I wouldn't have even remembered it until DH said, "Aren't they coming to bring new appliances today? What time?" Oh, yeah! Forgot all about it. The delivery truck was right on time and so I locked The Kids up in the bedroom and opened the side gate so they could unload a new dishwasher and refrigerator. Stop. Right. There. I don't want that refrigerator. It is smaller than the one I have now. If anything I need a larger one - but I certainly do NOT want a smaller one. "Yes, Madam. You must have this refrigerator." No. I must not. A couple of telephone calls back and forth with someone's supervisor and I was able to arrange for one of the larger models to be installed. "Are you family housing or bachelor housing?" We're family housing. That is what is used to determine who gets the large versus small refrigerator.
So, I've now got a new dishwasher - much, much quieter than the old one that was here - and it has a delay on it - I can set it to run overnight. I like that feature, but other than that a dishwasher is just a dishwasher. This one does take longer to run, though. And one other cool little feature it has is a "wine-glass" rack. [Not that we need that, here, because there are no fermented-grape-drink beverages allowed in this country. Wink. Wink.]
The new refrigerator certainly isn't as nice looking as the old one - the old one matched our refrigerator - same brand, same style - but it is bigger.
[The new refrigerator - left side of photo]I don't really care one way or another - as far as the "look" goes. This isn't our house. I can get more water bottles in it and soda cans and that is all that matters. It is louder, though. That I don't like. I refused the new stove. [Do the records NOT show that we have a double wall-oven and a counter cook-top? Apparently not.]
So after the guys installed the new dishwasher and refrigerator I was contemplating the same thing I contemplate every day about five o'clock and that is "What am I going to make for dinner?" I wanted something different. I've never made "clam sauce," but found this recipe for Linguini with White Clam Sauce. I ruined it. The recipe calls for ONE ingredient which I do not have. Whitewine. [Of course, right now we don't have any redwine, either, but that is because there was no grape juice for four months, here. Don't ask.] In the comments on the recipe page I saw this, "I used apple juice for the whitewine." Hey - we've got apple juice - I can do that!" Did I try a little on the side first? Heck no. Poured the apple juice into the sauce and ruined the whole mixture. All I could taste was the apple juice - I used a tablespoon - maybe two. Awful! Added more garlic to cover up the taste. More pepper. Then parmesan cheese. Lots of parmesan cheese. Then added bacon bits, too. Still tasted like apple juice. Dayum! The recipe would have been great if I wouldn't have added the apple juice, so I will make it again. But even before I added the apple juice and was "taste testing" the sauce, I could tell it needed something. It needs whitewine is what it needs. And, no, dinner wasn't nearly as awful as the WORST dinner ever, but then nothing could ever be that awful and I am really going to have to out-do myself to top that one!
When Someone purchases so many new things to replace so many still-new things i naturaly suspect that Someone's Brother owns an store that sells these things. Someone should be made to eat fish-ish sticks. (But at least you have a good dishwashing machine with which to dispose of the evidence of your culinary indiscression.)
ReplyDeleteYou must be living in some sort of subsidized housing there for them to come out with barely a notice to install new appliances.
ReplyDeleteAnd just wondering, how long will you both be living in Saudi?
I would be constantly watching my six if I lived there!
Oh, no doubt, Vermindust, there was a kickback involved somewhere. That's is just how things are done here. No different than Illinois, though, right?
ReplyDelete"Culinary disaster," you mean! Apple juice just RUINED IT. And it could have been so good. If only we had a bottle of whitewine.
We are in company provided housing, Steve. We pay rent. [Otherwise it would be income or something like that.] I suspect part of it is that some of the appliances on the compound really are very, very old - and the repair guys are constantly being called to fix them. I know when they told me I couldn't keep my old oven [before they gave me a new one], it was because they can't get parts for them anymore. And, like I said, my dishwasher was old. Very old. [Probably one of the very first models anyone had, here!]
ReplyDeleteWe will be here at least until DH is 50 - four more years. Who knows, though? Anything can / could happen.
Hi Sabra, just a note, if you want to substitute white wine, just put a teaspoon or two of apple juice (the less sugar the better) with as much chicken stock as the recipe calls for wine (1 cup wine = 1 cup stock + teaspoon or 2 of juice). It should work and mimic the flavor. Only do this when you need dry white wine or savory dishes. Definitely not for desserts lol!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous. Do you think this would work with vegetable stock? [I don't use chicken stock, ever.] I will be very careful doing something like this and substituting, in the future. Chances are that the recipe won't get made if I don't have the ingredients...
ReplyDelete