Surfing the web for the Purrr-fect meals

There isn't much that happens in this house (okay, apartment) without the furry one's permission. If she wants you to bugger off, you will. If she wants a treat, you will feed her. If she wants a drink from the sink, you guess it, the facet is on. But the most common "if she____, then ____" scenario is: If she wants snuggles, you will accommodate her fuzzy hot-pocket of a body wherever and whenever. Most of the time we are down to help a cat out and give her "brain scratchies" and under arm rub (I know I know cats don't have arms.)
 
But let's discuss momentarily how downright invasively obnoxious this cat Ms. Buchowski can be when one is attempting to work on a laptop.  
 

What's that beeping?

Number 1: laptops are already hot and summer time can get sticky (*see summer time temps in Mpls) Number 2: Cats paws are enough like human fingers that they do in fact move the track pad and mess up the cursor location, frequently. Number 3: Cat butts on keyboards have the ability to reset passwords, change the volume of your Bluetooth speaker, print things, and general F-Sh*& up on a laptop. It is getting "ranty" I know so  here's the last one for now.

Note the irritated look on her face.

Number 4: The cat I have in mind really couldn't care any less about what it was the human in the moment is trying to accomplish, snuggles and arm-pit rubs are the main objective and she will do anything she has to in order to receive said affection including but not limited to: biting the laptop screen, sitting directly behind the screen and staring you down, swishing her tail across the keyboard, sitting directly on your arms, head-butting you in the chin and walking under your chin and getting cat hair stuck in your 5 o'clock shadow (**see below for clarification) 
 

browsing and purring

So yesterday whilst attempting to meal plan some deliciousness from one of my faves (www.Nomnompaleo.com) this happened...
 
Thankfully we found a way to meet both of our needs, Ella got her brain scratchies and I got a killer menu planned for the week. I dare you to try the Shrimp-Stuffed Cremini Mushrooms they were delish!
 
In closing I would like to submit video evidence 5C regarding the case at hand, forgive my kitty voice, it sounds vaguely like my baby voice, I need to work on that.
 
 
 
*Summer temperatures in Minneapolis MN can reach into the high 90s and even break 100 degrees Fahrenheit. No it is not ALWAYS winter here. And YES we do have running water and electricity.
**5 o'clock shadow: That's a Gabe problem, I maintain my chin hairs quite arduously thank you very much.

Have I told you about the time I cooked lamb tongue?

It's true. I did. At a work function for Gabe's company I challenged Jack the farmer from our protein CSA to a duel between farm and kitchen. We received pork hocks... nailed it. Beef bacon... LOVE it. We've yet to find rocky mountain oysters... fine by me. But the day the lamb tongues arrived, I knew I had met my match. Don't get me wrong, lamb is delicious, in chop form, as a kabob, rolled up in grape leaves steamed and devoured. But their tongues? Seriously Jack?

That is what you think. Okay maybe not that.

After getting over the fact that the white wrapped package contained food that Gabe joked would "taste us back." I set to the web for help. How do I prepare these oddities? I quickly learned that tongue was quite the delicacy and would have its own texture and flavor profile like nothing I'd ever eaten. Unlike brain which upon sampling I decided quickly was NOT on my "To-be-eaten-again" list. With a recipe on my laptop screen, ingredients purchased, and lamb tongues still dressed in the white butcher paper (Can you tell I was putting off the inevitable?) I set to showing Jack, Gabe, well let's be honest really myself, that I could handle this kitchen challenge.

After boiling in the "herb bath"

Here we go...

But the reality is, they are seriously tongues. With taste buds. And the muscle that connected it to a cute... fuzzy... little... *gulp* lamb! Of all the steps in the process the worst was removing the taste buds. Sure it is just like taking a sock off a baby, or peeling a banana, or ripping taste buds off of a lambs tongue you fools!

Sautéing with Purple Kale

Shallots, Garlic, Bacon, & Tongue

After that 10 minutes of my life was marked directly onto my brain for later instant recall (and possible gag reflex,) I was able to treat the tongue for what it was, food. Chopping, simmering, and sautéing helped ease me back into the rhythm of cooking that soothes me. Voila dinner is served. Gabe (who only experienced the process when I put one of the tongues next to his ear as he worked on his computer) thoroughly enjoyed the meal, only adding Sriracha after the first few bites and acknowledging the hard work of the English Style herb bouquet in the dish's flavor. Yeah right. He has no ideas what any of that means and just likes food that slaps him in the taste buds. Too soon for tongue jokes? I, on the other hand, couldn't quite get past all I had to do to get this meal in a bowl. I did my best, and Gabe got all the leftovers.

The End Result

That being said, we recently had a delicious and dare I say insanely expensive meal out that included many cuts of lamb, and tongue was involved. I ate it (working hard to push that instant recall photo memory far far away) and yes, it had its own unique flavor, melted in my mouth, and was...*gasp* delicious. It is true.

If you ever find yourself with this cooking challenge, I recommend the following recipe from Nose To Tail At Home.com Lamb Tongues, Turnips, & Bacon and will personally be trying this recipe for Tongue Tacos the next time they show up in my kitchen.