Are Your Favorite Foods Like Your Favorite Songs?

I love food.  I love to cook food.  I don't love all food.

I love music.  I love to play music.  I don't love all music.

I can cook food.

I can't sing to save my life.

I have serious kitchen rhythm ...I can get DOWN in the kitchen!  (me catching a pan of potatoes on fire one morning at our B&B and having to throw them out the back door doesn't count)

I have no musical rhythm...I cannot dance.  Any past attempts of me dancing involved, in the end, social embarrassment. You have to remember that my ballet teacher pulled my parents aside one afternoon and said, "I think Lisa would excel at something that didn't require much movement."   When I was old enough to take Junior Cotillion I simply r-e-f-u-s-e-d.  All the other girls my age, all my friends, were beyond excited and I was beyond m-o-r-t-i-f-i-e-d. I put on such a hysterical fit to my parents absolutely r-e-f-u-s-i-n-g to go to Junior Cotillion that they finally relented.  I think they were afraid they would have to, at age 13, put me on a daily sedative if they made me attend Junior Cotillion.  Me dancing is comparable to "The Unibrow Guy"  - it's, hands down, just not an attractive thing.  http://www.grimmemennesker.dk/ugly-people-551.htm

My first "food love" was Lucky Charms cereal - and, yes, I primarily ate the marshmallows - my favorite color Lucky Charms marshmallow was the green marshmallow.  My Mom constantly tried to convince me I really would rather have Cheerios cereal and I remember thinking....what is wrong with this crazy lady?  I had that thought pretty much every day growing up.  It all began with the funny dancing Leprechaun I'd see while I was watching my Saturday morning cartoons.  My favorite cartoons were Scobby Doo, Wonder Woman (I had a Wonder Woman bathing suit and boy did I think I was H-O-T!!) and Super Friends.  I wore all of my favorite cartoon characters via the incredibly awesome creation of Underoos!  Once I opened the box of Lucky Charms and poured that fun, colorful creation in my cereal bow topped with Vitamin D milk I was simply in heaven!  I was dancing on clouds!  I was in love with Lucky Charms!  Oh, and yes, I still eat them today!  (lol)  http://www.luckycharms.com/

My first "music love" was the song "Delta Dawn" by Helen Reddy.  Did you know "Delta Dawn" was written by Alex Harvey and originally sung by Tanya Tucker when she thirteen years old?    We were living in Bettendorf, Iowa and I was 5 years old.  I had one of those small record players with a record collection that would have impressed both Tanya Tucker and Helen Reddy.  I don't know why I so fell in love with this song.  I'm sure my parents were wondering the same thing on a daily basis.  My favorite activity would be to turn my record player on, put "Delta Dawn" on the record player, turn the record player volume up as high as it would go, strip down to my birthday suit, grab my jump rope, and jump up and down on the bed (in front of a window) belting out "Delta Dawn" into my red jump rope handle. To say my parents were mortified is an understatement.  To say all the dogs were howling in the neighborhood when I sang "Delta Dawn" is an understatement.  To say I was on the receiving end of many spankings is an understatement.  To say I embarrassed both Tanya Tucker and Helen Reddy is an understatement.  To say I embarrassed my parents is an understatement.  Oddly enough, if I ever hear 'ole "Delta Dawn" playing present day I change the radio station as fast as a pescatarian runs from a butcher.  F-A-S-T!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYJzjd8HGMM

A feeling of euphoria came over me when I ate my Lucky Charms...and still does!  :)

A feeling of euphoria came over me when I sang, in my birthday suit jumping up and down on my bed in front of the window, "Delta Dawn."  No worries, present date I am not a 41 year old faded Southern belle who is obsessed with a former suitor.  (chuckle)

So (some of) my favorite foods are lobster, asparagus, mushrooms, salsa, walleye, capers, porterhouse steak, cheese, Lucky Charms, anything coffee, tomatoes and cucumbers.  My favorite foods make me feel euphoric!  My favorite foods make me want to sing!  (no worries, I hold back)  My favorite foods make me feel happy! My favorite foods make me want to dance with joy!  http://www.lobsterfrommaine.com/

So (some of) my favorite songs are "Red Hill Mining Town" by U2, "Not Enough Time" by INXS, "The Pina Colada Song" by Rupert Holmes, "Don't Bring Me Down" by ELO, "Tiny Dancer" by Sir Elton John, "Under My Thumb" by The Rolling Stones and anything by Frank Sinatra.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHKtdLLhOc

My favorite songs make me feel euphoric!  My favorite songs make me want to sing! (but I don't sing with my mouth full of food as that is rude)  My favorite songs make me feel happy! My favorite songs make me want to dance with joy!  (no worries, I spare everyone around me THAT sight! - lol!)

So I guess my favorite foods ARE like my favorite songs! How about you?!?

Below is one of my favorite recipes!  I hope it makes you feel euphoric!  I hope it makes you want to sing!  I hope it makes you feel happy!  I hope it makes you dance with joy!  It does all of these things, and more, for me!

ONE OF LISA's FAVORITE RECIPES
http://www.asparagus.org/
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1 bunch of asparagus - ends trimmed off
balsamic vinegar
sea salt (salt to taste)
2 fresh garlic cloves (minced)
fresh cracked pepper (pepper to taste)
extra light olive oil
1 block of fresh smoked mozzarella (grated)

Turn your oven to broil.  Lightly coat a grill pan with extra light olive oil and turn the stove to medium heat.   In a large bowl, toss the asparagus with the minced garlic, a few drizzles of extra light olive oil, a couple good shakes of balsamic vinegar, a couple tosses of sea salt, and 6-7 turns of cracked pepper.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes - tossing often and alternating the seasonings if they need to be.  Spray a baking dish that is large enough for the asparagus to be laid out and not smushed together with PAM.  Arrange the asparagus evenly in the baking dish and sprinkle with the fresh grated smoked mozzarella (I sprinkle LOTS of cheese!!).  Place in the oven, which has been turned to broil, and check after 3 minutes - continue to broil until the cheese has melted to the level you prefer.  Remove and serve with anything!  I sometimes eat just this as my meal!  It's slap-yo-mama good!

Always "Push The Parsley!"
 ~ A Girl Cook