Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Vegetable Titan

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

It is no seekrit that I watch or listen to rather quite a bit of FoodTV.  A lot of times they make things that are too complex, don’t sound that good or are otherwise just not any fun.  However one day I was watching Ina from The Barefoot Contessa and she made a vegetable dish that looked like something even KLT would enjoy.  Now granted I was working hard and reducing my carb intake so this was a delightful addition to the pretty regular piles of veggies I was eating. 

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-5 medium round potatoes, unpeeled
1 good sized zucchini
2-3  medium Roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs (substitute a couple healthy pinches of dried, rub in palms first to warm and release oils & aroma)
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated  (Here we use Monterey Jack as Gruyere wasn’t available)

Instructions

So I have adjusted this to make enough for 2-3 people.  The original recipe can be found on Ina’s website. 

When shopping for your vegetables you really want to look for veggies of the same size in girth.  When slicing your vegetables I find it useful to cut the potatoes thinner as they take longer to cook than zucchini and tomatoes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice vegetables and grate the cheese. 

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In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a prepared glass baking dish.  I opted for the glass pie plate as it looks pretty and holds just enough for the two of us.  Layer on top your vegetables alternating and be sure to fit them in snuggly and completing only one layer.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme leaves.  Drizzle with a swirl of olive oil. 

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Cover the dish with foil and bake until the potatoes are tender, approximately 45 minutes.  Remove cover and sprinkle with cheese (or load it on as we like to do) and bake for 30 minutes or until golden.  ENJOY!!

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Special Guest

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Just recently I decided to really get serious about my blog again.  I picked up some great ideas from Brent Ozar when he did an entire series on blogging.  Awesome now I have some new tools and it’s time to start working out a new design.  Before I could get started I was asked to write a blog post for the Lafayette Twestival.  I was honored and scared to death. Me, a guest blogger?  Much to my surprise I found it easy to write, so much so I had to leave things out and even not mention people that I adore. So here it is, but keep coming back because soon you might not even recognize this place!

http://lafayette.twestival.com/2009/09/11/i-know-there-is-someone-out-there-that-shares-your-interest/

Just throw stuff in a pan pasta dish

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

So the other night I was at a loss for something to make for dinner.  I can’t make anything that would create left overs cause I am leaving for KBNA soon.  So I decide I am gonna make some pasta and basically just throw some stuff in a pan.  Now I do have an idea that I want to use pesto and the wonderful chicken asiago cheese and spinach sausage.  I also am thinking about all the wonderful things I enjoy putting on my home made pizza. 

We start with the penne pasta, of course Barilla Pluswe want to be healthy.  While that is underway I get a skillet and toss 2 sliced up sausage links.  Once they were browned I added 2 cloves of the previously roasted garlic and a dash of olive oil.  Then tossed into the pan were some diced roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes.  Drain the pasta, add to fry pan and dump 2 oz of basil pesto stir until warm remove from heat and plate.  Top with Parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread slices.  I failed at the picture taking mostly because there was the uncertainty of if this dish would taste like anything worth while.  Since we are here and talking about it I have to say it was YUMMY!!!  Do try this yourself.  It was quick and easy all of the items I had frozen and was easy to prep for use.

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In these times of economic down turn…

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009

WHY NOT register to win free vacations??? http://www.sunglasswarehousegiveaway.com 3K for a vacation is enough to take the blues away.

KT & T – 2008 the year in review

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

So what a year 2008 turned out to be. We started out 08 in Indianapolis with our dear friends Dan and Tara. My how we have fun together. After that we drove home on Jan 1 and the weather was crappy windy and snowing. Then February rolled in and our neighbors got a puppy. Not just any puppy a basset hound female. They had issues giving her the time and attention she needed, I was certain that she would be my baby girl one day. I took her water, toys and spent time playing with her when I could.  She got very excited as I would pull in the drive and would what I fondly call “basset hound me”.  If you have a basset you know that look.  Here she is on a cold February day tied out front of their house. 

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There was Easter and birthdays all through the spring. Late in March we decided to visit Nashville, TN and our good friend Sam. That was the begining of a new idea. Why not move to Nashville. The weather is nicer, the jobs are plentiful and there is no state income tax. It seemed like a good idea but it was quickly put on a back burner as our lives continued on. But just incase I bought new cowboy boots at the prompting of KLT to “DOOOO ET”. They are the single most expensive thing that I own to wear.

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There was Ada’s 90th birthday and Mother’s day and more birthdays to celebrate. Keeping up with everyone is really hard. On May 30th a big storm blew through town. It was pretty bad up north of us. I got worried enough to collect my needed personal items and prepare the interior bath room for a quick cover. Meanwhile KLT stood in the kitchen with the patio door open and took pictures of a possible wall cloud with great rotation. What we found really funny about the whole ordeal was the fact that the EMS Sirens were going off while we were standing on the front porch looking at the clear skies, stars and moon.

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In June (2 weeks in June)we both attended conferences. KLT went to Tech Ed in Orlando and I followed along for some much needed rest, relaxation and outlet mall shopping. That is where I bought the second most expensive thing I own, my swim suit.  We were home for about 1 day, it was this day that we were asked to take Suzie the neighbors basset hound. Then we boarded another Southwest and headed to Las Vegas so I could attend (Mercury World) HP Conference. We also added a few extra days so we could go to Zion National Park in Utah. Along the way we stopped at Dinosaur Tracks!!

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We spent a lot of time this summer in the pool. Now KLT has 2 girls that he has to drag out of the pool.

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In September we went to Cincinnati with Ruck and Carla. What a great weekend. We visited Jungle Jim’s, the Celtic Festival and a couple of bars.

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I picked up blogging as if it were my job and try to take a picture a day even tried a picture an hour for 24 hours (08/08/08). Maybe I will have better luck this year (09/09/09). I started decorating my table as though it was important. Using flats of material that I purchased for later projects as a starting point. I now have a drawer stuffed full of cloth napkins and another full of table cloths and place mats. In August KLT got really mad and started working on his resume. I mean mine had been, hit regularly and I had taken it down as I didn’t feel we were ever getting out of this place. But on that life changing night I went to bed and he came with laptop in tow. He slammed it shut and proclaimed “well that is done! My resume is on Monster.” I roll over and return to sleep not giving it another thought until the next day when phone calls and emails started rolling in. About 4 weeks later he had secured a job as a full fledged MS SQL DBA in Nashville TN.

We have had to deal with his parents, ok mostly his mother, the death of 2 family members on my Grandma’s side, my brother’s divorce, my other brother’s break up with long time girl and the start of their new relationships, the loss of a friend and a lot of STUPID managment at work. We drove miles just to make everyone somewhat happy at the cost of our own happiness. This year for Christmas we were just here alone in Nashville with our Xbox and ROCK BAND. Over all we are enjoying each other and all of our wonderful friends and trying to work in our hobbies; photos, traveling, Eve, sewing, finding new places to eat, blogging and cooking. I have left out a lot here but there is only so much my readers should have to endure.  Currently one house is for sale, the other is getting a new bathroom or two before going to market and the Nashville Apartment is coming along. 

My favorite picture of the year.

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Farewell 2008 and I thank God for all the new friends you have brought into my life, the new challenges and all of the new things that I learned.

Cincinnati Wrap UP – Part 1

Sunday, September 14th, 2008

Good to be home but I could of done without this craptastic weather. 

 Saturday we took off for Jungle Jim’s.  OMG it looks like an amusement park. This is INSIDE the parking lot.
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We came home with quite a haul of goodies that we couldn’t find locally.  First there was the tortilla warmer of course you can get one of these locally the major problem is that they wanted something like $15 and I found this one for just under $8.  :)   There are two things that we picked up that WERE available locally but have since disappeared first is the ever so famous Boat Beer as KLT likes to call it.  Great Lakes Brewing Edmond Fitzgerald a lovely porter that we haven’t even found the few times we looked in Indianapolis.  The other is Ruffles Reduced Fat Potato Chips and I am pretty sure you are thinking we are crazy but honestly they have the best taste for being a “diet” chip.  Finding things in this massive store was a little difficult some items were with their country or origin and others with like items you know like honey was in the giant honey department and I found some in the  Mexican area.  The international areas were full of authentic things it was great, I wish I had a better of list of things to look for as that would of stopped some of the impulse buying.  ;)   There was also a large department of Kitchen goods including a $70 Cuisinart pop corn popper.  Oddly placed in that area is a bio pond, sounds cooler than it actually was.  There are 4 large round tanks of water with an incredible filtration system that house fresh fish, these fish are not fed and this is not a farm it is actually a holding tank for fish waiting to be taken to the floor and sold.  They currently have Tilapia, Trout and Catfish for-sale in their sea food department along with LOTS of fresh icky things.  I didn’t think that their booze prices were that good so we only picked up a couple bottles of wine.  Oddly enough we found a bottle that had been delivered as a wine of the month Altos Los Hornigas Mabec and a new to us 1919 Mabec.  There were enough wines there to keep one thoroughly confused for HOURS. 
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We found the olive oil isle.  OMG probably 24 feet of olive oils with 24 feet of other exotic oils and balsamic vinegars on the other side.  We had not researched this before our trip so we had to make a gut choice and Kerry picked Greek Gourmet for about $13 for a 23 ounces.  We can’t find any information online about it but we did find that we got a hellar deal.  Then we wondered around and discovered the largest natural/organic food department that I have ever seen.  It was quite impressive. I decided to look for some Agave Nectar so that I too can make great margaritas.  Right there next to it was Pure Cane Sugar Syrup and pure Maple Syrup. 

Now we were ready to look at the cold items we passed up earlier yes the CHEESE, Olives and Deli area.  First was the cheese Kerry I think died and landed in heaven.  We picked up a few items to try and will let you know.  They also had a fair selection of cured sausages and the such.  We picked up Debreziner and boy do they smell.
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Next to the cheese is a butter display like no other. It was probably 6′ long with so many kinds and brands of butter, who knew?  Then came the funny! 

There was an import type deli area not to be confused with the deli just around the corner. 
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They gave samples of some meat and cheese rolled together.  Holly cow that was good so I order 1/2  a pound each while KLT isn’t looking.  :)   Mordatella and Aussie Jack.  Yes I know it’s bologna.  

There were several more things but they must of been far less exciting and that explains not being mentioned.

all about Pesto

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

Last year I started a radical diet.  I cut out carbs, not completely but mostly.  Before you start to complain or give advice I have to tell you this was at the suggestion of my doctor.  How does this tie into pesto?  Well I went out for lunch one day to La Scala the Italian restaurant and ordered a sandwich.  It came with pesto mayo, so I kindly asked if they could replace that with just pesto.  Ah HA! The point is that pesto became my favorite condiment and pizza topping of all time.  :)   So last summer I planted 6 basil plants so that I could experiment with pesto recipes.  ;)   This year due to the untimely death of a plant or two and the adoption of Suzie I have 4 plants.  So lets make pesto.

Some Fresh Cut Basil
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Our washed and ready basil. I can’t stress how important it is to wash and spin dry your basil, that is unless you like a little extra protein.
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My favorite part of prepping garlic is the SMACK!
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Our ingredients:

1/3 cup pine  nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper
olive oil

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Here we are, all the ingredients but the oil in the food processor (or blender) ready to pulse.
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Run the processor until you get a nicely fine chopped consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse once more. Now you are ready to add the oil. Let the processor run and carefully poor a steady stream of oil into the bowl.  This is where the “guess” of how much oil happens.  You want to make it a nice consistency for most things and maybe a little more oily for pasta, and maybe thicker for pizza topping. 

Here are a few of the finished product. Sorry for the crappy picture but Suzie broke my $400 flash on Friday and this is the best that I could do Sunday morning.  To store place into container and cover with a small layer of olive oil to keep the basil from turning black.  You can place them in the freezer for use this winter!!

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Still? In this decade?

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

Well I am not allowed to talk about this but I guess blogging is not really talking. 

Tonight we ran out to dinner and stopped to pick up a few things after that we’d stop at the eagles to enter the daily draw and the weekly.  We get there and discover it is STAG NIGHT.  Are you fucking kidding me.  Like everything they do is stag you have to have a fucking party to? Seriously if you are a memeber of any one of these types of organizaitons and you wonder why memebership is down and why you can’t attract younger memebers well STFU and listen — THIS IS WHY!  I mean I got over the fact that I can only bring a guy guest one time and a guy can bring the same female guest forever (just ask my mom as she’s not a member).  Then there is the horseshoes league starting up on thursdays, yeah GUYS ONLY!  Oh well.

Picture of the day

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

3/10
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3/11 This one had to be taken through the door, every time I opened it he jumped down.
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3/12 TODAY!!! LOOK AT THE MINT. MINT=MOJITO

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DHL can BITE ME!

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

The saga.

Wine of the month delivery happens on the next to the last Friday of the month (from what I can tell so far).  I couldn’t stay home last Friday too many things going on.  Sure enough get home there is the ticket.  The problem, yet again the ticket is incomplete.  I have no idea if the package is coming again or if I have to go pick it up. 

Monday morning I call them to verify what is going to happen since the ticket is filled out or not so much.  OH great what a nice guy on the phone.  He’s not even going to try and deliver the package since I was going to Bloomington and get this they will try on Tuesday.  Excellent, or so I think.  Tuesday we come home just as soon as possible for lunch (11 am).  I have noticed the delivery usually happens around lunch.  So we eat and start working from home.  It is about 1:30 pm and I am wondering what’s the deal.  So I grab the ticket and look it up online, I some how expected them to be really cool and offer up GPS tracking.  No such luck and I learn that OMG THEY ARE HOLDING MY WINE HOSTAGE, WAITING ON MY PICKUP!  WHOA! WAIT!  That is not at all the Monday conversation.  So I call again, only now I am pissed off.  “Mam would you just like to come pick it up?”  Why the hell would I pay for delivery then?  So we negotiate a delivery time of after 3pm on Thursday.  Here I sit at 5:28 pm with no fucking package.  I call, they are still out doing deliveries.  GOOD GOD!  I took off work to come home and really that wasn’t necessary.  I did work from home this whole time and I am now ready to drink.. oh wait and cook dinner.  So DHL sucks, that is just my opinion.