So... Not much going on yesterday, was going to bake a cake but backed out, got all those cookies to finish up... Headed up to the Chopper to get a gallon of milk and a Bingo, Crossword and a Wheel of Fortune scratcher... Hah... $3 Bingo win... $6 Wheel win... Dud for the Crossword, well I broke even anyway... This morning if I can get up the hill, going to cash those in for a Bingo, Crossword and a Missouri Lotto... And what... Maybe get stuff for a pie or cake? How about a carrot cake.. or apple pie?
And... woke up last night to hear the little 4-Wheeler running up and down the street... Tom came out to salt the hill, guess we were getting some of the snow they promised... Yep, this morning I see about a half inch and that hill sure does look slick... NOT this picture, this was last year with snow only on the trees, but it's kinda pretty... We have more snow on the ground this morning...
And my IBM check is always in the Bank on the First... and they send it Friday when it can't get there sending on the 31st... So it will be in the bank today.. But the bank I am sending it to won't post til Monday... I know it's there but I can't use it.. I just changed that, the next one will go back to my Commerce bank, where it will Show up on Saturday... I am eager to get at it, as I plan to order my new Camera MONDAY! Hallelujah! After all this time wanting it...
~ So Off Now to Use Up a Long Cold Saturday ~
~ Welcome to February on Monday ~ A Nothing Month ~
~ Friday ~ January 29, 2010 ~
~ The Great Eye Glass Discussion ~
~ How they Try to Rip Us Off! ~
~ You Like this Pair? Bend Over! ~
Well.. I got my eye exam and new lens prescription... like I was saying a few days back... And stopped in at the Eye Center of Parkville up by the Price Chopper... FIRST THING... I told the gal... I want a frame that will be covered by my Vision Plan, they allow $120.. more than ANY frame is worth.. without jewels... So she shows me a frame similar to the one I got last year.. I says OK and she writes it up... That will be $161 she says.. WHAT? NO WAY... I want what my plan pays... So she rummaged around some more, found a too BIG ugly pair.. I says No Way... Then she says I can order one.. And I wait I says?.. No, sorry for taking up your time and headed out... I got new frames in 2008 and 2009 there with no extra charge.. I will never darken their door again...
So later I headed over to Discover Eye Center where I knew I could get what I wanted, a bit farther but so what? Told the gal I wanted what VSP would pay for, she shows me a WHOLE wall display of eligible frames, picked one and off we went, later picked up my frames and lenses and lived happily ever after... Only paid $28 for the tint that was required but not covered...
~ Now a TEST ~ One of these sets of lenses and Frames cost $15.00 the Other Cost $250.00... Is it A or B? ~
Yes... Fifteen Dollars! These are reading glasses, Optical quality lenses, one bought at Wal-Mart, the other by prescription at Eye Center of Parkville
My chat buddy Can, says you pay for style and quality... Well as a poor peasant I suppose I heve no taste for style.. and quality is all the same.. So I will take what my Vision Plan will pay for and be happy with it... And for the rest of you being taken in for Eye Glass Frames... Do not be taken in by sales pitches, there are many places who will give you real quality at a reasonable price... And no one will know you paid excessively for STYLE anyway! Walk out on these Hiway Robbers!
~ I am OLD.. but Not Exactly Dumb! ~
~ Thursday ~ January 28, 2010 ~
~ Bank Robbery in Parkville! ~
~ They Robbed MY Bank! ~
~ But They Didn't Take it ALL ~
Well... I was watching TV and sipping a glass of wine and BJ (neighbor) who was looking for a job on my computer... rushes in and says "They just robbed Commerce Bank!" I says "MY BANK".. and he says "Yeah just got the news"... Well, I didn't have much left in there this month anyway.. so what the heck...
So... I caught the Fox 4 News at Five and hit record on my AT&T DVR when this clip came on.. then the process of getting it uploaded to my computer, then edited and uploaded to VIMEO and embedded on MY PAGE... So here it is... And in the video, looks like the Black Dude has a .44 Magnum like Dirty Harry had... Later I needed a jug of Vino Tinto so I went by the Bank for a Twenty... The drive through lanes were Police taped off but the ATM was working Ok, and I got my Twenty...
~ On the Food Front ~
Before that exciting news.. I had earlier gone to the Price Chopper for some potatoes and ground beef... Then set about making a huge meat loaf and baking a big white Idaho potato... The meatloaf was good but not outstanding, had enough goodies in it.. Panko crumbs, egg, onions, green pepper, garlic, some El Pato BBQ sauce... what else? But then it's always seems to be better next day, so I'll try some more today... I had plenty of advice from Can but I tried to ignore it and do it MY way... And Sigi said meatloaf is best in puff pastry but I said I don't want to mess with that... Gets soggy that way if ya freeze it like i do... And bye the bye that baked potato was really GOOD!
And that was the end of another Pretty Good Day!
~ And Now... What's Next? ~
~ Wednesday ~ January 27, 2010 ~
~ Jim Reed Roast and Toast! ~
~ Director Emeritus of Parkville Nature Sanctuary ~
~ And a Good Time was Had by All! ~
Well, I was thinking that I really did not want to go to the Sanctuary Committee meeting Tuesday but the new Director called and asked if I would come and take pictures.. An offer I could not refuse... I had wanted to take my Blu-ray player and show some DVDs but I didn't want to lug my Big TV this time and couldn't quite a afford a new smaller flat screen I wanted to take.. And actually there was so much going on, there would not havre been time anyway... So, I will do that at a later meeting...
Usually there only 10 to 15 people showing up for a meeting but I was surprised at the crowd that showed up... Looks like the new Director invited half of Parkville, including the Chief of Police... Bob started off the meeting asking everyone there to say a few words, and some got lengthy... I was tryng to do video and it was a lorg and arduous task with so many speakers. even asking me to speak... So... I told Bob... Senor... I takee the peekcher... I no makee the speech... And got a big laugh... Then I said that Jim had hired me as Staff Photographer in the Fall of 2007... And then I made 20 web pages and a dozen videos and a stack of DVDs... and I haven't received my first pay check yet.. And got another big laugh... Then on the way out the Pollce Chief said "You WILL get paid"... What did he mean by that? Then in the parking lot I told him that I get paid every time someone looks at my pages... And he said he was going to check out my website...
So, every one had their say, ending up with word from Jim, the Director Emeritus, and Bob then invited all to partake of the buffet of cookies, fruits and veggies and dips all set out for munchies... And with coffee and cake... Bob had ordered a beautiful cake for Jim, don't know if they cut it as I left as the speeches ended and the refreshments began...
Now I have a very long and boring video to edit and upload, if not too lengthy... And of no interest to other than the Committee members and attendees... But something for me to do...
~ And Off to a New and Brighter Day? ~
~ Monday ~ January 25, 2010 ~
~ What Sunday? ~ Not Too Busy ~
~ Let's Make Some BBQ Sauce! ~
~ El Pato Kansas City Style ~
Not too much going on Sunday... Checked the snail mail on the way to Kicks 66 to cash in a couple winning scratchers and trade for two more... DUDS!
Back to the ranch to Chat some and vegetate... Not much going on... Did get a cabbage and some Spin Blend at the Chopper and made coleslaw... Later set out a rib to thaw... then some BBQ beans and later had a repeat BBQ feast... Noticed I was getting low on KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce... Why not make some? Hadn't done that for awhile...
Then... Checked online for a Kansas City Style BBQ sauce, found one that looked easy... And I had most all the ingredients on hand... Set about mixing me up a batch... What's in it? Well: Vegetable Oil (peanut for me), butter, onion powder, garlic powder, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cider vinegar, hot sauce and a little salt and hickory liquid smoke... That should do it...
Stirred that all up in a sauce pan and simmered awhile.. Let cool and put it in my near empty KC Masterpiece bottle with a little left over... Now in the fridge waiting for the next BBQ.. Maybe some chicken this afternoon
Oh! How does it taste? Well... a lot like KC Masterpiece but a bit spicier with that Louisana hot sauce in there.. Real tasty! I like it... Hey Can! You will like this stuff too!
~ Now... A Whole New Week to Use Up! ~
~ Sunday ~ January 24, 2010 ~
~ Boring Saturday? ~ No Not Really ~
~ More Cleaning? ~
~ Herr Wulle... How About My Stove? ~
Well... How's that? Well I don't let my stove top get too crudded up.. Easy to keep clean anyway... And it is the BEST stove in the whole complex... Boss Bob furnishes a standard electric stove.. the ones with coil burners... Adequate for some I guess... But I didn't like the one I had... Burners not quite level, that isn't good.. and stuff falls down into those coils and makes a mess... And not all that easy to keep clean... So I trotted over to Best Buy and bought this nice one on sale... And just happened that Boss Bob needed another stove at the time and was glad to take mine for the other apartment... And he did furnish and install the power cord that does not come with a new stove... And later he did pay me for the stove... But $250 less than what I paid for it.. Oh well.. I got the one I wanted... and it is a Super Stove compared to the other one... And Hey Sigi ... how does it look after a couple years of hard use?
So, What on Saturday... Too much Kitchen Chat... Can dropped out about 8 a.m. but I was stil talking to Beamer in Australia... until 10 a.m. Begged off and got cleaned up and had a couple cookies and headed down the hill to the Fast Stop for a Bingo And Crossword...
Back at the ranch, picking up the mail on the way.. Worked my Bingo for a $10 line plus a two times Multiplier for a win of $20... NICE! But the Crossword was a dud... Took that back to Kicks 66 for another Bingo and Crossword and a Missouri Lotto... Back home to work those for a $3 line win with a two times multiplier for a $6 win, then the Cross word for a $3 win.. HAH! Over all total profit was hmmm... $17... Not a bad start...
Now what? How about some tater salad to go with some BBQ ribs tonight? OK. put on the eggs and taters to simmer... and chopped up the onions, pickles, green peppers and a couple radishes... Mixed up the dressing... Spin Blend, mustard and cider vinegar... The taters in the bowl, added the diced veggies... stir in the dressing... then in with the eggs and stir gently again... Then into the fridge to cool and meld the flavors... Pour a glass of Vino Tinto and catch up on the afternoon TV... Yeah...
So, later... Nuke some ribs, butter some crusty Italian bread, dish up some tater salad... Yumm... Rubs were great... Bread and butter...nice.. The potato salad... hmmm... Have done better... I didn't have any sweet pickles and subbed some dills... didn't quite make the grade but I made do... End of another nice day...
~ Now... What's for Sunday? ~
~ Saturday ~ January 23, 2010 ~
~ Another Boring Saturday? ~
~ Grandma's Sugar Cookies! ~
~ All 'Have to Dos' Done for January ~ My Refrigerator is Clean! ~
Well, a busy month, all done I think now with what I ~had~ to do except pick up my new driving glasses when they call... That Quarterly trip to Platte City... A run over the NKC Hospital for the PSA blood draw... Renew my Driver's License... Eye Exam and new glasses prescription... Trip to Liberty Hospital Oncology Department for my annual assessment... Then to Discover Eye Center to order my now lenses and frames... Busy Busy.. and now it's all done.. And NO ~have to dos~ for February... Ahhhh nice...
So, yesterday, off to Liberty Hospital, got right in for my appointment, the Nurse weigh-in, a few update questions and in comes the Doctor all friendly... Well it's his payday donation from me... So, first off... PSA looks good, a little higher than last year.. he says to watch, not be concerned... Was .4 last year and .9 this year.. Should have asked when was the concern point... But he will tell me that next year... In the past was running at 2.6 or so and then a jump to 4.2 and that was cause for a biopsy... But he says everything is fine, come back next year for another donation..
Then on the way back I stopped in at Discover Eye Center, told her first thing that I wanted frames covered by my plan... No problem, showed me a whole wall displsy, take your pick.. Selected a pair similar to the old ones and we were on the way, wrote up the order... All covered but the tint.. and that's what the Doctor ordered.. tinted glasses for driving... With my implants she says my eyes are more sensitive to UV radiation, even though the implants have that built in... But also the Driving glasses have a prism prescription that eliminates my tendency to double vision when driving... Much more comfortable with the tint and prisms...
So, dropped by the Chopper for a DUD Bingo and Crossword... Back to the ranch with nothing to do.. Just chat with Sigi and Can and then TV... But.. got to thinking about cookies.. that's easy, got flour and sugar and butter... Off we go... Soften a couple sticks of butter, cream in a cup and a half of sugar, beat in and egg and a tsp of vanilla, stir n some flour... Roll into little balls and into the oven... 15 minutes and VOILA... El Pato Sugar Cookies...
Wanna Cookie Sigi?
And Oh yeah, along the way, a re-run of smoked BBQ ribs and BBQ beans... Those ribs really good this time...
~ And the Sets on Another Pretty Nice Day ~
~ Now... What's for Saturday? ~
~ Friday ~ January 22, 2010 ~
~ End of a Busy Week ~
~ BULLETIN ADDENDUM! ~
~ Special Notice for Herr Wulle ~ My Refrigerator is Clean! ~
Be prepared if you invite Herr Sigi Wulle to your house... Be ready for a sanitary inspection and critique... I cleaned my BBQ Smoker grills when they failed to pass.. and then received an IM which asked "What about the Refrigerator"... Well... picky picky... I think I cleaned that bottom shelf about 2005 or so! Anyway it just recieves the bottoms of jars and dishes... What is the big deal anyway?... But then... let's do a 'make your bed' inspection... Mine is made five minutes after I arise...every day! Get the coffee maker going... them make that bed. and then on to Kitchen chat... if anyone is there... When do you make your bed... Herr Wulle? (he doesn't)
So, a nothing much day but kept busy... This and that... chit and chat... A few new people in the in Kitchen Chat room and some are nice and interesting too... Can has been fairly civilized lately but is trying to rile a few selected new people... And succeeding... One nice lady asked me to 'Control your Friend' and I told her there is no way to do that...
So after breakfast and clean-up I headed out to the AT&T phone store to change my Cell Phone plan... Went to where they were last year but they weren't there! So I called the info number to see where they moved... Then my cell went dead before he could tell me... Now what.. I headed back... but two blocks later.. there it was.. a bigger store... So up to the door.. LOCKED! Sign says open at 10:00 and it was 9:18.. Oh well... Back to the ranch... But later in the day... AT&T called me and we worked out a deal on the phone.. New plan to cost about 1/4 the amount I pay now... I rarely ever use the cell phone anyway...
And a day earlier I went in to the optical shop up near the Price Chopper.. to get a new frame and new lenses for my new prescription I got Monday... I only use glasses for driving and they need a dark tint as the eye Doc says so that is all I need them for... My optical plan pays for an annual exam, lenses and up to $120 for frames... So first thing I said was I want frames that will be paid by my plan... So off she goes to show samples... OK, I'll take that one, about the same as last years... Then ... Would you liked hardened lenses? Extra charge... NO... Would you like this special coating with replacement guarantee? NO... Ok so she figures up the order.. That will be $160 she says.... WHAT FOR? Well these frames are xxx dollars more than your plan will pay... I says the FIRST thing I said is I want frames that the plan will cover... So she hunts around some more.. then says I can possible order you one... I says NO thank you... Sorry for taking yout time and walked out... For you people being taken by the BIGGEST price scam besides hearing aids... Just refuse their Highway Robbery and ask for a decent price.. or find someplace with better prices.. THIS IS A SCAM!
So... I will go where I know the entire cost will be covered.... Discover Eye Centers... and they have an office just off the highway I have to take to see the Radiation Doc today.. So I will just stop in on the way back... And after that... All finished with all the "Have Tos' that I do in January.. Ahhhh YEAH!
~ Onward to the Boring Weekend ~
~ Tuesday ~ January 19, 2010 ~
~ Busy ~ Busy Monday ~
~ BULLETIN! ~
~ Special Notice for Herr Wulle ~ My Grills have been Cleaned! ~
Well, so many things I have learned about Sigi Wulle... Not only is he a Racist, a Pacifist, a Conspiracy Theorist, an Environmentalist, a Musican, a Bike Rider, an Internet Marketer... He is also a dedicated Neat Freak... and is terrified of contaminants and additives in food as well in believing in the SCAM of organic food...
Well, I like things neat too, but I don't go wild about it... And do seem to exceed Herr Wulle in a couple areas we won't go into... But as you know I prefer accolades to criticism so when I do get a negative I am hurt to the core!
So... I believe the first time I made a video with my Smoker I got the remark that I needed to clean it... And I explained (I think) that the interior of a smoker is never cleaned, even that the soot coating inside gives some minor insulation to keep the heat in... I don't recall that the complaint was about the grill.. as I usually clean it every time before smoking something new... Though actually not necessary... As the heat will destroy most pathogens...
But this time... as I was making the video and put the ribs in... I noticed some dry rub remnants from the previous smoke and thought ... Sigi is gonna bitch... And sure enough I got an IM.. with the question "Don't you ever clean that grill?"... And of course I was devestated!
So... later I was watching Bobby Flay's BBQ TV show... and saw that his grill... on National TV on the Food Channel... was much cruddier than mine... And with FOOD residue, not the harmless dry rub that was on mine... Ah relieved some of guilt... Anyway later in the day, I brought my grills in, placed them it hot water and detergent and let them soak... Then brushed good, dried and oiled and presented here for Herr Wulle's inspection and approval...
AND.. a busy busy day on Monday... Starting with a visit to my Opthalmologist for my annual eye check... She said my eyes were VERY healthy (and a beautiful blue) and wrote me a prescription for new tinted glasses for driving...
Next stopped by the Fast Stop on the way back for a Bingo and Crossword.. HAH.. A $3 Bingo and a $10 Crossword.. nice... Then finished editing my new video and set it to render to SD and headed to the Price Chopper to trade my Winners for a Bingo and a Wheel of Fortune... Also a few salad items and one of those little boneless hams on sale...
Back home to work a $3 winner Wheel of Fortune and a $6 winner Bingo.. Nice win again... Then my video was finished rendering so I set it to upload to Vimeo... Then I rinsed my little ham, dried and brushed with Italian dressing and set it in the smoker to smoke a couple hours... (without cleaning the grills) Then set about slicing the smoked ribs for storage, selecting a few samples for dinner later... That is all in the freezer now...
Next... embedded my video on my BLOG page and uploaded that... Chatted with Can off and on... Brought in the ham to cool... Brought in the grills to soak in detergent... Then a glass of wine and some TV.. Back to slice and store the ham and then brush the grills... Got this pic above for Herr Wulle... Then what? Well, later a nice serving of the end pieces of my ribs.. how delish! With only radishes and buttered Italian bread on the side... a quite ample repast... Then another glass of wine and more TV and actually stayed up later than usual... I have dropped my afternoon manhattan and don't get as sleepy as early... as I planned... So as you may see... a busy busy day... A good night and an early start this morning on a new day...
~ Ever Onward and Upward! ~
~ Monday, January 18, 2010 ~
~ Them Ribs Got Smoked! ~
~ ¡El Pato está Fumando Costillas de Cerdo! ~
Well.. a good day... all day... yesterday... I love to Cook!...All Day!... any day... So... They said it was gonna be 46 yesterday... So I thought that would be OK to smoke something and got some nice Pig Ribs the day before... But not on sale and darn near $30 for a two slab pack.. Why don't they have them One in a pack? Anyway, I sloshed them good with Worcestershire sauce and marinated thrm overnight in the fridge... Then as usual a good dusting of El Pato dry BBQ Rub and later fired up the smoker amd away we went...
Well it was 34 degrees from 4 a.m. until 10 a.m. and climbed all the way to 35 degrees... and stayed 35 all day! Anyway... I fired up the smoker and added a bit more wood to raise the temp some to compensate for the cold weather... Maybe a bit too much wood... As I like to keep the temp around 220 and it climbed to 250.. which can be a bit too high... Anyway... in with the ribs at 11:15 a.m. and I headed up to Kicks to get a Bingo and Wheel of Fortune scratch... Back home ... LOOKEE there!... a $30 Bingo win.. That paid for the ribs!
Ok, then a long day of chat and whatever.. chatted with Sigi and Can... Had a couple glasses of wine and then took the ribs out at 3:15 p.m.... Looked like they cooked a bit faster at the hugher temp... Then brushed on the KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce and into a 250 oven for an hour or so plus... Took them out about 4:45 p.m. and looking good, then let them cool some and into the fridge to wait til today to carve up and store.... I had a nice chicken sandwich and wasn't hungry enough to try the ribs when they finshed... Then off to a happy beddy bye...
So..On to today... I took some video all day with the ribs, needed a better one to replace the one on my smoking page I did last January... This one is a little more to the point and hopefully not as las long and boring... So, I editied that all day yesterday as I went along, finished up this morning , added some Mexican music that Can will ike (He gripes about my Video intro music) and uploaded to Vimeo.. them embedded on this page...
Then over to the Eye Doc for my annual checkup, got a prescrip for new driving sunglasses and back to the Ranch, stopping off at the Fast Stop for a Bingo and Crossword... Won a $3 Bingo and a $10 Crossword. not a bad morning's work...
Then back home again to write my BLOG.. kind of a chore with dilated eyes after the exam.. Kinda foggy and blurry, will be that way til late afternoon... Anyway a nice couple of days so far... I'll carve up those ribs later, sample one or two and store the rest.. Ribs for a couple months now...
~ Today ~ Now What Do We Do? ~
~ Sunday Morning ~ January 17, 2010 ~
~ Foggy Morning in Parkville ~
~ Doesn't Look as Foggy Here as it Actually Is ~
~ Was Freezing on the Trees Friday Morning ~ Real Pretty ~
Real good day Saturday... Considering... I got the ribs rinsed, trimmed, sauced with Worcestershire Sauce and into the fridge to marinate overnight... And made a video of the process. going to keep this one short and to the point...
Now up EARLY Sunday morning, woke up at 3:30... No way going back to sleep... So what? I edited what video I had... Good Start on the movie now... Took a peek outside.. all foggy, could shoot a Dracula video out there... Got a quick pic... Somehow the fog doesn't show up as thick as it actually is...
So I fired up the computers, signed onto Messenger and here's Can sending me an IM.. Up all night listening to radio he says... GET A LIFE! Now in the Kitchen Chat .. just me and Can and the BOTS... And I am working on this BLOG...
So... today... I'll take the ribs out of the fridge.. dust them good with El Pato Dry BBQ rub... Fire up the smoker and we will have BBQ tonight.. and many days after.. That's 12 1/2 pounds of ribs... And along the way I'll get a little video of the whole thing and replace last years tedious one... That should be done an uploaded tomorrow...
So... Off to the New Day!
~ Today We Smoke! ~
~ Saturday, January 16, 2010 ~
~ AN TIS A PAY A SHUN! ~
~ Remember that Ketchup Ad on TV? Well Maybe Not ~
~ Waiting for the Ketchup to Slowly Ooze out of the Bottle? ~
Well, I am anticipating the first SMOKE of the New Year.. Last year it was on January 31st and was 66 degrees... They say tomorrow might be 46 and that is on the low end of a smoking day for me.. 55 is about my lower limit.. But shall we see?
So today I went by Walgreen's Drug Store to swap my empty spare propane tank in case my regular tank went dry during my smoke... They have about the lowest price refill in this area... The Chopper has the same price.. but more convenient to load at Walgreens
Then back by the Price Chopper for a gallon of Vino Tinto.. OOOPS! Price up $2.. Didn't like that... Then on to the meat counter.. Baby Back Loin ribs on sale for $3.99 a pound but I like the full slab spareribs better... I Like the way they smoke up and a lot more meat for the price... And spareribs were ~not~ on sale for $2.19 a pound but still a better deal.. I think I got them last January for $1.49 a pound... So I picked up a pack.. two slabs per pack.. That should last me until Memorial day when they WILL be on sale.. Always are anyway...
And before that is St Pat's day and I think I will smoke another Pastrami out of a Boyles Famous corned beef... Which are always on sale for St Pat's Day... So... this evening I will trim up the ribs.. Marinate with Worcestershire sauce overnight and get them in the Smoker Sunday Morning... And make a video of the process along the way... Stay Tuned!
~ Today We Celebrate for Tomorrow We Smoke! ~
~ Friday, January 15, 2010 ~
~ WOULD YOU BELIEVE? ~
~ GREEN TOMATO PICKLE PIE! ~
~ Guess What? It is Edible!
Now What? Well... they do have what they call a 'Mock Apple Pie' made with green tomatoes... I made one once, not overly happy with the result but it did taste vaguely like a tart apple pie... But whoever heard of a Green Tomato Pickle Pie?
Well I made these green tomato pickles from the excess when we had the first threat of freeze... I tried a few a couple times but was not overly enthusiastic with them... Kinda like old fashioned sour pickles... You grandma ever make those? Well, they were very tart and puckery and I didn't use many... So, BJ (neighbor) was here one day and I tried to give him some, he didn't care much for them.. I said Oh... wonder if a little sugar would help? So, I added some sugar to a jar of them I dumped into a little pan... Simmered a little while and gave it a taste.. HEY! That tastes like gooseberries! Anyone ever eat gooseberries? I used to grow them and made pies with them.. and along with rhubarb and mince pie.. I like gooseberry pie.. So.. IDEA, make a 'Mock Gooseberry Pie'
After a run to the Price Chopper for some refrigerated pie crusts (I cheat sometimes) I set about making my 'Mock Gooseberry Pie' with an estimated recipe... Drained all the pickles well, then into the pot with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla... Let that simmer... Then drain some again and into the crust and into the oven... Well then it looked great!
Now this morning... the Moment of Truth... Sliced the pie, got a photo for my blog and then a taste... Hmmmm, not the best pie I have made... but it does taste like gooseberries... or like mince? Not like rhubarb... But tart and sweet... And I think it will pass and I have cooked something weird again that is actually edible?
~ And Again... Ever Onward and Upward to a NEW Challenge! ~
~ Thursday, January 14, 2010 ~
~ No News... Interim Subject ~
~ Can.. My Chat Buddy.. Says I don't Eat Right ~
~ Says I Need to Eat MORE VEGGIES ~ How's This Can?
Well today I needed a couple things so I headed up to the Price Chopper.. Looky there!.. Nice BIG green peppers for 50 cents each... And some nice cherry tomatoes and I needed a couple sweet onions and a cucumber... And some peanut oil and pie crusts... (for an experiment ~ To Be announced) And some Cool Whip to put on the Spice Fruit Cake.. it sure pepped that up!
So the usual veggies I keep on hand... Oh carrots and celery too... and what about that eggplant a couple days ago Can.. NO meat at that dinner... But tonight a hamburger and a couple more of those eggplant patties to go along with it... Maybe a salad with lettuce and those cherry tomatoes? Yeah... Maybe a touch of sweet onion and green pepper...
So that done... BJ came over to use the computer and I went about my pie experiment... Wait til you hear about this!.. and especially if it works and is GOOD! I did try something like this once.. but this was more extreme than that one was...
So I made my pie.. and it smells luscious.. but let it set and chill and I will sample it later and report on it tomorrow... Then I did some more chat and now off to do dinner.... and a good day was had by all...!
~ Ever Onward to a NEW Challenge! ~
~ Tuesday, January 12, 2010 ~
~ The Day After ~ Back to Food! ~
~ Eggplant for Pre-Birthday Dinner ~
So.. to celebrate my Birthday... Off to North Kansas City Hospital to get my PSA poke in the lab... I had a script from the Doc.. BUT.. When I got there I found I forgot to bring it with me... All the way home and back again? Well no, I asked the gal if they could FAX one and she gave me the number.. I called Liberty Radiation Department and the secretary said it was on the way... GOOD! So then the Lady Tech invited me into her lair and gave me the needle... NO... not back there! in the arm... But that's all they do there and they know how to do it.. so I was in and out with no sweat.. Back to the Ranch... stopping my Kick's 66 to trade in my Winner Wheel of Fortune for a loser Bingo...
And back to the Day before the Birthday dinner... I had this great fresh eggplant.. Only small seeds and nice and firm for the size of it... So after getting advice from Can how they do it (Koreans)... I went about preparing it as below... MY WAY!
~ Panko Crumbs - Egg Wash - Flour ~ Breaded and into the Fridge to Set up ~ After Roasting in the oven with Parmesan Cheese on Top ~
Actually I got this recipe from the Playboy Gourmet Cookbook a long time ago.. It was prep for fried eggplant or eggplant parmesan.. Worked great... then I thought it would work for roasting in the oven in my big Pyrex Dish, preheated, with olive oil in the bottom... And it does... with that crunchy Panko on top and a little salsa added on top of the shredded parmesan cheese...Doesn't soak up a lot of oil like frying does...
Peeled, sliced nice and thick, then flour, egg wash and Panko, into the fridge to set up a bit... then into a 375 oven for a half hour... Flip over and finish about another half hour or so... Topped with a little home-made Mexican salsa and yeah.. That was some delish!
So what else then? Traded a $10 Wheel of Fortune win for a bingo and Loser Crossword... SOMEDAY! The BIG ONE! Then in for the day... Some more chat with Can... Where was Herr Wulle? Oh Yeah... Big Brother called to wish me Happy Birthday... I hear from him maybe once a year... Bought me lunch last Birthday... Or was that the year before? He says he has a new computer... finally after all these years without.. He is on Facebook but I never see any posts from him... He does play that silly MAFIA WARS thing but I have that blocked and don't clutter my screen with that juvenile stuff... I like real posts from real people.. I thought that was what it was supposed to be...
And then... My afternoon manhattan, some enchildas out of the freezer.. Those with a glass of Vino Tino for dinner and that was MY DAY!...
~ On to Something Else Now ~
~ Monday, January 11, 2010 ~
~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY to ME! ~
~ Many Thanks for all the Birthday Greetings on Facebook ~ The Most I have had in Years! ~
~ 1932 to 2010 ~ 78 Years?
Well that is supposed to be a 7 8 there with the candles... so use your imagination... Didn't quite come out like I wanted...
And my spice/fruit cake didn't seem to taste as good as the first one that I made... But do they ever? Anyway... it is quite moist and tasty
So... After a week of sub zero nights.. 25F seems quite nice this morning... And later maybe will top out at freezing... We did lose quite a bit of the accumulated snow yesterday
So then what yesterday? Read about a 'weight losing' salad of tomato and cucumber, so decided to make one... Talking to Can later, started talking about my oven roasted eggplant... That would go good with the tomato/cucumber salad.. So I headed back to the Price Chopper for a nice big shiny eggplant and some Panko bread crumbs... That was the project for dinner and turned out quite tasty... And that finished up a pretty nice day overall
So what today? Well, I just might run over to NKC Hospital to the lab... for my annual PSA poke.. Have to check in with the Radiologist next week and the PSA Check is a required preliminary... But they are pretty good at it so shouldn't be any big deal... Then what? Off to use up another year of the Good Life!
~ Now...How Many More Cakes... Do I have to Bake? ~
~ Sunday, January 10, 2010 ~
~ Last of the Deep Freeze? ~
~ Last of the SUB ZEROS this Week! ~
Well... 6 degrees below zero at 6 a.m. today... My veranda thermo says 4 below... But they were saying -11 to -16 earlier... Lowest I've seen this year was a -7F...
Now it is +3 degrees at 8 a.m. and a high today of 27? Then on Wednesday... +40? How can we stand the heat? But we are due for the January Thaw.. the short spell every year when everything melts for a few days and we think spring is on the way... Like the 31st of January last year when it was 66 degrees and I was out front smoking ribs...
Well now.. I am looking for any day above 50F and I will be out there smoking some more ribs... Or a ham.. I am all out of ham for a change now... NO smoked stuff in the freezer at present... Now it is Sunday... No cooking projects.. no cooking experiments.. How can anyone live like this? Oh BTW I did go to the Casino yesterday... but we don't have to talk about that... But I did win a $6 Bingo scratcher... HAH!
~ And So... Ever Onward... Time Marches On! ~
~ Saturday, January 09, 2010 ~
~ Missed the Deep Freeze Predicted ~
~ But This Ain't Exactly the HOT SEAT!~
THEY.. the perennial 'THEY'... were predicting 11 to 16 below zero this morning but they decided to delay it.. and they mimimized the drop.. But we shall see... The Thermometer in the chair says 12F but is really 7F Out there at the moment at 10:30 a.m.
Maybe a little warm-up in a few days they say.. But not a lot.. Normal for this time of year is about 35 or so... Anyway just so they warm it up before tomato planting time...
And then... No major cookimg experiments, just trying to clear the excess out of the freezer... Make more room for more goodies... And like I say... BORING... But... Birthday on the way on Monday!
~ And another Boring ~ Inside the Fort~ Day Today ~
~ Thursday, January 07, 2010 ~
~ Something Different ~ It is Snowing! ~
~ Another 5 Inches on the Way ~
That photo was yesterday at 2 p.m. with a forecast accumulation of 4 to 5 inches and we sure got that much by this morning... Tom the maintenance man is getting real grumpy shoveling us out... And Boss Bob don't really care for paying for the Snowplow either...
So, after an early morning trek to the Price Chopper... it was an inside hibernating type of day... Later I did dice up that last slice of roasted pork loin... added spme chopped onion and KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce... nukes that up and on a big bun,,, wasn't that some good? Yeah...
And now today at 8 a.m. it is 6F and they say -4F tonight... And Friday night -12F... Please say you are kidding? This Global Warming is just TOO MUCH!
~ Now... Today... Do I Challenge that Hill out Front... or Not? ~
~ Tuesday, January 05, 2010 ~
~ Baby... It IS Really Cold Outside! ~
~ More Global Warming? Two Degrees F at 5 a.m.~
So... Sunday it was 8 degrees F at 5 a.m ... Today is it ooops... My Desktop Weather Widget shows -2 degrees F at 6 a.m. Yesterday it was -4F at 5 a.m. and then dropped to a -7F around 7 a.m. And it stayed under 10F all day... Normal for a January day around here is usually in the 30s or so... One day last year it was 66F and I smoked some ribs that day... But that IDIOT Al Gore has been messing with the weather and has the thermometer all confused... Why doesn't he just take his Nobel Prize and jut GO AWAY!
And so... A chat with Can and I got to complaining about wanting to go to the Casino.. and he just says then... GO! Well I had trepidations.. I won last time.. But I got a couple twenties and headed out... Stuck them in my favorite machine... Played DOWN to 1 credit... Stuck in another $10 and away we went... Up a little back down a little... Then hit a good one for a $20 win.. back over 80 credits... But that didn't last... ran it back to zero and checked out with a loss.. Oh well, another day... another dollar...
Then, back by the Riverside RED-X to get another Bingo and Crossword (both duds) and a another gallon of my Vino Tinto while I was close... to get that extra dollar off... and back to the Ranch for a Manhattan and more chat with Can... Chew him out about my loss...
And later... Boiled up some more rice in butter and chicken stock and nuked up a plate of that Sweet and Sour pork.. Hmmm, maybe a bit better than the first time with a bit more soy sauce and rice... Then toddle of to bed way too early on a chilly night...
~ Now... Today... is My Semi-Annual Haircut Day! ~
~ Sunday, January 03, 2010 ~
~ MORE SNOW! ~
~ This Global Warming Has to Stop! ~
Two more inches of snow overnight and it is 8 degrees at 5 a.m. ... Most snow this winter so far than in many years... and COLD... Well, Al Gore knows all about this I guess, after all HE invented the Internet... So, I just called Boss Bob to tell him we got more snow and he's sending the snowplow out...
So... A quiet Saturday here for me... Just went to the Price Chopper to trade in my $10 Crossword winner and get a Bingo and Wheel of Fortune trade and a gallon of milk... The $4 win profit on the crossword paid for the milk... Back to the Ranch to finish the day... But then I won $6 on the Wheel of Fortune so I took that back to the Fast Stop to trade again for two duds...
No food experiments that took long cooking... Found a frozen tamale and some pork chili in the freezer and made a simple but delish meal from that.. The chili over some rice left from the Sweet and Sour Pork dish... Yeah...
~ Now... AGAIN! What to do on this drab and COLD Day? ~
~ Saturday, January 02, 2010 ~
~ Back to the Old Routine ~
~ Panko Crusted Roasted Chicken ~
OK, finished with the holidays for awhile, getting back to reality... Pay Day and bills and shopping... Had a pleasant but COLD day yesterday.. and it's colder today... 5 below zero! Temp was 3 below at 5 a.m. and now dipping lower! And cold the rest of the week too, maybe more snow the next few days...
Got the Blazer warmed up and headed out for some errands... First the Bank, then The Drug Store and then Target.. and then finishing up at the Price Chopper for a few things... Including a pack of chicken leg quarters... and a Bingo and Crossword, won $10 on the Crossword... ahead $4 on the two...
Then an afternoon of cooking.. I love to cook... I bougth some more cranberries so I made more sauce... And some more beans so I made a pot of BBQ beans... Then later did up the chicken... Cut the quarters into legs and thighs, skinned the thighs.. Into my big Pyrex dish to soak a couple hours in buttermilk... Then to dust with my dry BBQ rub mix, then panko crumbs, then roast in the oven for an hour and a half... Turned out moist and tender and tasty... Pretty good with some BBQ beans and crusty Italian bread... Ahh Yeah!
Then to toddle off to bed after a really pretty nice day, in spite of the weather...
~ Now... What to do on this drab and COLDER Day? ~
~ Friday, January 1, 2010 ~
~ HAPPY NEW YEAR ~
~ Fireworks ~ English Landing Park ~ Parkville ~
* Happy New Year Jake * ... Can says you like MY PAGE...
A whole New Year ahead.. One year older, have to make a cake for Monday after next... Make a fruit spice cake and buy me an ~8~ candle to go on top... New Year's Resolutions? Like what... how can one improve on perfection... Oh Lord it's hard to be humble...
So, a pretty good New Year's Eve day... My SS hit the bank early... and my IBM should be in the bank NOW... This month looking good so far... Maybe I can make it without going broke again...
So... I went up to the Chopper to get a Bingo and Crossword... NO winners... Still bored so I got a couple Twenties and headed to the Casino.. But I wasn't feeling lucky... Figured it was gone before I went in.. But I went anyway... quite a crowd for 11:00 a.m. Because of New Year's maybe... Found my usual quarter machine and stuck in the Twenties.. 160 credits... Then had the longest run of no wins in a long time, just a few little ones and soon my $40 was GONE! Now what? Well I had a ten in my pockwet so I stuck that in... A few quick wins and one not too bad and I was up to $20... This is more like it... Then I hit three Sevens for 50 credits.. and the next roll was two Sevens and a Five Times for 250 credits... HAH! That did it, I had over 400 credits and cashed out for $87.25... A win of $37.25... that's good enough for one day and I split... <
Then, I swung by the Riverside RED-X for another Bingo and Crossword and a gallon of my Vino Tinto.. they have it for a dollar less than the Chopper... Headed on back to the ranch to work a $6 Crossword winner... Then back to the Chopper to trade for another one.. and buy some chicken... Got a pack of leg quarters to rosst up today for New Year's dinner...
Then my manhattan and later a nice repeat of the pork loin dinner with green beans and dressing and off to bed way too early as usual... Then to wake up at Midnight to hear the fireworks go off...
~ AND ~ A Nice New Year's Eve Day for me... Overall... ~
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