I figure I can depend on your leniency.
Q: How do you fix a leaky Jack O'Lantern?
A: With a pumpkin patch.
If you celebrate Halloween and plan on dressing up (for a party, for the trick-or-treaters, just for kicks), what will you be this year?
GA Man Seeks Reunion with Stolen Lucky Penny
Ralph Baker of Macon, Ga., says somebody broke into his apartment and stole his wallet. He doesn't care much about the cash in it. He wants the lucky penny he found the day he left to join the Navy in 1965. It went with him through Vietnam, Lebanon and the first Gulf War. He says he wants back the penny, which, like him, is "all washed up, burned out and tarnished."
In the future, if a recipe calls for 1 to 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, I will err on the side of caution and only add a half a teaspoon...maybe even only a quarter teaspoon.
The homemade Italian sausage I made last night is good, AND it helped to clean out my sinuses.
Ella’s Homemade Italian Sausage
Adapted from KitchenAid
1-1/4 pounds, approximately, pork shoulder or skinless, boneless chicken or turkey thighs
OR
1 pound ground pork, chicken or turkey
3/4 tsp fennel seeds*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder or dried minced onion
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp dried, crushed rosemary
1/8 tsp thyme
1 -2 tsp dried red pepper flakes (for hot sausage)
2 TB red wine vinegar
*You can leave this out, but its presence makes it Italian sausage.
If grinding at home: cut the meat into 1″ cubes, spread on parchment or wax paper and freeze for about 30 minutes, until semi-firm and the tip of a sharp knife meets some resistance.
Use the coarse plate of your grinder and grind into a large bowl.
If using meat already ground: place into a large bowl.
Scatter the seasonings onto the ground meat and toss gently to combine and distribute. Sprinkle on the vinegar and gently mix. Overhandling will toughen the meat.
If desired, taste for seasoning; see tip below.
Cover, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. It can be used immediately, but benefits from the time to let the flavors meld. This can also be frozen.
Ella’s tips: To taste for seasoning, thoroughly cook 1 tablespoon of your sausage in the microwave or a small skillet. Adjust as needed. If you don’t want to cut raw meat, just ask the butcher to do it.
Copyright (C) 2009 From Scratch All Rights Reserve
I just wanted to wish all the Canadian Peeps a Very Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.
Hope your day is wonderful and that you are surrounded by friends and family!
Q: How do you catch a unique rabbit?
A: Unique up on it.
Q: How do you catch a tame rabbit?
A: Tame way, unique up on it.
I had some bizarre dreams last night - not the least of which involved me watching a news story on how a mother kangaroo adopted a tiger cub and was carting it around in her pouch.
This happened after we tried to crash a private screening of some movie. The event had been arranged for Blondie, the sexy elf (oh hell, what was his name? Legolas?) and his family and friends. We didn't manage to get in to see whatever movie was playing, but we ate nachos and made a huge mess on the stairs just outside the theater.
I love it when I can remember my dreams, and when those dreams unfold with something that resembles a plot.
*****
ITEM: Be careful with this one; it's an antique.
Q: What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches?
A: A nervous wreck
*****
ITEM: Happy Friday, y'all!
I received an e-mail today - and it seems apropos to share it, since there has been some discussion about the movement for (and against) healthcare reform.
This e-mail contains a healthcare survey from California Congressman, Darrell Lissa. He's a Republican, and I think it shows.
I find that I am torn between wanting my representative to know my opinions on healthcare reform, and being disgusted by the survey.
Take a look for yourself; what do you think?
1. A "government option" should be a part of any healthcare reform passed by Congress. (Agree / Disagree)
2. Government should remain a neutral regulator of the healthcare industry and refrain from taking greater control over the payment of or provision of healthcare services. (Agree / Disagree)
3. In order to insure all Americans, I would support a plan which increases taxes for: (Select the statements below that you AGREE with)
- Middle Class and Working Families
- Upper income families with household incomes abover $250,000.00
- My own family
- None of the above. I do not support raising taxes in order to insure all Americans
4. I support President Barak Obama's healthcare plan. (Agree / Disagree / I do not know enough about the President's plan to make a decision)
5. I have proposed that the same health plans provided to Members of Congress and Federal employees be made available to all private employers and workers. Under my proposal, employers would be required to make the same contributions as the government and workers would have to pay the same premiums paid by federal employees. Participation in these plans would be voluntary for employers and employees. Do you:
- Support this proposal
- Oppose this proposal
****
About the only survey question I feel that I can respond to that won't twist up my actual opinion to serve Congressman Lissa's agenda is #3, and even that I'm sure he'll be able to spin in such a way that makes it support whatever it is that he's peddling.
Oh, what to do? I think I'll skip the survey and just send a letter that spells out my opinion on the healthcare reform debate.
"I'm wild about horns
on automobiles
that go
wah-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh
OOGA OOGA!"
Another camp song from my childhood for you.
As I was driving to work this morning, I traveled behind what I think was a mini-cooper (I don't know cars.) I think it had actually come from overseas. The California license plate had been mounted over a British license plate, AND the steering wheel was on the opposite side of what I am used to.
FREAKY!
It got me thinking - how different (and difficult) is it to get used to driving a car that has a set up that is opposite what you learned on? And how are the levers set up? Is the turn signal lever still on the (OH NO! I can't remember what side the turn signal lever is on, in my car. I think it's the left side. Yeah...that's what I'm going to go with) left side of the steering wheel? (How can I not remember a detail like that? OMG!)
How different is it to parallel park a car with the steering wheel on the right side, when the streets are set up so that you're driving on the right hand side?
I'm not a great driver. (There are probably days when I wouldn't even rate as a good driver.) I'll even admit that I do not keep both hands on the steering wheel. In fact, it is rare that the one hand I am steering with is at either ten or two. Generally speaking, my left hand is at seven-ish. Would I be likely to steer with my right hand if I was driving a car with the steering wheel on the right side?
Dude, and are the gas and break pedals still set up the same? Would one still use the right foot to operate the pedals? (And is the mini cooper a standard or automatic transmission?)
So many (bizarre) questions. That little car - cute as it was - completely freaked me out this morning. I'm having a hard time focusing on my work, so preoccupied am I with a myriad of questions.
*****
Onto a different topic: today's PUN-ishment:
Time flies like an arrow.
Fruit flies like a banana.
*****
Have a marvelous day, y'all!
So the little bubba is finally rolling over from back to belly regularly. He is experimenting with variations on this new trick. Last night he tried to roll over during his bath.
Now, his little bathtub is not really designed to accommodate a rolling child. Hal only made it so far before he was stymied. No worries, though. He was happy to begin gnawing on the rim of the tub.
It reminded me of a clapping game from my childhood:
Miss Suzy had a baby.
She named him Tiny Tim.
She put him in the bathtub
To see if he could swim.
He drank up all the water.
He ate up all the soap.
He tried to eat the bathtub,
But it wouldn't go down his throat.
I then spent the rest of the evening trying to remember the remainder of this rhyme. I'm not sure if I can tell you how it begins. I know I could Google the bloody thing, but I enjoy the torture - especially if I can claim that it is exercising my memory.
