suzilightning

let me add to the clamour - percyn that has got to be the most mouthwatering picture i have ever seen. now that i have my new dutch oven i must try that. dinner last night was cincinatti chili 4 ways: pasta, sweet chili, beans, grated cheddar cheese (with black olives and sour cream but they don't count) green salad simple but filling and john had never had sweet chili before. he inhaled it.

before i headed for the gym made toad in the hole for our breakfast with some nicely spiced pork breakfast sausages a co-worker brought me from her last trip to canada. they were wonderfully balanced in the seasoning department. ...and iced tea for me. hey, it was almost back up to freezing.

johnnybird's plane landed at newark at 1:43. there's an accident on rt. 80 near the mall. guess he'll be walking in in about 20 minutes and, knowing him, will hit the house and say he's hungry. luckily while cooking tomorrow night's dinner and baking him more tea breads i prepped everything for tonight. jasmine rice sweet and sour shrimp and chicken (with red and green peppers, onions, garlic, water chestnuts, carrots and enoki) oven roasted broccoli have a bottle of this weeks WOW a 2002 Tribach reisling chilling though i have been craving green tea

you know it's about 0 degrees when you go outside and the nose hairs freeze . actually the max/min thermometer had -2 for an ambient overnight. after the gym i came home and have done the following: pumpkin raisin tea cake doped pecan tea cake a big pot of "queen of chilis" from the stern's real american food for dinner tomorrow night. probably a 4 way baked chicken nuggets and i'm all prepped for tonight's dinner john's flight landed at 1:43. there's an accident on route 80 near the mall. i figure i've got about 20 minutes before he walks in the door...

i don't know. when john's sister got married it was so stressful. who had to be invited since her dad was well known in the area. for that reason, too, he insisted she have a sit down dinner, etc. etc. etc. and it was all oh, this one wants to bring a date or we need to invite so and so, the food has to be fancier. thank goodness i was in control and paying for it.

we will be married 23 years this may. for the first ceremony outside at my mom's house we had: clam quiche quiche lorraine stuffed eggs pate with miniature pumpernickel bread green salad with a basic vinaigrette trays of cold cuts and cheese portugese sweet bread and oatmeal bread potato salad coleslaw chocolate chake with vanilla buttercream frosting white fruitcake for the groom's cake my mother, maid of honor and i made everything but the cold cut and cheese tray the second ceremony with john's family was a hot and cold buffet that was catered in the Cottonwood Inn in Millbrook, NY. since john is the way he is there was no dancing though we did have two young ladies from the mid-hudson philharmonic play - violin and harp. no cake ceremony either. we ate, we laughed, we drank, we talked and had a good time. i think if we were doing it again today i'd want to have a barbeque - hmmmmm newburgh isn't that far from poughkeepsie- but i would definitely do all the sides all over again.

just had lunch with my dangerous english friend at: Thai Nam Phet 296 Rt 46 East Rockaway, NJ 973-627-8400 tues - thurs 11:30 am - 10 pm fri & sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm sun 3:00 pm-9:30 pm and, Rosie, BYO wink.gif DISCLAIMER i am no thai food expert(though i play one on tv and want to get better acquainted). we walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. ice water was poured and the upselling began - asking if we wanted tea, coffee, thai iced tea, thai iced coffee or hot apple cider (1.50-2.50). the menu covers entrees and appetizers and in the back is the lunch special menu served mon- fri 11:30 -3:00 pm. we decided on the lunch specials: Pad Preow Whan and Tom Yam Gai for me, Pad Thai and Thai salad for 'chelle with Po Pia Tod to share. and a thai iced tea for me. i asked the server what was in it and he said "things from Thailand". ok. the salad, soup and iced tea came out immediately. the soup was spicy without being lip searing and i loved the hint of lemongrass and kaffir lime. the thai peanut dressing on 'chelle's salad really gave it a wonderful flavor. before we had finished the spring rolls came out: 4 crispy little cigars of hot goodness with plum sauce. oh, my wub.gif wub.gif the pad thai was beautifully presented and the pad prew whan i had with chicken. crispy cucumber, softened tomatoes, pineapple, onion strips, scallions in a non-gloppy sweet and sour sauce which could have been a tad more sour(that's just me). one thing 'chelle noted that she liked this cuisine because it seemed less oily than most of the chinese food she has had around here. the total was 23.70 plus tip. i think i could also get johnnybird to try this because not all of the dishes are spicy and i want to try more of the spicier dishes. i want to try the larb, Yum Ped Yang(duck salad), Mee Grob, curry puff, Tamarind duck, Chicken Yellow Currry, Ginger duck and beef with oyster sauce.

acme friday - thursday as well

let''s just say zoe's, martini beach, the new thai place and american grill got some votes

when you have just finished a wonderful meal with a friend and you start talking about recent places each of you have eaten and what you MUST order at each. happened just last week...and i started laughing right then and there...

gave johnnybird some key lime honey i picked up down in the keys on vacation. he used it as dessert with some biscuits.

JOHNNYBIRD IS GONE!!!! (though i do love him, really, i do) now i can actually eat for me. dinner was a mixed lettuce salad with cucumbers and a sherry vinaigrette, lamb patties(ground lamb, salt, pepper, cumin, tumeric, garlic, minced garlic, minced shallot)pan fried served with greek yoghurt and german potato salad

did it in the paper version today....

just picked up from ack-ah-me (acme): brown's bird seed 4 lb. for 1.00 (80 lbs.) gatorade 32 oz - 1.00 per bottle (only the clear ones for johnnybird, thank you) acme ketchup 32 oz. - 1.00 per bottle

rachel - that bison from shoprite is wonderful! i've been using it for months now. 18" of snow removed from around the house, the cars, the patio and down to the bird feeder. came in and finished making white bean and kale soup. sent some over to my neighbor who was showing off his "big unit" and took some swipes at my driveway so all i had to do was tidy up around the cars. since john will be away next week have to use up the stuff in the fridge. soup and a turkey club sounds good. though baked beans and hot dogs does have it's charm. hmmmm.... if i cheat a bit they could be ready by 7 and i have the stuff to make brown bread with raisins. gotta go......

not feeling quite the thing but managed to make johnnybird some french toast as a treat served with real maple syrup, of course. ususally he doesn't like to eat much at first - toast with toast dope, cinnamon rolls or maybe an egg sarnie but since he didn't go to bed till 3 and got up about 9:30 he could manage a bit more. will see what the next 15" of snow bring for breakfast tomorrow - lots of coffee for me i predict

edit ...why do I still have grand union oregano???? ←

just took 5" off the driveway, cars, either side of the house and the deck. HIMSELF can do the shoveling he likes down the backyard for access to the feeders. i'm NOT doing that in the dark. we're using up stuff since john has to go on business travel monday. lunch was vegetable beef barley soup, dinner for john was split pea and toasted cheese sandwiches. i've got an infected tooth and don't feel like eating anything so had some soy yoghurt and some coffee milk. also have been ingesting sports drinks to keep hydrated with the minerals. don't know if i will have to work tomorrow. if i do - more leftovers. if not maybe some spaghetti with bolognese sauce and a salad(stopped yesterday and picked up some mixed greens). nest week i'm single so who knows?

i'm going to have my eating friend 'chelle over and TRY to explain american football to her so she can ask me questions and not annoy her husband. lifetime new england fan. though i will come back to my native new york and do some beef on weck ( fredonia style not buffalo), bean salad, german potato salad and some beers. though if my team is in the bowl i won't spend it in the jacuzzi...

yesterday - ROASTED CAULIFLOWER today (so far) - 1- 365 organic chocolate truffles

snowangel you are my new goddess.... and should be married to johnnybird who is the recycling german fuherer. he brings things home from work... we recycle all paper, plastic and cans - they are picked up alternate weeks. tomorrow is plastic and cans. junk mail and newspaper next week. garbage on mondays and thursdays. we usually put one bag out a week. fats from meatloaf, etc. into containers then out in the bagged garbage. we are on a lot of less than a quarter acre so no compost heap here - no room

Fast forward 20-odd years and, well... um... as of last year, Valentine's day is now my wedding anniversary too. ←

so many to choose from: lamb burger served in a whole wheat pita with greek yoghurt and chopped cucumber and thinly sliced red onion 1/4 pound buffalo burger on toasted onion roll with fresh jersey tomatoes and bibb lettuce 80/20 ground round medium on a toasted roll, crisp bacon, maytag blue cheese and some sundried tomato ketchup.

just had lunch with my dangerous english friend at: Thai Nam Phet 296 Rt 46 East Rockaway, NJ 973-627-8400 tues - thurs 11:30 am - 10 pm fri & sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm sun 3:00 pm-9:30 pm and, Rosie, BYO DISCLAIMER i am no thai food expert(though i play one on tv and want to get better acquainted). we walked in and were greeted and seated immediately. ice water was poured and the upselling began - asking if we wanted tea, coffee, thai iced tea, thai iced coffee or hot apple cider (1.50-2.50). the menu covers entrees and appetizers and in the back is the lunch special menu served mon- fri 11:30 -3:00 pm. we decided on the lunch specials: Pad Preow Whan and Tom Yam Gai for me, Pad Thai and Thai salad for 'chelle with Po Pia Tod to share. and a thai iced tea for me. i asked the server what was in it and he said "things from Thailand". ok. the salad, soup and iced tea came out immediately. the soup was spicy without being lip searing and i loved the hint of lemongrass and kaffir lime. the thai peanut dressing on 'chelle's salad really gave it a wonderful flavor. before we had finished the spring rolls came out: 4 crispy little cigars of hot goodness with plum sauce. oh, my the pad thai was beautifully presented and the pad prew whan i had with chicken. crispy cucumber, softened tomatoes, pineapple, onion strips, scallions in a non-gloppy sweet and sour sauce which could have been a tad more sour(that's just me). one thing 'chelle noted that she liked this cuisine because it seemed less oily than most of the chinese food she has had around here. the total was 23.70 plus tip. i think i could also get johnnybird to try this because not all of the dishes are spicy and i want to try more of the spicier dishes. i want to try the larb, Yum Ped Yang(duck salad), Mee Grob, curry puff, Tamarind duck, Chicken Yellow Currry, Ginger duck and beef with oyster sauce.

Come on now people. Most of you all get on the same banter about how we in the business use these occasions to (1) Rip you off. (2) Find every way to take advantage of our customers on holidays and (3) Provide inadequate meals while under pressure. I've got more pet peeves that I've heard but I'll keep it short. lou- i would NEVER think this of you. i just don't enjoy all the rush, crush and noise. that's why i prefer lunch most days at the bar . if we do go out we rarely if ever go out on the weekend. i wonder how many places normally dark on monday are going to be open to pick up the extra?