Simple Pleasures

We set to work on the peaches today. I had the children take all the stickers off the peaches as the first step.

I was amazed at how fast and easy it was to blanche all those peaches in a pot of boiling water. The children sat at the counter and helped me peel what we figured to be about 60 peaches. The skins slipped off in about four pieces, all the while reminding me of peeling sunburned skin. I think it took us 10 minutes to blanche and peel the peaches. It took significantly longer to cut them all up! Ten bags of sliced peaches are now sitting happily in the freezer!

Later in the day I headed to Walmart for my shopping. While it may be a culinary ideal to shop at Farmer's Markets and Health Food Stores, a mark of a true Foodie is shopping within your budget and making the most of it. So, I go to Walmart.

I did find something that sparked my interest in the produce department. On sale were bags of red, white, and blue potatoes! For just a dollar, I couldn't resist! Already I could imagine them steamed with a dressing of olive oil, chives, salt and pepper.

Dinner had to be easy. My husband was out of town and the children don't realize that dinner needs to be involved or substantial. Eggs, I decided. And for me, an omelet with fresh herbs picked from my pots out back. No herbs for the children, they would just complain about the green things and pick them out.

I just about had to throw in the towel and forget my wonderful dinner when my body decided to shut down. I was back to scrambled eggs and toast while my body tried to recover from the shopping excursion. And then I began to think that perhaps.... just maybe I could steam those potatoes, and cook an omelet. And there was a tomato on the counter -- if I could just cut it up and drizzle it with some olive oil, salt & pepper, and fresh basil.

Within the hour we were sitting down to our very simple, but outstanding meal. The children were very intrigued with the "purple" potatoes, and didn't complain about them one bit. They scarfed their eggs and bread and left me to enjoy my summer meal. The omelet was perfect and I can't remember when I've enjoyed such a wonderful egg. The potatoes were just as I imagined, all salty and olive-oily with just a hint of the chives. And I never tire of tomatoes with fresh basil. My meal was eaten with absolute delight, and thanksgiving -- how can one not give thanks for such simple pleasures!