The Santa Cruz chow hall isn’t quite hell’s kitchen but close- so most of us try to come up with creative ‘food choices’ as it were. And ever since I found a dead fly in my salad, I’ve been extra motivated to create! What’s that saying about necessity being the father (or mother) or invention? I was lucky enough to score some knock-off Bisquick from the kitchen (my secret how that happened) and with that I’ve made chicken pot pie, cakes and pancakes as a start. I’ve also made a dough, seasoned it and folded in ham and cheese for a homemade Hot Pocket- that one was a hit. (I can hardly write that without singing the little jingle from the commercial!) I’m next going to attempt strawberry cheesecake pancakes using strawberry soda mixed with Bisquick for the batter and my cheesecake filling recipe previously posted. That will be this weekend’s project. Food works wells for entrepreneurial efforts in here too. There were a couple of girls going around and selling home-made tamales the other day. They got together and made 50 or so chicken tamales, wrapped them individually in plastic and sold them for a dollar a piece. Did a booming business! I’m not sure exactly how they were made but it looked like the outside had crushed chips made into a cornmeal and then mixed with water. Very clever- and really good. Here’s the ingredients for my pot pie recipe (I use the word ‘recipe’ loosely my mom
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It’s a Party!
Hey, just because we are locked up doesn’t mean we can’t party! Actually, birthdays are kind of a big deal in here, an excuse to celebrate, a way to relieve the boredom and sadness at being separated from family and friends. Of course, the food is the highlight and you can’t have a birthday party without a cake. (Cheesecake is usually the fav and there is a recipe below.) The women get together, make food, play games and give little handmade gifts. On Piestewa yard for my besties last party, I made a big chocolate cheesecake and we all collaborated on buffalo chicken bagels- yummy! Parties require quite a bit of planning, weeks ahead of time because usually we add up the cost of all the food and then everyone who wants to participate contributes some of their ingredients. Then we hold on to them until the day of the party when we ‘cook’. For this party I paid a girl to make a big card and then everybody signed it. I also made a gift bag out of construction paper and we filled it with candy, hair ties and other little things. That was a big deal but sometimes friends just get together and share brownies or a meal. Try the recipe below- it’s surprisingly good! ***Please note- many ingredients don’t have actual amounts or measurements. That’s because the supplies we get from the store are packaged in bags and we don’t have access to measuring spoons or cups.
Continue ReadingCottage Industries – Prison Style
FYI, there are jobs available in prison. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have one and even if you do, the little you earn doesn’t go very far toward buying decent shampoo, lotion if your skin is dry and flaky or a can of tuna to supplement the less than tasty cafeteria food. So, the women come up with creative ways to earn a little extra cash. Doing laundry is a popular one but it’s also very time consuming since it has to be done the old-fashioned way (see the previous blog post from September 1st It’s The Little Things). Laundry services run around $3 a pop. Then there are women who scrub our white tennis shoes (the only color available by the way) using a toothbrush and a denture tab so they look brand new, a constant necessity since we live in the desert, and have to walk through brown dirt and dust every day. The charge for that is usually about $2.00. Or you can pay a ‘housekeeper’ to come and clean your cell every day, every other day or just on weekends. This service includes wiping down all the shelves, scrubbing the sink and floors and emptying the trash. But don’t let the cops catch you- it’s a ticket if you are found in someone else’s cell, even with their permission! There are some who cut and style hair, mend torn clothes, and on an even more creative level, I know a woman who sketches gorgeous
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