Well, Nothing much going on Saturday so I headed up to the Price Chopper for some Co-Jack cheese and masa tortillas and some enchilada sauce... I had some nice beef chili waiting in the fridge for some inspiration... So, enchiladas it is...
So then, shred up about a pound of cheese, mince a nice big sweet onion and mix that together... Then select 12 tortillas, soften each a few seconds in hot peanut oil, stack them up in a saucer... Then fill each one with a couple TBSPs of cheese and onion, roll up and put them in my Pyrex dish with a little enchilada sauce on the bottom... More sauce on top of the enchiladas... Then top with Beef Chili and then more cheese and onion and the rest of the sauce.. Ready to go in a 350 degree oven for a half hour or so...
Then, Caramba! El Pato Enchiladas Supremo! Well, they are tasty but can you have too much chili and cheese on top of Enchiladas? Usually not but this was close... Had a few for dinner and more waiting in the fridge for whenever... But don't tell BJ... this stuff is too good to give away...
~ What Next? Get Rid of this Monday Somehow? ~
~ Sunday November 04, 2009 ~
~ The Tomato Finale? ~
~ The Last Little Red Tomato ~
OK... the LAST tomato picture this year.. I promise... Well, maybe a photo of the vines when I cut them down... whenever
It has been a fairy productive year, lots of jalapenos, some Mariachi peppers, don't think I'll do them again... I like Mexibells better... And a fair crop of Better Boy tomatoes after they recovered from the deer attack.. And then the early frost that didn't happen, I should have left them on the vine to mature more, but I did get some good green tomato reliah and all the larger ones I picked on October 10th, including this last one, ripened up nicely... So.. worth the effort? ...well.. it was fun...
~ A Garden Next Year? Well... Not Sure of That ~
~ Saturday November 07, 2009 ~
~ One Lucky Day! ~
~ Off to the Casino Again ~
Yeah, a real nice day... Sunny and in the 70s... Finished up my Cast Iron Cook-Out video.... burned 4 DVDs and then Headed up to the Price Chopper for a Bingo and Crossword... HAH! Hit a $10 winner on the Bingo... good start... $4 profit on that deal...
So, out of projects by 10:00 a.m. and I had a feeling it was winning day at the casino, though I was hesitant to venture any more money... Oh well I'll be well off in January if I can survivce til then... So I got two twenties out of the ATM and headed for the Argosy... Stuck those two twenties into my favorte quarter slot and away we go... Got off to a slow start which seems to be ususl... Takes $5 worth of quarters to warm up the machine it seems, wonder if they do that on purpose?
So, I was down more than $5 out of my $40... Lose some... gain some.. then with $35.25 worth of credits still in the machine I hit TWO White 7s... and a Five Times! HAH! That is 5 times 100 and a 500 credit win of $125! Time to RUN... Cashed out for $160.25 and headed for the Riverside RED-X for another Bingo and Crossword and a gallon of my Vino Tinto on sale for $9.99... Then back to the Ranch to scratch off a $6 Bingo and a $20 Crossword win! Now that's the way to go!... $20 profit on that deal...
So then, on chat with Sigi in Gernmany, musing what to do for dinner, decided on a smoked pig rib, BBQ beans and cole slaw... But no Italian bread! So, back to the Price Chopper and lookee there... Gala apples at 69 cents a pound.. half price, got have some of those... Apple pie? Yeah, picked up a couple deep dish frozen crusts and of course on sale 60 cents off... So then a loaf of Deli Italian bread, some Deli Burger buns, a pound of butter and back to the Ranch again
Set the crust out to thaw, peeled 5 gala apples. sliced and into the pan with a half cup of sugar, the usual spices and let that simmer on low a bit.. I like to pre-cook the apples some... Then into the crust and into the oven... The top crust didn't come out so good, sometimes those frozen ones do that.. But it won't affect the taste...now it looks good and I'll sample that this morning when I finish chat...
~ And Now that is What I call a GOOD DAY! ~
~ Friday November 06, 2009 ~
~ The Great Cast Iron Cook-Out! ~
So, last Saturday Director Jim Reed threw a cook-out for the Volunteers who worked at the annual Ghost Story Night, and invited Tim Miller of the Missouri Department of Conservation to demonstrate his skill at cooking in Cast Iron Dutch Ovens with charcoal... So then everyone pitched in to help with the Festivities (except me) and a good time was had by all..
Here is my typical overly long and boring video ... but the members will like it...
The Jars ~ ~ ~ ~ The Pickling Brine ~ ~ ~ ~ The Salted Tomatoes
~ Those Pickles ~
So, that was easy enough... Washed the tomatoes then cut up in pieces, salted with Kosher salt and let them rest a bit as I made up the brine and sterilized the jars... The pickling brine made up of cider vinegar, water, salt and sugar and a nice helping of pickling spice... Heated up the brine and the jars...
Then after a couple hours of chatting on IM with Can the Man and Sigi, back to the kitchen to finish up... Heated the brine and jars back to boiling then in with the tomatoes for a few minutes... Then ladled into the hot jars, topping off with brine and on with the lids... Then cooled and rinsed... the lids tightend good and ready for the photo before storing in the fridge
They look good... Now after a week or so in the fridge, see how they taste... Another project completed...
~ What's Next on the Agenda? ~
~ Tuesday November 03, 2009 ~
~ The Tomato Finale? ~
~ What to do with These? ~
Well, I have plenty of green tomato relish (chow chow) in the fridge and freezer now so how about some pickled green tomatoes... Haven't done that in 20 years or so... As I remember I didn't like them all that much, but what else can I do with all these? Now I am hunting for a recipe online that I can live with... And that is another project on my list...
I still have that long party video at Jim's place to edit when I get in the mood... So.. ever Onward and Upward
OK, after the Cook-Out on Saturday... what do we do Sunday?... Well I uploaded my video to the computer and started on editing, but soon got bored with that... Then I made some clips of the action there for the BLOG yesterday... Wrote the BLOG and uploaded that... Now what? Reset all the clocks for DST and then Headed up to Kicks 66 for a Bingo and Crossword, two duds...
Had some late breakfast.. and using that third from last tomato. red and ripe and tasty... Then happened on Can the Man on Instant Message... After some chat I was lamenting I wanted to go to the Casino but didn't want to lose any money.. He says "GO!" Then I was griping about the $600.00 sales I had to pay this month on the Blazer and he said "Don't Go"... But I continued griping about this and that and he says "Go.. Have fun"...
So.. up to the ATM to fish out a couple twenties to head over to the Argosy.. Went to my favorite quarter machine and dropped in my two twenties.. 160 credits... Played some... won a few small pulls. a few wins of 25 credits, no big ones... So, after maybe 20 minutes and my credits down to less than 80.. ($20.00)... I hit two Sevens and a Five Times! Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding.. Oh I love that.. and won 250 credits... Cashed out then at $78.25 and ran.... I know from experience what happens if you try win more...
Then stopped by the Riverside RED-X for another Crossword and Bingo scratcher and a gallon of my favorite Carlo Rossi Paisano for a couple dollars less than at the Price Chopper.. and headed on back to the ranch..
Mixed me an early Manhattan and worked two more loser tickets.. and bzzzzzz... there is Can again on IM... "Didja win", he says.... Yeah some. and he says "Good"... So some more chit and chat and I was musing.. "What's for dinner? I want some Chopper Deli Fried chicken"... OK see you later and headed on up to the Price Chopper for a few goodies... Hey. lookee there , some nice "Smart Chicken' legs on sale.. Bought a pack of ten, then a bag of first class potato chips.. again on a really nice sale... Then a half gallon of Grade A fancy ice cream.. on sale $2.00 off.. I LOVE my Price Chopper... And paid out of my Casino winnings.. The wine and the goodies all for less than I won.. HAH!
Then kinda late to be roasting chicken.. But I washed and rinsed it.. then into my BIG Pyrex dish to marinate an hour and a half in buttermilk... Then dusted with El Pato BBQ dry rub..... Then panko Italian style bread crumbs and into the oven for an hour and a half... Now that was some TASTY chicken.. and the end to a really nice Sunday
~ How Sweet it Can Be! ~
~ Sunday November 01, 2009 ~
~ The Great Cast Iron Cook-Out! ~
~ With the Parkville Nature Sanctuary Volunteer Crew ~
Halloween Night at Jim's place, Director of Parkville Nature Sanctuary... Jim invited the crew that worked at the annual Ghost Story night for a cook-out to reward them for their help... The meal being prepared and supervised by Cosy Croan, a member of the Missouri Department of Conservation, demonstrating his Cast Iron camp-out cooking abilities...
On the menu was a beef stew with vegetables, an enchilada casserole, resembling lasagna, a pork and green chile appetizer, Spanish rice and various sauces and tortillas and beans... The desserts were brought by the ladies and chips and drinks were provided by Jim, also mixing a few manhattans and a glass of suberb Shiraz wine for me..
Everyone pitched in to help with the cooking and tending the fire which kept us all warm and cozy into the darkening night...
Better than Trick or Treating, You Bet!
~ Now That was Fun! ~
~ Saturday October 31, 2009 ~
~ Special Entry for Lemmy! ~
~ Just let a Smile be Your Umbrella ~
~ On a Rainy Rainy Day ~
Just let a smile be your umbrella
On a rainy, rainy day . . .
And if your sweetie cries, just tell her
That a smile will always pay . . .
Whenever skies are gray
Don't you worry or fret
A smile will bring the sunshine
And you'll never get wet!
So, let a smile be your umbrella
On a rainy, rainy day . . .
~ On to Bigger and Better Things? ~
~ Saturday October 31, 2009 ~
~ Hey I Found Part of It! ~
~ PCJunior... Circa 1985 ~
After finding the floppies, I wanted to see if the 0ld Box would still work, it's only been sitting idle for about 20 years... So I took the Processor Unit out of the closet.. and dug the Monitor out of the lowest shelf in the pantry and cleaned them up a little.. Lookin good...
But I couldn't find the Keyboard and separate Power Supply... And it is a no go with out those... So I checked with my friend Bob who had stored this for me a couple years.. Hey where's my stuff... Well he thinks he threw the Power Supply away but might have the Keyboard in the attic.. will look some year to find it for me...
So, it was a fun idea but looks like to no avail... Anyway something to do on a boring rainy Thursday
~ On to Bigger and Better Things? ~
~ Friday October 30, 2009 ~
~ What is This? ~
~ Look What I Found! ~
Was fishing around in the closet yesterday, trying to make room for some junk.. ran across this box.. Now what is in there? Well now.. a whole box full of floppy disks, I thought I had tossed all that stuff... But No.. a complete set of the files I had for my old PCJunior...
Well now.. Where is that old computer, like to see if it still works after how many years? Lots for sure... Think I bought it in 1985
~ To be Continued ~ I am still Looking ~
~ Thursday October 29, 2009 ~
~ Going ~ Going ~ Going ~
~ 4 ~ 3 ~ 2 ~ 1 ~ Last of the 2009 Crop? ~
Well, unless some of those small ones still on the vine ripen up before the first real Frost.. This is IT...
And the weather has been dark and wet and cool the last few days and that is not helping any future tomato growth... Oh well, it has been a fair season... didn't keep a count though...
I had one like these for breakfast this morning, maybe another one today with some nice Roast Beef Hash.. Oh Yeah...
~To Add a Comment Click Here~
~Email Me!~