Swaddled by a Cinnamon Roll

I have a recurring dream where I'm standing at the gates of heaven, and just as I'm about to take my first step to enter, St. Peter informs me, "Sir, I know how you really like to eat, so I should inform me that in heaven there is no . . ." And then he completes the sentence with something like BBQ, beer, bourbon, bacon, or pie.  This dream/nightmare stirs anxiety in me as I face the dilemma of what to do next.

Sometimes St. Peter informs me that there are no cinnamon rolls in heaven, and this stirs defiance on my part. After hearing about the absence of cinnamon rolls in heaven, I burst into a profanity-laced tirade. There's no way I'm stepping through those pearly gates. I know that when contemplating heaven I shouldn't concern myself with earthly matters, but my stomach's spiritual compass can be a bit wonky.

I love cinnamon rolls. I always have. If I had to rank my

 favorite foods, cinnamon rolls would be at the top. For me cinnamon rolls are the ultimate comfort food. Eating a cinnamon roll is the equivalent of being swaddled in a quilt made by my grandmother.

A few years ago I read about the cinnamon rolls at Johnson's Corner in Loveland, Colorado, and I knew that I would have to stop the next time I rolled through the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Here's what you need to know about the rolls: They're huge. They're 1300 calories (you should be able to capitalize numbers to emphasize their importance). They taste FANTASTIC. I just have one complaint. There's too much icing. I prefer a light glaze on my rolls. I know that I'm in the minority with this criticism, but I prefer to enjoy the essence of a cinnamon roll, which in my opinion, can be smothered by too much icing.

roll on,

muddywaters

PS. . . I'm not a Neil Young fan because his voice grates on me, but for some reason on the day I drove down from the mountain from Estes Park to Loveland, I listened to his album Rust Never Sleeps. Let me tell you: It's perfect music for driving down a mountain.

Pass the Tzatziki, Dill Weed!

Back in the late 70's around Pomona, Kansas, "Dill Weed" was a popular insult to hurl at friends and enemies.  For example, it might be heard in the following context:  "Give me a bite of your Reggie Bar, Dill Weed!"

Because of the prevalence of this insult during my childhood, I laugh each time I reach for dill weed when I cook.

You would think at some point of my life I would outgrow juvenile inclinations, but you can't take the boy out of the man.  Lately, I've been chuckling a lot because I've been using dill weed to prepare tzatziki.  This summer we've been enjoying chicken that's marinated in a Greek vinaigrette that's served with homemade pita bread, tzatziki, and marinated onions/tomatoes. The combination of flavors satisfies the palette, and the tzatziki is the star.  It's provides a refreshing, creamy, and cool flavor that will be very satisfying when the July temperatures soar into the triple digits.  If you've never made tzatziki, you should.  It's so simple that even Dill Weeds can prepare it.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, strained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill or dried.

Preparation:

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving, Dill Weed.

See you later, Dill Weed!
muddywaters

Long as I Can See the Light

 

I'm back. There's no good reason for my absence. My absence can only be attributed to lack of discipline on my part. I'm returning because I need the blog in my life. For the past five months or so, I've let others dictate my mood, and I haven't been the person I want to be. Restarting this blog is my way of reclaiming myself. The blog allows me to create a culture that nurtures my soul. When I'm blogging I find that I have a heightened awareness and appreciation for the blessings that surround me. This might sound like hyperbolic mumbo jumbo, but I know it's true.

For now, I'm back. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm going to enjoy the journey. I do know that I would like to see the following changes in my blog:

• Shorter entries.
• Less polish.
• More focus on the great state of Kansas.
• More stories.
• More honesty.
• More fun.
• Less pictures of food.
• More rambling.
• More dirt roads.
• More writing about being a teacher.

Hopefully, I'll see you a couple days.

 

I hope all is well,

muddywaters

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