever see witchy grilling recipes for summer, so when in doubt, make your own!

The witchy part comes from the seasonings mostly, but also the intentions. Any food cooked with good intentions goes much farther than that with none.

That being said, sage, rosemary, black pepper, and thyme are kinda like the go-to bad vibes be gone type herbs lol.

I use bok choy and yellow squash in this recipe, but you can totally use whatever vegetables you have on hand at the time.

Oh! You could also try to spice the recipe up by subbing the butter for some sort of BBQ sauce. Sounds yummy.

INGREDIENTS (seasoning measurements are just suggestions):

4 chicken thighs, skinless + boneless (can be substituted for pork, tofu, or any fatty meats)

1 yellow squash, washed.

1 bunch of bok choy, washed.

1/2 tbsp Dried Sage

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

2 tsp Ground Thyme

1.5 tsp Black pepper

1 tsp Onion powder

1 tsp brown sugar (you don't need it if you don't really want anything too sweet)

1 tsp honey (or more brown sugar)

1 tsp salt (plus more for the chicken)

0.5 tbsp Paprika (plus another half for the butter)

1 tsp Dried Rosemary

1/4 cup (4 tbsp) Unsalted Butter

Zest of half an orange (if you don't like orange, you could use lemon instead.)

1 tsp orange juice (or more to taste)

You can add lemon juice if you like a little more tang along with the orange juice

PREP: Mince garlic, soak wooden skewers, wash veggies. Slice yellow squash vertically into thin slices, along with bok choy, slicing vertically across the center. Set aside.

DIRECTIONS

Cut chicken thighs into about one-inch pieces. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, paprika, brown sugar, ground sage, and onion powder. Massage chicken until coated nicely. I like them pretty seasoned but really it's up to you!

Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 12 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.

In a bowl, combine mix melted butter, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, paprika thyme, black pepper, honey, and rosemary together in a bowl. Add in orange zest and a tsp of orange juice. I also added a little bit of lemon juice. Set aside.

Toss chicken thighs, bok choy, and yellow squash in olive oil.

To assemble skewers, string on a piece of bok choy, gently folded over itself a couple of times, and pierced through to keep it folded on the skewer. Then, string on a piece of chicken. Next with your thinly sliced yellow squash fold that over just like the bok choy. You could also cut it into bite-size pieces and pierce right through it without needing to fold it over itself. Repeat this pattern until the skewer is full.

Heat the grill, clean the grates, and oil them. On medium high-ish heat, cook the skewers on each side for 5 minutes. Each time you flip the skewer, brush on your sage butter sauce. Make sure the chicken is done before taking it off the grill. It could take more than 5 minutes on each side to cook. To be safe, I cook them for another 3-4 minutes after flipping both sides.

Take off the grill and brush with more sauce if desired!

Enjoy! I made these with some herb-crusted potato wedges and grilled peach salad. They were delightful.

RECIPE NOTES:

I love skewers because you can put any fruits, veggies, and meat on it, and it works. A fun lunch idea is to skewer some peaches, cook them slightly on the grill, and throw it into some sort of salad. Very tasty lol.

I like using Bok Choy because it's very absorbent, and any marinade you put it in, it will soak up all the flavor. Just be careful not to share it on the grill.

Yellow squash is also what I use in this recipe, but the good thing about skewers is that you can use any vegetable. The more colorful, the more fun!

[graspingremlinhands]

Happy 1st day of the year!!!

Mutuals, friends, people of the fandom and lovely Ghidzilla shippers( to anyone is accepted and cherished)

Here your Gremlin, at my 1.200 post to say hello to you and wish for you all the best things to come.

As for me my wish is that this would be the year I would finally start putting myself at work and share with whoever will be, my works (and the mind and heart, mostly heart behind them).

I have to thank the fandom for being the safe harbor during the pandemic. The wonderful people that inspired me and still does and the ones I feel I can call friends (@1giulia4 @the-fallen-starr love you guys)

Now it's time I give something back. While also grow as a writer to be always better.

Under the cut a little one-shot I wrote during the holidays.

Tw: The content gets a little suggestive, but not much. It's more implied that outright explicit.

So procede with caution, listen to your level of tolerance.

And Enjoy!!!

- We need to find a new story to tell people when they ask us how we got together- announced Ichi.

It was late in the morning, the sun was at peaking, its light pouring generously into their apartment's kitchen through the window.

Ghidorah sat right below it, in the breakfast nook adjiacent to the sink area. On the table, was a magazine that had only been skimmed through while the hydra waited for his interlocutor’s answer.

No answer followed, the only noises in the air was the chop-chop of the knife on the cutting board and the oil sizzling in the pan.

 Slicing onions, peppers and celery was no one but Godzilla, their sweetheart of three years, of which one they’re been living together.

The saurus gave no indication of having heard them; he took the cutting board that now ,looked more like the palette of a painter and throw the contents in the boiling pan, the high splashes of oil captured by the warm light that came from the cooker hood.

All under their 3 pairs of eyes they observed, delighting in the sinuous line that Goji’s tail drew in the air.

Ghidorah stretched on the heated surface of the table, until the tension cracked away from his back. Uh, maybe it was time to get back to do stretching in the morning.

Godzilla kept ignoring them and cooking, now stirring the sizzling vegetables with a wooden spoon.

He then opened the fridge and took out a transparent plastic bag, containing large pieces of rosy meat, chicken probably as San pointed out through their telepathic link.

Now he was rummaging through the tool drawer, filling the air with the rattle of the steel cuterly- What happened to the meat tenderizer? - he asked them.

- We’re holding him hostage until you give us your answer- replied San jokingly.

He turned toward them and looked at them deadpan; shooking his head and mumbling something; then he lowered the flame under the vegetables and approached the sink, looking over it.

- I don’t see why we should. It’s a funny story, and it's true.-

He paused for a moment, as if he wanted to create suspense, or give sacredness to the thing- I’m fond of that story, you know. We wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for that. So, do you really want to give it up? - he concluded before returning to the stove.

The brothers looked at each other; it was not easy to associate Godzilla with something romantic, nor he looked the part.

And yet, one how the many things that has surprised them, the more they knew each other, was that Goji actually cares. For the most banal, small, easy-to ignore things. He hold those things to the highest regard and he gets protective over them.

Just like he was doing now.  

Ghidorah put a hand to their heart.

They had read, not long ago, about a research, which estabilished that when in a relationship, the partners' hearts begin to beat at the same frequency, almost tuning in.

 A belonging without compulsion, natural. A bit like the course of their and Goji’s relationship.

It had developed in a way so natural, like dominoes falling into place.

But the kick-off have been... awkward.

They slipped out of the breakfast nook, turn around the sink and placed themselves behind Godzilla. He was pounding the meat with a ladle wrapped in a cloth. He was ignoring them again. This wouldn’t do.

They stretched their arms behind their back, as if they were to start a set of weights before threw them around Godzilla, enveloping him in a strong embrace; operation a little complicated because of the spikes on his back, but they have grown accustomed to them in time.

Which rose is without thorns after all?

Godzilla found himself stuck, his arms pinned down, while the ladle still in his hand. There was no risk he was going to hit them with it, but never say never. Better act fast.

- We love that story, don’t misunderstand us- said Ichi nuzzling his cheek. -But in short-

- We make ourselves look like totally idiots - echoed Ni.

- And it’s not great when you introduce yourself to someone new. Remember the Christmas party at Anguirus? People were refraining themselves from laughing in our faces- concluded San.

- I don’t see the problem- argued Godzilla, trying to loosen the grip of Ghidorah- My vegetables are gonna burn, we can talk about it, like never again? -

In response, Ghidorah loosened his grip, sliding a hand to caress his side. Under their touch they felt Godzilla shrudder gently, the hand holding the ladle trembling slightly.

- The problem is that, as we have already told you, it does not make us look good. And it seems to us that this makes you look bad in return- continued Ichi, their hand now moving down, to play with the elastic waistband of the shorts  Godzilla was wearing.

San and Ni, instead, in perfect synchrony, had started to nuzzle and kiss his exposed gills.

Now Godzilla was panting, resting his weight completely on Ghidorah’s chest;  the vegetables in the pan had turned brown.

Too bad he suffered from a severe case of stubbornness- Don’t be immature- he tried to reprimend them despite his shaking voice, - it’s just a story. If you let that stop you from winning the audience then... shit!!! -

Ichi’s hand had slipped a lot further down and was poking at something very sensitive, while with the other one they busied themselves with caressing and groping alla round his body.

At the nuzzling, they had replaced more lascivious kisses and bites (courtesy of Ni), on the throat and shoulders.

An orchestra of need, between groaning and sighing, Godzilla who moaned heartfely , holding with both hands at Ghidorah’s hips while they purred. The ladle had falled with a loud clank, completely ignored

Their hand, not the one busy ravaging in his underwear, now squeezed his throat, lifting his head, forcing Godzilla to look into Ichi’s eyes, darkened with desire.

- You’re really sexy when you’re stubborn- he whispered seductely- but I’m sure that once you listen to all our motivations, you’ll be much more open to our proposition- in the meantime they continued to touch him, making his body grow hotter and hotter.

Godzilla, for his part, had little intention of listening to anyone; he had far more urgent needs to be meet with at the time.

He could only mutter a faint- Pan- pointing to the stove where the vegetables were now blackened.

With  a very quick movement for someone of their size, they pulled Godzilla up in their arms to carry him bridal-style and turned off the stove with a sharp movement.

And with the with their beloved they went into their bedroom, where they would plead their cause.

THE END.

If you are seeing this, thank you so much for reading this.

If you like, please consider leave a like or a comment. If you even reblog Thank you in advance. It would means a lot!!! To me, to keep the (digital) ink FLOWING!!!

If you don't, that's ok. I wrote this most catered around what I like.

But inappropiately mean or offensive comments will not be tolerated.

Nobody wins for having the best ship.

IT'S JUST A SHIP, NO REASON TO SHRED BLOOD OVER IT

[bugbyte]

Recent discoveries from the land of Bug lives with a chronic illness and is tired all the time:

This is probably obvious to everyone but holy shit, crock pot. I used to use this thing mostly for a few very specific recipes because I feel like there’s something about the cooking method where things can tend to lose flavor or texture (might just be a me thing) but lately it’s been a lifesaver when I am hurting and exhausted, which has been a lot.

I’m trying to cut back on premade or processed stuff where I can because I don’t think it’s good for me personally or for our budget. (No judgement from me if that’s what’s easiest for you, we all gotta eat somehow.) Cooking has become a mega effort for me when I’m having a flare up and it’s been tough. I used to do all the cooking for us because I genuinely love to do it, but it’s gotten so hard for me recently and I’m trying new methods.

More chatter and recipes under the break~

This is all kind of a medium effort (unless you have someone to help, which I am lucky to have) so it might not work for everyone, because the ceramic piece of the cooker is kind of heavy to get out and clean if you’re prone to dropping things (I am) but it can go in the dishwasher. Also chopping things can be a pain; I have a little chopping thing that helps when I’m cooking alone, it looks like this:

Anyway, if you can get past those hurdles via tools or help or buying pre-chopped veggies, you’re halfway there. You can also prep veg when you’re having a good day and freeze it so you have it ready on a bad day.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes, all are kinda chicken-based and the method is basically the same but you can probably substitute another protein, this just works for my budget and dietary needs. The only thing I might not use is ground meat; something funny can happen with the texture of it, I think because you’re not necessarily stirring all the time. It can cook kinda weird if you’re not attentive, and we’re going for as hands off as possible here.

Today we chopped up a bunch of veggies and dumped them in with chicken breast, a bunch of seasoning (curry, garam masala, garlic, ginger, a little Trader Joe’s sriracha seasoning for a little heat, I mean, I don’t think you can really add too many spices here?? Add and measure with your heart, as they say), and a jar of tikka masala sauce. Then we just have to make rice later and it’s all set. 4-6 hours on high, 6-8 on low seems to be the standard and works for basically everything I’ve tried so far. Yeah, it’s kind of premade with the jar sauce, but having something hot with real veggies and chicken when you’re not feeling good is a real morale boost at the end of the day. Plus, a ton of leftovers.

Another easy one I love is chopping up an onion and a bell pepper or two, pour in either a jar of tomato pasta sauce or a big can of crushed tomatoes + whatever garlic/basil/etc seasonings you like, and throw a couple of chicken breasts on top with some seasoning on those too. Same timing as above. By the end the chicken just shreds apart by pinching it with tongs really easily (I have hand grip issues and I can do it) so shred that and stir it all together. This stuff is great on pasta, probably also would be an amazing sandwich on a bun with some mozzarella?? Last time we used a can of tomatoes so there was a ton of extra liquid and I just dumped in a package of farfalle at the end of cooking (or 30 minutes to the end, ish) and mixed it well, gave it 30 minutes to soak up the sauce, and it was really tasty. You really only have to pay attention at the end to make sure the pasta is the way you want it, not over or under done.

Lastly, tacos. Chicken, in whatever quantity you want. We are 2 people and 2 breasts is enough for a bunch of tacos and leftovers for lunch the next day. Add a little olive oil (just a dash to help stuff stick) and half a packet of any taco seasoning you like (save the rest for the end). Mix in one of those little cans of chopped green chilies plus about one tiny can of water or chicken broth if you’re feeling fancy. Cook either high or low (as above) but I find low on 6-8 hours actually does come out better on this one. When it’s done, shred the chicken like the tomato recipe. It should just fall apart with very little effort. Then add in the rest of the seasoning packet and mix; it helps thicken any liquid into sauce. If you still end up with too much liquid somehow, just scoop some out with a ladle. Then just put it on tortillas with whatever taco stuff you like. This one also works pretty well with a big chunk of pork, like pork shoulder. You may need some extra seasoning and stuff because it’s bigger, and I would also add some garlic to the pork version for better flavor. If you have the energy or assistance this stuff is also great shredded up and thrown under a broiler for a couple minutes for crispy edges, but that’s totally optional. Still tasty without it.

Anyway, just thought I’d share some of the easy stuff I’ve come across and liked because I love cooking and I hate how much trouble I’ve had making good food without running myself to exhaustion since I started having health problems. It’s a learning curve for sure.

[picnokinesis]

What are your three favorite family recipes?

Oh man, okay so this has been in my inbox for AGES (I'm so sorry!!) because I was like damn, this is such a cool ask, but honestly I wouldn't say my family has any 'family recipes' so to speak, at least not anything that I'm aware of as something that's been passed down, y'know? I think this is mostly because my mum is a fantastic cook, and generally found/came up with her own recipes rather than doing anything my gran taught her haha. I learnt pretty much everything about how I cook from her, which is what I would describe as 'a vibes-based approach', where rather than precise measurements, she'll say 'oh a bit of that, a bit of this', and also ignore half of what the recipe says and do her own thing. She makes roux sauce without measuring anything and by pouring all the liquid in at once, and just whisking it like a mad thing to get rid of the lumps hahaha

So then, following on from that, I figured actually whilst I don't really have any passed-down family recipes (other than like, my mum's amazing quiche, which I do not know how to make myself rip), I do have recipes that I've made up, based on other recipes! So I'll quickly tell you about those!

Courgette Pesto Pasta Ingredients:

Pasta (I use 50g of penne per person)

1 onion (or half if you're only cooking for one person)

Mushrooms (like. a bunch. follow your heart)

Courgette

Bacon (2 slices per person)

Pesto

Lemon Juice

Butter

So you'll need to chop up everything before hand (or, if you're like me, time it with how long it takes the kettle to boil, but I have a gas kettle that takes 5-10mins to boil, and also screams at me). So: chopped onions, sliced mushrooms, sliced courgette, and cut the bacon into little squares. Then - kettle boils and pasta goes on. By the time you're done with cooking everything, the pasta should be about ready.

Put the courgette in a small pan, and add a lump of butter, some lemon juice and a bit of some of the boiled water left over from the kettle. The aim of the game here is that the water/lemon juice is gonna boil off and leave the butter behind to fry the courgette a little before adding it in with everything else, so only have enough liquid that it doesn't quite cover the top layer of courgette. Then whack that on the heat. Grab a wok, throw some oil in and start frying the onions. After a few, throw in the mushrooms. Then, add the bacon. I personally like my wok-fried food a little seared, so when it's getting crispy, the courgette will hopefully be beginning to fry in the other pan. At this point, I usually tip the courgette AND whatever liquid is left in that pan into the wok, and start frying it all together. By now, it should have been about five or ten minutes, so test the pasta, see if it's cooked. When it's ready, drain the pasta, turn the heat down on the wok and then add the pasta. Then mix in a healthy teaspoonful of pesto for as many people as you're making it for, and that's it!

Potential variations:

So my mum makes this one differently - no lemon juice, no courgette, no pesto. Instead, she cuts up a red bell pepper and adds that into the wok after the bacon, and adds in a ton of Philadelphia cream cheese for the sauce. It tastes incredible haha. I've also made a variation on this where it's the same as my mum's version, but I add in a couple of teaspoons of sun-dried tomato pesto as well, which was glorious. And then the other day I made up a new variation, which takes my version of the recipe as outlined above, but uses grilled vegetable pesto instead of normal pesto - and then, before serving, beat one egg per person in a mug, and pour that into the wok and stir it in throughout. That was AMAZING

Quail Egg Carbonara Ingredients:

Quail eggs (5 per person)

Pasta again

Single cream

Butter

Parmesan cheese (1 hearty tablespoon per person)

Mushrooms

Bacon (again, two slices each)

Okay so you don't have to use quail eggs. However, I get quail eggs for free from work because we have like, six or seven quails HAHAH so we get a ton of eggs and most of my co-workers don't eat them so I make the most of it. This recipe is based on a recipe from a cook book that I have, but the proportions are kinda whack, so I riffed off it, and I use quail eggs because the yolk to egg white ratio works out better, I think? However, you can absolutely try and use a chicken egg - my mum tried this the other day and just used one chicken egg per person, and she said it was fine, just a lot more liquid than my version haha.

Anyway. This one is so simple. Make the sauce first: beat all the eggs together in a large bowl, then add a lump of butter and the single cream (I'm so sorry. It's like - okay, last time I made it, I wanna say I used about 100ml cream to cook for three people, and a healthy sized lump of butter. But it's a vibes based approach. Follow your heart) and then 1 hearty tablespoon of parmesan cheese per person. Yes, it's a lot. That's because this recipe is good for the soul. Anyway - important note, do NOT MIX the ingredients together. Just throw them into the bowl and let it stand. Put the pasta on to cook, and then fry the bacon in a frying pan (oh, the bacon and the mushrooms should be chopped). After the bacon is getting on, add the mushrooms. Again, we love these slightly seared. THEN. When the pasta is cooked - do NOT turn off the heat, but turn it down, and then drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the mushrooms, bacon and pan juices into the pan with the pasta, put it back on the low heat, and then pour everything in that bowl into the pan and mix it together. The og recipe was like 'turn the heat off, the heat of the pasta will cook the eggs!!' but I don't trust that lol so I do keep it on the low heat as I stir it for about a minute or so, and then I take it off the heat and serve it immediately. With more parmesan on top, of course.

The other three main things that I cook that are actually pretty decent/interesting come from some recipe books that I have, but they are: Sausage and Bacon Casserole, Chicken in Cider (this one is AMAZING and also so easy but looks very impressive haha), and Pork in Apple Gravy (also amazing, but less simple - you kinda make a roux sauce but use apple juice rather than milk!). I also like a lot of vegetarian food, so my mum and I work together to make a really lovely nut roast from an old recipe book, and also stir fry with cashew nuts fried in soy sauce, and I'm actually hoping to try and make a vegan version of that first recipe with pine nuts and cashews rather than bacon for my vegan friend who makes her own pesto at some point!

Anyway!! Hope the person who originally asked me this sees this lol, and if not I hope it's interesting for other people! I'm always interested in new recipes that don't involve spices because I'm very weak when it comes to heat in food (like......peppery sauces taste spicy to me RIP) so if anyone has any recommendations, send them my way!

[dubious-writing]

💜Larsdunn!

💜 surprise kiss / impulsive kiss

Hello anon! So sorry this one also took a long time, I once again had to go be a slave to the wheel of capitalism. I like my job though, so it’s okay. This one became less of a snippet and more of a 1,216 word oneshot. I hope you like it!!

Vince is not entirely sure how he ended up here. 

Well, not literally. He can trace each step that brought him to this room and this situation. Getting picked for one of those silly PR interviews last week, sitting down in that decorated conference in front of a camera to answer questions not in any way related to hockey or how the team is doing. Somehow letting the topic stray to the comments about his and Adam’s eating habits they made at the beginning of the season, admitting that yes he did finally cook a meal for Adam. Telling them that the favor hadn’t been returned yet, actually, now that you mention it.

Somehow being roped into showing up at Adam’s house 8 days later after practice with no game that evening, sitting down at one of the island's barstools, and letting a producer tie a blindfold around his head. They must’ve sprung for a good brand - if there is a good brand of blindfolds - because the fabric is thick enough that he can’t see any shapes through it, and there’s no light peeking in either the top or bottom.

So yeah, he technically knows how he got here, filming some fun little PR piece with his d-partner. He’s just not entirely sure how he ended up here, in Adam’s kitchen, chatting while a meal is being made like this is some kind of normal domestic scene for them.

It’s not, no matter how much Vince wishes it was.

The producers keep asking them questions when the pauses between conversations start to lull too long, keeping the soundbites going, milking as much content out of this situation as they can get. Vince tells stories about learning to cook with his mother when he was young, naive mishaps from his twelve year old self. Describing his favorite meals, how difficult it is sometimes to take the time to make something from scratch during the season. Adam, in turn, admits that he can cook perfectly well - good, even, if some of his exes are to be believed - he just doesn’t necessarily like to. Finds it a little depressing to be cooking for one all the time.

Vince knows a way he could fix that, but is too much of a coward to voice it out loud.

The longer they sit there, the more Vince can pick up on the scents being created just on the other side of the island from him. Garlic and caramelized onion, lemon pepper and rosemary, sizzling bacon and marinated chicken breast. If nothing else, it all smells amazing. Every so often, Adam will set a pan down, open the oven, stir something in a pot, metal on stainless steel.

Vince isn’t worried, per se. Adam is an adult; you don’t get through three decades of life without picking up a few tricks, a little bit of cooking knowledge. He’s not even that peeved about the blindfold honestly, perfectly happy to sit there and laugh at all of Adam’s dry little jokes you wouldn’t be able to pick up on unless you were paying attention. Mostly he’s worried about liking it too much, being taken care of in this way, yearning for something he’s not allowed to have.

After maybe thirty minutes, the oven beeps as it’s turned off and all the burners click as the gas is cut, and Adam pronounces the food ready. Vince hasn’t been allowed a peak this entire time, but he has a vague idea about the meal being placed in front of him. Some kind of altered carbonara recipe, chicken and herbs and onions being thrown in with the normal pasta and bacon and eggs and parmesan, he’s pretty sure.

They don’t give him a fork on account of the whole not being able to see anything right now thing, which they warned him about beforehand. What Vince isn’t prepared for, though, is the sudden heat of Adam’s body at his elbow, overwarm from standing in front of the burning stove for so long. The hand that’s placed, featherlight, on his shoulder makes him jump just a touch. There’s the sound of a utensil scraping against a plate, and then Adam’s voice soft in his ear requesting open your mouth please.

Vince is never going to be able to unhear that.

But he obeys, opens his mouth so Adam can guide the fork full of food onto his tongue, clenches his teeth over the tines to make sure he gets it all. It’s an explosion of flavor the second he starts chewing, and he can’t help the moan that escapes his throat when he does.

“Oh my god, this is amazing.”

He swallows quickly and doesn’t hesitate to open his mouth again for another bite, which Adam gives him after a slight pause. His second moan is even louder.

“Is it really that good?” Adam asks, and his voice sounds strangled, like he was genuinely worried about Vince’s reaction.

“Dude, yes, this is literally so good. You’ve been holding out on me, what the fuck.”

There’s a puff of warm breath against the side of Vince’s face when Adam chuckles at him. Oops; the editors will have to take care of that later. “It’s really not that complicated of a recipe.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Vince turns his head in Adam’s direction, licking his lips to catch a stray bit of sauce before smiling up at his d-partner. Adam swallows very loud around his own forkful of food. “If you know what you’re doing, it will always taste this good. That’s what my mom used to say, anyways, when she was teaching me the basics. I’m gonna make you cook for me more often now– mmm!”

It’s not delicious pasta and chicken bumping up against his mouth this time; it’s Adam’s own lips smashed against his.

It’s objectively not that great of a kiss, seeing as how Vince was halfway through a sentence and not at all prepared to be kissed by the man of his dreams. But it’s Adam, so it’s still pretty fucking perfect anyways.

It only takes a few seconds - three, because Vince didn’t even realize he was counting - for Adam to pull away again, and the only thing that can be heard in the silence that follows is the popping of soap bubbles in the sink where Adam set the dishes to soak.

“Um.”

“I didn’t– fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

Vince reaches up to pull the blindfold off, feels his curls fly in every direction with the motion, and looks at where Adam is grimacing down at him with a hand rubbing the back of his neck. He looks so worried, like he’s afraid of Vince’s reaction, of getting yelled at or something.

He’s the man of Vince’s dreams, but he’s so stupid sometimes.

“Did you… did you want to though?” Adam takes half a step back before Vince darts a hand out to grab his wrist. Looks like they’re both doing things they didn’t necessarily mean to. Adam looks so terribly worried, and it’s a look Vince has never seen on him before, a sight so foreign that a kernel of understanding pops in the back of his mind, and maybe… maybe he is allowed to have things, actually.

[amu-brain-dump]

This is a meatballs recipe

I'm sharing this mostly cause my meatballs are better than my mum's and that fills me with an unholy amount of pride

First, the ingredients:

- 500 gr of ground meat of your choice (I used pork) - 1 egg (for every 500 gr of meat) - 1 onion (the bigger the better) - some breadcrumbs (might or might not be needed depending on the size of the onion - some flour (as much as needed) for coating and frying - Spices and condiments of your choice. For reference I used: several big pinches of coarse salt, a generous rain of pepper, 3 teaspoons of garlic & ginger paste, a drizzle of mirin, a couple of shakes of paprika and many many shakes of parsley

Now for the making:

- Step 1: this is the most important step, and what makes these meatballs better than my mum's 😌 Grate the onion with the small holes of a cheese grater. To make it easier, cut it in half first and be careful not to grate your fingers. You will end up with a mush of onion and lots of onion water that you DO NOT throw away. - Step 2: mix all the ingredients (minus the flour and the breadcrumbs) together

You will end up with something similar to this

You want a soft paste that is just sturdy enough to form the meatballs. If it's too moist just mix some breadcrumbs in to achieve your preferred texture. I like mine melt-in-the-mouth kinda soft so I only put a little bit. - Step 3: get some flour in a small bow and put a thin layer of oil in a frying pan. The next step requires some skill so if you don't have it, like me, use a small frying pan to control things better. Or ask for some help

- Step 4: form, coat and fry the meatballs

Since the mixture is so soft, if you form all the meatballs first and then fry them, they just deflate and mush together again. So the best is to form and fry at the same time. Form 2 or 3 meatballs, coat them in flour, dust the excess and fry them up in medium low heat on all sides until fully cooked. After they're all done you'll have a plate of piping hot delicious meatballs

At this point they can be frozen (after they've cooled down) or put in a sauce or do whatever you want.

Now for the tips:

1. Use a box grater, the type that stands and you can grate in an up&down motion, you'll end up less tired. I have a closed one and have to grate forward&backwards and its a nightmare and I really don't recommend a hand held grater. But if it's all you have, good luck 👍🏾 2. The size of the eggs doesn't really matter as much as the size of the onion. The onion water is what gives the meat that very moist texture 3. Use gloves while mixing. It makes cleaning your hands immensely easier and saves you from touching all the meat mixture directly in case of sensory issues 4. While frying use tongs, chopsticks or something similar to turn the meatballs. Using a fork will break them apart cause they're very delicate. If not available, 2 spoons should do the trick. 5. Also while frying, the excess flour will fall on the oil and cloud it and also stick to the next meatballs and burn a bit. If that bothers you, change the oil midway. I don't care so I just use the same oil or add a little more when I'm running out.

My mum's are good too but I, and most importantly my sister, prefers mine 😁 By the way, this recipe can also be used to make hamburger patties, just skip the flour part and just grill them or pan fry them

[alex51324]

Made a rather nice stir-fry with some of my farm box stuff!

The raison d'etre of the stir-fry was the eggplant; I looked up a few recipes, and they said that after cutting it up, you should soak it in cold salt water for 15 minutes, and then toss it with about a tablespoon of corn starch, so I did that:

I also removed a few strips of peel and then cut it up in such a way that I only had peel on the short ends of the strips; eggplant peel can get kind of leathery sometimes, but completely peeled eggplant can get mushy, so I came up with this strategy to split the difference.

Other farm-box veggies included this week's purple peppers and yellow squash, and red onion, little round carrots, and green cabbage from previous weeks. Garlic and ginger for aromatics, and I had a lime left from the sangria project, so I zested that to make the rice a little more interesting. (You cook the rice as normal, and add in a little citrus zest once it's done; I learned it from EveryPlate.)

Sauce was this stuff:

Which I also learned about from EveryPlate.

The process was first prep everything, then I stir-fried the onions and peppers for a bit, then added the aromatics. Then I put in the carrots and squash and stir-fried some more. By that point the skillet was kind of full, so I took all that stuff out, put in a little more oil, and stir-fried the eggplant. Once that was mostly done, I put in the cabbage. When that was cooked down, drizzled on some glaze and stirred it up, then put the first batch of vegetables back in. Another drizzle of glaze, and a couple minutes of stir-frying, and that was it! I also added a handful of dry-roasted peanuts at the end, for a little protein.

While I was cooking it seemed like I might end up with more than I bargained for, but once everything had cooked down, I could just fit it in 3 of my meal-prep containers, with a big helping to eat right away, which was what I'd had in mind.

the whole thing was very loosely inspired by this EveryPlate recipe:

[actualaster]

MEATBALL TIME

Since @friendly-peep asked how I make them. :3

Original recipe (it's been altered a lot since) I got from my Italian grandma who didn't measure anything so none of this has actual measurements, sorry--I never do either, I just Vibe. Keep in mind pretty much all of this is "to taste" so you can add or remove various ingredients if you know how you like your stuff seasoned.

I've got some notes by the ingredients because multiple of them I use specific preparations for sensory or energy issues due to chronic fatigue and wanting to save myself the energy of prepping certain things.

Ingredients:

Ground Beef (The variety I use specifically is 80% lean, 20% fat.)

Minced garlic (I use the jar stuff mostly, I don't really notice a big difference when using fresh)

Ground sage

Powdered/ground rosemary (You can probably use the needles, I use this for texture sensory issues)

Ground black pepper

Table salt

Crushed dried basil (you can use fresh! I use this for energy and convenience reasons)

Crushed dried marjoram

Bread crumbs (I use a store-bought "Italian seasoned" mix)

Water (original recipe used tomato sauce, but one of my family members has a tomato allergy so I use water instead and it works well)

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Instructions!

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit/177 Celsius

Grease up some glass cooking pans (you can probably use nonstick cooking sheets instead, I just haven't myself). Depending on the amount you make and the size of your pans/cooking sheets, you may need just one or you may need several.

Get a good-sized bowl to mix everything together in! Always err on the side of larger rather than smaller, it's way easier to avoid mixing issues in an oversized bowl than an undersized one. If making a lot of meat, feel free to split it between more than one bowl or to do it in batches!

Make sure you have all your ingredients to hand--double check before handling the meat!

Start adding all the ingredients to the bowl(s). I personally like to layer down meat, then sprinkle the rest of the dry ingredients in, then layer more meat, more dry ingredients, etc. Once all the meat is in the bowl(s) pour in the water (or tomato sauce).

Adding the fluid is usually the hardest part, you can't have too much or too little. If you're unused to making stuff like this, it might be better to make a few smaller batches where you experiment to get a feel for how much you need. Too much and they'll be mushy, too little and they'll crumble and be hard to work with.

Mix it all up! I do this by hand, do it carefully--it's really easy to overmix and then they get kind of tough. This is where I find bigger bowls are helpful, easier to get it all mixed together. This is also why I find layering the ingredients helps! You get the flavor throughout without having to mix it too much.

Shape the meat into balls! Ideally I kind of try to get them golf-ball sized but they inevitably end up larger. But really it's just kind of preference. Keep in mind the larger they are the longer it will take to cook the inside properly so you might get overcooked outsides and undercooked insides if they're too big.

Place them in the pans. They can be close to each other, even pressing against each other but you don't want them squishing together too much.

Once they're all in, cook for 18-20 minutes, then check. Once you get a feel for them you can usually tell if you'll need to start at 18 or 20 depending on size.

Make sure they're cooked properly inside! If needed, put them back in for a bit. I usually do 2-4 minute increments depending on how obviously undercooked they still are. When in doubt, you can always do less time and just keep putting them back in as needed!

And that's that!

This recipe I also use for meatloaf with no alterations aside from the following steps:

Shape into a loaf

Put some oil on top of it, spread nicely over the whole thing

Cook for 18-20 minutes, then pull out and cut in half, get some oil on the newly opened inner parts

Cook for another 18-20 minutes then check with meat thermometer for correct internal temperature. Cook longer as needed.

You can also just cook it straight for about 30-40 minutes or so, but due to sensory reasons I find that I prefer the texture when I prep it like this.

You can make both the meatballs and some meatloaf from this at the same time, too--I often do because if I'm making a lot then by the end I don't have the pan space for a bunch of meatballs but I can slap a loaf in that space easily!

I'm aware most people use an egg, my grandma never included one so I never did and I've liked the taste and texture well enough I never bothered experimenting with adding any, personally.

[umbralsound-xiv]

New Habits.

A quick trip to the market saw us gather ingredients for the first meal we would cook together in our new home. ...I had settled on the idea of a vegetable curry. Easy to cook, filling, and good for leftovers. It would be so nice, to cook together...

The door to the house is opened with an almost gentle, tender nudge, as Eir slips the beloved key into his pocket, and shoulders his way in with an armful of groceries. Even then, he stops for a moment to beam at the surroundings, before settling the paper bag on the counter. "…I still cannot believe it is ours. It is perfect, Sayuri. Did you choose the decorations?"

The door is pushed shut once Sayuri too had passed the threshold, steps following him to remain near. "I did." She beams. "..I did ask Bexy for a bit of help to set things up as well, I.. can't say I'm overly experienced in decorating. Most rooms I've had have been done before I moved into them, aside from the room I had before I moved into yours."

"I cannot say i have so much skill in it either. Our room at the company house was simply asked to be… Thavnairian style. But here… It is like a lovely blend of all things we love." Eir begins to sort the groceries; vegetables are set aside in a pile, and a hefty bag of rice pulled from the bottom of the paper bag. "There are hints of Thavnair and the East. And it is here, in Eorzea, where we both met." Looking to her, he smiles warmly over his shoulder. "…I look forward to making many memories here, with you."

"I'm glad you like it." Sayuri shuffles closer to Eir, leaning herself over to coil her arms around his waist to hold onto him, without keeping him from his task. She peers up at him, beaming a warm smile of her own his way in return. "As do I. And I'm glad the very first one is your Namesday."

Turning his head, he settles a kiss to her forehead, furnished with a warm smile. "My Namesday." Eir hums, enjoyment in his tone. "…I wager something lighter would be better to cook together, and nothing too complicated. A vegetable curry? I can take care of the rice and seasonings. Everything else i leave in your capable hands, hm?"

A soft hum of approval leaves her, her head leaning forwards enough for her lips to press against his shoulder before she withdrew and stepped over to the cabinets, pulling forth various items needed for the cooking from the contents of its drawers. "And.. What is.. everything else?"

"Peeling, chopping, dicing. Cooking everything that is not rice." Eir encourages. Popotoes, peppers and onions are set aside on the counter, taking one of the pots to set on the stove. "Vegetables are easy enough to cook. Even overcooked, they are delicious."

Her head sinks into a double nod, carefully plucking a knife and the chopping board to place them a little further away. "Well.. Should be hard even for me to mess up, then." She snickers.

"You will not mess up." Eir murmurs encouragingly, gently rolling the vegetables in her direction and settling a kiss atop her head. "You made a lovely home. Making a base for a curry should be a breeze, hm?" Eir pours a heap of rice into another pan, adding water as he begins to wash it.

Sayuri's ears wiggle at the kiss, head canting ever so slightly. "You'd think so, but I will also remind you that I've mostly had others make my food for me. I did it a few times, but those were far in between each other." While she speaks, she reaches for the peppers - placing them upon the cutting board before, surprisingly carefully, she sinks the knife into it.

"But you are just as willing to learn. Willingness is half the battle, and you are a fast learner besides. Just chop everything into small pieces and put into the pan, and the heat and spices will do the rest of the work." Rice washed, a measure of water is added before it's set on the stove to simmer. "And you are not so inexperienced i need to tell you how to peel a popoto, or to take off the skins of onions or de-seed peppers, hm?"

".. So I've been told. More than once." Sayuri flashes a small smile. ".. No, I should have that covered.." She pauses, chopping off the top of the pepper and spinning it to do the same to the bottom. ".. Should." She casts a glance Eir's way, only to smile before her attention returns to her task.

"You do." Eir has an almost singsong tone in his words, skipping over to the other side of the kitchen; delivering another kiss to the top of her head in transit, as he begins to pluck out various spices. "When you put your mind to something, it is rare you fail. I know that much."

Whoever said stubbornness was purely a negative trait? Sayuri is stubborn, but i am glad for all the things it has allowed her to overcome. Cookery lessons included.

Eyes lidding faintly from the affection given, she temporarily pauses the process of deseeding and chopping the vegetable in favour of looking at Eir more fully, head canting. "I'm just stubborn."

"You are." Eir grins, confirming. Various seasonings and spices are added in vague amounts to a bowl, adding a little more of this and that as he watched, only noticing after a moment she was looking over to him. "…That is not a bad thing. I am quite fond of your stubbornness."

She beams a smile his way, chuckling quietly. "Well, I'm glad. You're definitely among those who get to see it the most." She hums, resuming the chopping.

"Well, i am your husband. I wager i get to see much more of you than most." Eir remarks, walking back to the stove. Quickly he turns his head back to her. "--Your personality, i mean." He half trips over a foot before the bowl of seasonings make it back to the countertop, and Eir pulls out a small pan of his own. "…You know what i meant."

...I mean, i wager in all ways i see her more than most, but... ...She knew what i intended. I had only the most innocent of things in my thoughts, honest!

A brow is lofted in return, a soft laugh following it shortly afterwards. ".. In both ways, yes." She grins, briefly peering over her shoulder to Eir. Having finished chopping the peppers, she opts to pick a popoto next, carefully cutting in under the surface of it to begin the peeling process. "Literally, and personality wise."

Eir gives a small huff of humour. He busied himself with a small punnet of tomatoes, dicing them into messy chunks and settling them in a pan to simmer. "Well, i had not immediately meant it like that, but i will not argue. Both are lovely aspects besides."

"I sure hope you won't argue. It'd make me sad." Her tone takes a more childish front, lips pulling into the tiniest pout as she peers over to Eir. It is a front she doesn't hold for long, as she soon cracks a grin and laughs. "You're my husband. You have to find me lovely."

"I will not argue. I might bicker, though." Eir sticks his tongue out for only a moment, wandering back over the kitchen to wash his hands of the tomato juice. "I found you lovely long before i married you. We briefly touched on that earlier, hm?"

"Acceptable." Her grin increases at the sight, head tilting. "So we did. But you didn't know me that well when you did. Or my vast collection of blemishes."

"No, i did not. Your scars have never bothered me, hm? Not for you having them. A little upset for how some made their way there, but not for seeing them. Though i did not know you well at first, getting to know you has been nothing short of lovely." The rice simmers away, the tomatoes stirred as Eir tips in the mixture of spices. "How are the vegetables coming along?"

I do not mind her scars, something i have told her time and again, but i suppose it never hurts for her to hear it. I have never really minded any sort of blemish, only... I can see, now. After our time in the compound. Why she does.

"I think they have bothered me more than you." She gave a faint smile, shaking her head. The popoto long since peeled and met its cruel fate upon the chopping board, too - making Sayuri reach for the onion next. "Almost done." She hums, as she peels the skin off the onion before setting it down on the board to begin chopping it.

"One sun, perhaps they will not upset you so much." Eir slips behind her, settling a gentle arm around her waist as to not distract her too much, admiring her work. "It looks good, so far. I did not want to make anything too… Heavy."

".. Perhaps, although I have my doubts." She automatically leans back into him as his arm coils around her waist, indulging in his embrace without halting her task. "Something too heavy might've been a touch too daunting for me to try to increase the size of my meals, but.. This will be light enough to make some progress, I think." She smiles.

"…That you are willing to try means much to me." Eir pulls himself closer to her, lips at her shoulder. "Even if you do not manage to, i will still be happy, yes?" He smiles against her, giving a pleased little hum. "…It is nice, to cook together."

Sayuri's head flops to the side to gently nudge against his. "Honestly, if I manage to..? It.. will feel like a small victory." Her ears tilt back just a touch, yet a small smile remains on her lips. "It is." She hums.

Eir turns his head to kiss her cheek. "Even if not this sun, you will manage it. Another piece of yourself you reclaim from him, and i will be there to see every battle won." Eir doesn't move from her, reaching for a spoon to slowly stir the sauce.

Her ears wiggle at the kiss, her smile increasing in size. "I won't be able to reclaim everything he took from me, but anything that I can.. I will do my best to try." She finishes up her chopping, setting down the knife and turning her head to return a kiss of her own upon his own cheek. "And to have you with me every step of the way means a lot to me."

Eir smiles warmly, pressing his lips to her own after she moves from his cheek. "I have no doubt. My lovely, stubborn wife." He beams, picking up the chopping board of vegetables, to shuffle them into a pan to slowly simmer away. "…Now we just wait a little for things cook a little. Not too long."

A soft laugh leaves her, eyes lidding softly while she gazes at him. "It seems I get many words associated with myself." She chuckles.

"Mmh." Eir hums, edging her a little from the cooker to embrace her properly. "Is that what you would like to spend the intervening minutes doing? Listening to me call you all the things i think of you?" He presses a kiss to the edge of her jaw. "My Moon, my wife, my love. Lovely, stubborn and sweet all at once." He pulls back, just an ilm. "I could go on."

I could, and would had she let me. We spent the intervening moments like this, between the simmering of curry and rice. Bliss. Peace.

Eir examines them with the pressure of the spoon. "…About done. A few minutes in the sauce, and they will be tender enough." He reaches to take the pan of sauce, slowly stirring it into the vegetables. "Could you get the plates and utensils?" A pause, then. "I… Am not actually sure where the utensils are…"

Sayuri's head sinks into a double nod, allowing Eir to take over. She reaches up to the cabinet above, collecting two plates which are carefully placed down on the counter. A drawer is then pulled out of the cabinet below, a pair of utensils being fished out too before Sayuri bumps herself against the drawer to close it using her hip. ".. It'll take some time to get used to, but soon enough you will know it like the back of your hand." She beams.

"I am sure enough for that." Eir beams, stirring the vegetables through the sauce, before replacing the pot on the stove. The pot of rice is then picked up, the little excess water drained away, the rice fluffed with a spoon, which is once again offered to her. "…Perhaps it is better to fill your own plate. You know what you can handle, hm?"

".. Shouldn't be too hard." She half-mumbles, accepting the spoon. A plate is grabbed and rice is soon shovelled up onto it in her normal amount, which she mutely measures up in her mind.. and adds another spoonful of it before she moves on to the curry itself and similarly measures up her test amount - the spoon is then extended Eir's way.

Eir quickly fills his plate after her, taking equal parts rice and curry; enough to feed himself, and more than enough for leftovers. A kiss is planted on Sayuri's cheek, as he makes for the table to sit. "…To our first meal. On our first sun inside our home."

She had taken much more than normal. Usually, it is enough that we share from the same plate and utensils, for how little she tends to eat. I did not wish for her to overface herself, but to think she might achieve a full meal... I know how much it means to her. And in turn, how much it means to me.

Sayuri's ears wiggle in response to the kiss upon her cheek, a smile beaming his way before she moves to seat herself at the table with him. "And to you, and your Namesday." She smiles innocently.

"I suppose…" Eir murmurs, cracking a wry smirk as though he didn't enjoy the attention. Taking a forkful of curry, it's quick to move past his lips… And bring a pleased sigh from them. "…It is good. A lovely namesday meal, cooked by my wife."

"Cooked by both of us, don't give me all the credit." She snickers, scooping up some curry of her own to bring to her lips.

"Both of us, then. But it tastes nice because -you- made it." Another forkful, "…And also the spices. What do you think?"

Her ears wiggle, a soft, drawn-out hum of approval leaving her. "It's nice." She murmurs, scooping up another portion.

Eir hums in reply to her own, glancing around the room again. "…I can make breakfast for the both of us, and not even change out of my pyjamas. Lounge on the sofa at all hours. Not that i could not in the company house, but i wager i might raise an eyebrow or two. I can do much more, here…"

"We can do whatever we want here, without anyone looking." She beams. ".. Our only guests will have to be invited." She adds with half a grumble, before immediately smiling again.

Eir lofts a slow, singular brow between bites of his meal. To the point it runs away from his fork, and he has to scoop it up again to get it to his mouth. He offers no word to her comment, but his expression says just about everything. "Invited, and… Perhaps knock, for their own sake…"

".. Absolutely knock for their own sake." She huffs. ".. Both for their own sanity and safety."

Eir snickers a laugh between bites of his food, nodding. "…For their own sanity and safety." He agrees, head tilted. "Save for Bexy, does anyone else know where we live, now?"

"… No. Not yet. I'd tell Vex, but the chances of her finding her way here on her own is.." Sayuri's lips draw into a thin line. ".. Small."

"…I see…" Eir takes another few bites, mulling over. "…Well, suppose you could show her over, some time. I would like to cook for her, too. I wonder if she would like Thavnairian food…?" Eir drops a glance to Sayuri's plate. That she was eating anything at all brings a small smile to his lips.

I can think of a few others i would like to visit. Mahi'a and Vex. Bexy too. Sayuri's parents, of course. It will be nice to have guests, i think. I enjoy cooking for people. I wonder if... ...Hm.

"So far, I haven't heard about a single thing that girl dislikes." Sayuri smiles, shaking her head faintly. ".. In a way, I.. am glad that she turned out the opposite of me in terms of eating habits."

"Nothing? Nothing at all?" Eir lofts a brow, having devoured the majority of his meal. "…Suppose. There will be things she finds more difficult than you, i wager. Just as you have found difficulty in things that she has not. But you are working on it, all the same."

"Not that I have heard, but I can always ask her next time." She smiles, one ear tilting back. Even Sayuri's plate is beginning to look empty, the extra portion having been dug into aswell, good cat. ".. To be honest, Vex seems to be dealing with it all.. suspiciously well. Other than the time after she killed the Xaela, and she felt like she had no purpose, but that's the only thing I can personally recall."

"Suspiciously well describes that better than i would like it to sound…" Eir's brows knit in concern, scooping up the last grains of rice and vegetables, before settling his fork on the plate. "…She is still in good company, at least. If she feels the difficulty of the situation, she will have no shortage of hands to help her."

Sayuri nods lightly, scraping together the last bits of her rice and curry. "I just hope she speaks up if so. It's.. not always easy to admit." She scoops it up and stuffs it into her mouth, officially finishing a larger meal than her usual.

"She has friends. If she struggles… I can think of no one better to talk to her than you." Eir witnesses, as Sayuri takes the final forkful of her meal, and clears her plate. He stares, not saying anything more, abruptly leaving his chair to move to her side, arms wrapped around her.

Her lips curl into a soft smile at his comment, gaze settling upon him. Her head tilts curiously as he stands, following him as he moves up to her. His embrace is met with her own, as she drapes her arms around his waist. "Hello to you too." She smiles.

"You… You ate everything on your plate. Without me trying to persuade you, or reason with you. Just like that." He squeezes her a little tighter, head pushed against her own. "…I am… Proud of you. A battle won."

She pushes her head back against his, ears wiggling sharply. ".. So I did." She murmurs.

"You did…" Eir gives another squeeze, lingering for some long few moments, finally releasing her. The smile does not leave his face, slowly taking the plates from the table to the sink. "…Well, suppose a less fun part of having our own home is that we need clean it. But that we have dirty dishes at all is a blessing, that we have eaten from them."

Her smile remains as he withdraws, she stands as he wanders to the sink, following to remain at his side. ".. We're not messy, so it shouldn't be too hard to keep the house clean."

"It should not be. Though i do not enjoy doing dishes… There is some… Satisfaction, to keeping things clean and tidy. Looking after something dear to me. A little like you." He turns, to plant a kiss to her cheek.

A beautiful home, and a lovely wife. In this lovely moment of peace, having finished a meal we both cooked together... I could think of nothing more i could ever want... With her, i had everything i wanted, and more.

[aeonknight]

First Recipe: I call this one "I'm Mad McDonalds Discontinued the Snack Wrap"

Take some chicken tenderloins, either raw or fried from the grocery store.

If using fried, cook as the packaging labels

If using raw, bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, make sure the inside is cooked all the way through. You can also pre-prep this step, and just shove it in the oven for like 5 minutes or the microwave for a bit if it's already cooked.

Take a tortilla. Cover it in a dressing if your choice, I like ranch. Put the chicken in there. You can cut it up if you feel up to it, or you can just throw it in whole. Add some shredded cheese. Add some lettuce if you want, I don't because I don't want to cut it and I don't like the texture. Throw whatever other veggies you like on it. Bam, it's basically a salad but it's a lot easier to eat.

Second Recipe: The World's Easiest Tacos

Cut some chicken up. Cook it in a pan on the stove. You can pre-prep this just like the other recipe, and it's useful to have a lot of chicken that can be used for a lot of recipes.

After that chicken's mostly cooked through, throw like a little bit of water in there and then add some taco seasoning. Throw on a YouTube video and stir for a bit until it's mostly cooked in.

Heat some shells. If soft, toss them in the microwave under a damp paper towel for 30 seconds. If they're hard shells, throw them in the oven at 350 for like 5 minutes.

Use the cheese and veggies you have from the other recipe to prepare your taco however you want. Maybe throw some sour cream on there too if you're feeling frisky. You can always heat up more shells, and if you have leftover chicken, you can save it and it heats in the microwave super well.

The only ingredient you have to actually cook is the chicken, which can be pre-prepped and makes great leftovers.

Recipe 3: Curry (Yes really, I promise it's really easy)

Take the chicken I know you have. It can either be pre-prepped or whatever. Get it all cut up into pieces. Put it aside for later.

Throw some oil in a pan, 12 inch because it's going to get deep, then throw in some diced onion if you want. Saute that baby until it's golden brown. Add in minced garlic and ginger. You can buy them minced, I've also used ginger paste before which sounds gross but I promise it's good. Saute those lads too, for 30 seconds. Add curry powder, and then saute that again for another 30 seconds.

Poor in a cup of chicken broth (which you can also get as a paste for conveniece), and stir that all together. Then add 3/4 cup diced tomatoes. (These two things are the only things I measure because I don't want my pan to overfill).

Poor all that good shit into a blender. The recipe I use wants me to use a lid, take the insert out, and then cover with a cloth. That's dumb, I just poor it into a deep, thin bowl or pitcher and use a hand blender.

Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, I usually just skip that bit though. Then add the chicken. Lower to a simmer, and cover it. Throw some rice on to cook while the curry cooks for like 10 minutes.

If it's too thick, add some more chicken broth. If it's too thin, add a mix of cornstarch and water (not too much corn starch or it will turn into oobleck and you do not want to eat cooked oobleck, I've done it before. Not recommended.)

Stir in some heavy cream. I usually forget to do this and it still tastes fine though, so it's whatever. Boom, serve that over some rice and it's amazing. This is by far the most high-effort meal, but the beauty of it is that you can basically skip any part and it'll still taste good. I've done it without onion, without cream, with pretty much every kind of garlic and ginger, with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and I one time even forgot the curry powder. Basically as long you do the tomatoes and some amount of garlic and ginger and broth, it's great. Probably don't forget the curry powder, but it'll taste fine even if you do. The blending sucks, but it's not that bad if you have a hand blender.

Question for the five people and the random porn-blogs that folllow me: I'm trying to make a zine collecting a bunch of depression-friendly recipies (mainly meaning recepies that require as little preparation as possible). All the recepies I have so far are gluten-free as I'm a celiac and I'm generally looking for a bit more diversity...

Any ideas?

[msbarrows]

Broke the cutter on an Alligator chopper yesterday (after many years of regular use - it was originally bought by my dad ~a decade ago). Went looking online to buy a replacement part or new chopper (or possibly set of choppers). Ended up on the Swedish-based company’s home website and used their online store to order a new set*; not only did they have a shop-in-Canadian-dollars option, but the shipping is free! Even after calculating probable import duties/taxes it comes out to less than what buying from a more local retailer would have.

I am just so tickled to have a Deutsche Post tracking number for something. Also, entirely pleased to avoid the craptacular USPS for shipping

(There is a US-based version of the site also with online store and $CAN option, but they were actually charging several dollars more for the same thing than the Swedish store was; I’d assume it’s something in the exchange rate, like the Canadian dollar has better standing vs the Swedish krona than vs the US dollar.)

* - Went with a full set instead of just a single cutter because when I move out I’ll want a full set for my own use anyway; also ordered them in a different colour so mine can easily be told apart from the remains of the old set.

[littlesolo]

Sorority Past - Fic Bits

So, I had started this fic, come back to it, reread it and hated it, took another pass at it, and still hated it. Here's a little bit of what might have been. I had it up in another post, but it annoyed me, so this time there's more under the cut.

Maybe I'll try this concept again, but for now I'm washing my hands of it and forgetting it entirely.

NOTE: I wrote this after 1x10 and it was a funny take on if someone from Kate's past showed up. Had no idea what was waiting for us in 1x11. Kate has the same reaction: frozen panic, but there's no break up.

Sorority Past

Lucy’s spending the day out with Kate. No real destination, just wandering and seeing the scenic sights. It’s giving them a chance to be together away from work, not in one of their apartments, and talk.

At the moment they’re enjoying hotdogs. Kate likes hers with everything but jalapeño peppers on it. Piled high with ketchup and mustard and about five other things, Lucy doubts she’d be able to tell if something else was added. Lucy accepts her hotdog from the vendor and notices Kate’s look at hers. With just ketchup, mustard, and relish, it’s very plain compared to Kate’s. Grinning, she teases the blonde a little.

“So, with cabbage, onions, and relish, cheese, and chili, how would you be able to tell if there were jalapeños on there? Also, why cabbage? What business does that have being on a hotdog at all?” Having taken an impressive first bite, it takes Kate a minute before she can answer. Grabbing their drinks and napkins, they slowly make their way over to a table. Lucy’s smiling, but also very aware of how bad she has it for the other woman. They’re sitting outside at a table and with the gentle breeze and sunlight hitting her just right, Kate Whistler looks amazing even while eating an enormous hotdog piled higher than Lucy’s ever seen.

“This is sauerkraut. Calling it just cabbage makes it sound awful. Cabbage is only really good as coleslaw and that’s a side. This is different and a common hotdog topping.” Lucy feels her smile get even bigger as Kate explains it so logically. Like calling it something else changes the fact that it’s still cabbage. The argument could be made that it’s worse since it’s got a sour taste after being fermented. That seems like a lot of effort for a topping. She’s just about to say as much when there’s another voice.

“Kate Whistler? I thought I recognized that voice! You’re the only person I know that orders hotdogs that way.” They turn to see another woman over by the vendor’s truck. Tall, with light brown hair, and slender build, Lucy supposes she could be considered attractive. Her opinion on other women is skewed since she only has eyes for Kate. “Let me get my food and I’ll come and join you!” says the woman before darting back.

Looking over at Kate, Lucy notices she looks pale all of a sudden and well past just flustered. Kate looks over at her and she hears Kate mutter “You can’t help me here…” It’s said mostly to herself, but Lucy wants to at least try to help if she can. Based on Kate’s reaction, she’s guessing an ex?

“Let me try? Who is she?” Kate double checks that the woman is still busy before she shakes her head and shrugs. Lucy feels her eyebrows raise.

“You don’t know her name?” That’s not great. Especially if she’s an ex-girlfriend.

“No, you don’t… I don’t know her name, her face, her voice, anything! I have no idea who that is!” Lucy feels herself calm down a little. There had been a part of her that, even though Kate said she was, had been worried that maybe Kate wasn’t ready for the whole public thing yet. That maybe she’d gotten her hopes too soon. Wait a minute….

“So not at all? Is it possible she’s mistaken?” Kate shakes her head.

“Not and know my name and how I like my hotdogs…” Okay, she’s right. Lucy’s trying to come up with something when the woman starts to comes over.

“You’ve got chili on your chin” is all she manages before the woman sits down.

“God it’s been so long! What have you been up to since Northwestern?”

Okay, someone Kate knew in college, but judging by Kate’s face, that hadn’t helped much. The smile on Kate’s face is the one she uses when she’s greeting higher ups when they visit. People she has to make time for on an already very busy day. Lucy pushes the fact that she knows Kate well enough to know when she’s wearing a mask to the back of her mind for now, even though it has her biting back a smile.

Kate buys time by holding up a finger and taking a long drink.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m Carolyn. Kate and I were sorority sisters back in college.” Lucy notices Kate visibly relax a little next her as she introduces herself. There’s still that little voice in her head and that says, sure it was years ago, but it doesn’t mean she isn’t an ex.

“You look amazing as always” says Carolyn as her eyes take in Kate. “So, what are you doing in Hawaii? Conference of some kind?” Thankfully, Kate’s able to handle it from there. Sort of.

“I live and work here actually.”

“The sorority email that Misty sends out says you work for the government? What do you do?” Kate seems to be thrown by the mention of an email, but recovers fast.

“I’m a government auditor. Not very exciting, but I get to live here, so…” says Kate as she motions to their surroundings. Hawaii is beautiful no matter where you are on the island. Lucy has to agree, you really can’t beat their surroundings.

“What does a government auditor do exactly?” asks Carolyn. It should be noted on Lucy’s undercover skills, that she kept her face impassive. Well, you can’t really give anything away when you’re actively shoving a hotdog in your mouth, but fuck if she knows what any kind of auditor does. Kate, however, is prepared. When Lucy thinks about it, she’s not sure if Kate can actually tell anybody what she does. It’d probably put her in danger and might be a security risk. Especially if it finds it’s way into the sorority newsletter.

“Maintain and examine the records of government agencies” answers Kate easily. Carolyn looks absolutely baffled and Lucy tries to pretend that cleared things up.

“Kate and I started at Northwestern together. She went a little nuts when it came to picking courses. Most of us just wanted to get our general requirements out of the way. Kate picked courses with actual work in them. We all tried to explain that you want to ease in, but no, she picked foreign languages and history courses, I think there was one on classic mythology too. You became an auditor because you found out you can’t do anything with a philosophy degree, didn’t you? Same with art history?”

Around another mouthful of hotdog, Kate gives Carolyn a wry smile. Lucy blinks. She’s been steadily finding out more about Kate, but hadn’t ever really thought about a young Kate Whistler just starting out in college. Lucy turns and gives Kate a closer look. She wants to know more about that side of her too. Kate notices and raises an eyebrow, but Lucy just shakes her head and smiles.

“Okay…” Starts Kate. It’s in a sort of serious tone, which might have been effective if not for the smear of ketchup and mustard above her lip. Lucy reaches over and swipes at with her thumb and licks it off without a second thought. If she’d looked over at Kate, she would have seen her turn an impressive shade of red, she also might have noticed Carolyn’s amused smile, but there’s something Lucy wants to know.

“This is all good to know, but what did Kate suck at?”

“Hey!” cries out Kate with a nudge from her elbow, but Lucy waves it away.

“You know about me and karaoke, I want to know what subject you failed at.”

“I didn’t—” argues Kate, only to be cut off by Carolyn.

“Geology.” Lucy had been hoping, but doubted there’d be anything. Her eyes widen in excitement and she feels her smile grow even wider. Kate seemed like the person who wouldn’t let herself fail a subject if only out of spite. That fact that there actually is something she failed is amazing and it still rubs Kate the wrong way, judging by how she closes her eyes, bows her head, and groans miserably.

“Look, rocks are rocks. They’re rocks! I don’t care how many different types they are. The whole metamorphic rock thing is beyond me.”

“So, was a decent grade” adds Carolyn and Lucy has trouble containing her laughter, especially when Kate scowls at that comment. Wiping her hands, Kate crumples up her napkin and tosses it at her sorority sister before getting up and mumbling about needing another hotdog to deal with all this.

[praise-the-lord-im-dead]

Good Soup

@inklings-challenge, I made a thing! Technically before deadline? It’s before midnight here, at least. 

It was warm in the little house, in spite of the October chill outside, and the butter was soft, melting easily onto the golden-crusted bread. Morning light came in through the window, the leaves outside glittering with autumn color and melting frost.

It was a soup day.

Maureen could feel it in her aching bones as she munched through her toast and sipped at her cup of red raspberry tea, staring out at the wild collection of dry vines that had been her garden this summer. She could see it in the bright, soft glint of the light, and the bony crooked branches that waved against the sky in shades of silver and steel.

Maureen eased herself up out of her chair, letting her joints adjust to the idea of standing up before she carried her cup and plate to the sink. You couldn’t rush soup, either, and soup was wonderful. Maureen took satisfaction in the comparison. (Soup also didn’t have to be ashamed of smelling like garlic and onions, though that thought she mostly kept to herself).  

She put her dishes in the sink, and was walking back to the table when something made her stop.

She looked out the window.

She blinked.

There was a pair of glasses on the kitchen desk—the print on the energy bill only ever seemed to get smaller—and she went to get them before she looked out the window again.

She might have mistaken it for a pond, maybe (it was round) or a car (it was metallic) or a trick of the light (sunlight blazed off the shiny surface brightly enough to blind anyone), but the simple fact of the matter was that it was in her garden, surrounded by pumpkin vines and frost-wilted leaves and kitchen scraps, where there had been no cars, or ponds, or anything, just a moment ago.

Hm.

Her coat and scarf were hung by the door, a pair of mittens in the basket with her keys. She was still wrapping the scarf around her neck as she made her way across the lawn, the frost-covered grass crunching underfoot wherever the shadows of the trees protected it from the sun.

The thing in her garden was actually a bit larger than a car. It was maybe a little smaller than the neighbor’s pool, though, and just as round. It was making tired ticking noises as she approached it, and, just as she got close, part of it popped open with a very loud hiss. Maureen jumped back.

The…person…that got out was blue. And scaly. It—they—staggered a little, looking down at the remains of her vegetable garden with apparent confusion, before turning to blink at her.

Maureen didn’t know what to do, so she waved.

The person tipped a little to one side.

Maureen had just enough time to think, ‘oh dear,’ before they toppled over completely, landing hard on the ground, face-first into the remains of her pepper plants. They were wearing clothes—something that looked like canvas, but was dyed a very bright yellow. There was a tear in the side of the suit, on their torso, and the tear was leaking sluggishly into the dirt, a viscous, black liquid the consistency of warm honey.

Oh no.

Maureen bent down, pressing a hand against the wound, and they made a soft, ragged noise, making her jerk her hand away again. She was shaking a little, which was silly. This was just a wounded person.

She bent down, lifting one of their arms over her shoulders. Their other five limbs dragged behind them as Maureen dragged them towards the house like an especially large harvest of squashes.

The hardest part was getting them into the house. Their scales kept catching on the doorjamb.

The warm kitchen felt like a blessing, when Maureen finally shut the front door. The alien took up almost the entire floor, like a supersized dead hornet. Maureen lifted the fabric away from their wound carefully. She couldn’t tell how deep it was, but she was willing to bet it could use a bandage.

She went to get her first-aid kit and some sewing scissors.

After she bandaged the wounds she could find (cutting the torso of the suit away revealed another puncture wound and several bloodied scales), she dragged the alien into the living room, closer to the floor heating unit. Scales meant lizard, which meant cold-blooded. Hopefully she wasn’t drastically wrong about that. She covered the alien in a colorful afghan and propped a pillow under their head, and then went back to mop up the mess on the kitchen floor.

It was still a soup day.

Ignoring the giant blue alien in her living room became easier when she retrieved one of her home-grown pumpkins and a butternut squash. She sliced both neatly in half, scooping out the seeds and seasoning the halves before putting them in the oven to bake.

She diced onions, and put them in the bottom of a deep pan with some butter. As that sizzled, she added crushed garlic, more butter, more spices. The kitchen began to smell like soup.

She washed dishes and left them in the drying rack. She peeked into the living room, the retrieved the heavy cream from the fridge.

Carrots. Check on the alien.

Water. Check on the alien.

Sweet corn. Check on the alien.

When she finally pulled out the small corded immersion blender, she was feeling a little frustrated with herself. It never took this long to make soup. (She still had to stop blending halfway through to sneak another peek into the living room. The alien hadn’t moved).

The soup was still bubbling, when Maureen finally shut the stove off. The sunlight was beginning to tip over into another golden hour. She glanced into the living room for what she told herself would be the last time.

The alien was sitting up. They were poking suspiciously at their bandage.

“Don’t make yourself bleed all over again,” Maureen called, and the alien startled. Badly, slamming into the coffee table. They stared at Maureen, making her suddenly very conscious of her ladle. Was it threatening? She put it down, just in case.

“Would you like soup?” she asked, hopeful.

They only peered at her in response. Quite suddenly, their eyes narrowed, and she felt something—like a buzzing, sort of, at the back of her head. She slapped at it unthinkingly, like she might slap a bug, but there was nothing there. The alien just jolted back, a little, and blinked.

“Oh,” Maureen said. “That must be how you talk.”

They just looked confused, so Maureen got two bowls out of the cupboard and filled them both with warm-smelling orange soup. She put spoons in, then carried them both into the living room, placing the alien’s portion on the coffee table, then sitting down on the couch and slightly over-dramatically eating a bite, before nodding at the alien’s portion.

“Soup,” she said. The alien still looked baffled, so she thought for a moment. She thought really hard about soup. How it was warm, and tasty. How it grew up out of the ground in ingredients and needed to be baked and fried and blended. How it was comforting and filling and good.

She thought really hard about it, and then—sort of threw everything she was thinking at the alien. Which mostly involved squinting really hard at them, and hoping she didn’t look like an idiot.

The alien looked at the soup. Then at her. Then at the soup again. Cautiously, they took the bowl, raising the spoon to their mouth to take a tentative bite. Maureen felt the buzzing at the back of her brain again, and saw brief pictures—her own thoughts of soup, dim and blurry, but also something else—a flashing series of things that she thought were strange plants, and other creatures like this alien harvesting and tending, talking and laughing as they made even stranger food. There was an emphasis on those images, a warmth associated with them. It was all different from anything that Maureen had ever seen in her life—beautifully different, but also almost exactly the same.

You’re right, she thought. It is better when you share it.

She wasn’t sure if word-thoughts translated like picture-thoughts did. But as they both sat in companionable silence, watching the sun slowly slip away, she wasn’t sure that a translation was needed.