October, 2019 ~ What's cooking today?

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:I'd choose the bed of nails in an air-conditioned room!
Now, that is a winner of a statement.... I would be on a bed of nails also.... hahahahahahahaha

Congratulations on your new A/C system. Was the broken one very old?

Ancient, Jimmy. We bought the house 21 years ago when it was newly renovated but I remember the first time we needed service on one of the A/C units, I was told by the repairman that the units weren't brand new ones (they didn't look it either). So they're pretty old, Jimmy, and we feel lucky they lasted as long as they did, and grateful the two units didn't go out at the same time! The new one is a 16 Seer Lennox system. At least it's going to be nice having a unit that's a lot more efficient than the one we've had for years.

Beth wrote:It was a "Get-Outta-Dodge" day.....Lyn, Barb & Barb's daughter, Cathy, who is here on vacation from Ohio for 2 weeks ~ off to Orlando area to go to Costco & Trader Joe's. We stopped in Cleremont at The Crooked Spoon, a gastro pub, for a late lunch. Everyone got something different: Chopped Salad w/Strawberries & Bleu Cheese, Mac & Cheese w/Side Salad & Broccolini, Blueberry Brie Burger w/House Chips & Portuguese Mussels w/Chorizo & White Beans.

You have to guess which was MINE ??????

Beth -- Jimmy guessed the burger but I'm guessing the mussels since it's the only dish without cheese!!!

WHAT DO I WIN? WHAT DO I WIN? Don't tell me you ate something with cheese!!!

bethk wrote:I like the flavor of the Sabretts but have never found them with the natural casing.....

To me, the crack & snap when you bite into the hot dog is key to me liking it.

I'm always LOOKING for that type of hot dog with the natural casing, Beth, but never see them. But OMG, we don't get the Brioche buns down here either. I'm with Jimmy that that bun looked delicious!

NormM wrote:When we got our first TV, there was only one channel. Later we got a second and then a third. I thought the extra channels were added because they gave them to you after you had the TV set for a period of time.  I didn't realize there was only one TV station in existence until another one came in and so on. I must have been about eight at the time. I didn't know about cable until I got out of the Army and moved to a small town that was out of range of the network broadcasting stations.

Brian and I avoided getting cable for many years after most people had it (except for my mom, who NEVER got it at her house). We didn't think we watched enough TV to justify paying though we both enjoyed news whenever you wanted it (CNN back then) and TCM for movies when we were on vacation and saw cable. We finally got it when Iraq invaded Kuwait (1990) as we wanted to see "war" live on TV. We didn't realize most of the channels would have commercials either -- we thought that was why they charged for the channels since there were no commercials. And we thought it was a lot cheaper than it was by then...

Remember when you turned off the old TVs and how they would kind of "blink" at you and then it would be a little white dot that would get smaller and smaller until the TV was off for a minute and then it would disappear. I remember when I was home sick sneaking downstairs to watch TV (I was supposed to stay in bed, of course) and then running upstairs when I heard my father's car outside, hoping that little white dot would disappear by the time he came inside and passed through the living room (the old days with ONE television set)!!!

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Tina bought one of those Magic Tv antennas ( as seen on tv )...... A little box with a green flashing light. When it seeks and finds a channel, it's supposed to stop blinking and allow you to watch tv. It was beautiful.... It must have been a story of a snow storm, because the whole screen was all snow. Haaaaa! Back to Walmart to get the $19.99 back.

You had me giggling out loud at this, Jimmy!!

I made some Olive Bread but since Beth wasn't having any, I went ahead and added some crumbled feta to it. It was not only delicious but the smell in the house while it baked was to die for! I picked him up from chemo and  Brian could smell it as he went down the alley to get back in the house (he now goes in and out via the side kitchen door as the kitchen steps are a lot shallower than the front steps and easier to negotiate with his walker).

And though I'd initially planned to just make the dough in the bread machine, by the time I finished putting it together I'd decided to let the machine do it rather than turn on the oven. It was a squat loaf due to all the cheese but was really delicious! I used to keep gluten on hand to add to cheese breads to get them to rise better but not any more...

Crybaby wrote:

Beth wrote:It was a "Get-Outta-Dodge" day.....Lyn, Barb & Barb's daughter, Cathy, who is here on vacation from Ohio for 2 weeks ~ off to Orlando area to go to Costco & Trader Joe's. We stopped in Cleremont at The Crooked Spoon, a gastro pub, for a late lunch. Everyone got something different: Chopped Salad w/Strawberries & Bleu Cheese, Mac & Cheese w/Side Salad & Broccolini, Blueberry Brie Burger w/House Chips & Portuguese Mussels w/Chorizo & White Beans.

You have to guess which was MINE ??????

Beth -- Jimmy guessed the burger but I'm guessing the mussels since it's the only dish without cheese!!!

WHAT DO I WIN? WHAT DO I WIN? Don't tell me you ate something with cheese!!!

Michelle ~ YOU WIN !!!  ((the cheese on everyone else's was a dead give-away!))  

And the prize is my undying love and devotion......or some other worthless prize.  LOL

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I'm always LOOKING for that type of hot dog with the natural casing, Beth, but never see them. But OMG, we don't get the Brioche buns down here either. I'm with Jimmy that that bun looked delicious!

Those brioche buns are some they sell at Aldi.  Go figure.  I think they carry something similar at Wal Mart.  Check it out next time you order.  I know for sure ours carry the brioche hamburger buns. By the way, you might check at Wal Mart for the Nathan's Coney Island Natural Casing Beef Frankfurters. Sometimes they carry them, other times they don't. But it's worth checking their stock in the store you order from.

Michelle, that olive bread looks AMAZING! It's so good! I can only imagine how wonderful your house smelled......Andrea makes a focaccia (sp?) with olives and onion ~ also amazing. And I DO know how wonderful the house smells when SHE bakes bread when I'm there.

**************

Tonight neighbor Jim took us out to Texas Roadhouse for supper as his treat for inviting him over for supper a few times. I had a rib eye and it was cooked perfectly. It's nice to be waited on for a change.

Crybaby wrote:

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:I'd choose the bed of nails in an air-conditioned room!
Now, that is a winner of a statement.... I would be on a bed of nails also.... hahahahahahahaha

Congratulations on your new A/C system. Was the broken one very old?

Ancient, Jimmy. We bought the house 21 years ago when it was newly renovated but I remember the first time we needed service on one of the A/C units, I was told by the repairman that the units weren't brand new ones (they didn't look it either). So they're pretty old, Jimmy, and we feel lucky they lasted as long as they did, and grateful the two units didn't go out at the same time! The new one is a 16 Seer Lennox system. At least it's going to be nice having a unit that's a lot more efficient than the one we've had for years.

Great! .... Good choice of Brand... I've worked with Lennox equipment for over 37 years. They make a fine product! And they stand behind it!

I have the indoor coil and air handler in the attic that is dated 06/1962
The outside unit 1987. Both Lennox and still cooling like ice.

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Finished the beef barley soup.
The Toilet loved the remainder. I know I would never eat leftovers twice. Only pizza ......

I don't quite understand jimmy. Did it make you sick? Did you pour the leftovers down the toilet? That one is new to me. It actually makes a lot of sense: you won't clog your kitchen sink trying to grind down food. We have been tossing leftovers in the garbage and using the disposer for crumbs and debris.

Bugster2 wrote:

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:Finished the beef barley soup.
The Toilet loved the remainder. I know I would never eat leftovers twice. Only pizza ......

I don't quite understand jimmy. Did it make you sick? Did you pour the leftovers down the toilet? That one is new to me. It actually makes a lot of sense: you won't clog your kitchen sink trying to grind down food. We have been tossing leftovers in the garbage and using the disposer for crumbs and debris.

No Debbie.....hahahaha....We didn't get sick, and I flush a lot of stuff down the commode. Usually soups / stews / mashed potatoes...etc.
I don't like garbage disposal systems. If it is large like potatoes, I will crush them, and then dispose of it.

It must be more than 30 years since I have had Wonder Bread. That is all i used to eat as a kid.

Bugster2 wrote:It must be more than 30 years since I have had Wonder Bread. That is all i used to eat as a kid.

Can you get Wonder Bread in your area??

I think so Jimmy.

nothing better than that sandwich getting stuck on the roof of your mouth!

((gave you something to suck on all afternoon at school.......))

We have Wonder bread here but I think there was a time when it wasn't.  It may have gone under then came back with different owners... Like Hostess.

[quote="bethk"]

Crybaby wrote:

Beth wrote:You have to guess which was MINE ??????

Beth -- Jimmy guessed the burger but I'm guessing the mussels since it's the only dish without cheese!!!
WHAT DO I WIN? WHAT DO I WIN? Don't tell me you ate something with cheese!!!

bethk wrote:Michelle ~ YOU WIN !!!  ((the cheese on everyone else's was a dead give-away!))  

And the prize is my undying love and devotion......or some other worthless prize.  LOL

I accept the prize, Missy!!

And thanks for the tips about possibly getting both brioche hamburger buns and Nathan's Coney Island Natural Casing Beef Frankfurters at Walmart. I'm getting a delivery order ready but with the weather kind of "iffy" down here, I might not place it until tomorrow so delivery will be on Sunday when the weather might look a bit better. I don't want my groceries delivered by some poor soul when it's pouring rain outside.

But I might have to make a personal visit to Walmart's pharmacy soon to pick up a Rx for Brian -- not every pharmacy stocks one of his drugs now -- so I can always do a quick check in the store (assuming I remember to do so when there).

bethk wrote:Michelle, that olive bread looks AMAZING!  It's so good!  I can only imagine how wonderful your house smelled......Andrea makes a focaccia (sp?) with olives and onion ~ also amazing.  And I DO know how wonderful the house smells when SHE bakes bread when I'm there.

Oooh, I love focaccia and often think of making some when I'm on the computer checking out recipes and ideas. For some reason, those ideas about focaccia rarely make it downstairs where they get made. Unlike several of you, we're fans of rosemary down here and I've made a rosemary garlic focaccia before but I prefer ones with onions so Andrea's version with olives and onions sounds delicious.

bethk wrote:Tonight neighbor Jim took us out to Texas Roadhouse for supper as his treat for inviting him over for supper a few times.  I had a rib eye and it was cooked perfectly.  It's nice to be waited on for a change.

That's very nice of him -- AND an incentive for more invites, too! Seriously, it's nice of you to have Jim and your recently widowed friend over for dinner, Beth. I'm sure it means a lot to each of them to have someone else cook and they get to enjoy the company as well.

Uncle Jimmy wrote:Great! .... Good choice of Brand... I've worked with Lennox equipment for over 37 years. They make a fine product! And they stand behind it!

I have the indoor coil and air handler in the attic that is dated 06/1962
The outside unit 1987. Both Lennox and still cooling like ice.

Wow -- hope these Lennox parts last that long as we'll both be long gone and won't have to worry about THAT anymore!

Not only is the outside Lennox unit a lot quieter than the one it replaced but the air conditioner itself is a lot quieter inside the house, too. The thermostat for the upstairs unit is in the guest room and the indoor coil and air handler in the attic are OVER the guest room. I notice how much quieter it is in there now when the A/C is running.

Sure hope I notice a reduction in the electric bill with this new unit. Of the two units we have, the upstairs one is the larger and it's also the one that runs the most, too, so I'm definitely looking forward to lower utility bills particularly next summer!

UNCLE JIMMY wrote:That bread looks awesome. Nice crust too!

It really turned out well, Jimmy. Delicious toasted with some of that yummy Irish butter on it, too.

I'm using the self-clean option on the oven today. I've never used it before. Actually, I've never used the 'self-clean' on ANY oven I've owned. I always used cleaner and elbow grease.

But, hey, I've still got it under warranty so I figured I'd give it a try. Got nothing to lose, I guess.

I did pull the stove out to the middle of the kitchen in case it got really hot. I didn't want it sitting within 1/2" of the wood cabinets. And I just touched the sides (in the middle of the cycle) and I'm glad I made that decision. It's really hot. Fortunately for me it's easy to slide straight out on the tile floor.

I have the oven racks outside in a heavy duty trash bag soaking in some ammonia and hot water. Today is just a lovely day ~ overcast and cool (73°) so I can have the patio door open and the ceiling fans all on high to move the stink outside.

I told Dane the instructions warned that some small birds may be affected by the fumes so, just in case, if he starts to feel light headed he should tell me and I'd drag his body out in the courtyard to the fresh air.......

LOL