Oh Maggie

• Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
• Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
• Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
• Not everything has to be made from scratch
• Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
• Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul

  

 

I have a cat named Magpie.  To all her friends she's known as Maggie.  I have had four cats in my life and I know that Maggie in a previous life was a dog.  I know this because she comes when you call her, she's incredibly needy, she understands hand signals and she "talks."  I have had both dogs and cats and Maggie isn't your typical cat. but she may be your typical dog

Now this story isn't entirely about my cat ,although, I think she deserves her own book, it's about what is O.K. to eat.  I am not of the persuasion that people food is OK for pets.  Actually, I frown on it.  My Mother and my Husband always felt it was just fine to feed the critters from the table.  Guess who was the only one that didn't get begged from.  

But when I'm at the counter and my cat who thinks she is a dog starts crawling up my leg while I'm chopping an onion and screams at me, I might give in---just a little.  Do I give her the onion? No, that would be just another mess I'd have to clean up from the floor.  But I will admit to this, I have given her minuscule pieces of shrimp, lamb and beef.  Did she eat them?   Oh no, you would have thought I gave her rat poison.  What did she eat today?  A piece of newspaper.  I'm sure I'll hear the retching later.

Now everyone in their right mind is thinking who would pass up shrimp for part of the editorial column as a snack.  Well I think that this relates to what we are programmed to accept as edible.  Maggie's mom or peers never told her that newspaper didn't fall into the food pyramid, now the food circle.  

We all have differing opinions on what is acceptable to ingest and much of it is based on the "ich" factor.   The "ich" factor isn't the same for all people.  I have eaten Haggis and I liked it.  Many declined to even taste it based on their "ich" factor---that it contained various sheep parts, suet, oatmeal, stock and was cooked in the sheep's stomach.  My Mom was one who declined the offer.  This was the same woman that made me eat calves liver.

I have also thoroughly enjoyed kidney stew and blood sausage.  They aren't the grossest things out there but to some people I am not entitled to write about food because they feel some of the things I eat don't qualify as edible.  But I'm telling you don't knock it until you've tried it unless of course it's the New York Times.

I am not giving you a recipe with an "ich" factor.  You just wouldn't make it.  It is possible to "ich" this up by ruining it with a slather of orange, cherry or apricot sauce, just don't do it.

Roasted Duck

1 Pound Golden potatoes halved or quartered dependent on size

1 5 lb. duck

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons parika

1 teaspoon black pepper

Pre heat oven to 375

Put potatoes in bottom of roasting pan.  Mix seasonings together and rub all over duck.  Set duck on top of potatoes.  After one hour baste with accumulated fat..After 45 minutes, baste again and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

This is great with sweet sour cabbage.