Nantucket

Not Nantuckett. I know.

Stupid blog

I have no idea why the recipe did that like that.

Chowder

I made New England Clam Chowder in sourdough bread bowls the other night for my dad and me. It's one of his favorite things and I had never made it and much to my surprise, neither had he. It was quite delicious.

New England Clam Chowder

adapted from the Seagrille Restaurant in Nantuckett

Serves 3-4

• 8 quahog clams, cleaned
• 3 strips bacon, chopped
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 3 stalks chopped celery
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 bay leaves
• Tabasco
• Worcestershire sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
• Kosher salt
  
• 1 cup half and half
  
• 1 large chopped russet potatoes
• sourdough bread bowls
  

Directions

1. Place clams and 4 cups water in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until clams have opened. Drain, reserving liquid, and discarding any unopened clams. Remove clams from shells, discarding shells. Coarsely chop clams in a bowl so that you don't lose any of the brine and set aside.
2. Heat bacon and butter in a second stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery; stir to coat. Add flour and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add reserved clam cooking liquid and bay leaves; season with Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper and salt. Add half and half; let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add potatoes; let simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Add reserved chopped clams and cook until just heated through.
4. Meanwhile heat sourdough bowls in the oven on 350 for about 5 or 6 minutes.
5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with butter, if you want (I did, Dad didn't).
   

Closed

I got my keys. As soon as the realtor left I had a shit balls break down. I miss my mom and I hated the house and I felt so totally alone. But thanks to some very lovely and cheerful friends who know how to make someone feel better, I felt better and now I think I just need to eat because breakfast and lunch have passed and there has been no food, and now it could easily be considered dinner time, and still nothing. So hopefully there will be chips and salsa early enough in the first margarita that I don't get really drunk and start crying. Again.

Yard Sale

I'm having a garage sale on Saturday. It's mostly little stuff, some bags, some clothes, TONS of books (good ones!), some throw pillows, aprons, a couple tables, fax, tv, etc. If you know someone who needs stuff, let 'em know.

Election, house, paint and peanut butter cups

I am so excited!!! I can't wait for tonight, I feel really good about it, I have been really nervous up until now. I had an anxiety attack last night. I'm not going to say it was because of the election, but I have definitely been feeling very anxious and anticipatory. We'll see...
The house will be mine on Monday. The painter is scheduled, the wallpaper is ordered and I currently am a little less than 5 days away from the end of an ebay auction I have bid on for a danish mid-century credenza with tambour doors that has no reserve! And I am the high bidder at $10.50! So that plus the $345 for shipping and I'm on my way to a hell of a deal.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=280281981081&Category=156310null&_trksid=p3907.m29

Wait, does my ebay auction end the same day as I close on my house? No. I just checked, it's the night before. I have decided not to paint the wall below the chair rail in the dining room black to match the wallpaper. It is going to be a soft kind of bluish greenish gray. I'm still a little wanting the black but when I showed two of my friends whose taste I trust, they said it would looked like I colored on the wall with white out. I guess if I hate it I can always paint it again, it's a pretty small area. I was going to show it to you but the color online looks completely different from the color on the paint chip, so I don't want to scare anyone.

I have also decided that when I am moved in and have put all my stuff away in the kitchen, the first thing I am going to make is homemade peanut butter cups.