Momsey's Newest Fashion Statement!

I had relinquished control over those decades old winter boots. Name brand and all. They were done.. A new kid in town had arrived. 

Last year, I had bought a couple of pairs of boots but had given up on finding any that were truly comfortable and quick to put on in whenever our 14-year-old pup had to go out quickly. Challenging mobile issues were now a part of her life, a much slower paced one.

One pair of boots had been bought online, another pair from TSC. I kept looking. Comfort is everything. This newer pair was perfect. I needed them for the outdoor supervision of our two retrievers. Material and looks meant nothing. The issue of a weak ankle and wide food needed to be addressed for walking, running and sliding.

An issue with our septic tank weeks after the purchase created a new dilemma for me. I did not want to wear these new 'pen' boots in this outdoor area now requiring attention and repair. We were facing a problem of untold proportions. I did not want to ruin these new winter boots. I had looked too long and spent enough money in the interim. Where were those decades old boots I had been wearing previously? There had been a hole at the back of one boot making snow, slush and sleet gain easy entry inside. Cold and wet would result. Could duck tape be the answer? Why not, I surmised? I wasn't heading to the fashion runway. 

A new fashion statement came into being. Black crinkle patent duct tape had solved my problem while making these old boots fashion worthy.. How could that be? My husband's discovery had made life simple. I was falling in love with these decades old boots by simply attaching a patch of shiny black duct tape to the back of the boot with the hole. Could another patch be used to augment the style of the other one? 

I began to think duct tape for an old pink raincoat I loved. Could this magical tape be strategically placed to make this coat wearable again? Had I discarded this coat? Parts of the jacket were fine while one spot had a gaping opening making sewing impossible. Was it feasible to fix this much loved garment with duct tape in an appropriate colour? So many questions. We'll just have to see. ..

Re-imagining Potato Salad

To help out with food recently, I thought of the summer favourite: potato salad. Its appearance on the summer barbecue scene had me wondering, why not now, in the dead of winter?

Potato salad is a limitless concoction. Yummy yummy. It is a recipe that can unfold, time after time, as newer trends appear. Diets for many have changed. Eliminating meat (eggs), certain types of mayonnaise and altering the way it is made has made potato salad a yummy 'newcomer'.

Originally, I made the famous salad with mayonnaise and lots of eggs. Lots of protein, I thought. Then the word dairy came to mean ' not in my best interest'. My family enjoyed its place during the summer. As time passed, diet preferences began to influence the ingredients used. So I adapted. I changed the ingredients while thinning out the dressing. Dressing should never be the centerpiece of any salad, anyway. Recently, I had an epiphany. Everything changed. My family raved. .. 

I thought of Dr. Stephen Gundry, cardiologist, author of the Plant Paradox. It all began to make sense to me. Potatoes began to taste better with deeper flavour penetration and nutrient retention when cooked 'under pressure'. The plant doctor has pointed out the folly of eating certain plants that may play havoc with our heart and health. He refers to these harmful things - seeds- as lectins. (He has implicated ADHD in these lectins.) 

The pressure cooker eliminates the harmful lectins, making foods healthier when pressure cooked! The high interior temperatures  makes those foods safer to eat.  (If I buy non-organic potatoes are they healthier now? I would think so. Discard the peels, however.)  I add bay leaves to augment flavour further. Peeling the potatoes happens afterwords as the peels protect the potatoes from becoming soggy. Cutting should be avoided whenever possible. But I have done it, on occasion, nonetheless.

I do not own the newest combo pressure cooker. I am on my third one since first being introduced to this former 'dangerous' appliance from the early 70's when it was made of aluminum. My second one was made from stainless steel until its demise from over work. My third one followed, was made of stainless steel, is still with me today being used over and over again to make chicken soup and other foods in a bowl. Potato salad is now at the top of my list

Making potato salad starts with my current pressure cooker.  Desserts stand no chance with me! The dressing is a healthy mix of lemon juice - no vinegar here - with salt and pepper added, shaken not stirred, with olive and avocado oils - subject to change.This rich topping binds it all. (No eggs or mayonnaise used) A few tablespoons gingerly applied inside the bowl allows for the slow penetrating oil to lightly coat the potatoes before finely chopped vegetables are added. I use green onions, celery and finely grated carrots. Other vegetables can be added. Red pepper will be next; dill, perhaps. The more colorful the better. Mix gently, using two forks, to avoid 'bleeding' of the finely grated carrots. Salad might still be warm. Refrigerate immediately.

This potato salad is a hit with my oldest grandson. “It” disappears within minutes of arriving. At a recent birthday visit, this precious six-year-old told me, “I loved it”. Really? A meal in a bowl. Thank you my dear sweet boy! That's all I needed to hear.