cooking and food

Friday Fill In ##196

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1. One of my strongest beliefs is a teaching of Jesus recorded in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to Father but through Me.”

2. The number of calories I ate at the “Spruce Head Young Men’s hangout” last night (hosted at my house) must’ve been huge!

3. The sky is cloudy with a threat of rain and wind and cold, so I think I better go check the fuel in the generator and let it warm up–’cause we’re probably gonna lose power.

4. Snuggling next to Susan is comforting to me.

5. I always thought I’d be a dad, but I really didn’t understand how much enjoyment and satisfaction it brings.

6. I was only a moment until my clothes shredded off my now hairy body, and my canine teeth elongated to the point of not being able to be contained behind my thin, shriveled lips; and then I went outside to look at the full moon, almost fully mutated into a Werewolf.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to hanging it with the boys (Susan’s at a women’s retreat and Julia is going to a friend’s house), tomorrow my plans include meeting with the electrician to discuss wiring the new generator, and Sunday, I want to do something I don’t do on most every Sunday; what that thing is, though, I don’t know!

Friday Fill In #188

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1. Life is moving along pretty fast right now; after all, it is summertime in Maine.

2. I’ve got a couple of cars, both over 10 years old, both with 150,000 miles, and both with lots of creeks, squeaks, and rattles. I’m not sure how long they’re going to keep going.

3. My last text message (or IM) ended in these three words: Umm, I have no idea. I don’t use IM much, and I’ve never sent a text message in my life. Honest. I’ve only received (excepting spam text to but more Tracfone minutes) less then 10, and those have all been from Pastor Dave or my friend Mike.

4. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and roasted broccoli with red pepper flakes is what I’m thinking about for dinner sometime soon. (And that sometime soon is tonight!)

5. On the 1st day of August my true love sent to me a Tama bell brass snare drum from the ’80s and all the Hostess cupcakes I could eat.

6. Hang out with my twin boys for the afternoon and they’ll give you the definition of lively and energetic.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to a super supper cooked by my favorite laddies, tomorrow my plans include working at the office and playing a gig at the Lobster Festival, and Sunday, I want to mow the lawn after church is over!

What a man should and shouldn’t do

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Charlie over at Another Think shared this site which lists 50 things a man should be able to do, and also 50 things a man should never do. I thought they were nice lists, and got a chuckle out of a few of them. My one thought would be that yes, a man SHOULD be able to make a good scrambled egg. Those eggs, however, need not include tomatoes, mushrooms, or creme fraiche. Hey, I like all those things, and have got nothing against them in scrambled eggs. But to make a good scrambled egg, those things are all superfluous.

Two Dreams of Cafe Miranda

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Dream one: I’m at the Myrtle Street Tavern. The Tavern has decided they’d like to serve food. So they’ve teamed up with Kerry Altiero of Cafe Miranda to bring eats in. I’m at a table with Susan and someone else, though I can’t remember whom. The server brings us a menu. In classic Miranda style, the menu’s all weird. One page has the menu items. There are only about seven items–and that’s not keeping with Miranda style. Cafe Miranda has a menu that goes on for days! Of the seven or so items offered, one is highlighted: Lobster. The menu proclaims: “We do lobster three ways: One, a hot preparation of the chef’s choice. Two, a lobster roll. Our way. Take it or leave it. And three, live. Order it this way, and we’ll bring it live right to your table. Take it home, give it to friends, whatever you want.” The rest of the menu is covered with animals. Kerry, who’s very civic minded and active, has decided to support jungle animals. So he’s covered the menu with pictures of bugs and spiders and monkeys, with little notes about each, and  plugs asking for donations.

When the server comes to take our order, I bemoan the fact the classic Miranda menu isn’t available. I’m not really keen on anything on the menu, and was really in the mood for the roasted sausages and pasta available at Miranda. The waitress explains the menu we’ve been given is the special Myrtle Street menu, but the full Miranda menu is still available. She then goes to a shelf and pulls down the classic, large, funky fonted menu that says “Miranda.” The end.

Cafe Miranda Dream #2: I’m in Cafe Miranda, the real one this time. Kerry is teaching me how to make “50 MPH Tomatoes.” In reality, this is one of Kerry’s appetizers I’ve always wanted to try, but they haven’t been on the menu when I’ve been in. They’re a floured, pan fried tomato topped with cheese, I think. I think it’s a slight spin on the classic broiled tomato. OK, back to the dream. Kerry is showing me how to prepare them. Step one, cut the tomato in 1/2. Step two, get rid of all the stuff on the inside; throw out the jelly, seed, and walls inside the fruit. So basically, you’re left with the outside flesh of the tomato. Next step, dust the inside of the tomato with flour. Now, throw them in the deep fryer. When they come out, add a spoon of ranch sauce and some bacon. (So in this recipe, what we basically have is “tomato skins”; take the classic, substitute tomatoes for potatoes, and viola!) The end.