text: Yesterday was busy, busy, busy! I started at the Wednesday morning downtown farmer's market to take photos for my Midwest Life and Cuisine blog—and of course bought tomatoes, corn and onions! Then it was off to a lunch meeting with my fellow teachers at Discovery Montessori Preschool to start planning the new school year and celebrate a co-worker's 50th birthday. Finally it was home to work on a group of newspaper articles whose deadlines are fast approaching. What to make for dinner on such a busy day? Going to a restaurant or ordering take-out would be a solution, but my sweetheart and I are trying to eat at home more. On the other hand, when would I have time to prepare a meal that didn't come prepackaged in a box? It's a time like this when a well-stocked pantry comes in handy. And by pantry, I also mean a refrigerator supplied with the basics. Then everything is readily available to make whatever your heart desires.
  In my pantry, I always try to keep on hand: A variety of pastas
  Sorry I don't have a picture to show you—we ate it all! What's in your pantry? Anything I should add to mine?
  Midwest Life and Cuisine will focus on the eateries and attractions found in the middle of the United States--an area a lot of people either fly over or drive through but often do not explore. So come along and discover with me all that the Midwest has to offer. Don't worry, this blog will also continue--I have lots of recipes to share!
  It's another day of 100-degree weather. I never thought it was possible to get cabin fever in the summer, but who wants to go outside when it's this hot and humid. Most of my days are spent going from our air-conditioned apartment to our air-conditioned van, with the occasional detour into an air-conditioned library, store or restaurant. Hot weather always makes me crave iced tea. Growing up, Mom always had a pitcher made for dinner. So did both of my grandmothers—and probably my great grandmothers. Sometimes it was sweetened, and sometimes not. Sometimes it was made with instant tea, and sometimes with steeped tea bags. (Steeped and unsweetened is my favorite.) Iced tea is the refreshing drink of choice for a hot, Midwest summer. My sweetheart, Michael, works at night as a courier. He picks up and makes deliveries for different companies—mostly Westar Energy. Many evenings I will ride along with him on his route to the various energy centers around Topeka before he heads out to Lawrence and Kansas City, and I head to bed. Those trips are some of my favorite times with him. We talk and laugh, growing even closer to each other with every passing mile. I truly believe our relationship is so strong because of the conversations we have on his route. And our love just keeps growing stronger… (Michael calls this view the Big Valley.)
  On our way to Westar's Jeffery Energy Center in St. Mary's, we usually stop at Haag's Short Stop in Rossville. It is a typical convenience store with all the snacks and beverages you would expect to find. However, the shop also sells their own iced tea made with orange slices instead of lemon. It is a refreshing drink with just a hint of orange—perfect for a hot summer day. That drink is the reason we stop in!
  Meanwhile I slice up one orange and place the slices into the bottom of the tea pitcher. Then I strain the steeped tea into the pitcher on top of the orange slices. Finally I add cold water to fill the pitcher the rest of the way. (I don't like sweet tea, but you could add sugar or sweetener if you wish.) Refreshing! Posted by
  I was always amazed by my student's answers. Many wanted one more dinner with a loved one who had passed away, or even a relative who died before they were born but lived on in the stories of others. Some wanted dinner with famous actors and historians. One particularly creative student selected Jesus, Ghandi, and Hitler! Who would I choose? I can see them now, all gathered in our apartment. Julia Child is in the kitchen, coaching me along at the stove while I make Chicken Florentine for our dinner—chicken in a creamy wine sauce served over spinach and egg noodles—with warm Italian bread and zabaione with berries for dessert. She makes sure I use enough butter and wine in my dish, while she enjoys her cocktail—a traditional martini. She is delighted by my choice of cocktail munchies—Pepperidge Farms gold fish, one of her favorites. And I enjoy telling her about my sweetheart, Michael, who reminds me of all the stories I've heard about her husband, Paul—loving and supportive.
  Chicken Florentine StyleAdapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
  4 boneless skinless chicken breastsSalt and freshly ground black pepperAll-purpose flour, for dredging6 tablespoons unsalted butter2 tablespoons shallots, sliced1 tablespoon chopped garlic1 1/2 cups dry white wine1 cup whipping cream 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained, and/or 1 package of egg noodles, cooked
  Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and sauté until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve. Or, if you do not like spinach, boil a package of egg noodles in salted water until tender. Drain and add the butter to the noodles, stirring to coat. Place the chicken on top and pour over the sauce. Serve.
  I'm amazed how often this happens. My sweetheart, Michael, and I will be at a favorite—or new—restaurant. Partway through our meal, someone at a near-by table will blow their nose. Michael stops eating instantly! Just the sound takes away his appetite. Now, if he were on the Blow Your Nose Diet, then the loss of calories might be a good thing. However, we paid for a nice meal and it's a shame to see it go half uneaten because of someone else's bad manners. According to the Table Manners column on Chow.com, Peter Post of the Emily Post Institute says a person should leave the dinner table to blow their nose when possible. Wasn't this something we all learned growing up? Perhaps like many other rules of etiquette that have gone by the wayside, such as a man not wearing a hat inside, blowing the nose at the table has become acceptable. Since I'm not bothered by it, I never noticed until now just how common an event it has become. What is your dining pet peeve? People using cell phones? Rude wait staff? Chefs not getting your order correct? Chewing with an open mouth? What bothers you the most?