I'm only mostly dead (which is still barely alive)...

Wow.  It definitely has been some time.  But I'm here and I'm in the mood to do a post so here we go!  This post is going to be about one thing, and by that I mean several things, but mostly it's about getting dinner on the table as fast i can.  Now, for someone who is a pretty big fan of prep work, this is a different ball game for me.  Its not that i am against fast meals (especially now), but I just never had the time constraints/sleep deprivation/bath-time/daycare pick-up,drop-off/cloth diapers/wrangling a floppy seventeen pound salmon/trying to dress,undress, said salmon/nap time, etc. that I do these days.  and, obviously, my daughter is way cuter than a salmon, but no less hard to clothe...

ok, this big hot mess you see here is a big skillet of sausage, veggies, and beer.  I'll say that again: SAUSAGES, VEGGIES, and BEER!!  its dead simple, beyond delicious, and pretty healthy.  Full of vitamins, and just the right amount of spice to warm you up and give some comfort on these brisk days ahead.  It kind of just happened on accident because I was trying to use up all of the glorious veggies i get every week from robinette farm csa (more on that later), but it was so good and fast that it has been a welcome addition to our rotation.

 I wanted to show you guys a little bit of the other reason I have been so absent lately,  This here baguette is the result of about three years of trial and error.  You see, normally at work, we were mixing baguettes in the early morn' and then baking them that same day, which is fine, but it also requires someone to get up super early (12 or 1 am) and then process the dough so it can be baked off.  Well, after much trial and error, we figured out a way to freeze the dough and hold it overnight so instead of coming in at a super early time, we can come in at a still early, but not early as to be quantified as "super" time.  this probably does not excite you, but it means that I can have more of a normal schedule and more of a normal sleep cycle, which feels like heaven.

 This is just a picture of me devouring a cake that mames had made for me for fathers day.  Our friend Angela (the pastry machine. It's not just a nickname, folks, lady's got skillz...).  It was delicious.  and it was all mine.  Which sounds lovely, but mames and pops can't have dairy right now and I like to share, so I can safely say that it was the only time that cake will be bittersweet.

 This is a typical pick up from my robinette csa. I was skeptical at first, but it has proven to be such a great deal.  I think we paid around 300 clams (which averages out to about 15 dollars a week), and every wednesday we get fresh, organic veggies.  they also had melons for a while...
I can't say enough good things about the csa program.

 A beer bread that I was making for the farmers market for a while.  It was made with cutthroat porter and then rolled in oats before baking.  I'll probably bring a version of it back for the hols.

 Alright, so my wife is obsessed with the Pinterest.  I have no idea what it is, all I know is that she brings me dozens of recipes to try. I like this.  I suspect that there are other uses for pinterest, but this is the only one that matters to me.  recipes for days.

This is just a steak.  cooked perfectly. with some chips and 'spargus.

I had to put this one in:)  Apparently the pears I made her were a little tart. and yeah, my kid is already a food nut.  she likes just about everything and eats like it's the business.  this makes me happy.

Beer braised sausages and veg
olive oil
5 good quality brats
1 onion, red or white or yellow, your choice
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 red bell, small dice
2 good sized potatoes, cubed
1 stalk celery, extra small dice, include the inner leaves if you can
1 bunch rainbow chard, or kale, or greens of your choice
1/2 dark beer, such as a porter, stout, or dark ale
salt and pepper
1tbs plus 1 tsp sweet paprika, I've used smoked too, also good.

get the biggest lidded skillet or sauté pan that you have, put it on med heat and once its hot add some olive oil.  sear the sausages on all sides , but not until done.  remove them from the pan and set aside.  sauté the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and celery until they are getting some nice color and then add the potatoes.  slice the sausages into the size you would like them (use a serrated knife, as they will be raw-ish in the middle and hard to slice) and then add to the skillet.  sprinkle in the paprika, salt and pepper, an then give it all a stir.  pour in half of the beer and cover the skillet. drink the rest while you wait for the potatoes to cook through.  Wash the greens and then chop them up fairly thin. add to the skillet when the potatoes are almost done.  your skillet should be really full, it takes some finessing, but the greens will cook down, I assure you.  if it starts to dry out a little you can add a little bit of water, just adjust the seasoning accordingly.  I hope you give it a try!!

so here's the deal, alright:  My kid, my precious sweet shoogy boogy, is finally starting to sleep through the night.  This is a good thing. especially for this blog.  I promise to make an effort to be nicer to ol' bloggy and update more often.  Ive been trying a lot of new stuff and cooking lots of tasty treats so I hope to get on here and share them soon.  piece out.  (<--I know that's a typo, haters, I'm trying to be ironic).
DISH recommends: robinette farms csa.  Get your veg on.  such high quality tasty stuff.  I feel like it was a really great deal for my family and was really nice veg.