Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Grass really isn't greener
I went to a new blog because I liked the look and something new always seems better and somehow, without explanation, I apparently violated terms of service and got suspended. I'll have to say that is a first. I've never been suspended from anything, ever in my 55 years. And why is a mystery!! There was a link to send an email but no answer yet and what would be the point? So I'm back. And I guess I'll stay awhile.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Baked Ziti
1 package of ziti, cooked to box directions.
1 T olive oil
1 onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 lb of hamburger meat
1 large jar of meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup of beef broth
pepper
Emeril's Essence Seasoning
2 cups of mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Cook onion in olive oil until clear, add garlic, cook for another minute. Brown meat in onion and garlic. Be sure to drain the meat. Add spaghetti sauce, broth, salt, pepper and season salt to season. Put 1 cup of the sauce into the ziti and mix.
Pam a 9x13 pan, put a little sauce in the bottom to cover, then layer 1/2 ziti, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 cheese, repeat, holding out just a little cheese to put on top. Cook covered in 350 oven for 20 minutes. Then uncover, add remaining cheese on top and brown. Let it set for a few minutes before serving.
The original recipe called for chicken broth...why would I put chicken stock in a beef meal? It also called for onion powder and garlic powder. I had neither and both were in big bottles for about $4.00 each and I did not find it worth the $$ as I would probably not use much of it, ever. And I had the Emeril's Seasoning and I figured how could I go wrong? It's EMERIL!! But I figure that any kind of season salt in moderation will work. So basically, I followed a recipe sorta but then substituted what I had. And the truth is, it's pretty good!! I seriously think the secret is the beef broth. It made it juicier and I think it will be even better reheated, as a lot of pasta is.
It makes a lot....I put 3 servings in the freezer, am taking 4 servings to school tomorrow to feed my posse and sent 2 servings home with John. And they are big servings. I'll probably half the recipe next time but the first time is full force recipe time for sure.
Thanks to Budget Savvy Diva for the recipe!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Four Daughters, Four Wives, Four Mothers
On Sunday I watched a series of 3 movies made in 1938, 1939 and 1941 based on a short story by Fannie Hurst who was seen as the Jackie Collins of her day--you know what I mean: It's no 'War and Peace' intellectually but it's infinitely more enjoyable. The screenplay for 'Four Daughters' was adapted by Julius Epstein who, among other things, wrote 'Casablanca' just 3 years later.
The name star of the day was Claude Rains who actually looks older than he did in 'Casablanca', as a music teacher at a local college. He has 4 musical and beautiful daughters played by 3 real life sisters Priscilla, Rosemary and Lola Lane and a non-sister named Gale Page. I read there was an actual 4th sister named Leota who was "deemed unsuitable by the studio". Add in hysterical Aunt Etta and handsome suitors (later husbands and fathers) and it's a delightful and loving family. Aunt Etta was played by an 81 year old veteran actress (per IMDB) named Mae Robson. The suitors were a very handsome Felix (Jeffrey Lynn), rich Ben (Frank McHugh, who I remember from 'State Fair'), a florist with hayfever, Ernest (Dick Foran) and a charming doctor named Clinton.(Eddie Albert, one of my favorite actors, in his very first role) and John Garfield as Mickey whose life in this movie almost mirrors his real life according to his bio on IMDB. John Garfield earned an academy award nomination.
You can probably guess I loved the movies as I AM writing about them!! Except for the singing, which was the nails on a chalkboard kind, I liked all of the characters very much. I thought the dialogue was pretty witty, the performances good and all of the fellows handsome and charming enough to catch there eyes. Not a whole lot of plots and problems to be sure but they faced suicide, financial ruin, infertility and infidelity but nothing too harsh that love could not cure.. There is one scene where one sister adopts a little girl and then finds out she's pregnant so her infertile sister just takes over the adoptee but other than that...
I especially like movies set in this era, before the war, when life was much more innocent. I love the big old houses with the white picket fences and loving families. And as usual, when I think about, I am amazed to figure out that everyone in the movie is no longer living but will be forever young on film. None of the real sisters' careers made it out of the 40's but maybe they were billed as a package set or something. Claude Rains went on. And Eddie Albert is an actor that I always loved except he should have said "Hell no" to 'Green Acres'
What an enjoyable Sunday morning!!
The name star of the day was Claude Rains who actually looks older than he did in 'Casablanca', as a music teacher at a local college. He has 4 musical and beautiful daughters played by 3 real life sisters Priscilla, Rosemary and Lola Lane and a non-sister named Gale Page. I read there was an actual 4th sister named Leota who was "deemed unsuitable by the studio". Add in hysterical Aunt Etta and handsome suitors (later husbands and fathers) and it's a delightful and loving family. Aunt Etta was played by an 81 year old veteran actress (per IMDB) named Mae Robson. The suitors were a very handsome Felix (Jeffrey Lynn), rich Ben (Frank McHugh, who I remember from 'State Fair'), a florist with hayfever, Ernest (Dick Foran) and a charming doctor named Clinton.(Eddie Albert, one of my favorite actors, in his very first role) and John Garfield as Mickey whose life in this movie almost mirrors his real life according to his bio on IMDB. John Garfield earned an academy award nomination.
You can probably guess I loved the movies as I AM writing about them!! Except for the singing, which was the nails on a chalkboard kind, I liked all of the characters very much. I thought the dialogue was pretty witty, the performances good and all of the fellows handsome and charming enough to catch there eyes. Not a whole lot of plots and problems to be sure but they faced suicide, financial ruin, infertility and infidelity but nothing too harsh that love could not cure.. There is one scene where one sister adopts a little girl and then finds out she's pregnant so her infertile sister just takes over the adoptee but other than that...
I especially like movies set in this era, before the war, when life was much more innocent. I love the big old houses with the white picket fences and loving families. And as usual, when I think about, I am amazed to figure out that everyone in the movie is no longer living but will be forever young on film. None of the real sisters' careers made it out of the 40's but maybe they were billed as a package set or something. Claude Rains went on. And Eddie Albert is an actor that I always loved except he should have said "Hell no" to 'Green Acres'
What an enjoyable Sunday morning!!
I lost another friend that I didn't even know
I read today in an Entertainment Weekly magazine that author Maeve Binchy died at age 72 on July 30. I guess she was not high profile enough for anyone else to even notice but I'm glad EW noticed. According to her official website Official website here she wrote 17 novels along with 4 books of short stories. I probably read half of them. She was an Irish writer who told a gentle story and created characters that you'd like to meet in real life. Her most famous work was "Circle of Friends" which was made into a movie starring Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell. I thought I had one of her books on my shelf waiting to be read but if it's there, it's hidden. So, Maeve, thanks for some beautiful stories and may you RIP.
Here is a great article about her: Great Article
Here is a great article about her: Great Article
Monday, July 23, 2012
Penn State Penalties
The word has come down from the ever and over powerful NCAA on the fate of Penn State football in light of the Sandusky scandal. For the future, Sandusky was an assistant coach who assaulted and abused little boys over several years through a foundation he supported and part of the foundation perks involved Penn State athletic facility access. Among other places, some of the abuse occurred in the athletic complex. The problems escalated when it came out that the head coach, the legendary Joe Paterno, some of his staff and some in the administration knew about the abuse and did nothing. People lost their jobs, Joe Pa's reputation was destroyed and as of today, he lost his "winningest head coach" title. The University lost 14 seasons of wins, future bowl games, scholarships and everything else involving the reputation and pride of Penn State football. And the NCAA fined them $60 million dollars, with another $13 million piled on by the Big 10.
I agree with every sanction except the money. The NCAA says it is the money will "fund programs that serve the victims of sexual abuse". Yeah, right. Who will be monitoring the NCAA? And more important, where is the money coming from? The football program? Maybe. The late Joe Paterno? The jailed forever Jerry Sandusky? A few people lost sight that the University is there for education, not football. And granted, most Universities need that lesson. But I truly think taking the money from a public university is going to do more harm than good. Take the money from the football program, put it in a general scholarship fund. Fund good things...research, scholarships for students that cannot normally attend college unless they play football, certainly education about child abuse so this does not happen again. But paying the NCAA? Nope. Not their business. They have overstepped their bounds. And this is only the beginning of the bleeding...I'm sure lawyers are lining up, licking their lips as the civil suits start. It's going to take years before this heals. The pain is going to last for a very long time and a whole lot of people are going to be affected who have nothing to do with the almighty NCAA.
I agree with every sanction except the money. The NCAA says it is the money will "fund programs that serve the victims of sexual abuse". Yeah, right. Who will be monitoring the NCAA? And more important, where is the money coming from? The football program? Maybe. The late Joe Paterno? The jailed forever Jerry Sandusky? A few people lost sight that the University is there for education, not football. And granted, most Universities need that lesson. But I truly think taking the money from a public university is going to do more harm than good. Take the money from the football program, put it in a general scholarship fund. Fund good things...research, scholarships for students that cannot normally attend college unless they play football, certainly education about child abuse so this does not happen again. But paying the NCAA? Nope. Not their business. They have overstepped their bounds. And this is only the beginning of the bleeding...I'm sure lawyers are lining up, licking their lips as the civil suits start. It's going to take years before this heals. The pain is going to last for a very long time and a whole lot of people are going to be affected who have nothing to do with the almighty NCAA.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
2012 Tour of Texas
Whew!! I've been gone from home almost a week and will be heading home on Friday and in true McCombs fashion, I'm just about ready to be home.
My first stop was Donna's in Weatherford where we ate until there was little left to eat, drove the golf cart, tripped to Ft Worth to go to Sam Moon's and discovered a couple of nifty new things, pita bread and a space age coke dispenser that I thought was way cool but am sure the more sophisticated around me thought I was just a hick for being impressed.
I spend a couple of days in the bustling on steroids Dallas area for my Uncle T's birthday on Saturday. It was a surprise but he was not too surprised to see me but then others kept coming in...his brother, my Uncle D and his wife S, then sons T and R and then cousins I don't think I'd seen in 50 years from North Carolina. I think he was overwhelmed. We had a catered dinner by a professional chef that was really good and a great German Chocolate Cake that was to die for. Again, too much food but I really think a good time was had by all. Here is where I should be inserting pictures but I had forgotten my camera at the hotel and my cell phone was on fumes. Aunt B took a bunch so I'm hoping to snag a couple later.
Then, Monday morning I was on to New Braunfels to my cousin Glynneth's house for a few days. It was not too bad of a trip. My car GPS who I named Bonnie, took me down I35, not my first choice of highways because it's kind of busy but I made it through Waco where I got a look at Baylor (a beautiful campus) and then through Austin where I held my breath the entire way. Bonnie got me where I needed to go.
Our first evening we went to Gruene, TX, a small town that has been over commercialized but is still pretty laid back. They have some major river access so it was a little crowded. We ate at a restaurant called the Gristmill. Great onion rings and chicken. We then stopped at Gruene Hall, a dance hall built in 1878. There was a band there lead by Justin Minor and he has a great voice. In the olden days (70's) George Strait's band was the house band. And we looked around a little too and tried on some silly eyewear:
On Tuesday, we went to outlet malls where we shopped til we dropped and my credit card was smoking!! I found some Christmas presents and school clothes and shoes which I needed so all and all a good day. Dinner was at Bonzai Japanese Steakhouse where we had the most entertaining chef I've had at one of these places.
Wednesday found us back in San Marcos doing a smidge more shopping. Lunch was at Johnny Rocket's where the staff danced for us.
The color makes me nauseous But in my defense, it was steak. I am happy to report that the appetizer was horrible (how exactly do you screw up a potato wedge wrapped in bacon?) and the waiter was rude and argumentative and I can un-recommend it on it's merits.
My first stop was Donna's in Weatherford where we ate until there was little left to eat, drove the golf cart, tripped to Ft Worth to go to Sam Moon's and discovered a couple of nifty new things, pita bread and a space age coke dispenser that I thought was way cool but am sure the more sophisticated around me thought I was just a hick for being impressed.
I spend a couple of days in the bustling on steroids Dallas area for my Uncle T's birthday on Saturday. It was a surprise but he was not too surprised to see me but then others kept coming in...his brother, my Uncle D and his wife S, then sons T and R and then cousins I don't think I'd seen in 50 years from North Carolina. I think he was overwhelmed. We had a catered dinner by a professional chef that was really good and a great German Chocolate Cake that was to die for. Again, too much food but I really think a good time was had by all. Here is where I should be inserting pictures but I had forgotten my camera at the hotel and my cell phone was on fumes. Aunt B took a bunch so I'm hoping to snag a couple later.
Then, Monday morning I was on to New Braunfels to my cousin Glynneth's house for a few days. It was not too bad of a trip. My car GPS who I named Bonnie, took me down I35, not my first choice of highways because it's kind of busy but I made it through Waco where I got a look at Baylor (a beautiful campus) and then through Austin where I held my breath the entire way. Bonnie got me where I needed to go.
Our first evening we went to Gruene, TX, a small town that has been over commercialized but is still pretty laid back. They have some major river access so it was a little crowded. We ate at a restaurant called the Gristmill. Great onion rings and chicken. We then stopped at Gruene Hall, a dance hall built in 1878. There was a band there lead by Justin Minor and he has a great voice. In the olden days (70's) George Strait's band was the house band. And we looked around a little too and tried on some silly eyewear:
 |
| Gruene Hall |
 |
| Dang, they're me!! |
 |
| I think Justin Minor is going to be a star |
 |
| We will, we will eat fried rice!! |
 |
| R-E-S-P-E-C-T |
Dinner was at Clear Springs Restaurant where the catfish was good and although they claim the best onion rings, I thought Gristmill's were better.
Our final meal out was, I'm ashamed to say, here:
On Thursday we did a town tour and a small amount of shopping. And we got new toes:
 |
| Toes |
 |
| Longhorn Steakhouse |
I came through Fredericksburg on the way home and it's a nice little town full of interesting shops. I also brought home side of the road tomatoes and peaches so life is good there.
It was all in all a great vacation, full of family, food and fun. And I am glad to be home. It was an extra long trip home and I think I have made my last solo road trip for awhile. Gonna save for the skies I think.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)