[DOOR FLIES OPEN]

I know we are all doing our best – or what qualifies as “we”, or “doing”, or “best” – under these trying circumstances. But what have you put your time towards? Hopefully not learning some second- or third language like some smarty-pants!

Like many people, I have taken to cooking experimentation. Now, as an avowed fan of the Sunday Gravy, there are many recipes I have tried & successfully mimicked.

So this week, I decided to go into my own arsenal, and – without posting my own recipes, because I am not stepping on toes – I like to think I did a pretty good job at making WineWife happy she continues to stay married to me.

On Monday, I made deep dish, using a cast-iron skillet.

The recipe for dough is pretty straightforward – flour, yeast, salt, sugar; the key is what you do to if afterwards. I chose to add Umami seasoning to the dough base, to give it some added flavour. Toppings were whatever I could find in the fridge. The verdict was “delicious”, and what I learned was where to cut down on dough production so I could have enough for calzones the next day.

Thursday night, I took a frozen pork loin & a half-pack of unused bacon & turned that into a wrapped pork loin.

This was even simpler – the only real addition was the honey-mustard glaze I needed to make to use as glue to affix the bacon to the loin, beyond the effect the skewers had. It tasted as good that night as it did a couple of days later when we reheated the rest for leftovers.

So let me know what you’ve been up to. I think we can all agree that yeah right‘s been the boss with all of the good food ideas, and that thick sauce is better than runny, but to get ready for tomorrow’s showcase let’s talk about what we’ve each done during this nonsense to keep from dropping the weight.

Tonight’s … entertainment?:

• Super Bowl LIV: San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs – 8:00 PM | FOX
  • A two-hour replay of both the game & halftime show.
• The Great British Baking Show – 8:00 PM | PBS
  • The remaining bakers make “saucy puds” (delicate cakes with a gooey filling or saucy surprise); tiramisu; and baked Alaska.
  • Speaking of prep for “Sunday Gravy”…
• 30 for 30 – 8:00 PM | ESPN2
  • A repeat of the repeat about the antagonists from Episodes 3 & 4 of “The Last Dance”.
  • The distinctive late-’80s Detroit Pistons squad under Chuck Daly is chronicled, featuring core players Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, Joe Dumars and John Salley, as well as top rivals of the era.
• Classic boxing – TSN
  • 10:30 PM: De La Hoya vs. Chavez
  • 11:30 PM: De La Hoya vs. Trinidad

Not a lot going on, so please do entertain yourselves talking about food before we all go to school tomorrow.