Last Night

Posted on February 14, 2010 by Frog

Last night we had some friends over for dinner. It’s always great seeing them and we all end up staying up too late. I’m not sure which couple has the better deal when it comes to getting to bed. We live about 30 minutes from each other and so depending on the clean up the hosts must do, I wonder who gets tucked in first. We stuffed the dishwasher full and then rinsed everything that wouldn’t fit and ran another load this morning. It’s impressive how many plates, glasses, dishes and pots four people can dirty up.

Last night we made three sauces and two different kinds of pasta. The better-half and I made one of the sauces the night before (simple tomato and white wine with garlic) and my girl friend and I made two sauces while the fellas made the pasta. We put together a chard and sausage sauce and a ham, cream and pea sauce that ended up in the broiler for a little while to melt the cheese. The guys rolled out and cut a wide noodle and spaghetti.

We served Caesar salad with the better-half’s amazing, super-delicious anchovy and garlic dressing. We had crema catalana for dessert (a Mediterranean version of creme brulee).

Somehow Toss Across came up in conversation, so I went into the attic and found the better-half’s game (still in the original box) and we played a couple of rounds. It was more exciting when we were all eight.

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Morning Visitor

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Frog

This spider showed up early this morning. I think it is a fan of Lissie too:

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Closed

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Frog

I got up before 6 this morning like I almost always do on a work day (except Fridays which is my work at home day and the commute is much shorter). I took my shower and secretly hoped the rain I drove home in yesterday had turned to ice or snow. By the time I got downstairs I was really regretting getting up. I woke up in the middle of a dream and that’s never good.

I flipped on the back door light and peered outside. I was happy to see it was snowing. I turned on the TV, saw the footage and the discussion of whether schools should be in session (some opened only to close after the kids were in their seats). I called my supervisor’s voice mail around 6:10 and told her that I’d work from home today–hey, I toted a ton of stuff home in an old Kroger bag. I’m starting a new trend in work accessories.

I sat down at my computer a full half-hour before I usually start. I answered some emails and then fooled around on the web. What? You don’t start your office day with fooling around on the internet? Oh, you hang out in the kitchen drinking coffee? Whatever. Most of us waste time first thing in the morning. I do it at my desk.

I talked to my boss. She reported that it took her an hour to drive 12 miles. We agreed staying home was really the best idea. Then I worked until about 10:15 when an email arrived alerting me the university closed. I whooped it up but then found out that the school actually closed around 9am, but that the alert system via email was delayed.

Our email sucks. It’s been up and down for the past two days and this morning an email I sent internally ended up in an HR person’s mail box. She replied and said what’s this for. I had to apologize and explained the message was supposed to go to someone else…how hard is it to keep an email system up and running accurately?

I walked outside a little while ago to spread some bird seed around. The feeder is actually frozen shut. As soon as I was back in the house, the birds were eating. I think they post a sentry and as soon as seed appears the alert goes out. It works much better than our email system.

Snow theme:

Posted in Generic Thoughts | 2 Comments

Huh?

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Frog

My eyes nearly fell out of my head after they rolled completely over–what the hell?

Posted in Watching | 2 Comments

Dumplings

Posted on February 6, 2010 by Frog

We were supposed to host an early Chinese New Year today but the huge snow storm put a stop to that. Since we had all the ingredients, we decided to practice making dumplings. We have Andrea Nguyen’s new book Asian Dumplings and she offers really practical tips and if you go to that link, she has videos to teach you steps like rolling out dumpling wrappers.

We prepared the pork and napa cabbage dumpling recipe (they are simmered for about 8 minutes) and we made the entire recipe but only put together a quarter of the dumplings. We’ll tackle the rest tomorrow. I predict we’ll eat some and freeze some for later (or we’ll just eat until we burst).

The whole process was surprisingly easy. I need to get better at shaping the dumplings, but that comes with practice.

Here’s an action shot of the better-half dunking a dumpling into sauce before hoovering it down in the time it took me to take the shot and put the camera down:

Because this killed me with the cute on Friday, I’m sharing it with you today:

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Perfect for nearly any day, but doubly on a snow day

Posted on February 5, 2010 by Frog

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Here’s hoping that school thing works out

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Frog

I have a course at work that’s very political in nature (office politics, not presidential) and it is a pain in the ass. I finished and published it one day and two days later five pages of really great suggestions came in from someone who is not my subject matter expert but someone who has power and is worth listening to about the course. I made the changes.

I have a training manager who doesn’t really manage so much as she runs around the office in velour sweat suits and spins like a top whenever she’s presented with a challenge. She is the manager for the trainers that I have to certify to teach the course. She asked me yesterday if two people could train the course instead of one. I told her no and if people needed help in getting over the jitters that was one thing but if they couldn’t meet the job description then maybe they shouldn’t train the course. She totally didn’t get it.

There’s a trainer who has serious reservations about teaching the course. My boss and I were supposed to talk to her today. I walked into my boss’s office at the appointed time and she was already on the phone, didn’t look at me and so I left to go to campus for another meeting. It was obvious I was ready for the teleconference as my copy of the course was on the table and a copy for my boss was on the chair. We’d only discussed both of us being in the meeting 20 minutes before it started.

I got home from the meeting on campus and looked at an email that says the trainer is coming into the office next week, could I meet and “we have problems” ends the email. W.T.F? Problems with the trainer or problems with the course?

So, I’m sure I’ll find out what’s going on tomorrow but seriously? Diss me on a meeting about MY course and then tell me there are problems?

See why I want to go back to school and figure out a way to rule the planet?

The better-half says I’m way too pissed off these days so I decided to lighten this post up with a picture of a shaggy flower.

Posted in General Spleen Venting | Comments Off

Banish?

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Frog

Could we all agree to stop using the word “hubby”?

I’ve seen it in an email recently and in an article in a newspaper.

The word has turned into some sort of code word for making sexist statements. Such as these gems: The kids and your hubby will enjoy the arcade room.
Keep a can of Pam in the garage so your hubby can get the grease off his hands.

GOOD LORD PEOPLE WE LIVE IN THE 21ST CENTURY, LET’S EVOLVE!

Posted in General Spleen Venting | 2 Comments

Snowdays

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Frog

I had to go back to work today and since there’s sleet in the forecast for tonight I brought work home with me. I prefer staying here rather than having to drive on half-plowed roads while watching a Bo Duke wannabe careen through turns at 50 miles an hour taking up both lanes and laughing as he passes two cars that he narrowly misses, mine one of them. I would have been seriously pissed if I just got an oil change and then some slack-jawed yokel slammed into me headfirst.

Anyway. Let’s just take a deep breath shall we?

The last three days have been filled with this:

We made several comfort food dishes. One was a roasted chicken. Yesterday afternoon I turned the carcass into stock and then we turned most of the rest of it into pot pie.

I’ll never win a contest for beautiful pie crusts, but this one sure tasted good.

The chicken pot pie recipe:
First prepared 2/1/10.
• 1-roasted chicken, make broth from carcass and reserve the choicer thigh, wing and other meat chunks for pot pie. Also can use some sliced meat from original chicken carving. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 thick middle slices of an onion finely chopped (OK for more)
• 2 carrots finely chopped
• 1-2 stalks celery finely chopped (OK to use celery heart and leaves instead)
• 5 button mushrooms thinly sliced (OK for more)
• 1 potato, chopped into small cubes
• Garlic
• Peas
• Ground black pepper

Saute certain vegetables (carrot, celery, garlic, onion) in bacon grease (small amount) and olive oil. Then add potato, cook for a little bit. Add chicken broth to steam and cook the vegetable mixture. Add mushrooms to simmering mixture. Wait a little bit—then add chicken pieces to warm; bring liquid back to a simmer. Add some ground black pepper to taste. If salt is needed, add it; it’s not likely it’s necessary, though.
Prepare pie crust. Curse your lack of talent.
Make a roux of butter and flour. Turn it into gravy by adding some chicken broth. You are going to need more than you think. Add gravy to the vegetable/chicken mixture, keep adding to thicken the main pie filling.
Place pie crust in sturdy pie pan and then add vegetable/chicken/ gravy into the pie crust. If it looks at all skimpy, make another roux and then turn it into gravy.
Put the top on the pie crust and remember to make steam holes. You can egg wash or not, your preference.
Cook for 20-30 minutes at 400. You may have to protect the pie crust with foil around the edges or decrease the oven temperature as you near the end of cooking.
We didn’t have frozen peas but will add those next time. I’m pretty sure we didn’t use garlic and we’ll probably want to do that next time as well.

Posted in Eating, Listening | 3 Comments

Snowy Sunday Morning

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Frog

We have a foot, maybe a little more. When I opened the front door to take this photo some snow fell into the house. I guess we’ll be spending some time today clearing paths. I’m pretty sure I won’t be going to the office tomorrow.

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