CONFESSIONS OF A CATHOLIC HAUSFRAU
I am wary admitting this, but I actually like housework. There is so much nitpicking among couples about who has to do what, who is doing more work, and who is more tired at the end of the day. But--I am retired, and unlike the fabulous, talented ladies in my Writers' Group, I am not currently crafting the great novel or picture book. Although who knows? Maybe I will resurrect that novel I began 6 years ago (pre-cancer) about the Renaissance vampire named Vinny who was a great friend of Caravaggio, the original bad boy. (I had 130 pages, and my group loved it.)
Another confession: I really love folding warm laundry. There is something so satisfying about taking a t-shirt, holding its warm cotton self against my body, folding it in thirds, and then again in half to place in the basket. I even like folding underwear! Which reminds me of my best friend's mother in high school who would iron her husband's underwear, along with their sheets. That might be going a bit too far...
Then there is the vacuuming. It's like a treasure hunt, where I zoom over to a discarded pistachio shell or a suddenly appearing clump of white terrier dog hair. Is the clearer up to it? Ah, it sucks it up without spitting it out! This satisfies me in some obscure way, as if my carpet were a sinner at Confession, getting rid of all the grungy bits to become clean and holy. (And incidentally, if you are wondering what makes me a Catholic Hausfrau? I'll post a picture of our Holy Water fount by the door, which I always use.)
(I shall skip over the bathrooms, although I do not mind any part of them, even doing the showers, which reminds me of when I was a kid and pretended to be a Tahitian maiden in a clear, blue waterfall, washing myself, aka "The National Geographic."
Dishwashers somehow seem to be a waste of time to me, IMHO. Despite our Bosch dishwasher and new kitchen, I love washing dishes by hand--immersing my hands in the warm soapy water and cleaning out my coffee maker or all the utensils I use in my never-ending cooking quest. It reminds me of camp when I was ten and fried eggs over an open fire (would they be allowed to do that now?), peeled bark off pine trees in order to make a camp shed, and slept in a grassy meadow with the glittering stars overhead. To me, there is something elemental and right about hand washing one's dishes.
And here is the obligatory recipe because--hey--it's a gloomy, grey day which I dubbed, "Chocolate Chip Muffin Day." Still in my PJs, I whipped these up, sans recipe, and will try to approximate the measurements.
CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Ingredients:
--2 organic eggs (delight in those puffy orange yokes!)
--1 cup organic low-fat milk
--1 tsp. good quality vanilla
--1 tablespoon canola oil
--1/3 cup good maple syrup
--1/2 cup wheat germ
--1 tsp. baking powder
--3/4 cup organic white flour
--2 cups+ organic whole wheat flour
--1/3 cup Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips ('cause they're healthy!)
--1/3 cup chopped organic unsweetened coconut flakes
--1/3 cup chopped walnuts
--Pam spray (or use coconut oil if prefer) for muffin tin
--organic sugar mixed with cinnamon (1 tablespoon)
To Make:
preheat oven to 350 degrees--
1/ Beat eggs well with whisk, add vanilla, oil, milk, and maple syrup.
2/ Slowly add flours, what germ, baking powder, then stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut flakes. (If dough still too loose, add more flour.)
3/ Spoon into oiled or Pam-sprayed mini-muffin pan, spray Pam on top, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon/sugar mix.
4/ Bake 16 minutes in oven. Test at end for doneness with a toothpick inserted in muffin.Let sit 5 min., before putting on wire rack to cool. Yield: 20-24 small muffins. Enjoy!
These are great with fresh coffee or tea in the morning. I eat two, with organic orange marmalade, convincing myself that because I am avoiding orange juice (too much sugar!) that I am having a "diet breakfast."
I probably could do a whole other blog on how "Catholic Broad Deceives Herself." And if anyone wants to start a conversation about what makes me or you Catholic, feel free to jump in. I love that kind of discussion.
Another confession: I really love folding warm laundry. There is something so satisfying about taking a t-shirt, holding its warm cotton self against my body, folding it in thirds, and then again in half to place in the basket. I even like folding underwear! Which reminds me of my best friend's mother in high school who would iron her husband's underwear, along with their sheets. That might be going a bit too far...
Then there is the vacuuming. It's like a treasure hunt, where I zoom over to a discarded pistachio shell or a suddenly appearing clump of white terrier dog hair. Is the clearer up to it? Ah, it sucks it up without spitting it out! This satisfies me in some obscure way, as if my carpet were a sinner at Confession, getting rid of all the grungy bits to become clean and holy. (And incidentally, if you are wondering what makes me a Catholic Hausfrau? I'll post a picture of our Holy Water fount by the door, which I always use.)
(I shall skip over the bathrooms, although I do not mind any part of them, even doing the showers, which reminds me of when I was a kid and pretended to be a Tahitian maiden in a clear, blue waterfall, washing myself, aka "The National Geographic."
Dishwashers somehow seem to be a waste of time to me, IMHO. Despite our Bosch dishwasher and new kitchen, I love washing dishes by hand--immersing my hands in the warm soapy water and cleaning out my coffee maker or all the utensils I use in my never-ending cooking quest. It reminds me of camp when I was ten and fried eggs over an open fire (would they be allowed to do that now?), peeled bark off pine trees in order to make a camp shed, and slept in a grassy meadow with the glittering stars overhead. To me, there is something elemental and right about hand washing one's dishes.
And here is the obligatory recipe because--hey--it's a gloomy, grey day which I dubbed, "Chocolate Chip Muffin Day." Still in my PJs, I whipped these up, sans recipe, and will try to approximate the measurements.
CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS
Ingredients:
--2 organic eggs (delight in those puffy orange yokes!)
--1 cup organic low-fat milk
--1 tsp. good quality vanilla
--1 tablespoon canola oil
--1/3 cup good maple syrup
--1/2 cup wheat germ
--1 tsp. baking powder
--3/4 cup organic white flour
--2 cups+ organic whole wheat flour
--1/3 cup Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips ('cause they're healthy!)
--1/3 cup chopped organic unsweetened coconut flakes
--1/3 cup chopped walnuts
--Pam spray (or use coconut oil if prefer) for muffin tin
--organic sugar mixed with cinnamon (1 tablespoon)
To Make:
preheat oven to 350 degrees--
1/ Beat eggs well with whisk, add vanilla, oil, milk, and maple syrup.
2/ Slowly add flours, what germ, baking powder, then stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut flakes. (If dough still too loose, add more flour.)
3/ Spoon into oiled or Pam-sprayed mini-muffin pan, spray Pam on top, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon/sugar mix.
4/ Bake 16 minutes in oven. Test at end for doneness with a toothpick inserted in muffin.Let sit 5 min., before putting on wire rack to cool. Yield: 20-24 small muffins. Enjoy!
These are great with fresh coffee or tea in the morning. I eat two, with organic orange marmalade, convincing myself that because I am avoiding orange juice (too much sugar!) that I am having a "diet breakfast."
I probably could do a whole other blog on how "Catholic Broad Deceives Herself." And if anyone wants to start a conversation about what makes me or you Catholic, feel free to jump in. I love that kind of discussion.
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