The Friday Chef

Ebay is Like Crack, Yo

Wed, 13 May 2009 14:19:14 GMT

I love browsing through the items on Ebay. I thought I might share a few today that caught my eye. Some of these end soon, so the listings may disappear in the near future. There's still plenty of time to bid on some of these items!

First, we have a cassette. Nevermind what's ON the cassette, because when FREE SHIPPING is involved, who cares?! (Okay, maybe I am a little curious about what's recorded on it).

Next item up for bid is a date with Brian. I wonder if Brian's going to pay for the popcorn, because that would be worth way more than the current bid of $8.35.

Or, if you're on a diet, you could skip dinner and just purchase this picture of a burger. What's strange about this auction is that this guy has, like, a dozen of these burger pictures up for grabs right now, and they're actually selling. In fact, there are multiple bids on some of them. Must be Black Angus.

How about some money? Hey, it's a better way to make a profit than the stock market these days, (for the buyer, not for the idiot seller).

Here's a real stinker. Apparently this CD was Digitally Remastered and is the original English version, not the American remake. 'Nuff said.

Ooh~ looks like Brian has some competition, (except...not).

This gives me a great idea of what to do with all those pesky cardboard boxes that the trash collectors won't take. Genius.

Sporty!

And finally, for the guy who has everything... almost.

Go To Google

Wed, 06 May 2009 20:06:07 GMT

One of my new features will be posts titled, "Go to Google", then I'll give you a subject to Google that I think is interesting, funny, weird, or otherwise worthy of a look-see.

Today's Go To Google: Deer Butt Art

Note: The Butt-Out is on sale now at Cabela's. Handy!

Southern-Style Banana Pudding

Fri, 01 May 2009 13:49:23 GMT

My brother, Keith, considers himself a Southerner even though he was born and raised deep in the heart of Yankee territory. He lives in Georgia now, which means we don't see each other much, but thanks to Facebook and my blog we talk as much now as we ever did. He asked if I would post one of his recipes, which I am more than happy to do.

Keith's heart isn't what it used to be, so he's supposed to cut down on all those nasty things like fat and sodium in his diet. This recipe reflects those changes. I have not made this pudding yet, since I had to make anniversary cheesecake this week, (love you, Honey!), but will get to it soon. Don't wait for me to tell you how good it is, though~ I know Keith wouldn't steer you wrong. Even if you are a Yank.

Southern-Style Banana Pudding
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups 1 percent low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 egg volks. lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sliced ripe bananas (about 5 to 6)
45 reduced-fat vanilla wafers
4 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flour and salt in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in low-fat and condensed milks and yolks, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, Arrange 1 cup banana slices in a 2-quart baking dish. Spoon 1/3 pudding mixture over bananas: top with 15 vanilla wafers. Repeat layers once: top with remaining bananas and pudding. Arrange remaining 15 wafers around inside edge of dish. Gently push wafers into pudding. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar. 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (2 to 4 minutes) Spread meringue over pudding, sealing to edge of dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool at least 30 minutes.

Chi Town

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:48:51 GMT

We really enjoyed our trip to Chicago during Spring Break, but we have been beyond busy since then, I didn't have the time to deal with the pictures until now.

We spent the first day at the Museum of Science and Industry, which is a huge museum, with lots of hands-on activities. The kids enjoyed it, and it was a great way to spend a cold and snowy day. After that, we checked in to our hotel, The Wyndam, then headed out for a quick meal before turning in.

The next day was spent eating, shopping, and walking. First stop after breakfast was the Lego store, which is Jacob's whole reason for going to Chicago. Later, we had lunch at the Signature Room on th 95th floor of the John Hancock building, and had such a horrible experience, I'm not even going to go into it.

Alex, Erin and I spent some time at the American Girl Place and Lush Cosmetics after lunch, while the boys went to the bookstore. We had a snack at the Hershey Shop before heading to the Apple store. After that, it was time to grab the car and head to our favorite pizza place for dinner. Gino's East never fails to disappoint, and this time was no exception. We left Chicago with happy faces and leftover pizza.

Here are some photos from our trip:

Friday Food Files

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:51:21 GMT

Today's post is dedicated to Hideout, who helped me with some of my format issues.

I'll be heading to Chicago this weekend, so I hope to have some blog-worthy tidbits to share next week.

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, which I came up with about 12 years ago when I found a huge load of morels mushrooms. Morel season is almost here!

If nothing else, make the sauce and spoon it over pasta. Be sure to have some crusty sourdough bread to scoop up every last drop. It's THAT good.

Also, if you don't want to make your own polenta, it's okay to buy some. I've used Jaxon Cornmeal Mush for years, and it's pretty tasty. It comes in a tube, (like ground sausage), and is typically in the refrigerator section, near the biscuits.

Morel Mushrooms in Gorgonzola Cream over Crispy Polenta

For Mushrooms:
Soak, wash, and pat dry 1 lb. of morel mushrooms, (feel free to substitute other mushrooms if morels aren't available).

Heat 2 T. butter over medium heat, add 1 tsp. fresh, chopped rosemary, 2 cloves of garlic, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add a tablespoon of sherry, (optional), before removing from heat. BE CAREFUL not to let your garlic burn, or it will ruin your precious mushrooms. If you're worried about this, add the garlic after the mushrooms are done.

For Gorgonzola Cream:
2 T. butter
1 C. heavy cream, (half and half may be used)
1/2 C. crumbled Gorgonzola

Melt butter in small sautee pan over medium-low heat. Add cream and Gorgonzola, stir constantly until melted. You can continue to cook and stir for a while longer for a thicker sauce.

For Polenta:
3 1/2 cups water
1 T. salt
1 cup polenta (not instant)
2 ounces butter
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
Oil, for frying

Add salt to water and bring to boil. Once boiling, slowly stir in polenta. Cook, simmering on low, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter, Parmesan, pepper and salt. Pour polenta into buttered 8 x 8- inch baking pan. Cool, then refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes to an hour, (or overnight.) Cut into 1/2" slices. Heat 2 T. oil in non-stick pan over moderate-high heat. When pan is hot, add polenta slices, and cook until crispy, a few minutes per side. Add more oil to the pan, if needed for additional batches.

edited to add: I guess I could have posted the directions on how to assemble this, although it's pretty straightforward. Put polenta slices on plate, top with mushrooms, spoon sauce over all and eat. This pairs nicely with a sparkling wine, (what doesn't?!) or a zinfandel, (not the pink stuff.)

Technical Difficulties- Please Stand By

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:57:10 GMT

No need to adjust your set.

I'm currently trying to return to the way my blog used to look, and the editing may take a while.

HTML, it is a bitch.

eta: It's getting there! I'm trying to find the code to enlarge the title for each entry, but other than that, I'm fairly happy with it. It's nice going back to the classic Friday Chef look. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Prize-Winning Cookies!

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:42:28 GMT

Alex won second place in the Girl Scout Bakeoff yesterday and was very happy with the results. We worked on this for about a month before deciding which recipe we wanted to use. Here's the list of rejects:

Potato Chip Cookies~ I loved these, (Eden's recipe), but Alex didn't like the texture.
Mexican Wedding Cakes~ We love them, but thought they might be too boring.
Mexican Wedding Cakes with crystallized ginger~ the ginger didn't make these any more exciting.
Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cakes~ the cocoa made them slightly bitter.
Chocolate Mexican Wedding Cakes with extra sugar~ We were sick of wedding cakes at this point.
Brandy Snaps~ it was a humid day and the snaps turned soggy.
Molasses Cookie~ too... Christmas-ish
Triple Chocolate Cookies (made with semi-sweet and milk chocolate)~ now we're getting somewhere.
Banana chocolate chip~ Alex turned her nose at these.
S'more bars~ we ended up wanting to keep these for ourselves.
Triple Chocolate (made with bittersweet and white chocolate). Yes.

My friend, Patti, said they each look like Mr. Bill. Oh nooooo!

Here's the recipe, which we adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe on The Food Network:

Triple Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash together the butter and sugars with a fork until well combined. Add the oil and egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Potato and Apple Pancakes

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:47:35 GMT

This is a recipe I've had in my file for many years, and I used to make it all the time. I'd forgotten about it until last night, when I was rummaging through my file of side dishes. I clipped this recipe card from First magazine, some time in the early 90's.

These tasty little cakes are really more like hash browns than pancakes, and I typically serve them as a side dish for pork chops, but they go well with anything, as well as being great on their own as a light meal or breakfast. (Heh~ I just turned the card over and it said the same thing.)

Potato and Apple Pancakes

1 egg
2 Tbs.
flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 apple (I think crisp apples, such as Granny Smith work best)
1 lb. potatoes, (about 3)
2 Tbs. oil
Sour cream, optional

Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Beat together the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Peel and chop the apple. Peel the potatoes and grate them. Stir the apple and potatoes into the egg mixture. Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, pour in about 1/2 cup of the batter for each pancake and flatten. Fry as many pancakes as you can at a time without crowding. Cook them until golden, 3-4 minutes per side. Keep the pancakes warm in the oven while cooking the remainder. Add the remaining oil as needed. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Fast Food- The Horror

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:26:02 GMT

I typically don't eat fast food more than once a week, but I swear, 90% of the time the order I receive from one of those places is incorrect. I'm not sure if I'm just a bad-service magnet, or if this is a problem everywhere. I can't tell you how often I have to swing back to the drive-thru or call the restaurant manager once I get home and find out they flubbed my order. I always try to check the bag before leaving the window, but that's not always enough. Plus, I sometimes forget. Sue me.
I thought this blog would be a good place to document my horror stories, as a way of sharing my pain and as a big "EFF YOU, you stupid bastards" for ruining my, (or worse, my kids'), meals.

So, last week I went to my local Taco Bell and ordered a few things. After receiving my order, I checked the bag, and it appeared that everything was there, but when I got home realized that the ONE THING I really wanted was not in the bag. So, as typical, I speed-dialed them and told the manager how, yet again, they screwed up my order. Now they OWE ME a Crunchwrap Supreme, damn it, but it's going to be another month before I'm craving one again.

Then, over the weekend I took the kids to Dairy Queen for lunch. They've been begging me to take them there for weeks, and I finally caved. Since I had a sick child with me, we did the drive-thru thing. Big Mistake. The cashier took my money, then handed me my bags, which I carefully checked, then she handed me my drink, which was over-full and spilled all over my car door, me, and the center console. I tried to grab some napkins, only to fine NONE in the bags. Seriously?? I ordered a greasy-assed lunch for three and you can't give me a stinkin' napkin?! I had to knock on the window to get their attention and then thrust the cup through the window and told them it was overflowing. If the drink is pooling on the top of the lid, it's TOO FULL, people. After getting my drink back, I drove away, then pulled over a few minutes later in a parking lot to open my sandwich, only to find they'd put "cheese" on it.
Now, I specifically asked for "NO 'cheese' " when I ordered, and the order-taker even repeated it back for me, but did they follow through? Hell no. I had to go back to the DQ drive-thru and tell them that they messed up my hamburger, and tell them I wasn't pleased with the lack of service they'd given me. I watched the girl take my hamburger past SIX employees who were standing around, goofing off, and push the sandwich back to the cook, while explaining what happened. I then saw the manager ask her what was wrong, and after she explained it to him, he said, "oh", and continued to stand there, leaning against the counter. He couldn't be bothered with something so trivial as an unhappy customer.

I kinda hate to admit that once I finally got the correct hamburger, it was very tasty. We won't be going back to DQ anytime soon, though.

Just a heads-up: I've been craving Arby's Jalapeno Bites lately, which might require a trip there later this week. That's a sure bet to give me some fodder for the blog.

Food Friday- Banana Bars

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:29:53 GMT

I've been inspired recently to blog more regularly.� I have a few ideas for some� features I'd like to bring to these pages, but in the meantime, I thought I'd return to my blog roots and post something food-centric today. � It didn't take me long to decide what to post today, as I've had cookies on the brain lately.�

I've spent many hours this last month trying to perfect a Girl Scout bake-off recipe for my daughter.� She's only 9, so it needs to be an easy-to-make cookie, but should also be delicious and something more original that the standard chocolate chip or peanut butter varieties.�

I'll share the recipe we decided to make after the competition is over next weekend, (can't have any of those other moms stealing my recipe!).� In the meantime, I give you another amazing cookie recipe.� Technically, it's a bar cookie, which is the easiest of all to make, since you put all the dough in one pan and bake it all at once. This one is frosted, which only adds to their appeal.�(Hah!)

Try it and let me know what you think!

Sour Cream-Banana Bars with Browned Butter Frosting
Source: Modified from Betty Crocker's Best of Baking.�
Makes 4 dozen bars

1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 eggs
1 ½ cups (3 large) mashed bananas (go ahead and use up those black ones!)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 C. chocolate chips
Browned Butter Frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour 9" X 13" pan.
Mix sugar, sour cream, margarine and eggs in large mixer howl on low speed, scraping howl occasionally, 1 minute. Beat in bananas and vanilla on low speed 30 seconds.

Beat in flour, salt and baking soda on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread dough in pan.

Bake until light brown� approximately 25� minutes. Cool:

Frost with Browned Butter Frosting. Cut into bars, about 2x1 1/2 inches.

BROWNED BUTTER ICING:
1/3 cup margarine or butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
About 2 tablespoons milk

Heat margarine over medium heat until delicate brown. Mix in powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and milk until smooth and of spreading consistency.

The original recipe calls for 1/2 C. nuts.� We like� chocolate chips in them better, but you do whatever floats your boat.

First Grade is all about Image

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:22:26 GMT

Yesterday I wrote a note to send with Jacob to school, and as I was doing so, he told me he wished we had sticky notes that weren't butterfly-shaped. I asked him why and he said it was because they embarrassed him.

*sigh*

So, I pulled another butterfly-shaped sticky note out and wrote: "buy some manly sticky notes".

Home Sweet Blog

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:09:07 GMT

It's been a while since I last posted, (what's new, right?), but I haven't completely forgotten this blog.

Facebook has become my latest go-to for social networking and creative outlet. Although, let's face it~ when you're mother to three young kids, being creative often isn't anything more than making sure their tater tots are browned evenly on all sides.

I do have some plans for this blog, and hope to begin my new project soon. Meanwhile, here's something fun for you to do today instead of watching the clock at your desk.

Draw a House

On Being One

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:06:26 GMT

Erin's 1st birthday was the 14th of December. I anticipated the day, knowing she'd enjoy her cake, as she'd already shown a fondness for chocolate. I also was excited to put her in the outfit I had prepared for her weeks in advance, (handmade tutu, embellished bodysuit, and legwarmers). Mostly, I knew she would love the giant Elmo balloon I picked up that afternoon. The day did not disappoint anyone.

Here she is, playing with the balloon:

She got some great presents, too, and we all had a great time celebrating with her.

As I was uploading the pictures from the party, it made me think back to the 1st birthdays my other kids had, so I thought I'd get out the pictures and compare them. It's interesting that Jacob was the neatest of the three, and Alex was the biggest mess, (no surprise, though). I'm posting the pictures of each kid with maximum cake/frosting on them.

Here's Erin, enjoying a homemade vanilla cake with milk chocolate frosting:

Here's Jacob, (a little over 6 years ago), eating chocolate cake from a bakery:

And here's Alex, (almost 8 1/2 years ago), wearing her cake:

Aren't birthdays great?!

My Girl

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:28:05 GMT

I gave Erin an apple tonight, and it was the first time she's ever been given the whole fruit. She enjoyed it very much until she decided it was fun to roll the apple on the floor. We took it away from her at that point and she got a little snippy about it. I couldn't resist posting these pictures of her, enjoying the apple.

I'm sure there will be more pics of her next weekend, in all her birthday glory.

#@$%

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:30:17 GMT

Bleh.

Image ganked from TWC, (no, not Time-Warner Cable).

Other Side of the World

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:51:56 GMT

I often think about the other side of the world~ the one I'd end up at if I drilled a hole right through the earth and ended up on the opposite side of the planet. This is otherwise known as the antipodal point~ the place diametrically opposed to another.

I was always pretty certain that China was not the antipode of where I lived, contrary to the saying of "digging a hole to China". Since the world is covered by 71% water, it's a fact that most antipodes aren't land-based.

Learn more about antipodes at Wikipedia.com.

Here's a map which overlaps two opposite sides of the earth, showing one side as pink and the other side blue. You can see just how few areas of land that also have land as an antipodal point:

Google also has a great tool to help you locate the exact antipodal point from any other. You just have to double-click your intended location on the top map, and the bottom map will automatically show you the antipodal point, which for my house is somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Check it out here at antipodesmap.com.

Power to the Pumpkins!

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:31:34 GMT

Man, I love pumpkins. I love to use them as decorations, I love to carve them, and I love to cook with them. This is the perfect time of year for pumpkins, so I thought I'd share some great recipes with you.

When you purchase a pumpkin to cook, make sure you buy one suited for that purpose. You will often find them listed as "pie pumpkins" or "Sugar Pumpkins" in your store. They are small to medium in size, are bright orange and generally have a straight stem. You should pick ones that are fully ripe, without any bruises or blemishes. You can store these whole pumpkins for several months in a cool place, if you wish. I caution against using the Jack O' Lantern-type pumpkins, as they typically are tough, stringy and tasteless, though the white Lumina pumpkins and the grayish Jarradale varieties make for good eating. They're becoming increasingly popular as decorations, so they're fairly easy to find these days.

My preferred method of cooking pumpkins is to roast them. I find that the flesh cooks nicely that way, without getting the pumpkin soggy with water, as you might with boiling or steaming. I like to cut the pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, the place, cut-side down in a baking pan and roast in a 350 F. oven for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the pumpkin. The flesh should be tender when pierced with a fork. You can also microwave your pumpkin halves if you don't want to heat up the kitchen. Just put them on a paper plate, wrap with plastic wrap, then microwave on high for 5-10 minutes PER pound, checking periodically to avoid burning.

Once the pumpkin is tender, remove the rind and puree until smooth.

Of course, if you don't have a fresh pumpkin and want to use canned pumpkin, I promise that no one will be mad.

Yeesh~ enough of this. On to the recipes!

First is a very interesting and delicious idea for hors d'oeuvres or as a snack while your guests are waiting for Thanksgiving dinner. It's amazingly simple and quick to prepare and will have your guests asking for the recipe. Serve this with cheese, such as Camembert, sharp Cheddar or Asiago, along with some crackers or thin toasts. This recipe originally came from Better Homes and Gardens.

Pumpkin Marmalade

2 cups cooked fresh pumpkin puree or one 15-oz. can pumpkin
1 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions

In a medium saucepan combine pumpkin, marmalade, and ginger. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish.

Cover and cool. Serve with cheese and bread. Makes about 3 cups.

Here's a wonderful change of pace, (or addition to), your usual Thanksgiving dessert. This can be baked a day in advance and reheated before serving, although it's darned tasty cold, too. This is one comes from my recipe file.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce

BREAD PUDDING~
2 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree, (or 15 ounces canned )
1� teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1� teaspoons cinnamon
1� teaspoons vanilla
10 cups � inch cubes of sturdy, fresh bread, such as French, crusts removed.
� cup golden raisins (optional)
� cup pecans (optional)
Caramel sauce, (below)

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in all remaining pudding ingredients except bread, raisins, and nuts. Fold in bread and raisins. Pour into to greased two-quart baking dish, sprinkle pecans on top, and let stand 15 minutes. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Serve with caramel sauce.

CARAMEL SAUCE
� cup dark brown sugar
� cup unsalted butter
� cup whipping cream

Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted. Whisk in cream and continue whisking until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, which should take just a few minutes.

Serves about 8 people

I believe this is an authentic Indian dish, given to me by my friend, Sukh. It's possible that he simplified or modified this for the American kitchen.

Pumpkin Soup, Indian-style

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 C. fresh, cooked pumpkin puree, (or two 15 oz. cans)
4 C. vegetable stock (chicken stock is good, too)
1/2 C. cream
Salt & ground black pepper, to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute 4 minutes, until softened. Turn up heat to medium-high, then add spices cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add pumpkin stir well. Pour in the stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in cream, then add salt and pepper to taste. This should easily serve 6 people, maybe more.

Here's Your Change

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:44:57 GMT

Yesterday was a fun and exciting day! I was in charge of providing food for all of the workers in the control center of Barack Obama's Indiana campaign office, which was set up in my family's law firm. The firm donated the use of the offices, the food, and many of the firm's employees were around that day to help the campaign.

I arrived at 5:00 a.m., and most of the people running the show were already there, camped out in front of their laptops or their telephone desk. Many had been there, on and off, since Saturday. The tension was palpable and they were already hard at work and mentally prepared for a long and challenging day. I brought Panera Bakery's bagels for them, and put out fruit, coffee, and juice. Many were thankful for something good to start their day, although a few said they were just too nervous to eat. I brought 120 bagels, and there were about 20 left, so there was a sizeable crew of around 100 people there most of the day. There was a flurry of activity, yet it was oddly quiet.

When I arrived later with lunch, they practically threw themselves on the food table. I brought in sandwiches from Brozinni's, my favorite pizzeria, (gotta support those local, family-owned businesses!). People seemed a bit more relaxed than they did earlier. There was a steady hum of voices, non-stop ringing of telephones, and lots of coffee flowing. The workers were generally very appreciative and thankful, (albeit fairly messy).

It was cool to witness some of the inner workings of the election. One guy was on his cell phone, talking to a coordinator for one voting facility in another county. The coordinator was in a panic because the wait to vote was three hours long. The guy calmly told the coordinator to start issuing paper ballots because the voters shouldn't have to wait so long.

One lady was a little miffed because of the location of the coffee station we set up. She complained, as she ran down the hall, that it was in the way of her "urgent response". I pretty much just ignored her.

I wanted to have dinner in place by 5:00, so everyone would be done eating by the time the voting booths closed and the results started coming in. Everyone was geeked when they saw the trays of lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti and garlic knots. Most of them hadn't had a real meal like that in days. By this time, though, everyone was getting very anxious and were much more subdued than they were at lunchtime.

After dinner, all of the televisions were tuned to CNN or MSNBC. Indiana is a battleground state and one of the first to close it's polls, so very close attention is given to the results here. In the 40+ years I've lived in this state, no democratic presidential candidate has ever won this state.

I sat with the firm's staff for a while, watching the results come in, but had to leave before the Big Announcement was made. I had to get home to my family, but made it back to the TV in time to see Obama declared as the winner. I wish I could have stayed downtown to enjoy the Champagne and cake celebration with everyone there, but I was so exhausted, I fell asleep some time between McCain and Obama's speeches. Todd tried to rouse me at one point to let me know that Indiana is now a BLUE state.

Here are a few pictures I took yesterday, a day I will never forget.

Freedom of Food

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:36:47 GMT

In an effort to get people out of the house and into voting booths, several companies are offering free food to voters, so I thought I'd compile a list here. Be sure to get an "I Voted" sticker to secure these deals!

Eli's Cheesecake in Chicago is giving away a free slice of cheesecake to voters. Those not living in Chicago can take advantage of their online order offer of a free 6" cheesecake with purchase of a 9" cheesecake.

Ben and Jerry's is giving away ice cream to voters.

You can pick up a free donut at Krispy Kreme.

Wash it all down with a free cup of coffee from Starbucks!

For those of you watching calories, get a free sex toy instead, from Babeland, (in L.A., NYC, and Seattle), free to all voters, (link IS safe for work).

I hope you all have a safe and satisfying election day!

Crocktober

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:43:34 GMT

Yes, I'm still alive.

I haven't updated for a while, because my family has been down with another round of stomach flu and this is the first day in almost two weeks that has been normal, with the kids in school and the hubby off to work. Baby Erin and I are trying to get back into our usual routine, but are finding it difficult, given the events we have coming up. We have a Halloween party tonight, two tomorrow at school, then trick-or-treating and festivities tomorrow night.

On Tuesday, I'm organizing all the meals for the Obama people at their executive's offices downtown. I'm not doing any of the cooking for this one, but have ordered everything and will be on-hand that day to make sure everyone gets fed. I was told to expect 120 people, who will be there from 6:30 a.m. until after midnight that day. They actually will be around this weekend, so I'm providing them with coffee and beverage service beginning Saturday, then will be around all day Tuesday to make sure everything goes according to plan.

Next Friday is Jacob's 7th birthday, and he wants to do laser tag, so I'm organizing a small party for him next weekend, too.

I have a couple of blog entries drafted, and hope to find a bit of time to finish and post them at some point very soon.

Meanwhile, I'm posting a terrific, (and EASY), recipe for Halloween or any busy night. The flavors in this stew are perfectly suited for autumn. You can pick up the ingredients this evening, prep them tonight, throw them in the crockpot before you leave for work tomorrow, then have dinner ready when you are. If you're not a fan of sweet potatoes, try using butternut squash, or something similar.

Autumn Stew

1 lb. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1" cubes
3 cups peeled, sweet potatoes, cut into 1 " cubes.
2 apples, cored and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups apple juice or hard cider

Layer sweet potatoes, apples, and onion in slow cooker. Sprinkle thyme and pepper , then place with pork on top. Pour apple juice over all.

Cover crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Serves 4.