"Somebody" did it again - left time on microwave at work. Yes, it's a micro-peeve, but it's really annoying!

This mobile Blogger thing is kinda cool...

Menus 10/26/09 - 11/1/09

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

10/26 Mon: Spaghetti - Crockpot sauce & Barilla whole wheat noodles, garlic toast made with homemade French bread (from the freezer), salad.

10/27 Tues: Breakfast for dinner! Kris Kringle Pancakes, eggs (Mr. Mamie's job), bacon and/or sausage.

10/28 Wed: Soup night! Taco Soup (made in the Crock Pot), Green Chile Cornbread.

10/29 Thurs: Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings, Sandy's Famous Green Beans, salad


10/30 Fri: Mixed grill - hamburgers (frozen Costco patties), hot dogs (only Hebrew National will do!), turkey burgers (frozen CostCo patties), hot links (our local Costco sells one we LOVE) - whatever people want to throw on the grill that's NO PREP, 'cause mom's got a doctor appointment and I have a hair appointment this day.

10/31 Sat: Mr. Mamie and I will be enjoying a Halloween date-night, which includes dinner out!

11/1 Sun: Yankee Pot Roast & Vegetables (made in the Crock Pot), homemade oatmeal dinner rolls (from the freezer), salad

Straw Hat

Mr. Mamie wanted to be in charge of dinner one night this week, and he wanted to make "Straw Hat," a dish he ate frequently at a friend's house growing up. And so on Saturday night we had Straw Hat! (Consumed, by the way, while we watched the TiVo-d first episode of the new USA Network show "White Collar" - which we're now hooked on.)

Straw Hat is very simple: Start with a plate. Spread Fritos liberally around your plate. Add cooked/seasoned taco meat, and any other taco fixings you enjoy. Sprinkle a few more Fritos on top. DONE!

Mamie's Straw Hat consisted of Fritos, taco meat, La Victoria HOT salsa, cheddar/jack shredded cheese blend, shredded lettuce, and green onions.

Mr. Mamie had Fritos, taco meat, La Victoria Medium Red Taco Sauce, cheddar/jack shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives.

I can't really give a commentary on GrandmaT's Straw Hat, other than to say that she had hers on Costco organic corn tortilla chips and used El Zarape salsa from our hometown (which I brought back this summer).

Straw Hat = easy, yummy, and happily nostalgic for the Mister. That's a hit!

Chicken Cacciatore

Here's the recipe for Chicken Cacciatore that we had on Friday. I got this from GolfDad, but don't have an original source (he made it up, for all I know).  I've also modified it - he doesn't cook with garlic (gasp!), which is essential for me.  I have made this before in the CrockPot, which also works well.

Chicken Cacciatore

 Ingredients:

• 1 - 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-side pieces
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 small/medium bell pepper (red or green), diced
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced (yes, I buy the big jar of pre-minced garlic at Costco AND I LOVE IT)
  
• 1/2 cup red wine (if you don't have wine, use chicken broth)
• 29 ounce can (or 2 x 14.5 ounce cans) Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 Tbl. olive oil (approximately)
  
• salt - to taste
• ground pepper - to taste
• Italian seasoning - to taste 
• 6 - 12 ounces (dry) pasta - linguine or fettuccine works well (I almost always use Barilla whole wheat or "Plus" pastas)
  

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet (I use my wok, as I do for most things)
2. Cook chicken until juice run clear (but don't over-cook and dry it out); season to your preference with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
3. After chicken is cooked, remove to a plate or bowl and cover.
4. If necessary, add a small amount of olive oil to the pan. Begin to saute the onion and bell pepper.
5. Once the onion and bell pepper are cooking, add the garlic. Cook until onion and pepper are softened.
6. Add stewed tomatoes and wine/broth to the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer.
7. Add chicken back to the pan; continue simmering for 10 - 20 minutes.
8. Serve over hot, cooked pasta.

Edited to add: My clever friend Diana points out that this recipe can be easily converted to vegetarian by using Morningstar chicken strips and vegetable broth.  Thanks for the idea!

Sorry, forgot to take a picture!

Name Change

(This shadowy shot is the only picture I have that isn't a full-face. Got to maintain some faint degree of anonymity.)

I think DarlingMan and I just decided that we are going to change his name to Mr. Mamie here (a la Mr. Chili, Mr. Mimi, the-future-Mr. Brave, Mr. Lipstick, and other blogger spouses).

So, done. He's now Mr. Mamie.

Meme for Saturday

Got this from TenseTeacher - she always has good Saturday memes.
 

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Cold, delicious dietCoke.

2. Where was your profile picture taken?
It's an avatar from www.doppelme.com

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?
I’ve never tried, and am sure I would be a colossal failure.

4. Name someone who made you laugh today. What was it about?
Niece, taking pictures with her mom's digital camera of her coloring book creation.

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
HA! We went to be at 8:40, after a bonanza of watching 4 DVD episodes of "The Closer." Things are VERY exciting at our house on Friday nights!

6. If you could move somewhere else where would you and why?
To a mountain cabin (with full amenities) on a big piece of land, with a lake. And dogs. And horses. And ATVs. Why? Because it would be awesome!

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
Think so.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
DarlingMan, of course. In the same house.  Other than him, Mr. and Mrs. Igor live less than a mile away - it's nice to be friends with your family!

9. Do you believe exes can be friends? With benefits?
Sometimes, and the second part seems like a path to trouble.

10. Do you like Dr. Pepper?
Only if it’s diet!


11. When was the last time you cried really hard? Really hard as opposed to just sniveling?
Not sure.

12. Who took your profile picture?
The magic elves on the doppelme website.


13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
The 5th grade Tigers football team, and Niece.

14. Was yesterday better than today? Why?
Not particularly. Today is Saturday, after all!

15. Can you live a day without TV?
If necessary.

16. Are you upset about anything now?
Yes, my mama being sick.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Absolutely!

18. Are you a bad influence?
DarlingMan watches too much TV 'cause of me. 

19. Night out or night in?
In!

20. What items could you not go without during the day?
BlackBerry. Sad, huh?

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
Um, I've practically been living at the hospital for the last almost three months with my mom (aka Wombat)!

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
Already deleted them. There are currently two Facebook comments, one from one of the other football coaches saying "I like 'em all, but I'm partial to the dude with the hair."  Nevermind, you had to be there!

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
Overall, good, except for the whole my-mom-is-sick thing.

24. Do you hate anyone?
Too negative. Better things to do with my energy. But there ARE people I am highly annoyed with!

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find?
Old messages and a zillion ignored invitations.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Hell, yes!

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Not to my knowledge. Oh, DarlingMan is saying I should answer YES. Wonder if HE would pass #26??? J/K!

28. What song is stuck in your head?
"Ghostbusters" - it's the current ringtone on my phone.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2 a.m., whom do you want it to be?
The guy who brings the big Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes checks.

30. Do you (or did you) want to have grandkids before you’re 50?
I would be a grandaunt, and NO I do NOT want either Niece or Nephew to become a parent in 10 years (they would be 21 and 16, respectively)!

31. Tell us your Saturday night.
Hanging at home, cooking, geeking, watching DVDs or TiVo stuff - it's a slammin' party, eh?

32. Do you think too much or too little?
ALWAYS too much!

33. Do you smile a lot?
Not enough, I've been told.

Marvelous Marble Cake

(The lovely picture is from the blog where the recipe was originally published - click below on "Marble Cake.")

I made a yummy Marble Cake to go with our Greek Pork Chops and Brown Rice dinner last night.

DarlingMan's mom was in town for a dental appointment, so she joined us.  We all like the flavor of the Greek Pork Chops, though the dish was a bit wet - I think becasue I cooked regular brown rice to add in to the pork chop pan, instead of using Minute Rice, which is what the recipe called for (that stuff is ICK).  The regular brown rice didn't absorb as much liquid as the uncooked Minute Rice would have. Nonetheless, the dinner was enjoyed by all, and it wasn't too spicy for GrandmaT (always a concern).

MicroPeeve

Yes, it's a small peeve - micro-sized, really. BUT - I find it really annoying when people don't "clear" their left-over time on the communal microwave at work.  Not doing so adds another step to the process for the person who comes along behind. NOBODY has any extra time at lunch (we're educators, ya know) and it bugs when you realize that the microwave isn't working becasue some dope left 7 seconds on the cook time.

So, there! Ppppppptttttttttfffff!

Image credit

Testing the new "Blogger on the Go" from my BlackBerry.

Meme for Monday

Got this, as usual, from Mrs. Chili.

1. Is there anybody you just wish would fall off the planet? Yeah, kinda. It's not very nice, I know.

2. How do you flush the toilet in public? Carefully. Often with my foot, if possible.

3. Do you wear your seat belt in the car? Absolutely!

4. Do you have a crush on someone? DarlingMan, of course. Also, Hawkeye Pierce.

5. Name one thing you worry about running out of. Milk (like most people).

6. What famous person do you (or other people) think you resemble? Oh, totally nobody!

7. What is your favourite pizza topping? Pepperoni, green onions, bell pepper, crushed red pepper.

8. Do you crack your knuckles? Yes, to the annoyance of everyone around me.

9. What song do you hate the most? The beauty of the iPod is that you get to listen to only what you like!

10. Did just mentioning that song make it get stuck in your head? Nope. No song mentioned, therefore, head is clear.

11. What are your super powers? Loyalty, bread-making, writing.

12. Peppermint or spearmint? Spearmint all the way.

13. Where are your car keys? Behind me, on the window ledge of mom's hospital room.

14. Last song you listened to? Something on the 60s channel on Sirius while driving here.

15. What’s your most annoying habit? Procrastination.

16. Where did you last go on vacation? Grammie's, over 4th of July.

17. What is your best physical feature? Eyes I suppose.

18. What CD is closest to you right now? None. But I have two iPods with me full of music and books and such.

19. What 3 things can always be found in your refrigerator? Milk, cheese, eggs.

20. What superstition do you believe/practice? None consciously.

21. What colour are your bed sheets? This week - cream with a print of lavender, green, and rust Aspen leaves.

22. Would you rather be a fish or a bird? Penguin! Best of both worlds.

23. Last thing you broke? Duuno. But I can tell you that DarlingMan broke a lamp and a computer monitor.

24. What are you having to eat tonight? Porcupine meatballs and green bean casserole.

25. What colour shirt are you wearing? Black, as usual.

26. If you could be doing anything else today, what would you rather be doing? Anything other than watching my mom be miserable in the hospital!

27. Do security cameras make you nervous? Not especially.

28. If you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be? When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro (boosted from Hunter S. Thompson).

29. Last time you went to a cemetery? July, went with Grammie, Igor, Niece, and Nephew to visit Granddad's spot.

30. Last concert you went to? Uhhhhh, it's been a looooooooong time - since I moved to this state. But I've been to musical theater - does that count? Last saw "Man of La Mancha."

31. Favourite musician(s)/bands you’ve seen in concert? MANY! Went to Lilith Fair three years straight; loved everyone in it. Also, Sting, INXS, Fleetwood Mac, Depeche Mode, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Osborn, and many more.

32. Next concert you’re planning to attend? No plans at the moment.

33. Do you talk to yourself? I talk to the dogs in lieu of to myself.

34. Have you ever adopted or purchased a pet? Adopted - several (Allie, Henry,and Zeb the cats; Molly and Scout the dogs); purchased - a pair of white rats in college and various fish over the years. The last was a red betta named Rupert.

35. Have you ever been present when an animal is being born? Not that I recall - I'm always just a little late.

Menus 10/11/09 - 10/25/09

I haven't stopped menu planning, just haven't had free time to write about it. However, menus and recipes have been requested, so here ya go:

10/11 Sun: London Broil (on the grill), baked potatoes, salad, homemade French bread (have several loaves in the freezer from making a big match a couple of weeks ago)
10/12 Mon: Szechuan Beef (using un-cooked portion of London Broil, sliced thin), Sesame Noodles
10/13 Tues: Ate out with DarlingMan's mom at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, which just opened here
10/14 Wed: C.O.R.N (clean out refrigerator night)
10/15 Thurs: Creamy chicken and spinach pasta (we used Barilla whole wheat penne)
10/16 Fri: Zippy Dogs and chips (a half-size recipe of Zippy Dogs was plenty for the three of use for both dinner and lunch-leftovers the next day)
10/17 Sat: Navajo Tacos - DarlingMan is GREAT at making the fry bread!
10/18 Sun: Cheddar Chicken and Potatoes, salad, homemade French bread
10/19 Mon: Porcupine Meatballs, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, salad
10/20 Tues: Creamy Oven Chicken with Swiss Cheese, stuffing (as in, Stove Top brand), salad
10/21 Wed: Crockpot Loaded Baked Potato Soup, salad
10/22 Thurs: Greek-style Pork Chops with Brown Rice, salad, homemade Oatmeal Rolls (got lots of these in the freezer from a bake-fest a while back)
10/23 Fri: Chicken Cacciatore with whole-wheat linguine, salad, Italian Cheese Bread (the Chicken Cacciatore recipe is one I got from GolfDad; I'll post it later)
10/24 Sat: Straw Hat - taco filling & fixings served over Fritos (special request from DarlingMan)
10/15 Sun: Souvlaki (made and grilled by DarlingMan) served with tzatziki in/on homemade flatbread

Big Ol' Lists Meme

I got this from Mrs. Chili, and posted it last week on Facebook. But here it is again, in case you somehow missed out (like, it's sooooooo thrilling!).

1. What is the color of your toothbrush?
Purple, of course!
2. Name one person who made you smile today.
Terry, of course! And the doggies. And Kathy P.
3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Driving down St. George Blvd. on the way to work.
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
Emailing my program participants about their goal sheets; IMing with Trent about today’s agenda.
5. What is your favorite candy bar?
Depends… Snickers, if they are frozen; Reese’s cups are perennially popular; Skor or Heath bars have a place in my heart.
6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Um, no.
7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
“I have a bunch of file folders you can use… they’re the boring color; I put all my stuff in the purple ones.”
8. What is your favorite ice cream?
Any flavor that we make ourselves! Coffee/cocoa/chocolate chip has been the top flavor recently.
9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
DietCoke, of course!
10. Do you like your wallet?
Yes, I have several, and switch between them according to season.
11. What was the last thing you ate?
A miniature Snickers out of the Raiders candy jar on my desk.
12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Nope. Last clothing we bought was a new black coat for Terry about three weeks ago.
13. The last sporting event you watched?
Football, of course!
14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
Mmmmm, butter and salt! No funny stuff
15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to?
I think Trent. Maybe Teresa. Already deleted the last pile of messages so can’t check.
16. Ever go camping?
Yep, lots as a child, though not too recently.
17. Do you take vitamins daily?
No, but I take fish oil and niacin along with my prescriptions.
18. Do you go to church every Sunday?
Church of the NFL, Baby!
19. Do you have a tan?
Kinda. I don’t seek it, but it builds over the summer here.
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
No. Pizza rules, especially my homemade pizza! Zachary’s in Oakland/Berkeley is a close second. I don’t like most Chinese restaurants, though I make good Kung Pao chicken, curry chicken, cashew chicken, and Szechuan beef at home.
21. Do you drink your soda with a straw?
From fast food and convenience stores, yes. At home, not usually.
22. What did your last text message say?
Can’t remember, already deleted. Oh! It was to Trent and said “Terry got the Google Wave invite – thanks!” See, I’m not totally memory-challenged.
23. What are you doing tomorrow?
Work, schmerk.
24. Favorite color?
Purple, of course!
25. Look to your left; what do you see?
Giant printer/scanner, my Franklin planner, three participants’ goal sheets, and MacWorld magazine, a purple file folder with Utah State University endorsement program info in it, a black Sharpie, a huge pile of student Media Acknowledgement forms to be scanned, my business-card holder, a tiny bend-able Pink Panther figurine.
26. What color is your watch?
Titanium.
27. What do you think of when you hear “Australia”?
That I would like to visit… and “The Thorn Birds!”
28. Would you strip for money?
Um, no.
29.Do you go in a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Depends on the place, time, mood, etc.
30. What is your favorite number?
The one on my paycheck! (Though it could be bigger.)
31. Who’s the last person you talked to on the phone?
Human resources secretary.
32. Any plans today?
Work, visit mom at lunch time, work, make Szechuan beef and sesame noodles for dinner, help Terry with job stuff, do mom’s blog, read, sleep.
33. In how many states have you lived?
3
34. Biggest annoyance right now?
Never feeling like I have enough time!
35. Last song listened to?
Dunno. Was listening to NPR in car on the way to work.
36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
Yes. In two languages.
37. Do you have a maid service clean your house?
Oh, HELL YES!!!
38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
A couple of pairs of Nikes, my black “Simple” slides, my purple Crocs, my red Old Navy slippers, my black Nine West boots.
39. Are you jealous of anyone?
Not specifically.
40. Is anyone jealous of you?
Highly unlikely.
41. Do you love anyone?
Most definitely. Many people!
42. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes, many. And some don’t. It takes all kinds!
43. What do you usually do during the day?
Live on the Interwebz.
44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
I try not to hate. There are people who disappoint me, anger me, hurt me… but these are temporary.
45. Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily?
No. My cell phone is also used professionally, so if I don’t recognize the caller I answer with my name.
46. What color is your car?
Raiders Silver!
47. What size wedding ring do you wear?
Fat fingers – I think a 9 or so.
48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
Yep. Terry, Mom, program participants, and friend with some challenges in her life, and others.
49. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Yes, Magic Mountain in Valencia, CA (north of Los Angeles).
50. How did you get your worst scar?
No scars! Weird, huh?

Okay, break’s over. Back to work! ☺