Friday Fill-In 177

Check out the way other folks answered this week's Friday Fill-Ins.

1. Having clean sheets on the bed never fails to make me smile.
2. I'm looking forward to the arrival of some personal business cards I ordered.
3. The echos of an empty office building is what I'm listening to right now.
4. Potato salad must have something people like in it but since I don't eat it I don't know what that is!
5. A tuna salad sandwich was the best thing I ate today. (so far)
6. Today was the end of a very long work week.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to trying to recreate a dessert I remember from my childhood (without a recipe), tomorrow my plans include performing in two concerts, and Sunday, I want to R-E-L-A-X (and maybe create some clean laundry)!

Black

Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect set forth a colorful challenge for this week's Monday Poetry Stretch. And while I know she had nature-inspired poems in mind, my brain took a different turn. It does that sometimes.

Dressing in Black

The long skirt is black
and the soft velvet top
and two heels that I pack
with a lint brush I drop
in the bag for the night.

I eat a light snack
then I dress for the show
checking both front and back
in a mirror just so
to ensure everything's right.

In long skirts of black
next to black suits and ties,
queued in line not a pack
we breathe deep with soft sighs
for an entrance sans fright.

With a smile and a crack
of a joke to calm doubts
I move forward, not back,
with sweet songs and grand shouts
for each listener's delight.

Oatmeal Pecan Waffles

I no longer remember where I got the core of this recipe, but I have tinkered with it myself so much that it is now all mine. Not only is this perfect for this week's Sunday Scribblings prompt (recipe) but is also something I wanted to send to Molly at Orangette. And I have to say it is making me hungry just thinking about this.

Oatmeal Pecan Waffles

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup non-fat plain yogurt
4 T vegetable oil
2 T honey
1 cup skim milk


1 - Chop the oats in a food processor until they are a fine powder. Put oats in a large mixing bowl.
2 - Roughly chop the nuts and add to oats.
3 - To the oat mixture add the flours, baking powder and salt and mix with a whisk to combine well.
4 - In a small bowl, lightly beat two eggs, then add yogurt, oil, honey, and milk. Mix well.
5 - Add liquid mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until combined (too much will make them tough).
6 - Cook in waffle iron, and serve with real maple syrup.


Some notes:
+ My dad taught me to measure oil first, then honey, because the honey will just slip out of a spoon (or cup) that was first coated with oil.
+ I use nonfat yogurt and skim milk because that's what I have around. If the dairy has some fat, you can reduce the oil a little.
+ I cook some of the waffles a little on the "light" side and then freeze them. Then when I want waffles, I put them directly into the toaster (or toaster oven) to thaw and crisp up without overcooking.

An Edible Memory

This week's theme from Carmi at Written, Inc is "edible."

This is a homemade pizza coming out of our oven on New Year's Eve. We have homemade pizza other times of the year, but we don't have New Year's Eve without homemade pizza.

I don't remember how it started, but we've done this for many, many years now. My wife makes the dough, and one or both of us prep the toppings. She shapes the dough and puts it on the peel (previously dusted with something to keep it from sticking - usually matzo meal 'cause we always have that on hand), and she slips it onto the hot, hot, hot stone in the oven.

We like different toppings so we make one pizza each, and then we have plenty of leftovers for the next day or two. We munch pizza while watching the ball drop in Times Square on the TV.

Spring-Theme Photos

Carmi at Written, Inc asked for spring-themed photos. Here are two of the things that make me think spring.

This was some time ago in the bed that is protected from the elements, in a corner between the house and porch, warmed by the morning sun when the leaves aren't yet out on the oak tree.



This says Passover to me, and that means spring. Where there is Passover, there are matzo cracker crumbs!

Taking up Space

This poem is a work in progress that has been rattling around my brain for a while.

Taking up Space

I take my turn boarding the bus
and make my way to an empty spot.
I push my wide hips all the way
to the back of the seat. I sit up
like my mama taught me,
squaring my broad shoulders,
but keeping my elbows close,
so I don't poke the man next to me.

I watch the woman across from me
as she perches on half the seat,
hunching her shoulders tight,
and keeping her head down.
The man next to her spreads his knees
and his elbows swing wide as he turns
a page in his newspaper.

I take a slow breath and drop the shoulders
that had started inching toward my ears.
I wiggle my toes and reach
for my newspaper.