Cooking 4/2022:Worst Cook in America Candidate: Pasta water and parsley

Cooking

So I begin, in no specific time with no computed start date, my diary of learning to cook.

But first I must explain some things. 

At my age-more on this later-I desire more than anything to become one of “The Worst Cooks In America”, featured on the Food Network.  Now I know that seems like an absurd wish at my current age of 71 years.

But of course!  I am, in fact, one of the world’s worst cooks but there are reasons for this.  Now, of course, I want to learn how to cook as I have discovered such as seasonings, herbs and how to properly cook garlic.

I worked all my life as a professional woman, nothing outstanding but busy, always running, like most working women.  And there were families, children and husbands.  I have been married four times, two widowhoods and two divorces.  Some of these husbands had children of their own, and, at some point I was a wife with a child of my own.  They all would get hungry and somewhere there is a rule that it is the female who is in charge of meals never mind that new payroll system almost ready to go.

Sure wives might arrange for a husband to cook, maybe even often.  He will help with clean up, will sometimes shop for groceries.  But I stand on this rule, feeding the familial masses will always be the responsibility of the wife.  Husband might cook what is instructed, he may have a favorite meal he can dish up, he might stop at the store and buy from list provided, and turn on dishwasher when wife calls and instructs.

This will always fall on the female of the relationship though yon reader might disagree.

So yes, I could grab a jar of spaghetti sauce, some ground beef….at times some Italian sausage….and churn up some spaghetti , noodles and all.  I have fairly handy with a slow cooker and most times kids and Dad alike enjoyed a roast with potatoes also roasted.

But such as seasonings were not all that important although there was salt and pepper, sometimes ground red pepper. 

Mediocre.  Maybe I am more of a World’s Most Mediocre Cook than a World’s Worst Cook, but I digress.

Now, entering old age with knees to attest, eating is one of my greater joys in being alive.

I love cooking shows.

I don’t necessarily love to cook as my knees protest, but I love to flavor food to suit me and can now share my learning to cook experiences with the world.

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So let us begin with a couple of things I have learned recently from cooking.  From Rachel Ray, who evidentially loves to cook and she uses every item in her pantry for each meal she cooks.

But I have learned to save the water one cooks their pasta  in a small side cup as it will thicken any other sauces you may be making.  So instead of throwing in some flour to thicken up sauce you are preparing, just use a little of the water from the pasta you just cooked and THAT will do the job.

Then there is the shrimp scampi and the parsley.  First, understand here that I have never before particularly like parsley.  Oh sure, it makes a great decorative condiment and I wouldn’t go to the trouble of pulling some parsley out if included on a sandwich.  But I’ve noted that cooks on television will go to great efforts to add parsley to the soup.  First you got to buy this big bushy plant, either American or Italian parsley.  Then you gotta take a sharp big-bladed knife and chop the parsley this way, chop the parsley then that way….get it into small pieces.

I’ve never been a fan of chopping vegetables but if you like the vegie, as in onions, green pepper, etc….well you gotta chop.  But all that work for parsley which I never felt has much taste but looked nice, seemed like overkill.

Well I was wrong.

But first, about this shrimp scampi….nope.  Yes it tastes all right for who doesn’t like some pasta and shrimp mixed together?  The recipe I used for shrimp scampi included shallots, juice of a lemon and ½ cup of dry white wine.  Also, of course, ¼ cup of parsley leaves, chopped finely.

About the recipe above…WHERE IS THE CHEESE???  You got pasta, you gotta have some kind of cheese.  The other ingredients are fine but kind of boring.

However….THE CHOPPED PARSLEY TASTED GREAT!!

So far as I remember I have never eaten any kind of food that had parsley chopped finely and added liberally to the dish.  Decoration, yeah.  Real foodstuff?  I never thought of it that way.  Bur it was one of the better parts of the entire meal. 

Cooking Sauerkraut obsession; corn pudding.

Daily Miscellany

Thoughts and flashes of brilliance that enter my head from nowhere.

Enjoy.  Or abhor, depending on the effect of my "wisdom".

My fingernails look awful.

My hair needs to be properly trimmed.

I have not done laundry in a month.  Not needed since I only put on decent clothes when going out.  Which is only about once, maybe twice a week.

When this is done hair stylists, fingernail specialists, laundry detergent manufacturers and, of course, makers of toilet paper....they will rule the world.
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Corn Pudding

Yes it looks ugly as pics of prepared food too often do.

But it's a great side dish....corn pudding.

Recipe below.

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Sauerkraut Madness

I recently put up a post that included sauerkraut soup.

Yes it's an odd dish, link to post below.

https://patfish.blogspot.com/2020/03/cooking-sauerkraut-soup-oyster-stew-and.html But I did quite like the soup. So I got a recipe that was called "Reuben" casserole. I won't post the recipe to spare yon reader the pain.  The recipe included, sauerkraut of course.  Corned beef, rye bread and shredded swiss cheese. It was awful. I am over my obsession with sauerkraut.

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TIME FOR A SMILE



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The Garden club gathers, discusses, and straightens out the women on the planet

Cooking Sauerkraut soup and the big mistake.

Daily Miscellany

Thoughts and flashes of brilliance that enter my head from nowhere.

Enjoy.  Or abhor, depending on the effect of my "wisdom".

Like most Americans I have been minding the news on the corona virus and yes, I think it's greatly over-hyped.

The news media controls and they need something to talk about so they tell us about 50 people dying when 13,000 died in 2009 of the Swine Flu.  They tell us we should close our bars and restaurants, wash our hands 22 hours a day, do not touch any parts of our body and stop breathing if necessary.

This will last about one week more and Americans are going to tire of restless kids home from school as they try to work from home.

For now, the media's job is to create hysteria.

It won't last.  Else the media has to take our restless kids.
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Sauerkraut Soup

Well it don't look all that good as I took the pic as it was in the slow-cooker.  I have yet to eat a full serving and, indeed, took a chance and froze a large portion to see how well it freezes and if it tastes good once thawed.

But I did have a small cup full to see how it tastes.

I thought it was a bit tart but then again it is sauerkraut.

Recipe

1 pound smoke kelbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can sauerkraut-32 ounces, rinsed and well drained.
4 cups chicken broth
1 can-10-3/4 condenses cream of mushroom, undiluted
1/2 sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons dill weed
pepper
cooked bacon, couple slices, crumbled

In a five quart slow cooker, combine first 12 ingredients.  Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours, or until vegetables are tender

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I realize, now that I've typed the recipe....I DID NOT DRAIN THE SAUERKRAUT OUT OF THE CAN!!!

I didn't rinse it well either.

Still it didn't taste bad and perhaps if I add a small dose of sugar it won't be so tart.

Try it without my mistake and see how it goes.


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TIME FOR A SMILE





Crime is not normally funny. These short stories are.

Cooking: Sauerkraut Soup? Oyster stew and fried potatoes.

Daily Miscellany

Thoughts and flashes of brilliance that enter my head from nowhere.

Enjoy.  Or abhor, depending on the effect of my "wisdom".

Cars. My biggest failure in life.

Cars.

Which is not to say I didn't buy plenty of cars in my almost 70 years of life.  Stupid cars.  Dumb cars.  Let us delineate.

A Volkswagen Rabbit.  I have no idea why I ever purchased this car and in the color neon green to make matters worse.  The hood fell off while I was going over the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

A Renault LeCar.  A French car?  The French, go with me on this, are not notorious for making cars.  The Renault LeCar ran out of oil...yes the oil light was on but the mechanics told me to ignore.  The engine melted.

A Ford Maverick.  This was not a bad car in the day. $19,000 in the day.  It was a simple thing but not known for its luxury and comfort.

Finally I leased a car which turned out not to be a good idea as you got charged for your mileage and I moved to Delaware and couldn't drive back to Baltimore in it.

My last car, purchased in 2005, was a Jeep Liberty.  I still have this car although in this day and age it's way bigger than I need.  But I kept it great shape, Lord knows it wasn't cheap, it is mocked by the "real" Jeep owners.  But it works, it's comfortable and I don't drive all that much.

Took me almost fifty years but finally I found the car that isn't stupid.
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Oyster Stew

My stepmother used to make oyster stew for my father.  This back in the day when oysters weren't over a thousand dollars a pound.

It was delicious.

I make oyster stew every once in a while but I am not at all sure I'm doing it right.  I use three ingredients.....oysters, milk (or half and half) and a stick of butter.

One thing about oyster stew, it really needs to sit in the fridge for a couple of days so the oyster flavor can permeate the milk.

Beyond that, my oyster stew is ok, a nice treat in those months that have an "R" in it.  My stepmother's oyster stew had a lot of oysters in it and mine does not.  I get about three oysters in a big bowl of the stew.  My stepmother allowed near an oyster in every bite.

As it was the oysters cost me almost $20.00 for that skimpy amount.

Like I said, a treat once in a while.
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Fried Potatoes

My stepmother used to make terrific fried potatoes.  Oh, did I sing that song before?

This was back in the day when there were no food processors or even fancy slicing knives.  Her fried potatoes were the perfect texture of soft, but not too soft.  There were always plenty of onions fried within the pan.  She properly salted and peppered them and I loved them with ketchup spread upon them.

So I made some fried potatoes the other day and they were almost as good as my stepmothers.  One thing I did learn from preparing them...start frying the onions first.  Then add the rather thinly sliced potatoes, plain white potatoes are just fine.

Salt and pepper and for about ten minutes, cover them in the frying pan with a loose lid.  This helps them to soften.  Toss them about once every minute during the time they are covered.

Then removed the lid, turn up the heat,and fry and turn to cook evenly for about another fifteen minutes.

Once on your plate, cover generously with ketchup.
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Sauerkraut Soup

I saw the title of this recipe and my eyebrows rose in puzzled issues.

First, I love sauerkraut.  I am not German or have any DNA that would indicate such a preference and since I am from Maryland, we always had sauerkraut with our Thanksgiving turkey.

I have a recipe for Sauerkraut Salad that I make every once in a while.

But Sauerkraut soup?

Th sauerkraut is put in the slow cooker.  Chicken broth is added to cover.  Other ingredients include an onion, Also a potato, some bacon and mushrooms.  My recipe doesn't include green peppers but I think I shall add.

Put it all in the slow cooker for about eight hours and enjoy.

This is on my cooking list for this week.  I will report back with a picture of my creation and the entire recipe next cooking post.

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Crime is not normally funny. These short stories are.

Can't Fry An Egg-Adventures of a Culinary Widow

I figured out the reason why I don't cook very well. It's all about physics and my borderline OCD with being organized.

I did, of course, cook all of my life although frankly I was never very good at it. In my younger days as a busy working Mom I did a lot of Hamburger Helper and lackluster spaghetti meals. I seldom thought things through beyond quick preparation and getting it on the table.

In my middle age and early senior years I had time to slow down and give my culinary skills some thought and practice.

Two things kept me away from cooking mastery. One, my husband was a meat and potatoes man who hated anything vegetable or including eggs or containing any sort of pasta.

It wasn't that the man didn't enjoy food; he did. He loved spicy food and certain Chinese beef dishes. Mostly he wanted a small slab of meat, preferably fried, a tiny spot of perhaps potatoes or rice and a bread product of some sort would be fine.

I spent those years perfecting and preparing meals to suit HIM. Oh I managed to make the meats to please me but bottom line, we ate what HE liked for lack of time and energy to prepare separate meals. MY taste was his for most of those years but, alas, I lost him last year.

After the shock, then the grief, then the gradually reduced pain of loss, I realized I had to eat and with a bit of serendipity, I could now eat with concern for no one else but myself.

Which means I had to learn to cook to suit myself.

Besides cooking to please myself, a whole new world of entertaining opened up for me as husband was a bit of a loner and beyond close family, we rarely had company.

So I consider myself a sort of beginner cook but one willing to learn. I vowed to not let anything else pass my lips that I didn't like.

First I had to learn how to fry an egg.

Indeed husband thought eggs were chicken boogers and to consume an egg was to eat snot. In all of the 25 years of my marriage I never fried a single egg. Ever so often I'd order two fried eggs over easy when eating in a diner but those occasions were few and far between. Because of husband's egg aversion, it never occurred to me to fry eggs at home.

The ideal fried egg, by my admittedly non-picky standards, should have a somewhat runny yolk. The white should be firm, ideally a little crisp around the edges.

Well I thought all I had to do was break those puppies open into a frying pan covered in melted butter and soon enough I'd have some fine fried eggs.

First, it takes waaaaay longer to fry an egg than I thought. This is where my OCD comes in. Because life is too short and since we live in a multi-task world I think we should be doing two things at a time, preferably three things.

Thus I crack the eggs and drop them into the pan of melted butter and walk away. While they fry, so goes my thought process, I'll play a game of Candy Crush.

It's no matter that I have a fine computer "command center" set up in my kitchen and am right near the stove. Also, about that pan of butter….nope, don't want to do that. Oh sure, a pat of butter or thereabouts but put too much butter in the pan and you are BOILING the eggs, not frying.

It was turning the egg over that put a dent in my culinary adventure. Because while I want the yolk slightly runny, my yolks were turning out like yellow egg yolk fondant, which is okay, but you can't dip a piece of toast in it.

I'm still working on frying the eggs perfectly for my taste. I am also working on mastering dishes I really like, scaling them down for one person or testing their freezer-worthiness.

In short, it's a culinary adventure of sorts and I'm going to document my journey, my NY's resolution to become a good cook, to learn to TASTE what I'm cooking, to use CORIANDER for God's sake as the TV Chef's use Coriander in everything.

Read all about it here.

Ending With a Smile

 

Political Tidbits-the Picture That Will Kill Obama's Chances for Prez; Cooking-Links to Great Cookie Recipes

Time for some Political Tidbits, a roundup of the unusual and sensational political tidbits.

We've got news on the GOP by Tom Delay, Moonbats who play Bridge, Mike Huckabee's record on illlegal drivers licenses might surprise those convinced this man is a Conservative's dream.

A boycott of Walmart that will intrigue and all you need to know about Barack Obama you will see in this picture.

Pic of the Day

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Political Tidbits

The Picture Says It All

Barack Hussein Obama is a candidate with no experience, glib tongue, nice appearance and, well the picture below says all that needs to be said.

If this man can’t be bothered to put his hand over his heart in reverence to our flag we shouldn’t be bothered enough to vote for Barack Hussein Obama.



Ted Kennedy’s New Book…Does He Mention Mary Jo Kopechne?

From the Boston Herald.com by Howie Carr:

The very least Ted Kennedy can do is dedicate his autobiography to Mary Jo Kopechne.

So the senior senator is getting an $8 million advance for his memoirs - who says crime doesn’t pay?

I remember the Mary Jo Kopechne story, yes I do. Sadly many who vote for the continuing reign of Sleaze Master Ted Kennedy, are too young to remember this murder of a vibrant young woman who should be alive and maybe grand-mothering her descendents. Instead she drowned at the bottom of a lake, left there to die while the fine Ted Kennedy went off in mid of night to obtain a lawyer to cover his tracks.

Yes, I am bitter about this fellow that the people of Massachusetts, the few who I know seem to be perfectly normal people, but still they continue to elect this murderer so what am I to believe?

When the saga of Kopechne and Chappaquidick was saturating the available print media of the time, I read everything I could on the matter and was absolutely amazed. Back then we did not have the Internet, surely there were no Blogs and forums such as FreeRepublic. Still, it was a media frenzy and I absorbed it all, believing, silly me, that even senators couldn’t get away with leaving a young woman to die at the bottom of a shallow lake.

He not only got away with it, he’s STILL senator from Massachusetts and still the Massachusetts voters keep electing him. I wonder that they would probably keep voting for this man even if it was their own daughters left to drown after a night of carousing with the fine Ted.

Every time I hear that man pontificate about water-boarding I wonder why someone doesn’t ask if leaving someone to drown in a car that you swim away from might be considered torture.

He gets an eight million dollar advance to have someone ghost-write his book.

Will he even give Mary Jo a mention?

Mike Huckabee…an Affable Guy With Sinister Undertones



Yon fine ladies and gems, for yea many years since the mid-eighties, our elected politicos, both local and federal, have failed their jobs at Governance 101: “Protect They Borders and Protect Thy Citizens.”

Indeed while we’ve been carrying this country on our backs whilst raising the citizens and soldiers of tomorrow, these elected elites have totally failed to do the simple act of protecting the country’s borders. Then as the problems rose and festered, they continued to put band-aids on the problem, smile in our face, and collect money from businesses seeking cheap labor that their fine selves may be re-elected.

It was only recently that the American public, liberals, conservatives and mythical moderates alike rose as one to angrily rebuke the mess their self-protection has cost us. Here in the swamps of Delaware, once charming towns have turned into backstreet barrios. One must drive around fearful of an auto accident because the Hondurans who man the local chicken factories rarely have car insurance. Spanish speaking check-cashing stores are on every corner. Local emergency rooms are filled with illegal immigrants seeking free medical care.

Do NOT be fooled by the affable Mike Huckabee, currently the darling of the drive-by media. The fellow has a friendly smile, nice demeanor, firm handshake.

He too wanted to give illegal immigrants free drivers’ licenses from the state of Arkansas.

We’ve given Hillary some grief over this issue, which she much deserved. But yon readers, Americans are mad as hell at how these elected politicos didn’t do their jobs and damn if this smirking hick of a governor from Arkansas didn’t too pressur that state legislature to grant driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants that they might hijack airplanes or engage in whatever mischief this universally accepted form of identification might allow. American citizens have been inundating our local and federal legislators to DO THEIR DAMN JOB. It’s not rocket science. Protect the country’s borders and come up with a system to allow entry to immigrants to our country based on a clean criminal record, a clear health record, a job that awaits, and an ability or commitment to speak our language. Any CEO who did the jobs our elected political elite did as regards this illegal alien mess would have been fired toot de sweet.

And Mike Huckabee was part of parcel of the political elite who spit in your face and rooted on an attempt to give those who entered our country illegally their own fine drivers licenses.

From the Arkansas Journal:

During the 2001 regular session of the Arkansas Legislature, Mike Huckabee supported giving driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

Shut Up and Play Bridge

The Moonbats won’t give it up.

I call it BDS…Bush Derangement Syndrome. It’s the totally irrational, and damn scary, hatred of President George W. Bush.

From the Nation.com:

WE DID NOT VOTE FOR BUSH." Those words were handwritten on the back of a menu by the US women's bridge team and held aloft during the award ceremony at the world team championships in Shanghai last month.

I mean really, yon ladies and gems. Was such a silly sign necessary at an international Bridge tournament, of all things?

The article linked above is in a very liberal periodical published by folks so full of BDS they can’t see the horizon.

There is simply no place at a freaking international card game for this sort of rhetoric. The American Bridge Association is very angry at this Bridge team for that totally un-necessary sign.

Couldn’t they have just played Bridge for God’s sake?

Tom Delay Says GOP Needs to Get Some Backbone

Or Hillary’s going to win…says the former House Majority Leader.

From The Examiner.com:

"They're looking for some backbone," said DeLay, who also chimed in on the 2008 election. He said the Republican party is "going to get our clocks cleaned in 2008" and unequivocally said that "Hillary [Clinton] will be the next president." Which ought to give DeLay’s newest projects, the Coalition for a Conservative Majority and a consulting firm called First Principles, LLC, plenty to do.

Which leads into a fine and germane rant on that mess of a Youtube/CNN debate on 11/28/07.

There’s Only One Solution to CNN’s Joke of a Debate on 11/28/07

See, what we’re doing here…we’re running a primary. There are eight or so candidates seeking the Republican nomination to run for President in 2008. Thus debates currently upon should be about the PARTY issues.

And folks, the Republican party is not immersed in such matters as gays in the military, confederate flags, bibles as governance, lead in toys from China…on and on.

What the hell was CNN thinking when it presented that terrible debate? Had the debate pitted Republican against Democrat, well hey, that’s a different story.

But don’t the fools at CNN, fools too dumb to use a search engine if they are to be believed, choose some of the most idiotic Youtube scenes to present at the Republican debate?

Folks, I am not going to even launch into the rant that this Clinton-engineered event deserves.

For there is only ONE way for the Republican party to handle this insult.

The Democrats refused to have their debates on Fox news. They refused for no other reason beyond that they really hate that Fox news, which does not march to the tune of the Clintons, has a viewing audience at all. Of course Fox beats every other cable news network in the ratings in ALL time slots.

So why can’t the national Republican party, boom, just issue a statement that because of CNN’s total mismanagement of the debate on 11/28/07 that no more Republican debates will be granted to CNN?

Further, why can’t the national Republican party just pull all press credentials of any CNN employees, block them out of the convention, just throw that network over the bow like the Democrats did to Fox news?

The Republican party can’t control CNN but the Republican party can control whose debates it will participate in.

I would ask the national GOP….when will it get bad enough? That CNN had SEVEN, count them, SEVEN, Democratic plants, wasn’t that bad enough? First, I mention again, this was a PRIMARY debate and if CNN thinks Republicans are sitting around all worried about gays in the freaking military…so much that CNN had that stupid fake queer General (he ain’t a general folks, that’s just one thing) getting more air time than any one of the candidates…CNN doesn’t know its head from a hole in the ground. Second, there might not be a problem with Democratic plants even allowing that they should have been there, which they shouldn’t, than at the least a so-called “impartial” network should have identified them as such.

So why can’t Tom Delay ask a question at the next Democratic debate?

But from this moment on, I will release my anger at CNN. CNN did what it did and we know what happened.

It’s now on the national Republican party to take a stand.

They don’t have the gonads. And because of this, see Tom Delay’s words above, Hillary Rodham Clinton will be our next President.

And you WILL have health insurance or you shall go to jail.

FOCUS ON POLITICAL TIDBITS
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With each entry into Political Tidbits a little bit of history is recorded. So okay, maybe the two to three people a day who read this Blog would not be considered historians of note but I say a review of the past as recorded by the folks...which would be me, can reveal a lot about the culture of an era.

With a mind to my future generations who should read this online journal, I submit the following as posts of note.

Jimmy Carter was the worst president of the United States. Pay no attention to the men behind the curtains who would change history with tales of this American Man of LaMancha who charged at windmills in a misguided quest to fatten his own private diplomacy firm.

I lived through Carter's presidency and that makes me as knowledgeable as the mighty historians as to how life was with a "misery index" that was gauged ever day.

The picture on this Blog post of President Bush really upset Fox's Bill O'Reilly. Of course the pic that upset O'Reilly had Senator Joe Lieberman in the screen...well check it out for yourselves.

They say we all have a twin on the planet and I've found Nancy Pelosi's . Indeed, and Pelosi's twin was too a famous female and was too a bit of a dim bulb.

She tried to make the now dead Tookie Williams look like a teddy bear of a man although he was a cold-blooded murderer and gang leader. Here's a Blog record of Tookie's girlfriend's run for Governor of California.

Why Rush Is So Wrong With His Admiration of Those Duke Lacrosse Players

Rush Limbaugh declared himself awed by the Duke Lacrosse Boys but I present a blazing rant as to what those boys and/or their parents need to say about the unintended consequences of objectifying women.

Pic of the Day

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Quote of the Day Having discovered my cache of Easter eggs, my seven-year-old son sat me down for a serious confrontation. "Okay, I know you're the Easter Bunny, and I'm pretty sure you're Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy too. He paused and searched my face. "Tell me the truth now! Are you God too?"

Web Site Worth the Visit Build a Bouquet May will soon enough bring plenty of flowers. Meanwhile here's a web site that will let the user build their own handsome floral bouquet. CLICK HERE

TIDBITS 11. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"? 12. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected? 13. Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites? 14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things? 15. Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds? 16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it? 17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting? 18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? 19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right? 10. Why is bra singular and panties plural? 21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead? 22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase? 23. How come abbreviated is such a long word? 24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we towel dry? 25. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle? 26. Why do they call it a TV set when it's only one TV? 27. Christmas - What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?

 


Those Duke Lacrosse Players Do Not YET Deserve the Admiration of Conservatives

I happened to hear Rush Limbaugh, conservative pundit to millions, on the afternoon of 4/12/07 as he raved in solemn and reverential tones about how much respect and admiration he has for those poor Duke Lacrosse players who suffered so much because of runaway prosecutor Mike Nifong. Which they did, the entire team but especially the three actually charged for a crime they did not commit. For over a year those young boys have had their names drug through the mud not to mention the legal and personal costs the false accusations have cost them.

Yet as I watched the young men speak publicly for the first time at a news conference, I've yet to hear them say the one thing that would make me see them as wiser and having learned a very important life's lesson. In fact, a few parents of these boys have been interviewed by various pundits or another and their parents have yet to state the obvious lesson their sons should have learned from this past horrific year.

How about those boys share the wisdom they've learned in such a harsh manner to young men across the fruited plains? At least they SHOULD have learned something very basic as a result of their trials and tribulations and here's what I'm NOT hearing: the now officially-declared innocent Duke Lacrosse players have learned that throwing a rollicking, beer-guzzling, stripper-hiring party wasn't such a good idea and the law of unintended consequences from such boorish choices could kick in just as it has for them with a sudden and untrue charge of rape

Women, males need to understand, do not LIKE being strippers. Little girls do not aspire to be expert strippers when they grow up and few parents or siblings point proudly to a sister or daughter and declare them to be the best stripper on the planet. Stripping for a bunch of ogling males is not a glorious and wondrous thing and most strippers are women exactly like the pitiful creature who showed up to entertain those Duke Lacrosse players the night they decided to throw a happening x-rated party. If the debasing objectification of women doesn't shame those Lacrosse players enough to mention it during their fifteen minutes of fame and vindication, at least they, or their parents, could mention that the unintended consequences of a female riddled with drugs or bitter at having to debase herself for, yes I'll say it, a bunch of spoiled white adolescents, could cause all sorts of havoc. It's the unintended consequence of engaging in such sordid activities and hiring people with few morals and standards.

I consider myself a conservative and it distresses me to hear conservative paragon Rush Limbaugh praise these young men for their newfound wisdom when this conservative lady hasn't heard a whisper from those boys that they've learned that debasing other human beings is not such a good thing. Until those young men or their parents mention that the notion of such wild parties is not such a good idea and issue a warning to other young college men to avoid the turmoil that entered their lives as a result of this bad decision, I'm not convinced those boys have learned a thing.

None of this is to say that these boys weren't wronged. They surely were. A society where the government, in the form of an election-lusting prosecutor, can willy-nilly arrest citizens to further a personal prosecutorial goal is a society where freedom is in serious danger. I'd argue that a society in which its weakest members, in this case the desperate females who resort to debasement for survival, are routinely used by another thoughtless but more powerful social segment such as rich college males, is a society where freedom for all too is at risk.

I'd like to ask those boys how they'd feel if one of those strippers responding to their request for such entertainment was their sister. Would they enjoy sitting down with their Lacrosse-playing pals and watching the "show" as given by their sister? Would they be whooping and cheering their sister to continue on, to take it off? Would they enjoy the derogatory comments and lewd noises directed at their sister as she gives the show? If they wouldn't enjoy such a thing involving their sister and/or mothers, does it occur to these boys that a strippers is someone's sister and someone's daughter?

To my amazement, I even heard Limbaugh complain that Oprah Winfrey was inviting the Rutgers' girls basketball team on her show and Rush lamented that he's heard of no invitation extended to the Duke Lacrosse players. As if the two are the same!

The Rutgers' basketball team are a group of women trying to make a better life for themselves. They were innocently following the American dream by using their God-given talents pursuing an activity they loved, all the while practicing and sacrificing their free time towards a goal of excellence. Sure the damage done to them was but a vicious name-calling while those Duke Lacrosse boys suffered a far more heinous untrue criminal accusation. Which still doesn't make the two groups anywhere near equal. Let us remember that those Lacrosse players weren't practicing their Lacrosse moves or striving to do a better job at their sport when they found themselves in hot water. Those boys were throwing a tasteless, noisy, pointless party and for their entertainment they hired another human being to debase and humiliate herself. It's nowhere near the same thing and if no one else points this out to mighty Rush Limbaugh, well let me do this right now.

This is not to keep this focused on just Rush Limbaugh, a conservative commentator I enjoy on a regular basis. I've noted that many conservatives have echoed the same sort of sentiment, that those boys are heroes and should be crowned king of all maledom.

By me those Duke Lacrosse players will not be admired by this conservative lady until they say aloud that they've learned that debasing human beings should not be done for one's personal pleasure and this is a lesson they've learned well. Once I hear such a thing they will truly be the sort of male American that I can be proud of. To all conservatives who praise these boys, you bring no glory to the male conservative image, presenting instead a perception that conservative males view females as humans to be objectified and enjoyed with no mind to personal humanity.

Below, links of posts about the Duke rape case:
4/18/06
4/25/06
5/9/06
5/23/06
4/30/06
10/2006
1/2007
1/2007-2
2/2007
3/2007




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COOKING-Best Cookies EVER; TV Review-"Parent Trap"

It's winter now and time to do some cooking.

We finally have the BEST:
cookie
meatloaf
shrimp fettucine
and pumpkin pie

Also, a TV review of "The Parent Trap". The premise of this movie re-made from Hayley Mills' 1961 film, is not only unbelievable, it's downright child abuse!

Pic of the Day

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Quote of the Day Wise and Anonymous Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks? No one has more driving ambition than the boy who wants to buy a car. There are no new sins; the old ones just get more publicity. Think about this..., No one ever says "It's only a game" when his team is winning. I've reached the age where the happy hour is a nap. Be careful reading the fine print. There's no way you're going to like it. Do you realize that in about 40 years, we'll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos? (And RAP music will be the Golden Oldies!) After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you're probably dead.

Web Site Worth the Visit Invite Wildlife Into Your Yard My pet passion-the notion that wildlife reserves are not needed. For our own eco-systems make fine places for wild life. Check out this site for more information- HERE

TIDBITS

 


Settling on the Best

MEATLOAF

For the rest of my far too few years on the earth, I have a plan.

The plan is to first identify those food items that I most enjoy. Second, I must find the best way to prepare those favored foods.

For mine own busy and happening self, I do not need extreme speed but more importantly, spending hours and lots of money is not ideal and certainly doesn’t make a prepared foodstuff better. I'll compromise a little on perfection for convenience is what I'm saying here. But my compromise is small and the result must meet my fine criteria.

Today, I have identified four recipes that meet all my criteria for fine food. Details below.

Meatloaf is one of my favorite meats and I know how I like it. Used to be a time that my vision of meatloaf was a pile of ground meat sprinkled with seasoned salt shaped into a loaf shape, packed into a loaf pan then covered with some sort of tomato sauce.

This erroneous vision resulted in many strange lumps of meat, some dry as a bone, some greasy, depending on the ground meat I'd willy-nilly picked out of the grocery meat case.

Which brings us to problem number one...the meat one uses to prepare meatloaf really matters! There's a gazillion kinds of ground beef and meatloaf recipes often call for a combination of beef, pork and lamb.

I'd long ago given up the meatloaf made with different meats. I'd also identified, in my travels, the best meatloaf one can buy on the road.

The meatloaf at Boston Market is, by me, the best meatloaf and soon enough this became my ideal.

I'd come across lots of recipes that claimed to be the equivalent of Boston Market but the results were not.

Below, tada, drum ruffles and horn blare...the meatloaf that is the best of all.

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

2 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce.

SHAPE meat mixture into oval loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.

BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF).

The recipe above meats all the criteria for the best preparation of one of my favorite meals. It's simple yet keeps an element of home-made. Ingredients are few but all accomplish what they are supposed to do.

Notice this recipe calls for a pre-made stuffing mix. This gem is a stroke of genius. For meatloaf "fillers"-that dry ingredient required for a non-greasy firm loaf of meat- can vary from bread crumbs, to actual bread to crushed saltines. I like the notion of just throwing a package of stuffing mix into the meat mix. The stuffing mix add lots of flavor with the added herbs in the package, and the very dry pieces of stuffing made a fine fat absorber for the meat mixture. Two eggs bind it all together and a cup of water helps to "fatten" up the stuffing mix.

This meatloaf is tasty either heated and covered with a gravy or within a crusty roll as filler for a sandwich.

SHRIMP FETTUCCINI

A pillow of al dente pasta, some tender shrimp, a bite of hot sauce, all covered with a simple sauce of flour and butter.

This recipe makes it to my best for one of my favorite meals, which technically would be any pasta, a comforting but un-intrusive sauce, and tender shrimp. Some call the dish “Shrimp Alfredo”. This particular recipe calls for fettuccini as the pasta and it's my choice because of all the different sorts of pasta that I've used, Fettuccini is my favorite.

Fettuccini has some volume to it, being a pasta thicker than spaghetti yet still long enough to wrap around a fork. You want to use frozen UNCOOKED shrimp for this recipe. You can use cooked shrimp, the pink kind, but if so thaw the shrimp and add at the last minute.

I get a three pound block of frozen uncooked shrimp at the Wal-Mart. Each time I made this dish I hack off about a pound, let them thaw, then de-vein and remove tail as required. I've found these shrimp to be the best sort for this meal. As for the green onions, I've yet to make this recipe and bother with them. But I do like the things so one of these times I'll add them in.

1 bunch green onions
1 stick butter (1/4 lb)
1 lb. shrimp
3 heaping tablespoons flour
1 pint half and half
3 tablespoons hot sauce
*salt, garlic powder, and Tony's Cajun Seasoning

Chop onions, sauté in butter. Add shrimp. Season with salt, Tony's Cajun Seasoning, and garlic powder, to taste.

Add flour Stir in half and half (half milk and half cream).

Bring to a SLOW boil or simmer, and continue to cook for 10 minutes over low heat, while stirring occasionally.

Stir in hot sauce; start out with 2 tablespoons, then taste and add more if you like.

Add pasta, serve and enjoy!

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

I didn't name this recipe or did I insert the advertising blurb included in the first line. However, the addition of that can of sweetened condensed milk to the canned pumpkin is just the right addition. Forget sugars, both white or brown. I used a spice called "pumpkin pie spice" alone. A couple of eggs and a crust purchased from the refrigerated section of the grocery, one of those roll-out jobbies, and boom...it tastes exactly like you spent hours.

I never bothered with any of the topping below the recipe but they're there, so use them if of a mind.

The one and only. A traditional Thanksgiving favorite made more delicious with EAGLE BRAND(r).

Servings: Makes one (9-inch) pie
Serving Size: 8 servings
Nutrition: not available
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (about 2 cups)
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND(r) Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk pumpkin, EAGLE BRAND(r), eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Notes: Favorite Toppings

Sour Cream Topping: In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. After pie has baked 30 minutes at 350ºF, spread evenly over top; bake 10 minutes.

Streusel Topping: In medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; cut in 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter or margarine until crumbly. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped nuts. After pie has baked 30 minutes at 350ºF, sprinkle evenly over top; bake 10 minutes.

Chocolate Glaze: In small saucepan over low heat, melt 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon solid shortening. Drizzle or spread over top of baked pie.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES



Chocolate Chip cookies should be nominated as the food all of America loves.

Name me someone who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies and I’ll show you a communist.

Note that the recipe below, the BEST recipe for choco chip cookies EVER, is but a simple thing. It’s not Mrs. Fields or Famous Amos. It’s a simple, proven recipe that will crank out the best choco chip cookies and the compliments will keep pouring in.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt to combine thoroughly; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In mixer bowl combine butter and sugars; beat until fluffy and well blended. Beat in egg. Add vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add flour mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts (if used). Drop by rounded teaspoons, placed well apart, onto lightly greased or nonstick baking sheets. Bake until cookies are well browned (12 to 14 minutes). Cool on wire racks. Yield: Makes about 30 2 3/4 inch cookies.

DO use parchment paper to bake these things. And DO double or triple the recipe if more cookies are required.

MORE COOKING/HOME ARTS HERE

DISCLAIMER: Movie Reviews

I never see a first-run movie so any movie reviews I do are likely older ones. But if you're looking to rent a DVD for the weekend, or just want a new perspective on a movie you remember fondly, or not-so-fondly, read on.


 


Review Movie “Parent Trap”

Starring Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson and Elaine Hendrix, this movie is a remake of the one made famous by Hayley Mills in 1961.

I loved the first version of “The Parent Trap” as I was the perfect age to watch such a film and when I grew up I desperately wanted to be Hayley Mills.

This time I sat and watched the film with a hope to fond memories and perhaps a smile or two. My adult self was absolutely horrified.

The plot to this movie is not only unbelievable, it’s tantamount to outright child abuse!

IMDB link to THIS version of “Parent Trap”.



My memories of the first version of this movie are vague as I was only 11 years old at the time and, as with most children this age, I was more enamored of the intriguing twins and pretty Hayley than I was with the movie’s plot. Thus I did not remember just why the identical twins were separated. My memories of the first movie involved the shenanigans the twins got into together and the lengths they went to get their parents reunited.

At this viewing, I chewed my popcorn and watched the movie unfold. Right from the start I wondered why the twins had been separated at birth; what possible reason would ANYBODY have to split up sisters, much less identical twins.

It took a while for the plot to unfold as first the twins had to discover themselves at camp. At the point where the two young ladies realized that they were, in fact, twins, I began to ponder why they had been kept apart all their lives.

“I bet the parents didn’t know they had twins,” I said to my husband, who had also seen the film as a child. Husband told me that Hayley Mills was the very first object of his burgeoning male lust. Heh.

Husband told me, NO, that the twins had been separated by their parents at birth as part of their divorce agreement. I responded that he was nuts, that surely no one would write a plot involving two people who separated a pair of identical twins, never to reveal to them that the other existed mind you.

Thus I was convinced that soon we would discover that some evil ne’er-do-well managed to convince the parents that each baby that they kept had been the one and ONLY baby born.

I could not get my head around any notion that two adult, intelligent people would get such an idea as to split a set of identical twins, any kind of siblings when I thought about it. And if such a split was the best manner to handle a divorce, or so I contemplated, surely they wouldn’t keep the other’s very existence a secret. Such a thing is clearly illogical.

Not to mention, please don’t forget, that neither one of these twins had ever laid eyes on the non-custodial parent. Hallie Parker had never seen her mother and Annie James had never seen her father. Or perhaps that’s reversed.

So these kids were not only denied any knowledge of the existence of a twin sibling, they also were denied any association with either their mother or father.

Simply unbelievable. Downright cruel when you think about it.

The twins came up with the idea of switching places upon return home from the camp where they discovered each other. This way each would finally meet the other parent that had been denied them their entire lives.

At some point I began to realize that yes, indeed, this movie, aimed at children, did very much try to advance the notion that two parents who should have had their childrens’ best interests at heart, rather cruelly denied each of them both a parent and an identical twin sibling for their entire lives up to the point where they discovered this their own selves.



There was a bit of a plot in that the father was all involved with some evil woman and this tidbit caused the twins anguish. It was their plan to reunite their mother and father although they rightfully should have hated their parents’ guts for what they did.

I suppose I’m making too big a deal about a damn movie. In the end all lived happily ever after and Lindsay Lohan did make the cutest pair of identical twins, almost as cute as Hayley Mills.

Frankly I’d be a bit reticent to allow my granddaughter to watch this movie. I’m serious. I’d be concerned that she might think that splitting siblings up and denying children a parent is some sort of norm or, what with Hollywood putting the whole thing in a movie, she’d perceive it as perfectly okay.

Identical twins are notoriously close, as one might imagine. Splitting identical twins apart is especially heinous.

This was a fine movie to watch, for myself at least. Adults who remember the Hayley Mills’ version of this movie will enjoy revisiting this cherished film of their youth.

Beyond this, before allowing children to watch the thing I’d tell them in advance that it’s all fantasy, that no one would ever do what the parents in this film did.


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Cooking and Home Arts

 

COOKING-Best Cookies EVER;

It's winter now and time to do some cooking.

We finally have the BEST:
cookie
meatloaf
shrimp fettucine
and pumpkin pie

BLOG POST HERE
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From a Cake Mix-It’s Delicious

Here's a cooking post and two good dessert "recipes". Okay, so one is home-made from a packaged cake mix but it's a good finished product. And a Pilsbury dessert product way better than I could ever make from scratch.

Also, time for a Katrina update. Now New Orleans Mayor Ray Naginhead endorses corrupt LA congress critter Jefferson. Also, people aren't returning to New Orleans and I must wonder why. Maybe they're sick of the constant corruption too?

HERE
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Meatloaf With Peaches?

A short Cooking post here with two interesting recipes, the problems, mistakes and corrections with same.

Meatloaf with peaches? Well it almost works. And Mrs. Fields' brownies, they are good but there were problems.
HERE
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Chocolate Lover’s Cake

Haven't had a Cooking post in a while and yet even in the heat of summer I keep right on cooking.

This post we have, I am not making this up, ZIPLOC OMELETS.



Also, the meringue on this pie will amaze, possibly choke you.

Finally, a recipe called "Chocolate Lovers Cake" and indeed it is.
HERE
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Butterfinger Cookies

Here's a recipe for great cookies made from the candy bar Butterfingers.

Right here in this Cooking post. Also with instructions on making an omelet and some cake tidbits..

HERE
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Awful Hot Chocolate

It's time for a Cooking post. Today we have information on that most important meal of the day: breakfast.



And, for laughs, a recipe for truly AWFUL hot chocolate. But click in. Your mileage may vary.
HERE
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The First of the Cooking Sunday Posts

Below was the cooking plan as intended for a recent Cooking Sunday.
~~~
Beanless Chili
Vegetable-less Chicken Pot Pie
Mushroom-onion soup
Buttermilk Pie
Black Bottom Biscuits
A pan of bacon
Home-made herb rolls
Cucumber Salad
Fresh home-made iced tea
A container of home-made dog food
Mashed potatoes
Prep for a "breakfast" dinner of French toast and bacon
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Of course there's the shopping for ingredients, the changes as required on the day of cooking and, ahem, the cooking mishap that often happens.

It's the first Cooking Sunday Blog entry and the tale of combining husband tastes, dog tastes, wife tastes, along with the plan for re-heat and recovery from the mishap makes for a read that will amuse. With recipes and pictures of the finished food included.

FIRST COOKING ENTRY HERE

Cooking Sunday-Pie Surprise

It was a "Cooking Sunday" and the menu was as follows:
country fried steak
mashed potatoes
fried ham and cheese sandwiches
bacon and french toast
crab cakes
biscuits from tube
crispy chili twists
irish cream cake
choco peanut butter pie

The biggest disaster was the explosion of the fried noodles. Although husband's surprise announcement about the pie was a bit of a disaster as well.

SURPRISE PIE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE

Cooking-Flied Lice

It's a Cooking Sunday with pics of the successes and the disaster.

And there is a disaster involving brownies that could not be made palatable.

Oh, and check out the Flied Lice recipe.

 


FLIED LICE HERE

A Sweet Treat with Saltines

In this cooking post we have a vintage recipe involving saltines and chocolate my hand to the Lord. And yes, I made it and it was delicious!

Speaking of chocolate…in this food post we wisely speak of chocolate.

BUTTER BRICKLE POST HERE

Asparagus Soup

It seemed a good idea at the time. Asparagus, so abundant in the spring, such a fine vegetable, so much waste.

In this cooking post I re-visit the time I decided to make asparagus soup out of the woody ends of the asparagus spears.

The result will either make you laugh or throw up. Sensitive stomachs should avoid.

ASPARAGUS SOUP HERE

Guest and More Butter Brickle

In this cooking Sunday post I describe my prep for guests and the dishes I served.

Including pictures of the world famous butter brickle, made with saltines and chocolate chips I kid you not.

MORE BUTTER BRICKLE HERE

The World Famous Deviled Egg Post. Also Beanie Salade.

For it's Grandmother's world famous deviled eggs.

Also, Beanie Salade.

FAMOUS DEVILED EGG POST HERE

Marinated Mushrooms Only a Dog Could Love

Turns out dogs shouldn’t be eating onions.

MARINATED MUSHROOMS HERE

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Storing Vegetables; Lemon Truffle Pie

Quick catch up on cooking during the hot months.

How to store vegies and grilling tips.

Plus a tried and tested recipe, with forlorn picture, of something called "lemon truffle pie".
Recipe included

ABOVE POST HERE
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Chicken Wings and Cold Oven Cookies

Time for a Cooking Sunday.

Featuring perfect chicken wings from your deep fryer, how to store raspberries, what the hell corned beef is anyway and, I'm not making this up, cookies you bake in a cold oven.

ABOVE POST HERE
~~~~~~~~~~~

Simple Donuts

Time for a Cooking post.

Some notes on coffee and corned beef.

Two tested recipes including an easy donut recipe sure to please.

HERE
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Kitty Litter Cake?

Since tomorrow's Thanksgiving, here's a Cooking post.

Including a recipe for a truly awful cake, how to dry herbs and spaghetti sauce with nothing but meat.

Oh, you got to see this "kitty litter" cake recipe.

HERE
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Stuffed Pepper Soup and Other Tried and True Recipes

Time for a Cooking post.

How about some Green Pepper Soup? A delicious and simple recipe for pineapple upside down cake? Artichoke and Blue Cheese fetticune?

All tried and true with comments, pictures and some additional cooking tidbits.

HERE
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Around the House

Kitchen Makeover

Here's the story of a kitchen makeover that effectively made use of every available space in a pretty but practical manner.

Okay, so it's only the story of MY kitchen makeover, but I'm very pleased with the results.

I would thank to HGTV for all their guidance. Also, my parents for making me possible....

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The Laundry Story

Grandmother details how to do the laundry like Kaitlyn will never see in Heloise.

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS HERE

The Tidy Nest

As Grandmother explains to Kaitlyn, cleaning is for the birds. There's a treasure trove of info in this missive about how to clean the nest cheaply, effectively and better, avoid dirt completely.

THE TIDY NEST HERE

Being Organized-Part

There are five chapters in this beginning of a book started by The Wise I to enhance the lives of the totally unorganized. At some point the totally unorganized just made me mad so I abandoned the project.

Upon rooting around in my directory I came upon it and re-read mine own wisdom. Damn, I thought. I’m good.

Some of the details are from my long ago past but the crux of the arguments are still valid. For being organized is as much a state of mind as a pile of “todo” lists.

On this, the introduction, I ask (and hopefully answer) why bother being organized at all?

ORGANIZED PART 1 HERE

ORGANIZED PART 2 HERE