Sunday Nov 27th

Four weeks from today is Christmas Day.

First order of business today, finish the green chile enchiladas with the leftover dark meat…

That’s sour cream on top…I found a new way to heat the tortillas; just cook them a few seconds in a hot non stick pan…no more heating oil or that mess.With my glass top stove, I set the burner on 7 and allowed to preheat my non stick pan for 10 minutes. Keep a large hunk of foil close by or something to cover the tortillas so they won’t dry out. I just fold it over to cover them while cooking. it takes about 20-25 seconds per side. They’ll get some black spots on them and that’s OK…no need for tongs, just be quick about it.

These rolled up easily with a handful of chopped turkey and some American Cheese.

The salsa verde I made from tomatillos, onion, serrano pepper, garlic, some green pepper all roasted under the broiler, then whipped in a food processor. I later made a wee bit of roux with chicken broth, butter and flour, and added it to the concoction before pouring it over the enchiladas. Topped with cheddar cheese…likely, they’ll all be mine as the girls don’t care for the spicier foods. These are better than my beef enchiladas.

Now with the new tortilla cooking method, there may be more in our future.

Looks like almost all the Thanksgiving dinner leftovers are gone now, say for a bit of smashed taters, and the rest of the dark meat. There is some cranberry salad, but that will be gone soon…apple pie too is left, and looks like I am the only one eating that; probably only for one more serving.

Temps up into the seventies today with lots of sunshine, and that’ll be good for drying out.

And I am done for today.

Saturday Nov 26th

I was all buzzed up about getting to town and use my True Value coupon, so off I went at 8:30.

First stop was the local grocer as I need some coconut, and some pico de gallo fixin’s as well as a few tomatillos.

The store was near dead; only a few customers here and there.

I drove across the street to the auto parts store, to get a rear wiper blade for the wife’s car. It has been dilapidated badly so long that the rubber now hangs off the blade. A real PIA to replace. I was unable to remove the wiper from the car, so I had to dig around and find a video…still a PIA..

Next stop, the hardware store, where I picked up an assortment of air chuck accessories; air gun, extended length air chuck with air gage, and all accessories for the quick release for $22. Some more of that Roebic septic tank treatment, a brand spankin’ new faucet aireator for my bathroom sink…tired of that damned thing spraying outward instead of downward. By the way, those aireators are not a standard size.

I sauntered by the gun counter to find my buddy Thomas working. I discussed with him my problem with my chainsaw, and he just said to bring it in as it has a 5 year warranty.

I wasted no time in returning with my chainsaw. He said he’d call when ready.

I noticed that the engine light came on in the wife’s car too. I checked the code; it was  P0151, which cleared easily. Something to do with emissions control in the exhaust. Oh well, it cleared. She has a recall notice too for her car. Something about a bushing for the cable that is used to shift the transmission. The letter said to make an appt with dealer, and be prepared to sit half a day on one’s ass waiting to get something fixed that wasn’t your fault. The last time I took the car in for a recall, after I left the car began honking by itself randomly…still does that too.

So, I made my pico de gallo, and will soon have a batch of chile con queso as well.

After all my traipsing back and forth from the shed, I tracked mud into the house, and thus had to vacuum my mess.

I did attain my $50 expenditure at the hardware store to get my $10 off coupon…They sell pecans grown, picked, and shelled locally at the cashier stations for $15 a pound. That’s as good a deal as one will find anywhere. $22 for the air chuck accessories, $10 for the Roebic, $5 for the aireator, and $15 for the pecans, and I was gone; only to return later with my chainsaw. I don’t think it was as easy of a repair as he thought.

Anyway, that is what is happening here. I am currently roasting tomatillos for maybe some green enchiladas later…I shoulda got some Jack cheese..

 

The Day After-Nov 25

and still kickin’.

All went well yesterday, and even got to nap while the girls did the dishes…AND…and got two turkey sammiches…more on the way, as the kid has set her eyes on the rest of the white meat…good thing she had to work today, as I feel a turkey sammich cravin’ comin’ on.

I may just go and get a turkey breast, and a loaf of bread…just for me. Is that wrong?

I still want to make a trip to the local hardware store to burn my $10 coupon. Last day is tomorrow.

It was supposed to rain all afternoon, but the forecast has changed and the rain is now postponed until 5 pm.

I ain’t complainin’.

So, a day or two of leftovers, and we’re back to daily meal planning. The ribeye roast is back on sale at the local grocer at $5.99/lb. I’m gonna pass. I’m starting to get in the mood for chili and cornbread, if the nice, cooler weather keeps up.

The wife and I differ with chili, as I would guess everyone has their own idea of chili…mine does not include beans, and the wife’s idea does. I like mine rather hot, the wife does not. I like to bury my cornbread in chili, the wife does not.

I do agree that beans make the chili go further, and the right bean will yield an appropriate flavor addition…people get shot for less in this state…

I may concoct some tomatillo enchiladas with the leftover dark meat; also known as green chile enchiladas..or maybe turkey with fettuccine Alfredo..yeah, that could work. One could also make King Ranch Casserole with turkey instead of chicken..We just had that, so that won’t work here…back when my boys were small, I’d take leftover turkey with frozen tater tots in a casserole, top with a couple cans of drained French cut green beans, and some cream of mushroom soup poured over the top and bake..

I think the fettuccine will work the best…that would figure as I tossed out the grated Parmesan I had…it had a touch of mold. Alfredo sauce is the easiest stuff to make…all the fancy names scare everyone off…

Follow instructions on the fettuccine. Your Alfredo sauce consists of equal parts of

1. heavy whipping cream…1/2 C
2. butter…1 stick
3. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 C

On your stovetop, melt your butter together with your whipping cream, over low heat…add your grated Parm  and let it melt…add to your just cooked and drained (not rinsed) fettuccine, and toss…Your pals will think you part time at Olive Garden.

I have been known to toss cooked, cut up chicken into the sauce, just before adding to noodles..turkey will work too…

OK I’ve about stretched this out as much as I can..

what kind of gun is this?

image from Madd Medic

Happy Thanksgiving

Wednesday Nov 23

Many thanks to all who actually answered the question that always pops up this time of year.

A request was made for this…here ya go!

A buddy of mine worked at Pizza Hut in the mid 70s.  Does anyone remember the “Taco Pizza?” it was a short lived pizza with taco seasoned ground beef, a variety of cheeses, topped with lettuce or cabbage…I liked it, but it didn’t last long.

After slipping into bed at near 5 am, I got up just after 9.

First project was the Cranberry Salad

easy enough to get into fridge and chill.

Next up; apple pie.

Then corn bread today, for stuffing tomorrow.

and I think I’m done with preps..

Will put turkey in brine this evening. Brine is chilling now, and will add an onion and thmathed garlic later this evening. This year’s brine has 1 C salt, and 1 C sugar with a small handful of peppercorns, and a bay leaf.

I got nuthin’ else for today…

 

Tuesday Nov 22

Where were you the day Kennedy was shot?

11/22/1963

59 years ago…damn..

I think I’ve probably touched on this every year for several now, so I won’t repeat where I was on that day.

More rain here today, and it’s warming into the fifties. More rain in the forecast tonight and tomorrow.

In the spur of the moment, I made chowder last night; a double batch..now I won’t have to cook tonight…tomorrow it’s a free for all, as I’ll be prepping for Thursday.

The kid popped in and asked if we were gonna put up Christmas lights…as usual, I said “what’s this WE shit?” I have noticed that in the past, the kid was first in line to unpack and decorate the Christmas tree, but after Christmas, the tree and every light or decoration in the house will gather dust until the apocalypse..

I find I am missing my Sam’s club membership…getting low on coffee, but I find it hard to justify dropping $100 just for the privilege of getting free shipping. So, Sam’s membership is on hold permanently, unless the money tree blooms, or the kid starts paying rent…one is about as likely to happen as the other…

The wife is still smoking, and she has volunteered to go outside and do the deed; if it’s not too cold.

I am sticking to the plan, and am not craving smokes either. My Zippo lighter, extra flints, wick, fluid, and the 40 cheap butane lighters have all gone up into the storage box with the matches, as well as my vintage Pizza Hut ash tray.

I no longer have to begin counting how many smokes I have left, when the pack gets low, and plan the day accordingly; hoping that maybe the wife will go get me some more smokes…no more…

I recall going to a training school in ’05 in Connecticut, and paying $5 for a pack of smokes. $5 doesn’t sound so bad now, and it’s mostly taxes. My brand was getting around $8 each, and the wife’s are $9. Yeah, we were spending around $400 a month on smokes.

I remember when a buddy of mine came in complaining because the local 7-11 had raised their cigarette prices to 99 cents a pack, as he threw a dollar bill at them and left.

I remember when my old man used to pay .35 per pack…

I used to drive across to Mexico, and get a carton of Marlboro reds for $5…yes, that was 1974.

Moving along, it’s another slow day here.

I have a coupon to burn at the local hardware store by Saturday..gotta spend $50 to get $10 off…thus are my True Value rewards…hey, it’s something…

 

 

Monday, Nov 21

I got up from my afternoon nap yesterday, and walked towards the kitchen. I found the wife leisurely sitting in her living room chair, with her personal heater warming her feet, and a thick quilt covering the rest of her…

“Comfy?” I said in jest (mostly).

“I have some bad news for you” she began “very bad”.

If you heard that, how many images would be running through your mind?

I stopped in my tracks and sighed, wondering what deluge of negative possibilities could befall me…

“There is a dead deer over by your trailer” she said “a baby one”..

Well, being a baby was the good part of that story.

It was almost dark, as I donned my slippers, stocking hat, gloves, and flashlight, and I headed to the next to final resting place of the baby deer.

My first search around the trailer yielded nothing, causing me to wonder if she had gotten into my gummies. Two trips around the trailer, and no deer. So I traipsed back to the house and gave her what for.

Once again, I headed out; this trip with my sidekick…”Oh I guess it’s on the other side of the tree” she said, as we approached the trailer.

The tree shields the trailer from the sun on the RV pad, and sure enough, there it was.

It was dead all right, and it certainly was a very small deer.

I dragged it out to the brush line, and dropped it off, where the turkey vultures and likely kittycats will nipple nibble (did I say nipple?) on it.

next!

I did not get a pic, given that I was wearing gloves, it was cold, and dark.

In my near 19 years of marriage to her, I have learned one thing…

no matter how sick I am, there are still some things that are set aside for me, and me alone to do; period. Add another to the list.

I doubt if the turkey vultures will be braving the cold. If it was summer, there would only be bones left by now.

Likely, its mama died, or it died of thirst, since the wife failed to fill the water troughs in a timely fashion; again.

Thus endeth the adventure.

As we enter the week of Thanksgiving, I see the inside of my house turning into a side warehouse for Hobby Lobby.

Various sticks of green, holly, are all over with no place to go…glass vases of all colors, red and clear mostly.

Christmas trees of all sizes from those that fit in your hand, to one that will go on the wife’s piano.

Hunnerts of bulbs; all colors, shapes, and sizes are gathered in small see through boxes in every room, but not officially ‘placed’ yet.

Sterilite containers stacked one on top of another; usually three high here and there around the house…oh no, never use everything!!! we have to rotate our stock so we don’t have the same stuff out every year! My God man!

We were fine until the kid moved up.

I look at all this crap piling up and I am thinking…”this could all be rent money”

It’ll take 4 more weeks to get it all placed, then it’ll take 3 months to take it down, pack it up, and haul it out to the storeroom.

We got rid of our Christmas tree when we sold the house back in ’18. We have not needed one since…until…well, I dare not speak those words again.

I am still not smoking. It has been since November 12 when last I smoked.

My BS this morning was 125.

I just finished soaking my feet in peroxide and ACV.

Time for coffee.