I am in the foodblogging session at Blogher. I am in the company of all sorts of great foodbloggers! Both the panel and attendees. I am so excited and will link soon but there is so much to listen to…from the power of food blogging, why food blog + copyright and plagiarism and really interesting comments.

Soon, soon soon, the first of the Blogher cocktail parties. I meant to have a nice retro appetizer or two but the busy-ness of the week interfered. So stick some cocktail franks on a toothpick with an olive, roast them over some sterno. But before you do…tell me your favorite retro appetizers. I know the flaming cabbage posted previously is popular. (really…people come here all the time for it.) What did you always love at parties that no one seems to make anymore?

My birthday is coming up in about a month. That leaves plenty of time for someone to get me this: Personalized Jello Mold. Two would be ideal. Think of the great pictures I could take of retro jell-o molds that actually said retro food on them. Of course, I need one with my name too…because nothing ever has my name on it.

This is what I have made this morning (well other than caramel rolls)…a potato salad to go with dinner that doesn’t have mayo.

1 5 lb. bag new potatoes
1 small onion
1/2 cup parsley flakes or chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon dill
salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in skins (because I am lazy-if you want to peel them do) until tender. Chop onion finely.  Quarter potatoes. Mix onion and parsley in with them. Mix remaining ingredients together in measuring cup or bowl. Pour over potatoes. Stir together. Refrigerate.

I am going to Blogher 07 next week. I didn’t think I would be going this year but the fates intervened and back I am going. Now thanks to Kelly, I should introduce myself in 10 seconds.

To do this, I thought I would take after Denise and just ask the children. My son said I was so much more than cool that it was hard to describe me in just a few words. Then he added that I was creative and very patient. Then we discussed whether I should share my Runescape stats.

My youngest said I should mention that I am a good knitter. (I just learned this past spring. She just learned this week.)

My middle child said that I was a good mother, kind, calm, easy to manipulate, that I don’t know anything about Pokemon, a good cook and special in my own way.

My 17 yo would say (I haven’t asked her yet) I ask a lot of questions. Weird ones. She might also mention my dancing in the grocery store, or teaching her to polish silver, or cook, or knit, or sew. If with her grandmother and father, she would give a huge list of virtues that made me sound like June Cleaver and Father knows best COMBINED.

My son and my youngest also thought I should mention that I can do the Aunt Jackie and the Pop, Lock and Drop. I reminded my son he will be with me, but unlike his siblings, he seems to find the idea of my dancing in public amusing.

I might add that I either talk too much or talk too little in public. In fact, I am altogether awkward and socially inept at times. On the other hand, a number of people find me utterly charming. I do ask odd questions. I am not good with names, faces or remembering what blog you belong to, so uh please be patient with me. I do adore your blog. I just might think your kids belong to someone else.

Tag: blogme2007

 Because Liz corrupted me into lolcat life and Lorena shared the quiz…

Your Score: Longcat

51% Affectionate, 45% Excitable, 37% Hungry

Protector of truth.

Slayer of darkness.

Loooooong.

Longcat may seem like just a regular lengthy cat, but he is, in fact, looong. For proof, observe the longpic.

It is prophesized that Longcat and his archnemesis Tacgnol will battle for supremacy on Caturday. The outcome will change the face of the world, and indeed the very fabric of lolcatdom, forever.

Be grateful that the test has chosen you, and only you, to have this title.

To see all possible results, checka dis.

Nothing brings up the picture of retro lunch than a nice chicken salad sandwich on white bread. Of course, I do tend to prefer mine on rye bread. Hmmm…anyhow, add a slice of tomato or two if you wish or…make it totally retro and serve on a leaf of lettuce, stuffed into a tomato shell. Yum! Use your leftover barbecued chicken (take the skin off), the chicken off the parts no one volunteers for at dinner, or snag a piece of chicken leftover from dinner. (or you could just go get one of those deli rotisserie chickens and use that, not as thrifty but quick)

Basic Chicken Salad

1-2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small grated onion
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (add a shade more if needed to make salad stick together)
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Combine first three ingredients in bowl. Mix together mayonnaise and sour cream. Add to chicken mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Some variations:

Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of any of the following:

Chopped hard boiled eggs
Almonds
Cashews
Pecans
Grapes
Chopped apple (add a bit of lemon juice to it before mixing in, so the apple doesn’t turn brown)
Mandarin oranges
or a small jar of pimentos-drained

u has cumfy literachur

Many of you are heading into tomato season. When you tire of eating them like apples, you can try this…a sweetly elegant retro food.

Tomatoes Provencal

Choose a ripe tomato for each guest. Cut a 3/4″ slice from stem end of each. Chop these slices. mix with half the quantity of packaged dry bread crumbs, a little minced onion, a pinch of finely chopped garlic, some snipped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Set tomatoes in baking pan. Top with crumb mixture. Dot with butter. Bake, uncovered at 375° F. for 35 to 40 minutes.

For some reason this morning the A & W Root Beer jingle is going through my head. So, go throw a mug in the freezer for 20 minutes or so. Then scoop yourself some vanilla ice cream-real ice cream-not that whipped low fat stuff-that won’t work- into it. Then…pour some root beer in, down the side of the glass. Skip that fancy overpriced all natural root beer. Get some Hires or A & W. It will taste better, like your childhood. The fancy stuff…better for straight up drinking.

Do you have a favorite summertime drink?