Confessions of a One-Track Mind

Had a pleasant (albeit WET) weekend. Friday night, LOST with J, first three eps, Okay, I'm hooked. It's well written enough that I'm not sitting there yawning, wondering if it's almost over, it's more like, Huh? Over already?!

It rained fish Saturday noon. Mb and I were a little late getting going because we waiting for it to let up, then had a fine time. She wanted to visit Ruby Tuesday, which I was good with; I like RT. I tried their meatloaf for the first time. Verdict: The BBQ sauce they serve it with is strong and *much* too sweet. Next time, get it on the side. There *will* be a next time---the meatloaf itself was very tasty.

They comped us a piece of the Italian creme cake, which was absolutly divine. OMG, nomnomnom! Refrained from ordering a slice of my own, because I'm trying to rein in my intake, but oh, tempting! So was the waiter....

Made it to TJ Maxx to return things, including the hat...I've got lots of hats, I didn't NEED that one. Did get a pair of pillowcases for $7.99...two of the ones my new pillows were encased in have split. They're old, so I'm not surprised, but the new ones, 400-thread count, should be good for a long time to come.

Mb dropped me off at J's for more LOST. We all shot the breeze for a while, then Mb took off and J's BFF came by with her kid and we watched Puss in Boots, which was cute. I can happily spend two hours listening to Antonio Banderas, cat or no.

We watched some more LOST, then as J was getting ready to run me home, it started pouring again. I ended up staying there til about 12:30, by which time the weather had calmed down somewhat. What the heck, we can use the rain, and I figure the capillary action will set the powdered concrete my mailbox is planted in.

Yesterday's speaker gave a fascinating talk about an archaeological dig she participated in. It was a local excavation---the Windover Archaeological Site---and I'm sorry I wasn't aware of the goings-on at the time.

Next week after service is the annual congregational meeting---electing people to do the heavy lifting---and the speaker's topic is "Fiction-based Reality", which sounds intriguing. (It was supposed to be "Pirates of the Atlantic", but apparently he changed his mind after signing up.)

I must be doing something right---two dresses that I've had for a while are looser. They still fit, they just fit better. One is the paisley that I got after Christmas a year ago. I actually had to pin the wrap neckline, because it was loose enough to droop down and show my bra. It's looser at the waist, too. The other dress is a rosy coral floral print that I got at the Melbourne Goodwill for Easter about five years ago. It was always tight through the bust on the few occasions I wore it, but now it's just right. I plan to wear it as often as appropriate this spring and summer to get some use out of it.

TTFN.

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This evening, Mb served chicken and rice with some turnip greens, all courtesy of the food bank. I've never had turnip greens before in my life, but these were simmered all day with bacon, and as we all know, Bacon makes everything better. I may not have followed through with my "veggies every day" resolution, but I've at least tried a few new ones this year: turnip greens, fried okra and butternut squash, all of which I liked.

We had French onion soup with salads for lunch. Salad had cooked chicken and and ginger dressing, which was nommy. (Did I mention Mb got a 5-lb package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts?) I need to hang with Mb more, her cooking is definitely healthier than what I eat when left to my own devices.

TTFN.

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What is your favorite ice cream flavor

I'm very fond of coconut---Ben and Jerry used to do a fabu coconut-almond-chip---but my all-time favorite is something I used to get when I was growing up on Staten Island. It was sweetcream---nothing so definite as vanilla, just a sweet creamy goodness. It came in little paper cups and it was garnished with shavings of toasted almond. The best!

That said, I love ice cream in general as long as it's GOOD ice cream. I'm not a fan of brown stuff that calls itself chocolate simply because someone once walked past it carrying a Hershey bar. I want my vanilla to have actual vanilla bean in it. IMO, the bestest chocolate is Publix Chocolate Trinity, although Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk will do in a pinch (too pricey!)

I'll go for their Pistachio, Pistachio in a pinch, but my fav nutty cold thing is Steak 'n' Shake Butter Pecan shake. *flail*

I don't have ice cream as often as I like these days, because my teeth are too sensitive, even with Sensodyne toothpaste.

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Today's been a good day. The weather has been absolutely perfect: Mid-70s with a cool breeze, low humidity and a scattering of puffy clouds. Watched the parade and glanced at the sale ads, not of which I can afford to take advantage of. People are going to be getting edible presents this year, because my only flexable income is food stamps.

After the parade, I turned to the holiday music channel. (Mb has the full digital package, which I've missed.) I've already experienced my annual wish that the Dropkick Murphys would cover "Christmas in Killarney".

Mb cooked a delectable dinner, much less elaborate than last year. It was all good, but the stars of the show, IMO, were the stuffin' muffins (stuffing baked in muffin cups so there's lots of crunchy goodness around a soft center). I had two; they went perfectly with the slippery tartness of jellied cranberry. Yeah, the kind that comes out in a cylinder, imprinted with rings from the can. I *am* a child of white-bread suburbia, after all.

Desssert was pie. Two kinds: pecan and coconut custard. The coconut custard was served warm, and I moaned with bliss. Yum.

Now I'm comfortably drowsy and looking forward to a fresh ep of "Person of Interest" this evening. We're supposed to be getting a cold front moving in, which I look forward to. I have my leopard print tapestry jacket, so I'm not worried about being underdressed.

Tomorrow evening, Mb and I are scheduled to head over to J's to play canasta. So far, it's shaping up to be a good holiday season.

I'm thankful for you guys---you know who you are. You're the ones who keep things lively, who keep my spirits up and occasionally save my life and/or my sanity. You rock!

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Yesterday was a pretty good day. I had a great breakfast, both in terms of quality and quantity. A pastrami and swiss cheese omelet...nom nom nom! (PJ left me his membership card for the local wholesale club, and they take food stamps. Got 2 lbs of pastrami for $6, score!) Ate myself into torpor, but it sure was yummy.

Took care of business, namely, I banked my earnings from the house-sitting gig---PJ is having his bank mail me a check every week, just like a "real" job. It was enough to pay insurance on the car and house, and I've got a whopping $12 left over. Mind you, FPL wants money, but it's not dire yet. (October, on the other hand---!)

Got to J's before 5, which is a bit on the early side...she said she was just about to go shopping (out of TP and cat food, both essentials), and she ended up taking us out for all-you-can-eat pasta at Olive Garden.

Now, IMO Olive Garden is as generic as Italian food gets. My sainted Aunt Mary was Italian and cooks the real thing, but OG delivers a consistant standard of what they do, which is edible if uninspired. That said, their new mushroom-parmesan-with-sun-dried-tomato sauce was orgasmic over penne pasta. It was like a very grown-up mac-and-cheese. The pizziola sauce (which I also had over penne), was also quite tasty. The server was a doll and kept me well caffeinated in addition to bringing me a third helping midway through my second and not giving me a hard time about bringing a box for most of them. (Some places are very snotty about carry-out boxes for AYCE means.)

We did speed shopping and made it back to J's just in time for Kitchen Nightmares. Our feature presentation was a documentary (borrowed from SI's library):Spooked: The Haunting of Waverly Hills Sanotorium. J inflicted An American Haunting onme last weekend, so I thought I'd return the favor.

Had the worst insomnia, 3AM at least...dragged myself out of bed at nine. I am determined NOT to fall back into the rut of sleeping til noon!

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Stayed the night at J's. haven't been to bed yet. Going shortly....

Just got back from Publix, where I took advantage of a bunch of coupons and bogos. Coupons, like so many other Good Things in my life lately, courtesy of Mb.

Got two packages of Morningstar Farms black bean patties for 19 cents, regularly $4.19 per box. (Yes, you read that right.) I had four $1 coupons, two manufacturers and two store competitors, which they match.

Also got two boxes of Raisin Bran (15 oz) for $2.49---they were 50% of Kellogg products 15 oza or larger, an instore special good Saturday and Sunday only, AND I had a $1 off coupon for purchase of two boxes.

Did the math and realized that a quart of store brand chocolate milk was still 10 cents cheaper than Nesquik even with the coupon.

Gotta go, brain is fixing to shut down. But at least I have the makingds of lunch when I wake up. J is off rescuing a dog. Long story. Later--!

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Monday we had cube steaks, Tuesday was tacos, tonight Mb is breaking out the BBQ beef. My inner carnivore thinks she's died and gone to heaven. (We're not going to think too hard about the cholesterol involved.)

Mb is visiting her MIL to do laundry; meanwhile, I'm going to be at my place so I can check my snail mail and clear the science projects out of my fridge, that kind of thing.

I'm also looking forward to soaking in my own shower; mine's tiled and has traction underfoot. Plus, fluffy towels, no pun intended.

Don't get me wrong; I love Mb and company, her neighborhood is ever so much quieter than mine, but home is home!

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J called me this afternoon and came by and took me to lunch. We sat around and talked for a couple hours after we'd finished eating. Dogs, mostly. She might have one lined up for us, and there are a couple doggy events coming up over the next few months.

I had a "French dip" sandwich, which is one of the things they make that I really like. J opted for pulled pork, took one bite and sent it back as "too spicy". The server gave me a box for it, so I've got it for dinner later. Having had a rather late breakfast, I wasn't starving, not that I am anyway, and I kept my sides so I've got them to go with the pork. Nomnomnom!

Got home afterward and found two 'zines awaiting me in my mailbox. MyCokeRewards is the bomb for "free" subscriptions. I've got "Country Living" and "Better Homes and Gardens", which help me feel less deprived. As long as I have "fresh" reading material in the loo, I'm happy. Well, that and paper on the roll!

Came home and checked my email and found out that my peeps love me and are concerned and willing to extend a helping hand. Thank you, my dears!

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Still no word about the job, but in headline news, I got my food stamp card, hooray, hooray! So when it stops raining, I shall pop up the road and get something that isn't frozen burritos or ramen. (Which is absurd, considering all the canned goods I've got, but argh, my enthusiasm for canned beans, tomatoes and rice is nil.)

Yes, it's raining! Our drought index has been abyssmal---usually we start getting afternoon showers by the end of May, and this is the first sprinkle we've had all month. We're at the point where we need seven inches of rain just to get nullify the fire danger. Here's hoping that kicks in soon!

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This morning, I accompanied Mb to a doctor's appointment. According to her, he yells less when she has someone in the room with her. He didn't yell at all, he seemed very calm and on top of things. FWIW, I liked him; he reminded me of Cesar Millan.

Afterward, when we got out of there, it was about 10:30. Cracker Barrel was on the way home, so we dropped in for brunch.

Usually, I adore Cracker Barrel. Today, however, they were not up to par. It was close enough to 11 that we could've ordered lunch, but I was in the mood for eggs I didn't have to cook. To begin with, it took so long for our order to get there, I started to wonder if the hens weren't laying well. The toast that came with it, when it did arrive, was charred on one side. I asked for fresh toast, not burned, and some jelly, preferably blackberry.

Oh, and my bacon? Was jerky. I have nothing against crispy bacon, but I draw the line at dessicated. We got two containers of jelly, one each: Grape and strawberry. Um, wrong berry.

Waited. Waited some more. In the interim, I got two beverage refills from another server who passed by and noticed I was out. By the time the second round of "toast" appeared, my eggs were rubber. (Quotes because it was barely-warm bread that didn't even have a tan.)

I wasn't happy, and Mb was, if anything, even more pissed on my behalf. (That's how you know you've got a true friend!) The only reason I left any sort of tip was because she *did* bring some lemons wedges for my drink, which was the first thing I asked for---that was done promptly. So she got a flat 10%. Usually, I'm a 20% tipper, if only to disprove the study that said "middle-aged" women are the worst tippers. Her loss.

We sought out a manager before approaching the cashier, and he gave good grovel. Said that our server was usually very good, and he didn't know why she wasn't on her A-game, but he'd talk to her. AND he comped our meals, which I was hoping for, because I could've stayed home and cooked better than that!

The gift shop beckoned; we wandered around for a little while, since we were unexpectedly a bit wealthier than we'd thought we'd be. I found a reusable tote bag for J---her birthday is next week---it has a picture of a dachshund on it, and says: "You had me at 'Woof!". Everytime the subject of dachshunds come up, she says how stubborn they are. *grin*

If I weren't so short on sleep, I'd make some clever quip about a dog's breakfast, but not today....

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Car du jour: Saw a very nice yellow Year One GTO on the way down to the doctor's, and on the way back, a Vecchio-era Buick Riviera, champagne beige.
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Ever since that pancake post a few weeks ago, I've been craving pancakes. Not even Norwegian pancakes in particular, just pancakes in general---this cespite the fact that my previous attempts at pancakes have been less than successful.

Since the urge wouldn't go away, I got a little jar of pancake mix at Aldi. Had it for a week before the yen became unbearable. This morning, I finally got to the point where nothing but pancakes would do. Not fried eggs, not bread and honey---no, it HAD to be pancakes.

Thinking it over and remembering my mother's ambrosial pancakes, I added a capful of vanilla extract to the water before pouring it into the mix. To give it a little more kick, I added a few shakes of cinnamon and a dash of ginger to the mix before I added the water.

Apparently, I've cultivated some culinary prowess since my last attempt at pancakes. They were neither burned nor runny, and they didn't taste like nasty lumps of fried flour, either.

I added dabs of butter to each as the second side was cooking, and drizzled a bit of Aldi honey over them. Quite tasty! Mind you, the additives were barely noticable, but I can up the spices a bit next time.
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A little while ago, I said to myself, "Self, you really ought to find something to do with that package of Little Smokies you got from the food pantry the other day."

For starters, I threw them into my trust cast-iron skillet and heated them, and as that was going on, I rooted around in my pantry, because basically Little Smokies = weenies and we all know beans and weenies is a classic. And god knows, I've got beans.

So I threw in a drained can of pork and beans, then a can of drained light kidney beans. Nice, but it still looked inadequate.

I drained some diced tomatoes and plonked them in. Good, but a bit bland, so I fished out a packet of taco seasoning...best by last March. It was caked up, so I grabbed a strainer, held it over the skillet and dumped the taco stuff in. Ended up being about half the envelope, which given the sodium content, is plenty. It's enough to give it a little favor.

Despite having been drained, there's still a certain amount of pan gravy to it, so I threw the macaroni from a box of mac'n'cheese in to nuke.

Dinner will be served momentarily.
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Batter up!
From China to the local IHOP, what's your favorite meal involving pancakes?

Growing up, my mom made what we always called Norwegian pancakes. The original recipe was my Norwegian grandmother's, although I have it on good authority that Mom's were better.

They were very thin, like crepes, and Mom created them in her trusty cast-iron skillet. Peter once said that Mom's pancakes had barely enough flour to hold the eggs together, but I just remember how good they were. There were vanilla and orange extracts in the batter; I've always thought that restaurant pancakes taste bland and floury compared to them.

Mom would made a quantity of them, folding them, layered, into one of her classic Corningware casseroles to keep warm. We all sat around the kitchen table and I'd take a pancake and unfold it and gently baste a pat of butter across the still-warm surface. Take a slice of American cheese, fold it into quarters lengthwise, and run them along the fold-line. Roll the pancake around the cheese and drizzle with Log Cabin syrup. Eat. Repeat until stuffed or Mom refused to make any more, whichever came first.

I was too young at the time to think to ask for details of the process or the recipe, which wasn't written down---and to the best of my recollection, we never had them after we moved to Florida when i was 13---but about once a month during my childhood, that was our special Sunday brunch.
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Laundry is happening. (It's in the dryer now.) I'm not on target as to the load-a-day strategy, but any laundry is good laundry, right?

On the way back from starting laundry, I rearranged my cupboards/pantry. I made room for all the tomato products and pasta in one place, while all the other canned veggies and beans are elsewhere.

And, geting really productive, I cleaned out the three top shelves in my fridge. The fridge clean-out is my greatest achievement; one of the reasons I haven't been cooking for myself (as opposed to sandwiches and things fried or nuked for immediate consumption) was because there was NO room to put the leftovers.

It's amazing how we'll do disagreeable things we're been putting off to avoid things we perceive as more unpleasant. The living room, oh God, the living room! I don't know where to begin! Honestly, I think it's some kind of domestic retardation...I just look around, slack-jawed; it's all right there in my face.

But. Positive. Have made progress elsewhere, that's something.
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Epicurious's Oscar-night menus based on the best picture nominees

Not all the nominees, though. Only The Fighter, Black Swan, and Inception.

Really, I was already anticipating the entree for The King's Speech.



Tongue, of course.

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The other day, I had some wonderful shepherd's pie and have been thinking about it ever since. It seemed fairly simple, and I'm attempting to recreate it.

Publix has lean ground beef on sale this week. I browned and peppered and drained just over a pound of that and put it in the bottom of my dish. Added a can of corn, drained, and stirred it and the beef together. It was a little full, so I spooned off a bit of it for a nibble and found it good.

For the potatoes, I smoothed a package of ready-made country-style mashed potatoes atop the corn and beef mixture and bestowed a generous handful of shredded cheese (between 1/2 and 2/3rds of a cup, I'd guesstimate).

Per the potato directions, it's baking at 350 for 25 minutes. Should be yummy!

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Apparently, there is such a thing as Marmite chocolate. Although I have more or less given up Marmite as detrimental to the puffiness of my ankles, the thought of Marmite/chocolate makes me flail. (Like the profile says, I'm hooked on caffeine, chocolate and Marmite---I just never thought of combining the latter two.)

Bet they don't have THAT shit at World Market!

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