Thursday, February 14, 2008
I swear I haven't abandoned!!
It's been a busy month. I've gotten way more to do at work now and don't have free time there to write my posts. And when I get home, well, I just don't get to it. But I have more kitty pics and some fun Alex stories. (He likes climbing trees but not so much the coming down.) So look for more kitteh pics in the near future!! Plus greenhouse stuff!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Finally a post!!
Oh I am so bad at updating. So very bad. I just don’t usually feel like writing when I get home and don’t have much time at work lately. (Plus they monitor internet so…)
The New Year started with a whimper more or less. The boy had to work until 11:30 so that made for a real grumpy start to the New Year. (The restaurant was out of nearly everything but still open. It was a bit of a mess.) At least I got New Year’s day off and got some stuff done.
I’ve been using most of my new toys like mad. (Still haven’t got around to the sewing machine yet. But I think I will this weekend.) I got a mandoline slicer and have made waffle fries, potatoes au gratin, and today I will make French fries. Oh I do love this thing. Plus I got tons of cast iron and well, it’s been nice knowing a lot of my other pans. Cast Iron rocks!
Our household has been obsessing a bit over Anthony Bourdain recently. We both watch No Reservations whenever we can. Plus A Cook’s Tour is being re-broadcast on the Food Network. (Bourdain left the FN when they wanted him to tone it down a bit. His sarcasm and cynicism are what make the show IMO.) I’ve read all but one of his food-related books. (Got a copy of Nasty Bits for Giftmas. He’s also written a bunch of spy novels too!) The boy got me a bunch of cookbooks for Giftmas too- Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook included. Now that’s a cookbook to actually read. He’s voice is ever present. Bourdain just has a great sense of humor and a love of food. I think he’d be a blast to travel with. I would kill to go to Vietnam with him. Oh that stuff looked so good.
In other food news, I’ve been experimenting with the slow cooker and pot roast. I made a beef pot roast a few weeks ago. It was good but needed something acidic. I used a chuck roast, sliced onions, carrots, garlic, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, and a can of cream of mushroom soup. (salt and pepper too. Always.) It tasted good overall but really just needed something. We both thought paprika would be nice. Plus a lot of recipes add in an onion soup mix. So yesterday I tried one with a pork butt. Ohhh it turned out so very yummy. I used the same ingredients but added a packet of onion soup mix and paprika. That made such a difference. (Cooked for about 6-7 hours on low.) The meat was falling apart. I made mashed potatoes to go with it and made a roux and thickened the gravy up. (The amount of liquid that ends up in the pot is pretty amazing.) It’s definitely an easy thing to do. I really don’t like using the processed food stuff but it’s made a big difference so far. I plan to experiment much more with other items for the crock pot. It is rather nice to come home to a dinner that’s ready to serve.
Then there are the kitties. Pumpkin is, well her aloof self. She only seeks people when she wants food or attention. But she does like Alex. Ah Alex. He is a riot. He loves his snuggling. He also will eat anything and everything. I’ve caught him so many times on the counters trying to steal food that has been left open. So far he’s eaten bacon, chicken, pasta, potatoes, and some frosting off of a cake. (Boy did he have a sugar high after that. I put the plate down to go the bathroom and next thing I know he was there.) He’s a little sneaky thing.
On Saturday, as it was mid-70s outside and gorgeous, I decided that he’s old enough to go outside now. He’s been begging for a bit as he’s watched Punk go out. (We set the kitty door to one way so Punk could get in but not easily get out. Of course, smart girl she is, she figured out how to open it on the locked side.) He had a blast exploring the yard and playing with leaves and things. Punk kept an eye on him for the most part. The only problem to this is that he is absolutely TERRIFIED of the kitty door. Unless it is held open for him, he will not use it. I think the noise and the swinging scare him. But I am not going to be opening doors to let him in and out all day long. Plus they are outside when there is no one home- who’s going to open the door for him then? So, he’s stuck inside until he can get over it. He wants to go out. He begs, he whines, he runs to the door. But until he can use the kitty door, not happening. He’s watches Punk do it. I’ve sat there and tried to nudge him through, but he cowers and mews. Poor little baby. He’ll learn eventually if he really wants to go outside.
The New Year started with a whimper more or less. The boy had to work until 11:30 so that made for a real grumpy start to the New Year. (The restaurant was out of nearly everything but still open. It was a bit of a mess.) At least I got New Year’s day off and got some stuff done.
I’ve been using most of my new toys like mad. (Still haven’t got around to the sewing machine yet. But I think I will this weekend.) I got a mandoline slicer and have made waffle fries, potatoes au gratin, and today I will make French fries. Oh I do love this thing. Plus I got tons of cast iron and well, it’s been nice knowing a lot of my other pans. Cast Iron rocks!
Our household has been obsessing a bit over Anthony Bourdain recently. We both watch No Reservations whenever we can. Plus A Cook’s Tour is being re-broadcast on the Food Network. (Bourdain left the FN when they wanted him to tone it down a bit. His sarcasm and cynicism are what make the show IMO.) I’ve read all but one of his food-related books. (Got a copy of Nasty Bits for Giftmas. He’s also written a bunch of spy novels too!) The boy got me a bunch of cookbooks for Giftmas too- Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook included. Now that’s a cookbook to actually read. He’s voice is ever present. Bourdain just has a great sense of humor and a love of food. I think he’d be a blast to travel with. I would kill to go to Vietnam with him. Oh that stuff looked so good.
In other food news, I’ve been experimenting with the slow cooker and pot roast. I made a beef pot roast a few weeks ago. It was good but needed something acidic. I used a chuck roast, sliced onions, carrots, garlic, a bit of Worcestershire sauce, and a can of cream of mushroom soup. (salt and pepper too. Always.) It tasted good overall but really just needed something. We both thought paprika would be nice. Plus a lot of recipes add in an onion soup mix. So yesterday I tried one with a pork butt. Ohhh it turned out so very yummy. I used the same ingredients but added a packet of onion soup mix and paprika. That made such a difference. (Cooked for about 6-7 hours on low.) The meat was falling apart. I made mashed potatoes to go with it and made a roux and thickened the gravy up. (The amount of liquid that ends up in the pot is pretty amazing.) It’s definitely an easy thing to do. I really don’t like using the processed food stuff but it’s made a big difference so far. I plan to experiment much more with other items for the crock pot. It is rather nice to come home to a dinner that’s ready to serve.
Then there are the kitties. Pumpkin is, well her aloof self. She only seeks people when she wants food or attention. But she does like Alex. Ah Alex. He is a riot. He loves his snuggling. He also will eat anything and everything. I’ve caught him so many times on the counters trying to steal food that has been left open. So far he’s eaten bacon, chicken, pasta, potatoes, and some frosting off of a cake. (Boy did he have a sugar high after that. I put the plate down to go the bathroom and next thing I know he was there.) He’s a little sneaky thing.
On Saturday, as it was mid-70s outside and gorgeous, I decided that he’s old enough to go outside now. He’s been begging for a bit as he’s watched Punk go out. (We set the kitty door to one way so Punk could get in but not easily get out. Of course, smart girl she is, she figured out how to open it on the locked side.) He had a blast exploring the yard and playing with leaves and things. Punk kept an eye on him for the most part. The only problem to this is that he is absolutely TERRIFIED of the kitty door. Unless it is held open for him, he will not use it. I think the noise and the swinging scare him. But I am not going to be opening doors to let him in and out all day long. Plus they are outside when there is no one home- who’s going to open the door for him then? So, he’s stuck inside until he can get over it. He wants to go out. He begs, he whines, he runs to the door. But until he can use the kitty door, not happening. He’s watches Punk do it. I’ve sat there and tried to nudge him through, but he cowers and mews. Poor little baby. He’ll learn eventually if he really wants to go outside.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Really Awesome Baked Chicken
I have this thing for fried chicken and since I wanted to have some tonight, I decided to try baking it. And well, yum.
I marinated thighs in buttermilk overnight. Then seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, garlic powder, paprika and a bit of cayenne. Coated in Italian bread crumbs. I then baked in a 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes or so. Till the juices ran clear. They turned out moist and delicious. I served with mashed potatoes and made from scratch country gravy. (Make a roux with equal parts butter and flour, cook for a bit, add milk, salt, pepper, paprika to taste. Heat while stirring until thick.)
I do love a good meal.
In kitteh news, they are doing fabulously well. I am starting to think Punk likes Alex better than she ever liked Gabby. I know but she totally mothers Alex and watches over him. She's even sleeping on the bed with us now. There's a difference.
Alex caught a lizard today. Punk wanted some of it too but he was not sharing. Oh no. He growled every time she came near. It was just too funny. After he did his thing with it, Alex did eventually share and they both finished playing it to death. So cute.
And yes, I have more pics. There are more in the kitty post below at the end- updated with links to picasa and photobucket. (carimwc for photobucket but the pics are the same in both.) I also have more coming. I'm taking a bunch to make an album for my Aunt so there will be tons more. My aunt is about 5 mentally, so the kitty pics will bring at least a week's worth of bragging and talk for her. She asks about them all the time. I don't know why I never thought about this before!
I marinated thighs in buttermilk overnight. Then seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, garlic powder, paprika and a bit of cayenne. Coated in Italian bread crumbs. I then baked in a 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes or so. Till the juices ran clear. They turned out moist and delicious. I served with mashed potatoes and made from scratch country gravy. (Make a roux with equal parts butter and flour, cook for a bit, add milk, salt, pepper, paprika to taste. Heat while stirring until thick.)
I do love a good meal.
In kitteh news, they are doing fabulously well. I am starting to think Punk likes Alex better than she ever liked Gabby. I know but she totally mothers Alex and watches over him. She's even sleeping on the bed with us now. There's a difference.
Alex caught a lizard today. Punk wanted some of it too but he was not sharing. Oh no. He growled every time she came near. It was just too funny. After he did his thing with it, Alex did eventually share and they both finished playing it to death. So cute.
And yes, I have more pics. There are more in the kitty post below at the end- updated with links to picasa and photobucket. (carimwc for photobucket but the pics are the same in both.) I also have more coming. I'm taking a bunch to make an album for my Aunt so there will be tons more. My aunt is about 5 mentally, so the kitty pics will bring at least a week's worth of bragging and talk for her. She asks about them all the time. I don't know why I never thought about this before!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Central Texas Gets Cold Sometimes
When it rains it pours. It's cold at night here. Like 30s cold. We came home and started up the heater. It stoppped running after 2 minutes. Something fried. Looked like a fuse. It was but it wasn't the only thing wrong. The circuit board is fried. This happens with old age (unit is only 10 years old) or dirt and dust buildup. As some of you may recall, our unit ended up clogged up and disgusting earlier this year. We had it cleaned but it was too late for our heater. Argh.
These boards aren't cheap either. It sucks.
Last month was the civic's tune-up in order to keep it running and inspected. And Alex and his vet visits. Oh and Gabby and her cremation. And the boy dropped his phone in coffee. That was just last month. We've been having a series of mini-disasters. Anytime we bring up the S-word and think we're doing ok, something happens. Like clockwork.
I'm tired of this crap. We need a little bit of good luck. Just a little. Anything.
Looks like another night of sleeping in the cold.
These boards aren't cheap either. It sucks.
Last month was the civic's tune-up in order to keep it running and inspected. And Alex and his vet visits. Oh and Gabby and her cremation. And the boy dropped his phone in coffee. That was just last month. We've been having a series of mini-disasters. Anytime we bring up the S-word and think we're doing ok, something happens. Like clockwork.
I'm tired of this crap. We need a little bit of good luck. Just a little. Anything.
Looks like another night of sleeping in the cold.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Update- yeah I know
I know I’ve been really lax in updating this thing in the past few months. I just haven’t had the time or energy. Mostly the energy. I’ve had a super case of insomnia. I’ve been falling asleep fine- I’m exhausted by the end of the day, but I can’t stay asleep. I’ve been waking up any time between 2:30 and 4:30 in the morning and not falling back asleep. And when I mean wake up, I mean I wake with a jump. It’s not good.
It’s gotten a bit better this past week but it’s still not there. At least I’m not feeling too zombie like. There were days when it was all I could do to make it home. Forget about cooking dinner or something. I didn’t trust myself near a stove those days. I shouldn’t even have been driving. (Case in point: one zombie morning, while backing the truck out of the driveway, my sideview mirror hit our brick mailbox. Thankfully the mirror is just cracked and I can order new glass but still. Not so good.)
Alex is a love. He and Punk are getting along. They’ll lie near each other and joyfully chase each other around the house. Alex actually starts a lot of it. He’ll attack Punk and then run away, forcing her to chase him. It’s really cute.
He is a super snuggler. He forces his way onto my lap or shoulder and then makes himself comfortable so he can snooze. He loves to rub his face under my chin and give kisses. It’s all cute until it’s 4am on a Saturday and he starts whacking me with his paw because I’m not making any effort for him. Yeah, that was fun. But he’s a doll and a really great addition.
Punk is dealing quite well with this newcomer. We’ve been letting her run on the weekends but not during the week as Alex is not outside material just yet. Plus we wanted to make sure that they got along and as she would have spent most of her time hiding outside, we felt the forced interaction was best.
She is also keeping her super hunting skills up to par as Friday night she caught a rat. A lovely, furry, largish, rat. I was just sitting on the couch with a sleeping Alex half in my lap, when in walks Pumpkin meowing like crazy. She dropped her present on the floor at the entrance to the living room and stood proudly, waiting for me to come inspect her catch. She got lots of praise and petting while I hurridly ran for the broom and the camera. Upon further inspection, the rodent was still alive. Yikes. I quickly swept it onto the dustpan and brought it outside where I hope it either escaped or died. Either way, Punk got locked inside for the rest of the night as she has a tendency to re-capture things. (She caught the same field mouse 3 times before playing it to death.)
Our Thanksgiving plans have just changed. We were going to drive out to Louisiana to spend time with the boy’s relatives but we’re most likely going to stay around here now. We were only going to be there for a day or so anyway. Staying home makes so much more sense with gas prices the way they are. So I have to go find a turkey today. Joy. At least I have most of the fixins I need to make dinner. I was already going to make the pies. I plan to brine the turkey but I don’t know if we’ll smoke, roast, or fry it. We’ll see. I’m making an herbed pecan stuffing to go with it. We have tons and tons of pecans from the trees around the La Vernia house. Either way, we won’t be lacking in food.
UPDATED: More kitty pics here
It’s gotten a bit better this past week but it’s still not there. At least I’m not feeling too zombie like. There were days when it was all I could do to make it home. Forget about cooking dinner or something. I didn’t trust myself near a stove those days. I shouldn’t even have been driving. (Case in point: one zombie morning, while backing the truck out of the driveway, my sideview mirror hit our brick mailbox. Thankfully the mirror is just cracked and I can order new glass but still. Not so good.)
Alex is a love. He and Punk are getting along. They’ll lie near each other and joyfully chase each other around the house. Alex actually starts a lot of it. He’ll attack Punk and then run away, forcing her to chase him. It’s really cute.
He is a super snuggler. He forces his way onto my lap or shoulder and then makes himself comfortable so he can snooze. He loves to rub his face under my chin and give kisses. It’s all cute until it’s 4am on a Saturday and he starts whacking me with his paw because I’m not making any effort for him. Yeah, that was fun. But he’s a doll and a really great addition.
Punk is dealing quite well with this newcomer. We’ve been letting her run on the weekends but not during the week as Alex is not outside material just yet. Plus we wanted to make sure that they got along and as she would have spent most of her time hiding outside, we felt the forced interaction was best.
She is also keeping her super hunting skills up to par as Friday night she caught a rat. A lovely, furry, largish, rat. I was just sitting on the couch with a sleeping Alex half in my lap, when in walks Pumpkin meowing like crazy. She dropped her present on the floor at the entrance to the living room and stood proudly, waiting for me to come inspect her catch. She got lots of praise and petting while I hurridly ran for the broom and the camera. Upon further inspection, the rodent was still alive. Yikes. I quickly swept it onto the dustpan and brought it outside where I hope it either escaped or died. Either way, Punk got locked inside for the rest of the night as she has a tendency to re-capture things. (She caught the same field mouse 3 times before playing it to death.)
Our Thanksgiving plans have just changed. We were going to drive out to Louisiana to spend time with the boy’s relatives but we’re most likely going to stay around here now. We were only going to be there for a day or so anyway. Staying home makes so much more sense with gas prices the way they are. So I have to go find a turkey today. Joy. At least I have most of the fixins I need to make dinner. I was already going to make the pies. I plan to brine the turkey but I don’t know if we’ll smoke, roast, or fry it. We’ll see. I’m making an herbed pecan stuffing to go with it. We have tons and tons of pecans from the trees around the La Vernia house. Either way, we won’t be lacking in food.
UPDATED: More kitty pics here
Sunday, November 04, 2007
The new boy in town
This is Alex. I know it's only been a few weeks but a new kitten was somewhat of a necessity. First, I needed a new little one, and Punk couldn't get too used to being alone. She was already becoming the diva of the house again.
So last Saturday I went to PetSmart to check out the rescue organizations and their adoptable kittens. I was looking for a tabby, preferably orange but then Alex poked his nose at me. I took him out and we snuggled. That was all it took. He was so lovable and playful I couldn't resist. So I took him home.
It was great timing as about 5 minutes before I walked in the door, Punk caught her first mouse. I had called the boy to warn him so he could prep the Punk but of course she had other ideas. She was all wild and proud. She scared the little one and he hid under a dresser for about 7 hours or so. (Punk spent the rest of the day outside.) During those 7 hours of hiding we could pet him and discovered he loves having his paws played with. I took him from his spot every once in a while and as long as I had a hand on him, he would snuggle and purr and be happy. But move that hand and bye bye!
But after about 7 hours it was like a light switch went on. He came out and started playing and generally going crazy. He also started meowing. Yes, I have another talker. He's not nearly as loud or as constant as Gabby but he loves to meow. He's a chirper actually. It's cute for now. We'll see.
He's a love. He loves to snuggle and curl up with you. He loves everyone. He likes to perch on your shoulder and then stretches out upside down. Strange little thing.
Punk is less than thrilled but she's coming around. She doesn't hiss and growl constantly and can stand to be in the same room as Alex now. They're due for a fight soon. I'm not worried though. They're making progress every day. I don't expect best buds immediately. He's got big shoes to fill.
I will always miss Gabby and she will always be my little baby. But Alex is here to stay and will help fill the hole that was left.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
RIP Gabby
She's gone. My kitten, my shadow, my baby. She was hit by a car this morning.
She wasn't waiting for me to get up, she wasn't begging for tuna, and didn't come when I called. I knew something was wrong. I opened the front door because sometimes she got stuck out front and there she was in the road. I screamed but there was nothing to be done. She had been dead for a few hours it seemed.
I'm heartbroken. She was my loud, curious kitten. She was afraid of cars and the road so I have no idea why she was out there. Pumpkin is waiting for her pal to come play. She's looking for her friend.
It all happened this morning. We took her to the vet to get cremated. It's only been a few hours. I can't stop crying right now. This was my baby. She was MY cat. She followed me around and not the boy.
I miss her so much. I just want my loud, crazy kitten to come running up to me now.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
ACL Rant Part 1
I know i haven't updated in a while. It's been a bit crazy.
Anyway, Austin City Limits Music Festival is this weekend. It's my 30th birthday 3 day weekend bash. I was looking forward to it. Especially Saturday, my birthday, when I was going to hit the trifecta of Amy Winehouse, Indigo Girls, and the White Stripes. Not so anymore.
As the world knows, Amy Winehouse is not touring for the foreseable future. Le sigh. Yesterday it was announce that the Striples are canceling tour dates for the next few weeks. Argh. Now, I understand that Meg White had a nervous breakdown and all but sigh. That stinks. The Stripes were the Saturday headliner. Now Muse is going to fill that spot and well, eh. I'm not a huge Arcade Fire fan either. So it looks like we'll be leaving after the Indigo Girls. Ah well. Still not so good.
People are not happy about the way things are happening. Bob Dylan was not a happy choice to close and now the Stripes with no other real big headliner? Not so good.
Ah well. More to come when the festival actually starts. I did get my wristbands today.
Food updated: sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, added chicken, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, some smoked paprika. Let cook. Added bacon, a can of drained chickpeas, grape tomatoes, and basil. Let cook until the tomatoes are warmish. Serve over greek seasoned roasted potatoes. Top with parm if desired. Total yum.
Anyway, Austin City Limits Music Festival is this weekend. It's my 30th birthday 3 day weekend bash. I was looking forward to it. Especially Saturday, my birthday, when I was going to hit the trifecta of Amy Winehouse, Indigo Girls, and the White Stripes. Not so anymore.
As the world knows, Amy Winehouse is not touring for the foreseable future. Le sigh. Yesterday it was announce that the Striples are canceling tour dates for the next few weeks. Argh. Now, I understand that Meg White had a nervous breakdown and all but sigh. That stinks. The Stripes were the Saturday headliner. Now Muse is going to fill that spot and well, eh. I'm not a huge Arcade Fire fan either. So it looks like we'll be leaving after the Indigo Girls. Ah well. Still not so good.
People are not happy about the way things are happening. Bob Dylan was not a happy choice to close and now the Stripes with no other real big headliner? Not so good.
Ah well. More to come when the festival actually starts. I did get my wristbands today.
Food updated: sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, added chicken, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, some smoked paprika. Let cook. Added bacon, a can of drained chickpeas, grape tomatoes, and basil. Let cook until the tomatoes are warmish. Serve over greek seasoned roasted potatoes. Top with parm if desired. Total yum.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Icky Sicky
Short and sweet. I managed to come down with bronchitis at the beginning of the week. At first I thought it was a head cold that was doing it's normal thing of winding down to my chest but no, the head part all but went away and this thing has taken hold of my lungs. All I do is cough and feel rotten. I went to work on Monday and made it through half of Tuesday before giving up and going home to sleep.
On Wednesday I dragged myself to the doctor only to have them tell me that well, yes, you are sick but we can't do anything for you. I don't have a fever and they don't want to give me antibiotics. I have to get worse first. Awesome.
So it's been fun. OTC meds, the good kind that you have to ask the pharmacist for and prove that you don't have a meth lab, and lots of tea. I still feel crummy but there's not much I can do about it.
And then there's work. I swear the position of the head of my department is cursed. This makes boss #4 in a little over 2 years. Yeah. It was supposedly a mutual decision but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. And of course this all happened on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, while I was gone. Argh.
On Wednesday I dragged myself to the doctor only to have them tell me that well, yes, you are sick but we can't do anything for you. I don't have a fever and they don't want to give me antibiotics. I have to get worse first. Awesome.
So it's been fun. OTC meds, the good kind that you have to ask the pharmacist for and prove that you don't have a meth lab, and lots of tea. I still feel crummy but there's not much I can do about it.
And then there's work. I swear the position of the head of my department is cursed. This makes boss #4 in a little over 2 years. Yeah. It was supposedly a mutual decision but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. And of course this all happened on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday, while I was gone. Argh.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Firefly in da house!
Somehow a firefly, or lightening bugs as they seem to be known around these parts, managed to get into my house last night. Punk had a blast trying to catch it. I had just blissed her out by brushing her (seriously that cat LURVS her brush) when all of a sudden she jumped and started digging through everything on the floor. She went nuts. She climbed over everything and jumped as high as she could, but she never did quite catch it. Ah cats.
I think I've managed to fix my sleeping issues. Well, mostly. I've been taking melatonin, extended release caplets. They've actually helped me to sleep through the night and I only wake up around 5:30 now, which is much better than a few times a night. It's been really nice. I do like feeling rested more often than not. Yay.
I made more salsa this weekend. The roasted garlic and roasted red pepper salsa came out excellent. I've tweaked the recipe a little, decided to use a lot less lime. My only problem is that I seem to filling up the jars too much. I've left plenty of room at the top for expansion, but it doesn't seem enough. The jars don't explode per se but they leak and when you open them, well, it's best to have a bowl underneath and do it in the sink. And open slowly. I haven't lost much, which is good. I did lose a jar while sealing. It just broke and let out all the salsa into the water. A whole quart! And it was my hot stuff too! Oh well. I've got lots more to make for the next few weekends.
I think I've managed to fix my sleeping issues. Well, mostly. I've been taking melatonin, extended release caplets. They've actually helped me to sleep through the night and I only wake up around 5:30 now, which is much better than a few times a night. It's been really nice. I do like feeling rested more often than not. Yay.
I made more salsa this weekend. The roasted garlic and roasted red pepper salsa came out excellent. I've tweaked the recipe a little, decided to use a lot less lime. My only problem is that I seem to filling up the jars too much. I've left plenty of room at the top for expansion, but it doesn't seem enough. The jars don't explode per se but they leak and when you open them, well, it's best to have a bowl underneath and do it in the sink. And open slowly. I haven't lost much, which is good. I did lose a jar while sealing. It just broke and let out all the salsa into the water. A whole quart! And it was my hot stuff too! Oh well. I've got lots more to make for the next few weekends.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Happy Left Hander's Day!
I hope you smiled at your fellow left-handed people today. (Ahem.) We are not all evil as the origins may presume. We face obstacles daily, living in a blatantly right handed world. (Ever try to pour from a ladle with your left hand? Can't since the spout is on the side made for right handed ease. Don't even get me started on can openers.)
I could rant on and on about the whole left handed thing but I won't.
I'll just leave you with the neat fact that my immediate family, all four of us, is all left-handed. Right handers who came to dinner were truly the odd people out for a change. Ha!
I could rant on and on about the whole left handed thing but I won't.
I'll just leave you with the neat fact that my immediate family, all four of us, is all left-handed. Right handers who came to dinner were truly the odd people out for a change. Ha!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Pickles, pickles everywhere
In the past 3 weeks, I have made 19 quarts of pickles. My neighbor had an overflow of cucumbers and kept leaving bags at my front door. (I had given him permission so it was ok.) I wanted to make pickles. And man I made pickles. They’re spicy and garlicky. I don’t like sweet pickles, although sugar is a required ingredient in any pickle recipe. I made spears and slices and 2 jars of small, whole pickles. I had fun.
I don’t have a set recipe as of yet. I’ve made 3 different brines but the basic ingredients are the same.
Mason jars
Vinegar- I used cider for most of it and a combo of white and cider for one time. Use any kind you like.
Water
2 T sugar
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper flakes*
Cumin*
Bell peppers, red and green
Onion
Garlic powder*
Onion powder*
Hot sauce*
Garlic cloves- Use however many you want.
Thyme
Dill
Jalepenos*
Cucumbers- sliced, speared, or whole if small enough.
Put water and vinegar in a pot, a 3-2 vinegar/water ratio works best. Add seasoning. Use whatever you like to taste. This is just what I used. Sugar is a must though, to help the cucumbers stay together. Bring brine to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Let cool.
While the brine is cooling, sterilize the mason jars by boiling just the jars for 10 minutes. Place dill, whole garlic cloves, onion slices or pearl onions, diced jalepenos, thyme, whatever other flavoring you like, in the bottom of the jar. Place cucumbers in jar, leaving at least ½ inch at the top. Pour the brine in, along with any other pieces like the bell peppers or garlic. Leave room at the top. Repeat for each jar. 8 cups of liquid makes about 4-5 quarts.
Seal the jars by placing the lids on them, and tighten but not all the way. Place in about 3-4 inches of boiling water, about halfway up the jar, and cover. You will hear a pop and the jar is sealed.
You can also use a pressure cooker to do this but as I don’t have one, this also works.
I made 4 quarts of salsa this weekend too. I need to make lots of sauce and more salsa next weekend. All this fresh, fun produce!* And it’s so easy to do!
*Sadly, I’ve had to buy tomatoes. All the rain we’ve had is not making our tomatoes do well- they’re just not getting enough sun. Plus we now have leaf-footed bugs which suck all the sweet goodness out of the ‘maters and prevent them from growing really big. It’s been hard to deal with because it’s always freakin’ raining and it just washes away anything you try to do. I’m using a soap and water spray to combat them but I don’t know if I can really save them. We’ll see. We did just get some baby plants so that might save the day.
I don’t have a set recipe as of yet. I’ve made 3 different brines but the basic ingredients are the same.
Mason jars
Vinegar- I used cider for most of it and a combo of white and cider for one time. Use any kind you like.
Water
2 T sugar
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper flakes*
Cumin*
Bell peppers, red and green
Onion
Garlic powder*
Onion powder*
Hot sauce*
Garlic cloves- Use however many you want.
Thyme
Dill
Jalepenos*
Cucumbers- sliced, speared, or whole if small enough.
Put water and vinegar in a pot, a 3-2 vinegar/water ratio works best. Add seasoning. Use whatever you like to taste. This is just what I used. Sugar is a must though, to help the cucumbers stay together. Bring brine to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Let cool.
While the brine is cooling, sterilize the mason jars by boiling just the jars for 10 minutes. Place dill, whole garlic cloves, onion slices or pearl onions, diced jalepenos, thyme, whatever other flavoring you like, in the bottom of the jar. Place cucumbers in jar, leaving at least ½ inch at the top. Pour the brine in, along with any other pieces like the bell peppers or garlic. Leave room at the top. Repeat for each jar. 8 cups of liquid makes about 4-5 quarts.
Seal the jars by placing the lids on them, and tighten but not all the way. Place in about 3-4 inches of boiling water, about halfway up the jar, and cover. You will hear a pop and the jar is sealed.
You can also use a pressure cooker to do this but as I don’t have one, this also works.
I made 4 quarts of salsa this weekend too. I need to make lots of sauce and more salsa next weekend. All this fresh, fun produce!* And it’s so easy to do!
*Sadly, I’ve had to buy tomatoes. All the rain we’ve had is not making our tomatoes do well- they’re just not getting enough sun. Plus we now have leaf-footed bugs which suck all the sweet goodness out of the ‘maters and prevent them from growing really big. It’s been hard to deal with because it’s always freakin’ raining and it just washes away anything you try to do. I’m using a soap and water spray to combat them but I don’t know if I can really save them. We’ll see. We did just get some baby plants so that might save the day.
Monday, July 23, 2007
DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT FINSHED HP7! MAJOR SPOILERS
Spoilers about book 7 below.
I warned you.
They’re coming.
Here it comes.
Ok, Harry Potter Book 7 info below.
I went to one of the midnight release parties to get my book. I am a big dork. I had a good time though. There were lots of kids and adults in costume. At the Barnes and Noble that I was at, there had to be at least 5-600 people there. At least. They gave out tickets in groups of 50 from A-Z and they were on P for the reserved copies and were on C for the unreserved. It was madness but in a good way. I was in group J and got my copy around 12:45am. The line moved quickly and I was home around 1am. I was originally going to read until I feel asleep but I stayed awake until I finished the book around 5-5:30am. I think it was the combination of coffee and adrenaline that kept me awake. Plus I didn’t want to put it down for the last 200 pages or so.
Overall, I am happy with the book. All my questions were answered and then some. I laughed but I also cried. It was well thought out and very detailed, too detailed at times. The beginning flew by but the middle sort of got bogged down a bit. I really didn’t like the last chapter but I understand the need for it. It just didn’t seem to fit in for me, plus it gave me so many more questions like what does Harry do? What are the jobs? Who’s the headmaster or mistress of Hogwarts now? But that’s ok. There are supposed to be questions. I think that’s the mark of a good book. Plus it leaves things open for more.
There was no real wait to get to the meat of the story. The first chapter dived in right away to reveal Voldemort and his Death Eaters planning their overthrow of the wizarding world and the attempts to finally get Harry Potter. Voldemort wants his revenge and wants his one failure to be gone. But of course that doesn’t happen.
This was not a peaceful book. It’s dark and there is a lot of violence and quite a bit of death. Some you expected (Snape, and the big V, yes he dies.) but there were quite a lot of unexpected. I totally did not see Dobby dying. Poor little house-elf. And Hedwig! When Hedwig and Dobby died, I figured that anyone was fair game. I would have been ok if one of the core three had been killed but it wouldn’t have felt right. I had predicted that Neville, Hagrid, or McGonagall would die, but that was not the case. I’m still not sure how I feel about both Tonks and Lupin dying but I can see it to make Harry be the godfather that he never got to have. And what is George, holey George, going to do without his brother? I wished we had seen his reaction, though it may have been too much for readers to take. I did get some comfort out of the fact that Fred went out with a joke.
Dumbledore is not perfect after all, he is fallible. I had always suspected that he was up to something that belied his stature and grandeur but I never suspected the family story nor his long-ago friendship with a Dark Master who was very anti-Muggle. The quest for the Deathly Hallows, that makes sense to me. That fits Dumbledore’s personality. But the story behind his family was a bit of a surprise. Dumbledore had been rather full of himself but he also gave off the air that he understood it too. He made mistakes, quite a few of them, but didn’t always admit them to everyone. He did know his limits. (Never accepting the post of head of Ministry.) I think this realization and discovery did help Harry become a better person. Everyone does make mistakes and keep secrets.
I always knew Snape had some good in him and that Harry’s mother played some part in that, but it was still a nice revelation that he did end up caring for Harry because of Lily and her kindness, even though she did separate herself from him because of his dark tendencies. She was one of the few people to like Snape for himself. Snape’s capacity to love is what made him different. He loved Lily and was able to love her son. I loved how his Patronus was a doe and not something else. Snape really was an old softie.
Love, of course, was a big theme in this book. The ability to love and feel will conquer all. Snape could love, Dumbledore could love, the Malfoys loved their son, Harry loved and was loved, etc. We all know that Voldemort’s biggest downfall was his inability to love, to feel remorse, really to feel anything. He was all hate and pride, and that ultimately destroyed him. He couldn’t imagine that anything could be stronger than his supreme talent and power. I think that was a great theme for the kids to believe in, love is always there and always important, no matter what happens. If you can love, you can do anything.
There were a lot of other underlying themes- a lot of racial implications. The whole purity of the wizarding race just reeks of Nazism. They hunted Muggle-born wizards and forced them to give up their wands. They had no guilt in just killing off Muggle families. Half-blood wizards were seen as of lesser status. It’s all so reminiscent of the Holocaust. There’s a take off of a well known about how they came for the jews and I did nothing and they came for these people and I did nothing, etc. Lupin makes that point on Potterwatch about how first it’s the Muggle-borns, and then the half-bloods, and then the purebloods, and then it will be just the Death-Eaters. You can see the progression. The undercurrent was just there.
You can see it even more with the talk of Grindewald’s camp for non-followers, Nurmengard, and the slogan over the gate. (Wish I could remember it but it’s very reminiscent of “Work Makes You Free”.) It’s very World War II-like. (Even to the little details of no tv and just a wireless radio. Potterwatch and the Order= the resistance.) And it all stems from the fact that Voldemort was more or less screwed over by Muggles in his childhood, even though he is half-blood himself. (Sound familiar to anyone else?) Younger kids might not pick up on it, but anyone who has studied history most likely will. It’s not that subtle.
All in all it was a satisfying end to the story. The battle scene at Hogwarts was fantastic. Neville rocked as I always believed that he would. (And his gran? Awesome lady.) The little details were well thought out and interesting. (Loved the use of the Room of Requirement and McGonagall leading a battalion of desks was priceless!) The last chapter seemed a bit of out of place to me, but I can see where it would be necessary. It is nice knowing what happened afterward and it does leave an opening for more books featuring the kids.
I have so much more to talk about but this will have to do for now.
The books may be done but the phenomenon lives on. Long live Harry Potter.
I warned you.
They’re coming.
Here it comes.
Ok, Harry Potter Book 7 info below.
I went to one of the midnight release parties to get my book. I am a big dork. I had a good time though. There were lots of kids and adults in costume. At the Barnes and Noble that I was at, there had to be at least 5-600 people there. At least. They gave out tickets in groups of 50 from A-Z and they were on P for the reserved copies and were on C for the unreserved. It was madness but in a good way. I was in group J and got my copy around 12:45am. The line moved quickly and I was home around 1am. I was originally going to read until I feel asleep but I stayed awake until I finished the book around 5-5:30am. I think it was the combination of coffee and adrenaline that kept me awake. Plus I didn’t want to put it down for the last 200 pages or so.
Overall, I am happy with the book. All my questions were answered and then some. I laughed but I also cried. It was well thought out and very detailed, too detailed at times. The beginning flew by but the middle sort of got bogged down a bit. I really didn’t like the last chapter but I understand the need for it. It just didn’t seem to fit in for me, plus it gave me so many more questions like what does Harry do? What are the jobs? Who’s the headmaster or mistress of Hogwarts now? But that’s ok. There are supposed to be questions. I think that’s the mark of a good book. Plus it leaves things open for more.
There was no real wait to get to the meat of the story. The first chapter dived in right away to reveal Voldemort and his Death Eaters planning their overthrow of the wizarding world and the attempts to finally get Harry Potter. Voldemort wants his revenge and wants his one failure to be gone. But of course that doesn’t happen.
This was not a peaceful book. It’s dark and there is a lot of violence and quite a bit of death. Some you expected (Snape, and the big V, yes he dies.) but there were quite a lot of unexpected. I totally did not see Dobby dying. Poor little house-elf. And Hedwig! When Hedwig and Dobby died, I figured that anyone was fair game. I would have been ok if one of the core three had been killed but it wouldn’t have felt right. I had predicted that Neville, Hagrid, or McGonagall would die, but that was not the case. I’m still not sure how I feel about both Tonks and Lupin dying but I can see it to make Harry be the godfather that he never got to have. And what is George, holey George, going to do without his brother? I wished we had seen his reaction, though it may have been too much for readers to take. I did get some comfort out of the fact that Fred went out with a joke.
Dumbledore is not perfect after all, he is fallible. I had always suspected that he was up to something that belied his stature and grandeur but I never suspected the family story nor his long-ago friendship with a Dark Master who was very anti-Muggle. The quest for the Deathly Hallows, that makes sense to me. That fits Dumbledore’s personality. But the story behind his family was a bit of a surprise. Dumbledore had been rather full of himself but he also gave off the air that he understood it too. He made mistakes, quite a few of them, but didn’t always admit them to everyone. He did know his limits. (Never accepting the post of head of Ministry.) I think this realization and discovery did help Harry become a better person. Everyone does make mistakes and keep secrets.
I always knew Snape had some good in him and that Harry’s mother played some part in that, but it was still a nice revelation that he did end up caring for Harry because of Lily and her kindness, even though she did separate herself from him because of his dark tendencies. She was one of the few people to like Snape for himself. Snape’s capacity to love is what made him different. He loved Lily and was able to love her son. I loved how his Patronus was a doe and not something else. Snape really was an old softie.
Love, of course, was a big theme in this book. The ability to love and feel will conquer all. Snape could love, Dumbledore could love, the Malfoys loved their son, Harry loved and was loved, etc. We all know that Voldemort’s biggest downfall was his inability to love, to feel remorse, really to feel anything. He was all hate and pride, and that ultimately destroyed him. He couldn’t imagine that anything could be stronger than his supreme talent and power. I think that was a great theme for the kids to believe in, love is always there and always important, no matter what happens. If you can love, you can do anything.
There were a lot of other underlying themes- a lot of racial implications. The whole purity of the wizarding race just reeks of Nazism. They hunted Muggle-born wizards and forced them to give up their wands. They had no guilt in just killing off Muggle families. Half-blood wizards were seen as of lesser status. It’s all so reminiscent of the Holocaust. There’s a take off of a well known about how they came for the jews and I did nothing and they came for these people and I did nothing, etc. Lupin makes that point on Potterwatch about how first it’s the Muggle-borns, and then the half-bloods, and then the purebloods, and then it will be just the Death-Eaters. You can see the progression. The undercurrent was just there.
You can see it even more with the talk of Grindewald’s camp for non-followers, Nurmengard, and the slogan over the gate. (Wish I could remember it but it’s very reminiscent of “Work Makes You Free”.) It’s very World War II-like. (Even to the little details of no tv and just a wireless radio. Potterwatch and the Order= the resistance.) And it all stems from the fact that Voldemort was more or less screwed over by Muggles in his childhood, even though he is half-blood himself. (Sound familiar to anyone else?) Younger kids might not pick up on it, but anyone who has studied history most likely will. It’s not that subtle.
All in all it was a satisfying end to the story. The battle scene at Hogwarts was fantastic. Neville rocked as I always believed that he would. (And his gran? Awesome lady.) The little details were well thought out and interesting. (Loved the use of the Room of Requirement and McGonagall leading a battalion of desks was priceless!) The last chapter seemed a bit of out of place to me, but I can see where it would be necessary. It is nice knowing what happened afterward and it does leave an opening for more books featuring the kids.
I have so much more to talk about but this will have to do for now.
The books may be done but the phenomenon lives on. Long live Harry Potter.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Holy Harry Potter (36 hours and counting)
The world isn’t ending but Harry Potter is.(And if you haven’t figured that out yet, what rock are you living under? Seriously.) That great book phenomenon comes to an end this Friday at midnight when the world finds out whether Snape is good or evil, which 2 major characters die, and most importantly, whether Harry lives or dies. Will good vanquish evil like it usually does? There will be unanswered questions, there always are, but I hope that most are satisfied. I just want to read a good book.
Yes, I have read the news reports about all the spoilers but I’ve tried to keep myself from reading them. I accidentally heard something on the radio but I don’t know if it was one of the real or fake spoilers and I don’t care to find out. Whoever posted them has way too much time on their hands anyway. I know people pay big money for something like this and there are the few that will do anything to find out what happens, but part of the hype is waiting and finding out with everyone else what happens. Boo and hiss on those people who are trying to spoil it for everyone. Most people don’t really want to know right now. Really. We can wait.
I am a Harry Potter fan. I really just fell into it in college when I was home on break and a neighbor said here, read this book. (I baby-sat for them and we exchanged books once they realized what a book nerd I was. The dad introduced me to Douglas Adams too, something for which I will be eternally grateful.) I don’t care if these books were meant for kids. They are very well written and draw you into the story. You can imagine yourself as part of their world. I think that’s one of the biggest draws of the story. Plus the attention to detail is incredible. Yes, it’s a trendy thing in some ways but it really is a worthwhile series. I’d read it if it weren’t popular.
I will be at the midnight release party at my local Barnes and Noble. (The closest store to minimize time not reading.) I want my copy as soon as possible so I can start reading. (Yes, I am one of those fans. I don’t care.) I probably won’t stay up all night reading but I do plan to spend all Saturday reading. I won’t go immediately to last page. I’ve never done that and don’t plan to. Plus the last page doesn’t always completely give away the ending anyway. I’ll probably end up posting something about it this weekend, so if you are a slow reader or waiting, I’d watch out. I’ll note major spoilers and all that but if you are in any way connected to the world, you’ll probably know by then anyway.
It’s nice that this series has promoted reading and has sold record numbers of books, but literacy is still down. People just aren’t reading like they used to. Library hours have declined and their use is really now more for computers than books. It’s sad. I got special permission to start checking out more adult books when I was 9 or 10 because I had already gone through the children’s area. I feel sad for those kids who will never understand the thrill of reading and imagination. It’s about creating a fantasy world with your own pictures, not one that someone else has given you. (The movies about books do spoil that somewhat, though I will say that the movie HP looks a lot like how I imagined him.) I hope that the kids reading Harry Potter continue reading in any way possible.
Yes, I have read the news reports about all the spoilers but I’ve tried to keep myself from reading them. I accidentally heard something on the radio but I don’t know if it was one of the real or fake spoilers and I don’t care to find out. Whoever posted them has way too much time on their hands anyway. I know people pay big money for something like this and there are the few that will do anything to find out what happens, but part of the hype is waiting and finding out with everyone else what happens. Boo and hiss on those people who are trying to spoil it for everyone. Most people don’t really want to know right now. Really. We can wait.
I am a Harry Potter fan. I really just fell into it in college when I was home on break and a neighbor said here, read this book. (I baby-sat for them and we exchanged books once they realized what a book nerd I was. The dad introduced me to Douglas Adams too, something for which I will be eternally grateful.) I don’t care if these books were meant for kids. They are very well written and draw you into the story. You can imagine yourself as part of their world. I think that’s one of the biggest draws of the story. Plus the attention to detail is incredible. Yes, it’s a trendy thing in some ways but it really is a worthwhile series. I’d read it if it weren’t popular.
I will be at the midnight release party at my local Barnes and Noble. (The closest store to minimize time not reading.) I want my copy as soon as possible so I can start reading. (Yes, I am one of those fans. I don’t care.) I probably won’t stay up all night reading but I do plan to spend all Saturday reading. I won’t go immediately to last page. I’ve never done that and don’t plan to. Plus the last page doesn’t always completely give away the ending anyway. I’ll probably end up posting something about it this weekend, so if you are a slow reader or waiting, I’d watch out. I’ll note major spoilers and all that but if you are in any way connected to the world, you’ll probably know by then anyway.
It’s nice that this series has promoted reading and has sold record numbers of books, but literacy is still down. People just aren’t reading like they used to. Library hours have declined and their use is really now more for computers than books. It’s sad. I got special permission to start checking out more adult books when I was 9 or 10 because I had already gone through the children’s area. I feel sad for those kids who will never understand the thrill of reading and imagination. It’s about creating a fantasy world with your own pictures, not one that someone else has given you. (The movies about books do spoil that somewhat, though I will say that the movie HP looks a lot like how I imagined him.) I hope that the kids reading Harry Potter continue reading in any way possible.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Mondays are just not so fun
I, like pretty much everyone else, really don’t like Mondays so much. It’s hard having to get up and go back to work after the weekend, especially when you realize that you didn’t do everything you wanted to do, mostly because you just wanted to relax on the weekend. Ah, the vicious circle of having a job. It does pay those bills though.
Our AC is now running better than ever. It’s been nice. We can actually feel the air coming out of the vents upstairs now. We just thought it was old ductwork but that obviously wasn’t the case. The AC guys said it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen, it was that bad. But there’s definitely no way we could have got it that bad, having only been here a year. Bad previous owners!
We went to a friend’s going away party this weekend. They are moving to Atlanta for grad school. We volunteered to do the food for the party as it’s easy for us to do. We scaled back from what we would have normally done (stuffed pork tenderloin, homemade coleslaw, hummus and pita, and stuff like that) and just did fajitas and a lovely watermelon spiked with vodka. I made salsa and pico de gallo from the tomatoes in our garden and the peppers that I bought at the farmer’s market. It turned out excellent. Recipes follow.
Salsa
4-5 tomatoes, chopped to fit in processor
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cayenne peppers*
1 serrano pepper*
2 anaheim peppers*
2-3 jalepeno peppers*
1 red bell pepper
1 purple bell (green also works)
1 small bunch cilantro
1 ½ limes
couple tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
Roughly chop and put all ingredients into food processor and pulse. You may have to puree some of the tomatoes down at first in order to fit everything in. When done, you should have a semi-chunky but smooth mixture. Almost but not quite a puree. Let sit for one hour or more for the flavors to mix. It gets better as it sits.
For extra spice add Tabasco or siracha sauce. Extra peppers work too. A scotch bonnet would be a great addition or maybe instead of the anaheims. For a slightly different flavor, roast some of the peppers.
Remember, all of this is to taste. Add/delete what you want. This is a bit spicy- it creeps up on you. Leave out the * peppers for less spice. There’s so much you can do with it to make it your own. Cumin and chili powder work. Maybe some paprika.
Pico de gallo
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno, minced (optional)
1 small bunch cilantro, rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt
pepper
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for one hour to let the flavors mix. Sometimes I add garlic powder for a little extra flavor.
Our AC is now running better than ever. It’s been nice. We can actually feel the air coming out of the vents upstairs now. We just thought it was old ductwork but that obviously wasn’t the case. The AC guys said it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen, it was that bad. But there’s definitely no way we could have got it that bad, having only been here a year. Bad previous owners!
We went to a friend’s going away party this weekend. They are moving to Atlanta for grad school. We volunteered to do the food for the party as it’s easy for us to do. We scaled back from what we would have normally done (stuffed pork tenderloin, homemade coleslaw, hummus and pita, and stuff like that) and just did fajitas and a lovely watermelon spiked with vodka. I made salsa and pico de gallo from the tomatoes in our garden and the peppers that I bought at the farmer’s market. It turned out excellent. Recipes follow.
Salsa
4-5 tomatoes, chopped to fit in processor
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cayenne peppers*
1 serrano pepper*
2 anaheim peppers*
2-3 jalepeno peppers*
1 red bell pepper
1 purple bell (green also works)
1 small bunch cilantro
1 ½ limes
couple tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
Roughly chop and put all ingredients into food processor and pulse. You may have to puree some of the tomatoes down at first in order to fit everything in. When done, you should have a semi-chunky but smooth mixture. Almost but not quite a puree. Let sit for one hour or more for the flavors to mix. It gets better as it sits.
For extra spice add Tabasco or siracha sauce. Extra peppers work too. A scotch bonnet would be a great addition or maybe instead of the anaheims. For a slightly different flavor, roast some of the peppers.
Remember, all of this is to taste. Add/delete what you want. This is a bit spicy- it creeps up on you. Leave out the * peppers for less spice. There’s so much you can do with it to make it your own. Cumin and chili powder work. Maybe some paprika.
Pico de gallo
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno, minced (optional)
1 small bunch cilantro, rough chopped
1 lime, juiced
salt
pepper
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for one hour to let the flavors mix. Sometimes I add garlic powder for a little extra flavor.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Damn those previous owners!!
You know it’s hot when Gabby, the whiner and talker, doesn’t say a thing. She was just looking at us, flopped on the tiles. Every once in a while, you’d hear a very weak mrow from her. Punk just lay there. It was too hot for her to say anything and there was nothing I could do about it.
The stupid AC decided to not work properly. It would blow cold air but it just wasn’t blowing enough. You could turn the AC on and in 4 hours it might go down 4 degrees. That’s not right, especially when your house is 89 F. Plus the humidity. It was nasty.
Thankfully we have tile floors in the kitchen and hallways downstairs, so that was something cool for the girls to lie on in the heat of the day. Gabby positioned herself in front of the one blower that is near the floor. Smart cat that one.
Other than that, they just lounged on the floor and gave us piteous looks as if to say- It’s awful. Please do something! So we did- we let them outside at night. We normally don’t do that during the week but it was cooler outside than inside. (If we had a hammock and mosquito netting we would have been there too… or a tent.) They thought it was the greatest thing ever. Of course I woke up to a few dead lizards and bugs, but that’s a small price to pay for the kitties comfort.
AC repairman #1 came yesterday. He found the problem within minutes and basically knew what the problem was as I described it. Unfortunately, it’s going to cost us to repair and it’s not even our fault. The coil and duct are completely gunked up and blocked. So while we could feel cold air coming from the unit and it was working really well, there was no air distribution whatsoever. Apparently, the people who owned the house before us, which I’m now convinced was an elderly couple, never changed their air filters or never even had them. It’s that icky. The guy opened up the heating unit and just grabbed a handful of stuff to show me. He said that the people who installed the BRAND NEW unit should have noticed this or at least the guy who was here, not even a month ago, to fix our clog should have checked it. Heck, our house inspector should have noticed it. Argh.
But at least he said that our unit is really good and even our heating unit is pretty good. It just hadn’t been maintained properly. It definitely wasn’t our fault on this one. He could tell that our house is relatively clean (mostly clutter) and that we changed our filters. He even gave us really good tips on how to service it ourselves and help keep our cooling costs down. I think we found our HVAC/AC company.
It all makes sense now. It hasn’t been cooling right at times, there has been a dank, musty smell every once in a while that we could never figure out. The clog in the condensation pipe makes sense now. So fun. At least the company gives discounts to us home warranty people so it’s not as bad as it could be, but still. It was still awful in the house last night but at least we knew we could run the air all night.
The people will be coming later on this afternoon to clean everything up. I can’t wait to have a cool house again.
Lesson(s) learned: CHANGE THOSE AIR FILTERS!! (We change ours every 60 days.) Check every little thing if you are buying an older house. There are so many details we should have looked at that we know about now.
The stupid AC decided to not work properly. It would blow cold air but it just wasn’t blowing enough. You could turn the AC on and in 4 hours it might go down 4 degrees. That’s not right, especially when your house is 89 F. Plus the humidity. It was nasty.
Thankfully we have tile floors in the kitchen and hallways downstairs, so that was something cool for the girls to lie on in the heat of the day. Gabby positioned herself in front of the one blower that is near the floor. Smart cat that one.
Other than that, they just lounged on the floor and gave us piteous looks as if to say- It’s awful. Please do something! So we did- we let them outside at night. We normally don’t do that during the week but it was cooler outside than inside. (If we had a hammock and mosquito netting we would have been there too… or a tent.) They thought it was the greatest thing ever. Of course I woke up to a few dead lizards and bugs, but that’s a small price to pay for the kitties comfort.
AC repairman #1 came yesterday. He found the problem within minutes and basically knew what the problem was as I described it. Unfortunately, it’s going to cost us to repair and it’s not even our fault. The coil and duct are completely gunked up and blocked. So while we could feel cold air coming from the unit and it was working really well, there was no air distribution whatsoever. Apparently, the people who owned the house before us, which I’m now convinced was an elderly couple, never changed their air filters or never even had them. It’s that icky. The guy opened up the heating unit and just grabbed a handful of stuff to show me. He said that the people who installed the BRAND NEW unit should have noticed this or at least the guy who was here, not even a month ago, to fix our clog should have checked it. Heck, our house inspector should have noticed it. Argh.
But at least he said that our unit is really good and even our heating unit is pretty good. It just hadn’t been maintained properly. It definitely wasn’t our fault on this one. He could tell that our house is relatively clean (mostly clutter) and that we changed our filters. He even gave us really good tips on how to service it ourselves and help keep our cooling costs down. I think we found our HVAC/AC company.
It all makes sense now. It hasn’t been cooling right at times, there has been a dank, musty smell every once in a while that we could never figure out. The clog in the condensation pipe makes sense now. So fun. At least the company gives discounts to us home warranty people so it’s not as bad as it could be, but still. It was still awful in the house last night but at least we knew we could run the air all night.
The people will be coming later on this afternoon to clean everything up. I can’t wait to have a cool house again.
Lesson(s) learned: CHANGE THOSE AIR FILTERS!! (We change ours every 60 days.) Check every little thing if you are buying an older house. There are so many details we should have looked at that we know about now.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Ah Reality
Vacation is so nice. Since the 4th of July holiday was in the middle of the
week, I decided to take the rest of the week off also. We didn't have any plans really, we just needed to unwind. And unwind we did. We didn't really do much of anything. Tuesday night we drove down to the La Vernia house and just hung around there. We played cards and darts, smoked some ribs and chicken, and that's about it. We would have done more but it rained most of the time. Like it has been doing for the past month. Just rain and lots of it.
We came back early Friday and didn't do much more around the house. The boy managed to mow the lawn before it started pouring again and played with some plants. I didn't feel like mustering much energy to do anything so I didn't. I cleaned a bit and did laundry and stuff but that's about it. We didn't even cook, that's how off we were.
The girls were way happy to be outside again. Punk had caught and killed a bird on Tuesday. I came home to lots of feathers but didn't see a bird. I had to hunt for the pieces. Yes, pieces. Ugh. Then on Friday, the two if them maimed a bird and spent the better part of the afternoon stalking it. They weren't doing much to it, just following it around and cornering it. Every once in a while, Gabby would take a swat or two, but that was about it. They broke its wing and all the poor bird could do was walk around.
The boy put the bird on the other side of the fence when we went inside, in the hope that it would waddle away. We brought the girls in with us and shut the door as it had decided to storm. Again. He thought the bird might have escaped to safety somehow. That was not to be. After the storm, we let the girls back out. It was either that or a night of constant meowing, begging, and craziness. (Plus the weekends are their special nights out.) About an hour later we hear a thunk at the front door and a muffled Gabby meow. I open the front door, and there is Gabby, sitting on the windowsill, waiting to be let in. Apparently, she had jumped the fence but couldn't get back over. She came right in and Punk came in through the back door. Not long after, the boy went around the corner of the house
to check on something, and discovered the dead bird. Punk must have jumped the fence to attack the bird and Gabby followed, as she always does. Punk however, can jump back over the fence. Gabby was stuck. This is the third time it has happened. Someday she'll learn.
Today is the boy's birthday. So Happy Birthday!! (His fam doesn't really do birthdays or anything but I made sure the guys at his work knew so they could make him a special meal.)
week, I decided to take the rest of the week off also. We didn't have any plans really, we just needed to unwind. And unwind we did. We didn't really do much of anything. Tuesday night we drove down to the La Vernia house and just hung around there. We played cards and darts, smoked some ribs and chicken, and that's about it. We would have done more but it rained most of the time. Like it has been doing for the past month. Just rain and lots of it.
We came back early Friday and didn't do much more around the house. The boy managed to mow the lawn before it started pouring again and played with some plants. I didn't feel like mustering much energy to do anything so I didn't. I cleaned a bit and did laundry and stuff but that's about it. We didn't even cook, that's how off we were.
The girls were way happy to be outside again. Punk had caught and killed a bird on Tuesday. I came home to lots of feathers but didn't see a bird. I had to hunt for the pieces. Yes, pieces. Ugh. Then on Friday, the two if them maimed a bird and spent the better part of the afternoon stalking it. They weren't doing much to it, just following it around and cornering it. Every once in a while, Gabby would take a swat or two, but that was about it. They broke its wing and all the poor bird could do was walk around.
The boy put the bird on the other side of the fence when we went inside, in the hope that it would waddle away. We brought the girls in with us and shut the door as it had decided to storm. Again. He thought the bird might have escaped to safety somehow. That was not to be. After the storm, we let the girls back out. It was either that or a night of constant meowing, begging, and craziness. (Plus the weekends are their special nights out.) About an hour later we hear a thunk at the front door and a muffled Gabby meow. I open the front door, and there is Gabby, sitting on the windowsill, waiting to be let in. Apparently, she had jumped the fence but couldn't get back over. She came right in and Punk came in through the back door. Not long after, the boy went around the corner of the house
to check on something, and discovered the dead bird. Punk must have jumped the fence to attack the bird and Gabby followed, as she always does. Punk however, can jump back over the fence. Gabby was stuck. This is the third time it has happened. Someday she'll learn.
Today is the boy's birthday. So Happy Birthday!! (His fam doesn't really do birthdays or anything but I made sure the guys at his work knew so they could make him a special meal.)
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
A Rat in the Kitchen and more
No, there wasn’t one in mine, but I wouldn’t be shocked to find a dead one there someday. No, I’m talking about that cute rat movie, Ratatouille. We saw it last weekend through a website that streams videos and things and happened upon a screening that had been uploaded. We didn’t even realize that it wasn’t out yet. Ooops. But we hooked up the S-video to our tv and watched the film. Pixar has done well.
The movie is about a rat, Remy, who isn’t satisfied with just garbage to eat and becomes infatuated with the chef du jour, Chef Gasteau, whose philosophy is “Anyone can cook.” Remy’s ability to taste and smell wonderful foods are not wholly appreciated by his rat clan, yet they are his family. He ends up traveling to Paris and ends up in the kitchen of Gasteau’s restaurant, helps a hapless boy become a talented chef by pulling on his hair and well, any more and I would spoil the rest of the story.
It’s well voiced and a cute story but the real star, for me anyway, is the food and the restaurant. They really hit the nose with the set-up of the restaurant and the food presentation. It’s a really great showcase of a restaurant kitchen. The attention to detail is impressive. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Thomas Keller as a consultant, but still. It’s a great food film and it will leave you hungry. Plus the animation ain’t so bad either. It’s very old-style, which is nice.
If you like to cook, go see this movie. Don’t be squicked out by the idea of rats in the kitchen. It’s really not that bad. (They get cleaned.)
With all that, I felt like cooking this past weekend. I made a pork loin stuffed with goat cheese and mango, wrapped in bacon. To go with it, I made an Asian-flavored slaw.
Ingredients:
Red cabbage, shredded
Green cabbage, shredded
Shaved carrot
Scallions, diced
Bell peppers, all colors, diced
Sesame seeds, toasted preferably
Sesame oil
Rice wine vinegar
A little bit of sugar
Lime juice
Salt
Pepper
Mix all ingredients together, to taste. I have no idea how much I used. I just added stuff until it tasted ok to me. Let sit for a few hours, it will get better the longer it sits. Really. Mix every time you walk by the bowl. Enjoy.
I also made pickles this weekend. Recipe to come as they came out really yummy and spicy-garlicky. Good stuff.
The movie is about a rat, Remy, who isn’t satisfied with just garbage to eat and becomes infatuated with the chef du jour, Chef Gasteau, whose philosophy is “Anyone can cook.” Remy’s ability to taste and smell wonderful foods are not wholly appreciated by his rat clan, yet they are his family. He ends up traveling to Paris and ends up in the kitchen of Gasteau’s restaurant, helps a hapless boy become a talented chef by pulling on his hair and well, any more and I would spoil the rest of the story.
It’s well voiced and a cute story but the real star, for me anyway, is the food and the restaurant. They really hit the nose with the set-up of the restaurant and the food presentation. It’s a really great showcase of a restaurant kitchen. The attention to detail is impressive. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have Thomas Keller as a consultant, but still. It’s a great food film and it will leave you hungry. Plus the animation ain’t so bad either. It’s very old-style, which is nice.
If you like to cook, go see this movie. Don’t be squicked out by the idea of rats in the kitchen. It’s really not that bad. (They get cleaned.)
With all that, I felt like cooking this past weekend. I made a pork loin stuffed with goat cheese and mango, wrapped in bacon. To go with it, I made an Asian-flavored slaw.
Ingredients:
Red cabbage, shredded
Green cabbage, shredded
Shaved carrot
Scallions, diced
Bell peppers, all colors, diced
Sesame seeds, toasted preferably
Sesame oil
Rice wine vinegar
A little bit of sugar
Lime juice
Salt
Pepper
Mix all ingredients together, to taste. I have no idea how much I used. I just added stuff until it tasted ok to me. Let sit for a few hours, it will get better the longer it sits. Really. Mix every time you walk by the bowl. Enjoy.
I also made pickles this weekend. Recipe to come as they came out really yummy and spicy-garlicky. Good stuff.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Insomnia, Rain, and the Other Cat on the Roof
I still can’t sleep. Well, I can get to sleep, and I pass out around 9-9:30 pm. The problem is that I wake up around 3am – 4am and I can’t get back to sleep. My body acts as if it’s gotten a shot of adrenaline and it won’t calm down. In the past two days, I’ve woken up at 12:30am. That’s not fun.
I have no idea how to fix it, other than going and asking for a sleeping pill. Nothing else has worked and believe me, I’ve tried. I can’t do the warm milk due to the lactose intolerance thing, and drinking chamomile tea before bed just makes me have to wake up and pee. I hate the pills as I’ve tried a version before and it made me feel groggy the next day, but maybe there’s another I can try. I just don’t want to keep waking up and not being able to get back to sleep. I just can’t calm my body and mind down. I want to go back to sleep, oh how I want to, but I can’t. (Plus there’s the two furry lumps at the foot of the bed. And yes, they’re on MY side. Gabby still doesn’t like the boy all that much.)
Yesterday, I ended up going home sick from work because a) I could barely keep my eyes open and b) my stomach was really upset. I think the stomach issues have to do with not getting nearly enough sleep. I did the same thing this morning, but I actually got up feeling sort of ok. I felt as if I had slept, when in reality, I tossed and turned all night. My stomach is feeling somewhat better but it’s still eh.
It also keeps raining. Last year we were in a drought. This year, the rain won’t stop and we are under a flash flood warning every time it rains, which seems to be 3-4 days a week. Our lawn is insanely green and long. We’d like to mow it more often, but when it rains all the time, that doesn’t help. Plus cutting it wet is not so good.
Today there is an 80% chance of rain and storms. I’d rather be in bed, attempting to sleep but I don’t want to waste a sick day for not being that sick. It doesn’t help that I haven’t been to the gym since last Wednesday. (There was a small fire on Thurs and everything got soggy.)
Then, this morning, as I was leaving for work, I glanced up to the roof and lo and behold, there was a cat up there. At first I thought it was Pumpkin but then she meowed and I realized that it was Gabby. Lovely. (God that cat has a loud meow.)I hope she’s ok and got down. But great. Now both of the cats can get up on the roof.
Tonight’s dinner (if I can deal with it): Fresh pasta with garden tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella, sautéed garlic and onions, and olive oil. Yum! I love produce time! Our neighbor has given us tons of cucumbers so I think I need to pickle. And I bought a head of red cabbage at the farmer’s market so I think there’s a slaw there too. Plus, we’re about to have a tomato explosion. (The bell peppers are coming slower. 2 plants were attacked by caterpillars and we weren’t sure if they were going to make it but they have recovered and are budding. One of the plants just got decimated by a big, fat, green, caterpillar. One day it was fine, the next morning- just stems, and the ‘pillar just hanging there.) We’ve got jalepenos too, so I’ll be making lots of pico and salsas too.
The boy is going to try to sell some at the restaurant- getting his name out there. They want him to write a proposal for a garden that will produce most of the produce for the restaurant. If it works, he’ll be in charge of it. He’s definitely ok with that…
We made potstickers (deep fried of course) on Saturday night and I’ll post the recipe I used later. I’ll also post about the butternut squash, leek, and lemongrass soup I’m making. Yay for the farmer’s market.
I have no idea how to fix it, other than going and asking for a sleeping pill. Nothing else has worked and believe me, I’ve tried. I can’t do the warm milk due to the lactose intolerance thing, and drinking chamomile tea before bed just makes me have to wake up and pee. I hate the pills as I’ve tried a version before and it made me feel groggy the next day, but maybe there’s another I can try. I just don’t want to keep waking up and not being able to get back to sleep. I just can’t calm my body and mind down. I want to go back to sleep, oh how I want to, but I can’t. (Plus there’s the two furry lumps at the foot of the bed. And yes, they’re on MY side. Gabby still doesn’t like the boy all that much.)
Yesterday, I ended up going home sick from work because a) I could barely keep my eyes open and b) my stomach was really upset. I think the stomach issues have to do with not getting nearly enough sleep. I did the same thing this morning, but I actually got up feeling sort of ok. I felt as if I had slept, when in reality, I tossed and turned all night. My stomach is feeling somewhat better but it’s still eh.
It also keeps raining. Last year we were in a drought. This year, the rain won’t stop and we are under a flash flood warning every time it rains, which seems to be 3-4 days a week. Our lawn is insanely green and long. We’d like to mow it more often, but when it rains all the time, that doesn’t help. Plus cutting it wet is not so good.
Today there is an 80% chance of rain and storms. I’d rather be in bed, attempting to sleep but I don’t want to waste a sick day for not being that sick. It doesn’t help that I haven’t been to the gym since last Wednesday. (There was a small fire on Thurs and everything got soggy.)
Then, this morning, as I was leaving for work, I glanced up to the roof and lo and behold, there was a cat up there. At first I thought it was Pumpkin but then she meowed and I realized that it was Gabby. Lovely. (God that cat has a loud meow.)I hope she’s ok and got down. But great. Now both of the cats can get up on the roof.
Tonight’s dinner (if I can deal with it): Fresh pasta with garden tomatoes, fresh basil, mozzarella, sautéed garlic and onions, and olive oil. Yum! I love produce time! Our neighbor has given us tons of cucumbers so I think I need to pickle. And I bought a head of red cabbage at the farmer’s market so I think there’s a slaw there too. Plus, we’re about to have a tomato explosion. (The bell peppers are coming slower. 2 plants were attacked by caterpillars and we weren’t sure if they were going to make it but they have recovered and are budding. One of the plants just got decimated by a big, fat, green, caterpillar. One day it was fine, the next morning- just stems, and the ‘pillar just hanging there.) We’ve got jalepenos too, so I’ll be making lots of pico and salsas too.
The boy is going to try to sell some at the restaurant- getting his name out there. They want him to write a proposal for a garden that will produce most of the produce for the restaurant. If it works, he’ll be in charge of it. He’s definitely ok with that…
We made potstickers (deep fried of course) on Saturday night and I’ll post the recipe I used later. I’ll also post about the butternut squash, leek, and lemongrass soup I’m making. Yay for the farmer’s market.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Food
I know the food part of this blog has been rather remiss. I can't do much surfing on the net at work anymore, so scouting for recipes every day has become more of a once weekly thing. Plus there's been so much going on lately, I've only been doing new stuff on the weekends. It's hard when I'm exhausted every day due to the fact that I just can't freakin' sleep properly.
I'm going to try to get in some weekly food-type posts. I do have some good stuff planned for tonight. I've got some London Broil marinating in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and other assorted herbs. I have fresh corn from the farmer's market this morning (it was picked by headlight- hee) and I plan to make some potato salad with the fresh potatoes and leek I bought there too.
I do love my farmer's market. For less than $20 today I got 6 ears of corn, 1 leek, 3 red onions, 1 bunch carrots, 1 pint blackberries, 1 dozen fresh eggs (pullet so they're smaller but oh so tasty), and 1 pint of tomatoes. It was the 10th anniversary of the market today so it was crazy. They had tastings from local restaurants but that was mostly meh. Not the best ones in town. But oh the produce. It's peach season so I have to get me some Fredericksburg peaches next week. There are also fresh raspberries too. I don't even want to get into the meats and cheeses that you can find there too. It's amazing. And it's all Organic and is reasonably priced. It's happy food. I do most of my produce shopping there, and round out that shopping with a trip to the grocery store.
I've started to plan out my meals for each week. I've realized that I have so much stuff already but I never use half of it. So I'm trying to use what I have. The problem is that I love to buy food and I tend to like to eat the same type of things. Oh well.
I must stop and go soak my dried beans so I can prep and freeze them. Plus I have pasta dough to make and freeze and all sorts of other food planning to do. I love having an extra freezer. We just need another fridge!
I'm going to try to get in some weekly food-type posts. I do have some good stuff planned for tonight. I've got some London Broil marinating in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and other assorted herbs. I have fresh corn from the farmer's market this morning (it was picked by headlight- hee) and I plan to make some potato salad with the fresh potatoes and leek I bought there too.
I do love my farmer's market. For less than $20 today I got 6 ears of corn, 1 leek, 3 red onions, 1 bunch carrots, 1 pint blackberries, 1 dozen fresh eggs (pullet so they're smaller but oh so tasty), and 1 pint of tomatoes. It was the 10th anniversary of the market today so it was crazy. They had tastings from local restaurants but that was mostly meh. Not the best ones in town. But oh the produce. It's peach season so I have to get me some Fredericksburg peaches next week. There are also fresh raspberries too. I don't even want to get into the meats and cheeses that you can find there too. It's amazing. And it's all Organic and is reasonably priced. It's happy food. I do most of my produce shopping there, and round out that shopping with a trip to the grocery store.
I've started to plan out my meals for each week. I've realized that I have so much stuff already but I never use half of it. So I'm trying to use what I have. The problem is that I love to buy food and I tend to like to eat the same type of things. Oh well.
I must stop and go soak my dried beans so I can prep and freeze them. Plus I have pasta dough to make and freeze and all sorts of other food planning to do. I love having an extra freezer. We just need another fridge!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)