Its been almost three months since we threw the lines... underway from 'Bama... could not wait to have the smell of fresh salt water filling the air. What a delight to see the 'Stars 'n Stripes' waving from the yardarm overhead with 'Don't give up the ship' below...
This morning the Admiral informs me that today marks the end of the best 'American' food. What the hell I say? She says "this is the last comfort food in the freezer - a chuck roast from 'Wally's World' that I'm browning now and will put into the crockpot for dinner tonight."
Which brings me to ask "What foods am I (will you) miss?"
Salty - good old classic Lays or Ruffles potato chips - seems I'm able to get by with an alternative - microwave popcorn for watching DVD movies onboard 'GG'. But every now and then when I find a bag of chips - even at $5/bag - the devil made me do it.
Chili fries - good home-cut whole potato golden brown fries smothered with hardy chili covered with sharp cheddar cheese. finger lickin' good!
How could I forget a good hamburger - What-a-burger! Remember how good Mickey Ds was way back when... say 1965?... lol What-a-burger still makes a 'good' burger in 2012. The problem once you leave the good old U.S. of A. is the beef - it is not aged nor finished well... most is grass (hay?) fed and just does not taste anywhere near the same - looks only count in the store when you say "lets try it" but back aboard you are sadly disappointed with the texture and FLAVOR. Take lots of good hamburger with you. The Admiral buys it in bulk (after taste testing it from earlier shopping trips) then re-packages it into one-pound freezer ziplocks for later convenience. Mid-west beef finished with grain is superior to hay feed cattle. If it doesn't have a moo then its not beef. I swear some of the meat here in Panama are 'road-kill'.
Don't forget tacos - once again its all in the hamburger and cheese - stock up before you leave Dodge - and don't forget corn shells - even if you think Latin America will have hand made corn shells you will be surprised when all you can find on the shelves are flour tortillas from El Paso... lol
Pizza - the secret is in the dough recipe - so here is the Admiral's secret pizza recipe - I had to promise that only our closest friends would know and keep it a secret... you promise?
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour (use the best quality you can buy - it makes a big difference)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package dry yeast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)
9 ounces vegetable oil (3 ounce per pan)
butter flavored cooking spray
***Sauce***
1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large (2 qt.) bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.
Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans, put 3 Oz. of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans.
Spray the outer edge of dough with cooking spray. Cover with a plate. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Sauce:
Combine ingredients and let sit for 1 hour.
For each nine Inch Pizza: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute 1 1/2 Oz. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice in this order: Pepperoni or Ham Vegetables Meats (cooked ground sausage or beef) Top with 3 Oz. mozzarella cheese Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown.
Remember - you promised to keep it a secret!
Next - GOT ICE?
Until we arrived south of the border where the sun spends the winter and the daytime temperature is 85-90F we never appreciated having an unlimited supply of ice. So we found a simple way to solve this supply challenge - we make ice 24x7 each day and bag the cubes into those used ziplock gallon bags. The Admiral then places them in the chest freezer and we have a good stock pile of ice cubes on demand - be it for a trip with a cooler to explore the beach, our gin and tonics or unexpected guests - we are prepared!!!
WOW... the aroma from the pot roast in the crock pot is killing me.... its noon and I'm ready to eat lunch... but the Admiral says - stay out! - its for dinner... darn it anyway.
Well folks, I've got my priorities in order - family, friends and "Whats to eat?" so guess I'll take a walk down the dock and see whats cooking elsewhere. Can't be as inviting as here on the GREY GOOSE.
Dear, yours is the best!
Blue Bell, lets go for a walk...
:-)
SIDEBAR - - -
How to decode 5 common cravingsIs it the saltiness of potato chips, the cool creaminess of ice cream, or the rich flavor of chocolate? Whatever you're longing for, it may be your body's way of letting you know you're missing valuable nutrients. Here's how to decode your cravings. SWEETS
If you crave sweets of almost any kind, you may be experiencing blood sugar fluctuations. Giving in to pie, candy, cake, or other goodies only makes the problem worse by causing blood sugar roller coasters that lead to more cravings. Yo-yo-ing sugar levels cause spikes in insulin production, which can put you at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Instead, choose a piece of fruit--preferably one that's not loaded with natural sugars when you're craving sweets. And, in general, choose more high-fiber foods like beans and legumes and complex carbohydrates like whole grains that keep your blood sugar stable.
Related: How to Fight Sugar Cravings and Curb Your Sweet Tooth
CHOCOLATE
Cravings for chocolate often indicate that your body may be deficient in magnesium, a mineral whose deficiency may trigger headaches and lead to fatigue. Many nutritionists estimate that more than 80 percent of the population is lacking in dietary magnesium, which may explain why so many of us reach for chocolate. While chocolate can contain beneficial antioxidants, they usually come alongside plentiful amounts of sugar. If you eat chocolate, be sure to reach for dark chocolate--about 75 percent cacao or higher--which is usually lower in sugar and higher in antioxidants. Additionally, eat foods high in magnesium, such as nuts, seeds, fish, and leafy greens.
Try This: The Healthiest Types of Chocolate to Eat
SALTY FOODS
Cravings for salty foods like potato chips or popcorn often mean chronic stress may be taking a toll on your adrenal glands--the two triangular glands that sit atop the kidneys and give us energy and help us to cope with stress of all kinds. When you're overly stressed, your adrenal glands release cortisol, which can make you ravenous high-fat, simple-carb foods that your body can use quickly.
Getting on top of the stress in your life is essential. Try meditation, breathing exercises, or other stress management techniques. Research at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City showed that people who take a break to breathe deeply or meditate before reaching for salty snacks reduced their stress hormones by 25 percent and cut the bingeing in half.
Related: 9 Stress-Busting Foods
RED MEAT
Not surprisingly, cravings for red meat usually indicate an iron deficiency. Often people crave burgers or steaks. Menstruating women are especially vulnerable to iron deficiencies, which can make them more likely to suffer from PMS symptoms according to study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Beans and legumes, unsulphured prunes, figs, and other dried fruits are high in iron. However, eat dried fruits in moderation, since they are high in sugar and are acid-forming foods. Too many of these foods will counteract your best weight-loss efforts.
CHEESE
Cravings for cheese or pizza often indicate a fatty acid deficiency, which is common since few people get enough omega-3 fatty acids. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and other joint problems. Reach for raw walnuts, wild salmon, and flaxseed oil, and add ground flaxseeds to your diet.
More: 5 Fatty Foods That Make You Skinny
THE CRAVING CURE
Most cravings are actually signals from our bodies that we are dehydrated, but we misinterpret them as hunger pangs. By drinking a tall glass of water first, you may be giving your body exactly what it wants and alleviate the craving altogether. By some estimates, 80 percent of people are chronically dehydrated. So before you reach for food to nix your cravings, quench them with some water. Then wait half an hour. More often than not, they'll be gone.
I WAS MISSING GOOD WATER TOO... SINCE RAINWATER IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF POTABLE WATER HERE IN BOCAS DEL TORO PANAMA
THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO PURIFY THE RAIN WATER using a micro-ceramic gravity filter.
Now that the 'funky' rainwater taste is gone and the water is crystal clear I'm drinking a gallon plus each day.
A word to the wise cruiser - make sure you have alternative water filtration solutions... RO watermakers make pure water but there are many times and places where you would not use your RO watermaker for fear of contamination or membrane damage... like in a marina or at anchor next to civilization... just too much darn 'crap' in the water... especially in foreign countries.
ENJOY !!!
FYI - here is how well the micro-pore ceramic water filter works after just passing two gallons of rain water that had already been filtered through the marina's canister filter... The good news is we can clean our micro-pore ceramic filter with a 3M 'green' scour pad under tap water about every 10 gallons because of heavy contamination from rain-waters collected from tin roofs... after each cleaning the ceramic is back to like new snow white condition as shown above in the assembled unit. We expect it to last up to 9+ months. A new <$20 spare filter was purchased at the same time when we purchased the original unit and is ready for immediate service should it become necessary. Planning ahead is necessary - there are no 'box-stores' in these remote islands - everything comes from the USA... even taco shells are from El Paso... lol
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