A Fill-In Food Blog... The Rest Of Sunday..

Even though I was "cooked out" after Saturday, for some odd reason I was moved to cook more.. After dinner, about mid afternoon, I decided to use up some thawed chix breasts, and make chicken salad- for sandwiches, or filled cantaloupe. As that was going, I decided to use up a half a box of graham cracker crumbs, and some leftover Key lime juice, and make a version of a lemon bar, only different! I made a Key lime bar, with a cracker crumb crust, instead of the usual shortbread crust... Tart and tasty, topped with powdered sugar(I topped mine with whipped cream!) they are are refrigerated snack that disappears over a few days..

Simple Sunday- Baked Chicken Breasts, Rigatoni Alfredo..

Yesterday I was in a small chili cook-off, took 2nd in category... When cook-offs are small, usually judges know who made which chili- which usually means their judgement can be a little different than in a bigger event. No sour grapes- all chilis were really good! I had to beat feet out of there to finish meatballs at a big birthday bash. I've made better, but they all got gone...
Today, I was looking for no culinary challenges, so I seasoned and baked some chicken breasts(bone-in). with a side of rigatoni alfredo.. Why not fettucini? I didn't have any! Besides, the the tougher pasta goes well with this sauce and mushrooms.
Odd happenings... My cook buddy works at the same company I used to 35 years ago. I was only there 1 year, when our project was cancelled and I was out of a job. He found employee files that should have been destroyed 20yrs ago- still in storage! Found my employee record, and gave it to me yesterday. The boss of Engineering had been there 6 months before I arrived, and was gone 3 months afterward! My review said I had an attitude(imagine that!) but thought with training I could be a better employee(I was 19- 20yrs old!). They later tried to rehire me, but I was making more money and had found out on the streets what a bunch of schlocks that company was! If I had stayed there, I would know half as much as I do, and made about 1/3 as much as I have so far... Change ain't bad- at least not all the time!

Eclipses And A Novel Way To Make A Cheeseburger!

I'm hoping you all got a chance to see a really excellent eclipse of our moon Wednesday night about 9PM. Here in West Michigan, the air was cold, crisp and clear- perfect for a good look! I took a picture that is by no means a good one, but it clearly shows the shadow on the moon. I think the next one will be in 2010, so I am glad I got my butt off the downstairs couch and saw this! Things like this help me remember Earth is actually round....
The next subject is a style of burger I've wanted to try, but never did until Thursday night. Instead of my usual 1/3 lb. burgers topped with cheese and goodies, I made 4 thin patties from ground chuck, seasoned them, put a thick slice of cheddar-jack cheese on the two bottom ones, then put the two other patties on top of them, sealing the edges completely-no cheese showing. Fried both burgers until medium-rare, then topped with onions, lettuce, mayo,pickles, catsup and mustard. Really worked out well! Toppings held better than if they were sliding around on cheese, and created a great flavor meld, without the normal mess! I'll be doing this again, real soon!
Tomorrow a small chili cook-off, then I have to make 15lbs of danish meatballs for a birthday bash that night! Have fun for me this week-end- I'll be too busy!

Time For Another Mini-Meme! Past, Present, Future..

As I grow older, I have been pondering the changes age does to you. When young, I had a hard time understanding why older people acted older when they got older(follow all that?).. I figured I would never see life from an old fart point of view! Well, age changes your values, your goals, and sadly some dreams you may have had of the future, will not ever materialize... Good things happen, to all of us- appreciate them! Bad things happen to us all, too- learn from them, and have empathy for others when bad times come their way..
The Mini-Meme today:
1. Who do you think you were? (What were you growing up?)
2. You do you think you are today?(What do you think you are now?)
3. Who do you think you will be? (What do you want to accomplish before you die?)
I'll go first- 1. A smart, active kid- an over-achiever, who always wanted to win or excel.
2. A person who has done a decent job of succeeding in my career of 35 yrs., but is a little burned out mentally and physically. A family man whose family grew up. Not a Grampa yet- maybe never...
3. A person that will never retire, but will do many other things less lucrative than current career. Will never stop learning, or teaching if anyone is willing to listen..
Looking forward to your answers!

Saturday, Then Sunday Food! Hope You Enjoy!

Saturday- Wife had to work(tax season), and I was tired of the weather we had to deal with daily! Finally went to store for a stock-up- as my comfort zone is similar to your neighborhood survivalist! Made a hearty salad for Sat. night, and had plans to finally cook that damn pork loin that apparently came off Hogzilla! I enjoy a chef salad with lots of non- healthy goodies covering it.. Slathered mine in my favorite blue cheese dressing, while wife opted for Ranch. We both agreed-it hit the spot! Sunday had me putting the marinated pork loin(cut into two equal portions!) into the oven for about 2-1/2 hrs. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half(seasoned with rosemary,olive oil,garlic, and onion powder) made a marvelous side to a great hunk of pork! The roasted mushrooms are always alomost a given when I roast meat.. Stroked some peanut butter thru the brownies, for a dessert that was also tasty!
A sad commentary on my cooking style- I seasoned the pork so it could be used as pork BB-Q, or pork chili leftover meals!

We Don't Have To Eat Fish On Friday- But We Did!

Friday night, crappy weather- let's check the freezer for inspiration about what to have for dinner... Pork roast- too big, too frozen! Boneless skinless chix breast-nah, just had that... Wait! There's 4 small flounder filets that should thaw quickly!
Had read a recipe earier in the day, Creole flavors, had all ingredients-done deal! I seasoned the filets with Old Bay and laid them into a glass pan, covered with diced tomato, green bell pepper slices, and sliced onion. Seasoned again,adding lemon pepper, put into a 350F oven for 35 minutes, and served with a side of rice. Spicy! But perfect warmer-upper on a cold Friday night, and it wasn't as "heavy" as some the the meals we've been having... Enjoy your week-ends everyone!

Leftovers Don't have To Taste Like Leftovers....

Another blinger of a storm hit us Tuesday, making driving a 1st gear event! Got stuck in a parking lot, but was so slippery, two guys pushing moderately got me rolling... Tuesday was colder than Monday- if you can believe it, so another stick-to-your-ribs supper was made. I'm not a cheapskate, but I actually find it fun to create something different out of leftovers! Sundays' post showed food on that day. The following day, I took the left-over potatoes, chopped some broccoli, made cheesy broccoli soup in a crock pot. Good stuff! Tuesday night, I took left-over pot roast, chopped, fresh mushrooms and celery, chopped, mixed with leftover gravy, water, and soy sauce, simmered until tender and bubbly, and put in over brown rice for a quick, warming meal. Three meals, two out of leftovers, none tasted the same, all good! It's almost like a game with me- at the end of the game, dinner!

0 Degrees F- Time For Comfort Food, Pot Roast!

After seeing the weather report for today, we decided having the oven on for 3- 3-1/2 hrs. wouldn't feel too bad! My version of Beef Chuck roast pot roast coming up!
1. Lay a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil flat, enough to cover and wrap your roast easily, without any air holes.
2. Spread seasonings (I use Mrs. Dash Original, and Lawrys seasoned salt!) onto alum foil. Lay beef roast onto that, then season with same, until coated.
3. Put one can of cream of something soup( I used celery) spread over top of roast. Then sprinkle 1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix over all.
4. Top with thin sliced onion strips (about half-cup), and wrap carefully but so it will seal without leaks. Place in pan.
5. Bake for 3-1/2 hrs at 300- 320 F .
6. Remove from oven, and open one end of wrap- enough to pour out gravy you just made! Pour into a pan, and thicken (with flour mixed with cold water)if needed.
7. This should be falling apart tender, with great flavor. Serve with potatoes, pasta, or rice!
Today, we're having that with small yukon gold potatoes, seasoned with garlic and rosemary, along with some decent French style bread. Fudge browies for dessert- I was lazy today!

A Story From My Youth- About Guns??!!

Once upon a time, when I was young and full of male hormones... Guns were quite fascinating to me! My Dad, a WWll vet had given up such weapons in the early 1950s' due to someone almost blowing his foot off while bird hunting! I found out about weapons by reading Guns and Ammo, and other related hunting magazines. I wanted to hunt! I wanted to target shoot! Conned my Dad into buying me a single shot shot gun for a Christmas present, and couldn't wait until the weather got clear to go forth and shoot! One day, no one was home, and being about 15 I had learned more stuff than I could ever need... I took a shotgun shell (16 gauge, for you guys that know and wondered!) cut the top off, emptied out the gunpowder and 6 shot out of it and placed it in the chamber. I wanted to see the "strike area" of the firing pin on a shell. It's Feb., I'm standing in a hallway, pointing the gun towards a window in our dining room- and pull the trigger... Imagine my 15yr. old surprise when the damn gun goes off with a bang! I had forgotten about the primer! I can still hear the doorbell chimes ringing faintly, as I ran around screaming like Nancy Kerrigan... I checked the window, which was fine, but the sheers my Mom had over the windows were full of holes, with powder-burned edges! Cleaned that off, but the holes remained..
Fast forward 7 yrs.- We are having dinner at my parents house, and Mom says, "I found some holes in my sheers- I think it was moths"... I lose it and confess all, and the table erupts in a knowing laughter... I wasn't a good kid, I just got away with about everything I pulled! Picture is not of that weapon, that's my double barrel 20 gauge mod and improved cylinder- great upland bird gun!

My 200th Post! A Mini- Meme....

When I started blogging, it was a way to comment on my sons' blog- the one that lives in Kansas City, MO. It quickly became a way to write down thoughts and events that someday in the future my friends and family might appreciate as an on-line diary. It then became a great source of entertainment and knowledge from people literally all over the world! It has taught me that we are all different- but not as much as I used to think.. I have referred to it as the 21st centurys' version of "pen pals"! I think if you all look backward on your blogs, you will see that you too have been documenting thoughts and events that people can read and appreciate after you are gone....
Todays' Mini-Meme:
1. Why and how did you start blogging?
2. How has it benefitted or affected your life?

Amish White Bread- For A 1st Try, Not Bad!

Saturday was snowy, and only left the house once. I had baked a pizza, my usual home-made crust, home-made sauce, sausage, pepperoni, mushroom cookie sheet sized pizza! The dough raised nicely, so encouraged by this I decided to bake a couple of loaves of bread! I would rather cook than bake- baking is fussier than cooking, and I don't do fussy well! Found a recipe for Amish white bread that sounded pretty good, so away we went. I'm getting the hang of Mega Mixer (Kitchen Aid, monster-sized!) and all went as planned. I had a rare patient day, where I wasn't rushing the dough as it rose. The recipe was good, as it came out about like it was supposed to! It's a dense, sweet, soft white bread with more substance than higher rising white bread you might get in a bakery. Pink- This one's for you!
A Pubic (strike that!)Public Announcement: Dutch Bitch is having a "Worship me" contest, and urge all single males out there to join in! Who knows what you might win.....

A Little Brightness In A Michigan Blizzard...

My wife (code name "Goob" or "Goobie"-actually Sharon!) won a door prize at one of the holidays' events we all have to go to. She comes home with a plant that resembled Audrey II in "Little Shop Of Horrors"- as a prize? My wife loves plants, but usually they don't love her back... I don't know who killed more, Jimmy Jones with Kool-Aid, or my wife with fertilizer and houseplants....
Anyway, Audrey II grew like it was on Blood, or Miracle-Grow! Next thing, It's blossoming into a really cool flower! To see a living thing doing so well in the wasteland we call "Michigan Winter" is amazing! It brightens a time where light is short, and the predominant colours are black, white, and gray...
In the the night, when all is quiet- you hear a voice you don't recognize.... Saying plaintively "Feeed me, feeed me! This thing is getting big, and I haven't seen the cat lately...

Work Goes On In Spite Of Worst Storm This Year...

I just returned from a Regional sales meeting, and I'm still shaking.. Got up today at 430AM to get ready for this meeting. The weather report said blizzard conditions, stay off the roads if possible. I quick checked my E-mails, hoping they had cancelled our meeting, which was being held 100 miles north of my house. Nope! We were car pooling, so I only had to drive about 10 miles to a commuter lot. My car doors were frozen shut, had to beat on one to get it open. The temp was 6F, winds about 30 mph-gusting higher! Drove to lot, missed driveway 2 twice- white out visibility.. The other 3 guys couldn't believe this either, but away we went! We never saw the high side of 45 mph., but we got there 3 hrs later-on time! Morning went as planned, but our President had to drive back after lunch- he's on the road 10 minutes, calls the meeting and tells everybody to go the hell home-safely... Trip back was icier than morning but at least it was light out! Days like this make me wonder why with our companys' technology we couldn't have done a teleconference, and sent a video around to show us the new facility...Driving 6 hours for a 4 hour meeting, Welcome to Michigan!

Sunday dinner- Simple Stuff!

As it is winter, snow everywhere- we wanted something roasted, so the kitchen would be toasty for hours! Stuffed roast capon- a favorite! About a 6 pounder, stuffed with a brown rice,celery,bacon,onion concoction worked like mad. Sliced mushrooms rendered in the juice always works. Blueberry muffins were on the side.. Wife delivering that one plate to my son at work, we eat soon!

No Grandkids, So A Post About Our Ugly Step Child..

I've posted before about our current Airedale, Clara- But came across a photo that probably only a mother could love. A product of ATRA (Airedale rescue) we were really impressed with her, even though she had a rap sheet as long as your arm. With a big bark, and an trim build even at 80lbs.(Big for Breed!) she is our smoke alarm and burglar alarm combined. Clara is now the biggest cookie with fangs you could ever meet- a sweetie who has to greet you when you get up, come home from work, or any other time you leave her for more than 15 minutes! A big dog underfoot all the time can cause you some annoyance- I've described her as like having someone throwing a saw horse in front of you-all day long! She's seven now, and this breed usually doesn't live as long as smaller dogs. Got a lady in the neighborhood that walks her TWO Airedales every day! I've met her- a humourless woman, who seems more on a mission than enjoying her dogs...No animal I know of has the bond with Humans like dogs.... But God, can they crap alot...

1St Chili Cook Off Of The Year...

We found out about a chili cook-off a couple of weeks ago, and decided a tune-up before the big season would be a good idea. It was held at a V.F.W. Post in our neighborhood, so we got in it. Our friends and major competition Dragon Spit was there, so we knew there would be another battle for a trophy! 14 teams- not a big cook-off, but nice people and a decent turn-out. The Buffalo Bros.(us!) made a heck of a batch that day, and liked our chances for winning. Team Dragon Spit had a new banner, a photo book of all their successes, and a good batch of chili to boot! 2nd place goes to- The Buffalo Bros.!! Take a wild guess who won... We have become the dominant teams in this areas' chili cook-offs, and yesterday I noticed the teams that didn't win more than the ones that did. They worked as hard as we did, and got no trophy. They had fun, people had a great time- but have you ever felt bad about winning? Live and learn... Oh, the trophy was really nice- until I dropped it... The picture is what frozen, leftover chili looks like when left in a trunk in Michigan when it hits zero.... :)
P.S. Yes, DoggieBloggy I used some of that chili powder from New Mexico you sent- hot stuff!

I Am Inventing The Mini-Meme!

I like memes- but some take more time than my two fingers typing is willing to spend! Here's your challenge:
1. Write something you like about yourself.
2. Write something you don't.
I will go first(dropping underwear, looking nervous and embarassed!)
1. I will never put myself before others' needs.
2. My Ethics are impeccable, my Morals need work.

Korean Style Beef Short Ribs...

I'll start by saying this- I love the flavor of these things! We were shopping for a few things at Sams'Club, and I can't go in there without hitting the meat department! They will carry some cuts of meat most places around here don't- like short ribs. The first time I had these in a Korean style was at a very good Korean restaurant( go figure!) The flavor was intense, the meat was fairly tender- and I knew I would definitely be fixing these at home!
Marinade- chopped green onions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, peanut oil, red pepper, honey, and five-spice. Left in marinade 24hrs, turned meat a few times.
The traditional cooking method would be to grill these over an intense charcoal fire, for a short period of time. I'm going to broil them instead- maybe 5 minutes a side. The brown rice, and sauteed mushrooms should go well with this! I may add a picture of the cooked product- if it looks good- and I remember to...
Two more pictures- one is the plate of food we deliver to my son (Craignutzz)nearly every Sunday while he has to work. Calls me and says "It's great to know what's going to be on the menu by reading your blog!". I don't if he'd have gotten it, after calling me a liar.... I didn't know he liked Kimchee, although I know he'll eat anything!
By the way, the ribs really were good- imagine kabob sized chunks of marinated beef, done about medium-rare, still sizzling- tender and full of flavor!

Global Warming In Michigan...

We went from neck-breaking ice slicks and a foot of snow to a really, ugly green-brown in about the span of 4 days.. I will take ugly green-brown any day you give it to me in Jan.!!! Butt-Ugly vs. Dangerous Roads.... Butt-Ugly wins! Jan.- Feb. in this State are long,cold, and gray.. It bums folks out, even equaling the mini-economic Depression going on in Michigan! Probably like Nordic or Canadian folk- we value friends, food, and warmth more than ever during these months! Big money is spent in December! Jan. and Feb.- not so much... Fight your winter blues, everyone! Hope all are well... Having posting problem with pictures- sorry!

Well, Here It Is! A Rare Sighting Of The Elusive Buffalo Dick And Mate..

I got a request from numerous people over my blog history to post a picture of myself. As I am not the most photogenic person on Earth, I resisted this! A request from DoggyBloggy, who holds a marker on me- made me decide to do this. Not much to see here folks, move along....

Snowniece Meme I Said I'd Do...

Four Jobs I've Had:
1. Gardener- I scraped pond scum for money. Local car lot had a back pond, that would clog up with algae. I would throw a rake tied to a line out as far as possible and get the stuff off the water. 90 degrees, humid, you get the picture..
2. Rest Home Office Help- Great job! Did my homework while telling people where their loved ones were located. Got to hit on girls working in nursing center and kitchen!
3. Draftsman- Drew and designed technical products.
4. Metals for Tooling Sales Rep- Most of my career, spent in selling and suppling tool steels, alloys, steel plate, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, etc. to Manufacturing..
Four Places I've Lived:
1-4 Grand Rapids, Michigan, 5 different places, all in North-end!
Four Vacations:
1. Vegas- With and without kids. More fun without!
2. Key West- Kids- but I didn't know about the gays. I was looking for Jimmy Buffet.
3. Disney World- Kids.
4. Wisconsin Brewery Tour- We went to every obscure brewery there was, and collected beers. Later, we drank them...
Four Favorite Foods:
1. Chili dogs! Chili, cheese, mustard...
2. Pizza- Home-made, by me!
3. Wall-eye. Fresh-caught, battered with Drakes, beer, and Lawerys- fried!
4. Soup. About any kind, done well...
Four Places I'd Rather Be:
1. Retired!
2. Anywhere, off season.
3. Home.
4. Visiting People I'd Like To Meet!

Story-Telling, Jokes, And How We Communicate...(My Twice A Year Rant)...

A New Year provokes feelings- Hope, Anticipation, Fear, Apprehension, Etc (fill in the blank!). Since I started blogging, I have been able to polish my skills as a writer- hopefully keeping up with the people that also blog!
People are losing the ability to tell a good story, a good joke- in short, reading has become an inconvenience to a majority of the people on Planet Earth! Movies supplant reading a book. Music has become a packaged commodity, instead of an Art. The computer has become the Artist- the graphics that talent used to supply is now a common technical skill. What are we losing as humans, when we stop using what makes us humans? Most movies, books, and other forms of entertainment are about Emotions. Love, Hate, Redemption, Greed, Compassion, again etc.... Can you feel the difference between a "success formula" and a real written story? Check the movie listings in your area- How many are remakes of old movies (or books)? How many are computer generated cartoons with someone famous doing the voice? The average is about 5 out of 10.. That's B.S. people- with all the creative talent I've come in contact with blogging, that's B.S. ... I am impressed by the one thing in common with the bloggers on this post- You are intelligent! You have wit, a command of the language, knowledge on subjects I'm unfamilar with, and personality! Do not presume to tell me we are the only people not getting paid to be interesting and smart! Demand more of your entertainment! Hanna Montana? Britney Spears? All the athletes arrested or charged with crimes that would send you to the slammer for 20yrs?
Do not support these dipsh*ts! Walk out of bad movies! Laugh at morons trying to be funny on TV without a writng staff! Seek out your local entertainment stars- they might have more to offer than the canned crap the networks sell you. Pant-pant-pant- I'm winding down now, but please- The message today is don't value these media-hyped "Stars" above real talent. Look closer, and you will find it in your own back yard...
After all that, I'd better tell a joke or two , to show what I'm bitching about!
What does a "lady of the evening" say after sex?
"Jeez buddy, what took so long?"
What does a nympho say after sex?
"Are you done already?"
What does a wife say during sex?
"Beige... I think I'll paint the ceiling beige..."
Two rich trophy wives are talking at the Country Club....
"My dear! Have you met the new cosmetic surgeon that has moved into the neighborhood?" "Yes, why?" The one says " I was thinking of letting him do breast augmentation on me"... The other rich wife, not to be outdone says " Well I was thinking of having my a*shole bleached"... The first rich chick says " How do you think your husband will look as a Blonde?"
Thanks to all you put up with my rant!

New Years' Eve.. Heading Out Soon...

We are heading out soon for our New Years' Eve celebration. The appetizers are a statement to my New Years' resolution- don't overkill everything! I only made three- stuffed cherry tomatoes, deviled eggs, and ham n cheese tortilla roll-ups. It's become a bit calmer affair, as I have retired from my former position as The Cruise Director of The Planet Earth.... I drank it all, I ate it all, I danced with all, and now possess ALL the tee-shirts! The greatest term I ever heard when passing the torch to the younger next crazyman- "I'll hold the baby, you give it a go..." To all my friends, old or young- Happy New Year! Do this New Year like you mean it!!!!

Cool Food, And Neat Pictures Of Local Stuff...

It's Friday- and today has been a long "Try to look busy" Day".. My eldest son in from Kansas City, MO went down to an old church for a photog session- Check out these pictures and tell me they ain't the bomb! The Rock Cornish Game Hens were as tasty as they looked! Soaked in a marinade of sesame oil, peanut oil, ginger, honey, hot sauce, garlic, onion, soy sauce, and 5-spice- they basted and roasted to perfection! The rice was infused with soy sauce, with added fried egg, celery, onion, carrot, and spices! This wasn't the worst I've done cooking! Hope you are all doing well with your Holiday food! All the photos are by my eldest son- that's why they look better than normal...

Christmas Food And Stuff...

What a neat Christmas couple of days! 1. The muffins were raspberry(real!).2. The peppers, chili powder, and Mexican oregano were a great present from Doggy Bloggie, from his recent trip to New Mexico! No one holds a "marker" on me- he'll be getting something in return, when I can think of something appropriate! 3. Danish meatballs for Christmas Eve. The dill makes 'em Danish instead of Swedish... 4. That is a Key Lime Cheesecake, with strawberry glaze, topped with fresh Kiwi fruit. It came out so good-looking, I must state here and now- I'm not gay.... 5. Stollen Bread. Imagine fruitcake with less sweetness, and yeast for rising. Rich, especially when you spread it with the honey-walnut cream cheese! The prime rib roast came out perfect- forgot to take a picture, though.. Got a waffle maker, stainless steel bowls and other neat stuff from the family. A good time is being had here, by all accounts! Hope your days were good as mine were...

To All That Visit This Blog- A Heartfelt Merry Christmas...

If it's good, make it better.. If it's bad, make it good... You have an incredible power in your hands- To enjoy your Life! Think it, then use it... May all your Christmas dreams come true tonight!

The Holiday Season Has Commenced! Shopping, Famous people, Cooking...

Friday, I had a stupid busy day- pretty much like everyone reading this! It started with our semi-annual sales meeting and performance review- the day before we all go forth into 4 days no work and Holiday fun! What weenie decided this was a good time for employee reviews? All went well actually, and then I was off to return home to cook 10lbs of Kielbasa sausage for one of my customers' Holiday lunch party! Simmered in wheat beer and hauled to the customer in my Nesco roaster, it was a big hit. On the way out there, I discovered I had forgotten the horseradish sauce, so a side bar into the deli to grab some. Guy says "Weren't you just here? Why didn't you pick it up then?" I said something filled with holiday cheer like "Get bent" and was on my way... I then went onto the busiest street in Western Michigan (28th St., for reference!),went into a restaurant to pick up a gift certificate for a retirement party at another customer! Dropped that off, with proper best wishes to a guy I had never met before, and headed for a little shopping. Little is right! Home to grab the wife and head for our club- to sit and talk with old friends in a party-like atmosphere.
This morning, I had to pickup the last few items for the upcoming feasts. Scored a really beautiful standing rib at Meijers, and was walking out the door of the store, when an old guy in a sport coat, loud Christmas tie, hanging on to a wheeled walker says "Good Morning!" I say hi and keep moving, when suddenly it registers-That's Fred Meijer! I go back and chat with him a bit, saying who I am and letting him know I graduated high school with his son, Hank. This Man Is A Billionare. For Real. I got to shake hands and wish hima Merry Christmas! No security, no bodyguards-welcome to Midsized City, USA! Got home, started that Key Lime Cheesecake, and what I hope turns out to be Stollen bread (a rich, dried/candied fruit yeast bread, made around Christmas). While everything was rising or cooking, I made those Nachos El Grande for our lunch! By the time that bread is done- I will be too!

Once, When I Was A Younger Man- The Christmas Lights Story..

As I alluded to in an earlier post, electricity and I are not on the best of terms. A number of years (and electrical shocks!) ago, I was a proud, young homeowner. I cared about the appearance of my yard, and the exterior of my house- more than I do today! That meant after Thanksgiving, I would begin to plot what I could add to my growing collection of outdoor Christmas decorations and lights, making my house stand out like a beacon for Santa flying over at 20,000 ft... I had decorated the Living Christmas Tree(still quite small back then), done all the bushes along the walkway leading up to the front door and in front of my house in small,white twinkle lights. I had the garage door frame, service door, and front door outlined by the old fashioned, multi-colored juice suckers that screwed into sockets. I had a 3ft. lit "Merry Christmas" sign hung on the front of the house that went from the front door to the windows that could blink or just glow, depending how you set it. I needed more! If I was going to have more illuminations of holiday cheer than anyone else on our street, I needed more... Got it! I will outline the bottom edge of the garage and house roof with more of the big bulb lights! This was before I had the house vinyl sided, aluminum trimmed, and all outside doors and windows replaced(That's another post in itself, believe me!). I got the bright idea to STAPLE the light cords up-to the bottom of the board below the rain gutters! This was going really well, light cord was fitting through the staples' opening perfectly, not stapling through the electrical cords, making good progress quickly. Until I got to the side of the house... I have a "walkout" ranch style house, and the hill on the side slopes downward sharply, making a secure ladder difficult-no level ground! Dug holes, blocked wood, as the ladder extension kept having to be lengthened. This is probably a good time to confide in you guys- I don't like heights so hot... I am at the last bit of light cord, and at the highest point from Terra Firma on a not-so-stable ladder, when it occurs to me I'll have to run an extension cord UP to the lights. My wife at this time has come out and is watching me climb back up the ladder and plug in the lights. Viola! Everything comes on, just like in the script! However, the wind was blowing the hanging cord around, and I thought "In a real winter storm, this won't work for long".... I grabbed my trusty staple gun and was going to give the cord (now plugged in, remember!) one last staple to secure it... To my wifes' credit, she yells up to me "Do you want me to unplug the extension cord first?" What an insult! 40 staples and not one through the light cord- have you no faith, woman?!! The ensuing shock that coursed through my body as my metal staple met live current was to say the least, unpleasant... I would have fallen off the top of the ladder, if I only could have let go of it! Aluminum ladders apparently conduct electricity quite well also. I'm yelling down to her "Tuuurrrnnn offfff the powwwwer!!!!!" as I vibrate quite convincingly. She is looking at me with the look I have come to know well after many years of marriage- The "He's-screwing-around-trying-to-be-funny again" look... "Noooooreallly turrrn ittt offfff!!! I don't know if I was smoking yet, but something told her " The as*hole's not kidding this time".. She unplugs the cord, releasing me to involunarily throw my staple gun halfway across the yard, and ooze down the ladder to a sitting position. "Are you okay?" "Oh yeah, great, how about you?" She then says "I asked you if..." Twenty seconds after near death, and she's getting in the first of many "I- told-you-so's"....
The picture is of what I do nowdays for decorations. Sign goes on two nails, plugged in- 5 minutes tops! I've got boxes of old lights you can have for your next garage sale!

The 8 Things Meme....

Akelamalu posted this one, and I said I'd do it, so here goes...
8 Things I'd Like To Do/See Before I Die:
1. Cuba- I believe Americans will vacation there freely some day!
2. The Pyramids (Eygpt). To see, or touch history is always on my list.
3. The Smithsonian, as an adult. I saw it when I was about 9, and I will see it again!
4. Australia. Mainly to see my wife happy, because she has always wanted to go there!
5. A live condor, preferably in flight. Who wouldn't?
6. Whales. Michigan- much water, all fresh, no Whales...
7. Italy. Mainly for the Roman artifacts and ruins.
8. Hell, froze over. Or the Detroit Lions in a Super Bowl- which ever comes first!
8 Things I Say Often:
1. Crap! (like you don't?)
2. Jeez-o Petes!
3. Criminy!
4. Pardon me? Sounds better than "Huh?" (similar to the noise you get from a pig when you kick it).
5. Adequate. Cracks people up when they ask "How are you?" and I say "adequate"...
6. There you are, Peter.... I say that when I find something I've been looking for that was lost or misplaced. Got it from the Peter Pan movie with Robin Williams in it. The little kid stretches the adult Pans' skin on his face until the wrinkles are gone, and then says "There you are, Peter" like he found him...
7. "I don't know"... I start way too many sentences this way!
8. Driving words. You know, dumass, moron, numb nuts, etc. Too numerous to list here!
8 books I've Read Recently:
1-8. I own about 260 cookbooks- let's just let it go at that...
8 Songs I could Listen To Anytime:
1. Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffet (I'm an old Parrot-head from way back!). 4-5 concerts, at least!
2. Life During Wartime- Talking Heads, David Byrne. Song given credit for starting the decline of Disco! Saw him in concert once, and he still grows musically...alot of world beat nowdays...
3. Girls Just Want To Have Fun- Cyndi Lauper. We heard her once as an opening act for Cher (Wifes Birthday, or I'd never had gone!) and she was so incredibly good, Cher didn't come out until everyone stopped screaming (40 minutes!).
4. Standing Still- Jewel. Interesting person, pleasant song to listen to...
5. Shape Of A Heart- Jackson Browne. We went to a concert a long time ago, and I gave my wife a necklace with a small ruby in it- in the shape of a heart....
6. The Captain And The Kid- Jimmy Buffet. He loved his grandfather, who imparted to him a love of the sea.
7. America The Beautiful. Easier to sing than The Star Spangled Banner....
8. At least 200 more, probably a low estimate!
8 Things I like about my friends:
1. Loyalty.
2. Shared memories.
3. The "comfort zone" they give me. You don't have to watch what you say closely..
4. Common interests.
5. Their affection.
6. Their help.
7. They understand my humor!
8. They're getting older at the same speed I am!

Anyone out there wants to do this- go for it! Warning- It took longer than I thought it would!

Work After Work - Smoking Salmon !

Around the holidays, I tend to make a few treats that have become almost traditions around here. Smoked salmon is a versatile treat that can be used in a number of appetizers for the upcoming parties! Yesterday, my vaccuum packed salmon filets were thawed enough to go into the brine/marinate for a 24hr. soak. The marinate consisted of water, brown sugar, sea salt, soy sauce, orange juice, garlic, black pepper, and honey. This flavors the salmon as well as aids in its' preservation. Drained and patted dry, I then place it on an oiled grill grid, skin side down. The smoker is a multi-tasking unit that can use charcoal or propane as a heat source. Propane tonight! It's about 25 degrees outside, and the steady, dependable heat of propane won't worry me as much as charcoal would tonight. The wood I'm using is apple wood chips, held in a pan above the burner, below the water bowl. Water bowl? That holds water(duh!) to keep it a little moist in the smoker during smoking the fish. The grill with the fish on it goes over the water bowl, and is covered by the domed top that makes the smoker a closed unit. There is a temp gauge and a vent on the top to help regulate the heat. 180 degrees F is about right for hot smoking... We're locked and loaded so now I just have to check it every 45 minutes or so, to make sure everything is progressing nicely! The smoking should take about 5-6 hours, so I'll be putzing around here tonight while it gets done!
Some of the ways I use the smoked salmon- 1. Chopped into pieces that can be eaten cold. 2. Mixed with cream cheese and flavorings to make a spread for crackers. 3. Chunks of it warm on toothpicks, served with hot dipping sauces. I'll be posting pictures (I hope!) when it's done- and that will be in about 4-1/2 more hours...

A Homely Bowl Of Soup- Beef Barley!

After a week end of cooking, baking, and let's face it, eating more than Monday thru Friday- a simple meal sounds good. Saturday I made chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips in them. Very rich and chocolatly- perfect with coffee or a big glass of milk! Sunday, I made Potatoes AuGratin (scratch!), and grilled marinated pinwheel steaks over charcoal outside (24 degrees F!). I had an extra leftover steak, and had some barley in the pantry- why not make some beef barley soup? I enjoy this simple soup alot, and it never seems to be offered in the restaurants around here. A couple of cans of beef broth, can of water, left over steak chopped into small pieces, chopped onion, celery, carrots, pearled barley, and Mrs. Dash Original- into the pot. Slow cooker, that is! Let it go on medium for a few hours, until veggies weren't crunchy, cooled and refridged it for Mondays' supper! I reheated when I got home tonight, and enjoyed a warming soup after a chilly Michigan day. By the picture you can see what I mean- It's a homely looking soup, isn't it?

What I know about "Living" Christmas Trees...

As some of you may recall from my Thanksgiving post, I had my appendix taken out a little before Turkey Day that year. Our two boys were young, and the Christmas holidays were a series of events that were pretty family focused. My wife had been yakking with girlfriends about the latest trends in Christmas trees- The Living Christmas Tree. The benefits were touted as; 1. No tree would die for a tradition. 2. It would smell like the great outdoors without scented aerosol sprays, with their propellants harming the ozone layer. 3. You could plant it when you were done, returning the blessed oxygen producer to the land- saving Earth in your very own back yard! Yeah, right.... So the guy whose stitches were out, but still had a fair bit of healing of stomach muscles to do yet- is sent to fetch the Tree That Saved Christmas. I get to the nursery and inquire if they have this miracle of holiday marketing and where they were kept. A teenager the size of a Hi-Lo says "Follow me" and we end up at a couple of rows of really small trees attached to really big clumps of dirt(wrapped in burlap). From the high prices, I knew they had been reading the same articles as my wife had seen... I picked one out, and Human Hi-Lo grabs it and carries it to my car, putting it in my rather deep trunk for transport home. All the way home, I'm working my engineer-like brain as to how I'm gonna get this d*mn thing out of the trunk and into the house without ripping my appendix scar open! I get home, snow is everywhere, and I give the tree a heave-ho that just jiggles it, with no upward motion. I swear when I looked at it, it said "I'm heavier than that, you cripple-Buahahahah!". Taking a page from history (Egyptians engineering Pyramids) I levered it to the edge of the trunk, then flipped it onto one of the kids' plastic snow sliders. I dragged the beast into the house on this snow saucer right into the living room, informed my wife to leave it on there, cover it with some Christmas looking cloth, and start decorating- I was DONE. All OK, followed instructions for care until spring planting. I threw it out by our dryer vent, and waited 'til spring to plant.
Spring came. Snow melted, leaving our backyard full of the winters' supply
of uncollected Airedale poop. I had dug a big hole in the front yard to plant the tree, and figured I could kill two turds with one stone- so I threw at least 40lbs of recycled Iams dog food in the hole, and threw the tree on top of it. On quiet nights, I swear you could hear that tree screaming as it grew.... The picture is of that very tree, 20yrs later. I used to cover it with white Christmas lights, until it got too big. There is still a strand of them up there somewhere I couldn't get down.... All kidding aside, today it is one really beautiful Blue Spruce!

End Of The Year Coming, Time For Annual Salad!

It was a long, cold day to work today! A customer lunch was a pleasant interlude, at good Italian restaurant. I had Veal Parmesean- a huge portion that completly disappeared during the meal. A meeting and tour of our plant for one of my largest customers was the last thing on todays' work agenda. All went well, but it was a higher than average stress day- which I'm feeling about now! My wife has to go to some girly dinner tonight, and I'm still full from lunch, so I'll post about a light meal we enjoyed earlier this week. As the headline implies, I don't dive into a salad with the gusto I demonstrate when attacking lasagna. I've found the secret of a good salad- make it look and taste like something that isn't good for you! The picture is what I think a salad should look like- My Chef Salad! Imagine that bad boy slathered in Chunky bleu cheese dressing (that I add real Maytag Blue cheese, crumbled until it's so thick you can walk across it!)covered with all those ingredients until you can't find the da*n lettuce..... Got my annual salad out of the way until next year! Dang! That's only 27 days more....

We Exist To Serve.....

Now why is that man posting a picture of a little zip-lock container with left-over chili in it? Simple! That was all that was left of the 6-1/2 gallon batch I brought to a customer for lunch Friday! This was the biggest batch of my competition-style chili I've ever made. A few facts to know and yell:
1. Shopping and unloading all ingredients- 1-1/2 hrs.
2. Chopping & dicing veggies and meat, browning meat, opening cans, etc.- 2-1/2 hrs.
3. Cooking chili (seasoning, simmering, stirring) in two separate pots- 3hrs.
4. Moving chili to 18 quart roaster& big crock pot, storing& cooling overnight-1hr.
5. Batch size- 6-1/2 gallons (or 26 quarts/52 pints/52 lbs./832 oz./24.6 litres).
6. Delivering, feeding,& clean-up- 3-1/2hrs.
7. Cost of batch ingredients- $96.00 (paid by my company as customer entertainment).
8. People fed- about 40 (shop folks work hard and can really eat!)
My wife and I did all the shopping and cooking, I did the lugging, set up, reheat and entertainment. When I got back home, she helped again on the cleanup of the cooking utensils & kitchen. Alone, I would have been up all night! The people really appreciated it, and it was fun to cook chili with no competition around! It's also fun to have people come up and say (with look on face like they just found the Messiah) "That's the best chili I've ever had!" I tell them to go to the chili cook-offs I'm in, and sign up to be a judge-PLEASE!
Chili Wisdom To Take With You Today:
"Chili should be like a big rollercoaster- it should scare you a little, but not kill you... And- "Chili is like sex- When it's good, it's incredible! And when it's bad, well, it's not THAT bad.....