Frieda goes fishing (and makes a catch)

I was supposed to be cooking for 5 last night, but the extra guest cancelled during the afternoon, completely screwing up the proportions of ingredients I had bought in the morning. Some quick adjustments got everything under control.

Safeway advertised wild haddock at a cheap price, but when I got there there was none, even though they were just starting to fill up the fish display case. Bummer. So I bought catfish to go with the shrimp in what were to be steamed fish balls.

Two sides: Jenn's mustard roasted potatoes and a tray of roasted green beans. That Jenn is one heck of a cook. I suspect many of you follow her already but, if not, you should. I'd marry her if we were both single and I weren't gay. LOL. Okay, okay, TMI.

But here's what actually happened. I formed the fish balls, 12 of them - nearly 2 pounds of catfish and shrimp. I made a miso broth for steaming. We put the potatoes in the oven 40 minutes before dinner time, then the green beans 15 minutes before. At 10 minutes before I went to the kitchen to get the fish balls in. THEY WERE GONE!

Frieda, Jack and Leslie's dog (big girl, lovely animal), had eaten them ALL right off the steamer basket which was sitting on the counter.

I did what any football fan would do - dropped back and punted. The broth was boiling and I had more frozen shrimp. Dumped them right into the broth for several minutes and did peel-and-eat shrimp with the taters and beans.

Needless to say, I was a bit traumatized. We should have learned our lesson a few days ago when Frieda got onto the dining room table and ate a bowl of freshly grated Romano cheese - then got into a second bowl Peter hastily got ready. C'est la vie!