Avocado, cheese, grilled chicken, and ranch on French; also the glare of a hungry Misty.
Food
My real problem with avocados is the same as my problem with hard boiled eggs: a tendency to find myself standing over the kitchen sink with a salt shaker, eating them as a snack.
On the positive side avocado farts are less deadly than egg farts…
My day in pictures and yadda, yadda
Getting up this morning: Willow was so comfortable that I had to take a picture. Got cleaned up, took the Bonnie birds for a walk, and breakfast. Calculated that my routine of breakfast sausage to share with the dogs and toast or the like, is about 560 calories. Actually the most calories is the peanut butter on the toast, lol.
Made coffee, took Willow for a walk, and then got to finish my coffee. Because by then she’s armament for her second walk. Coffee and Xbox make for a cozy morning off.
Misty has two super powers. One is hunting for food. The other is being comfortable.
A mixture of Saints Row 4, Metal Slug 3, laundry, lunch, and Twin Mirror reminds me that mixing chores and relaxation is a good plan. Forgot to hang the wash, but at least I did manage to clean my refrigerator 😂.
Pretty often I end up making pasta, but rarely beefaroni. Growing up it was a relatively common cheese delivery vehicle amongst my mother’s cooking. Actually, I don’t have any recollection of eating the canned stuff. So much as stuffing my face until a nap was warranted, lol.
Kind of worked out as a perfect storm of convenience. Had some ground Italian sausage in need of being used up, been meaning to use up the elbows for a long while, and boiling the macaroni is good for the humidity. Plus yields more food for next week, and when aren’t I okay with such food for dinner? 🤪
Kind of a mess made from leftovers and culinary heritage, it worked damned deliciously.
Leftover rigatoni, a few leftover cheese tortellini, scraps of meatloaf, last of the fresh mushrooms and some grilled chicken strips. Combined with shredded carrots, lettuce, green onions, and a can of great northern beans. Various seasonings, and a few spoonfuls of gravy leftover from the meatloaf.
My mother often made beans and elbow macaroni. What she dubbed Italian peasant food, and what I dubbed delicious. Once in a while she also made spinach and beans. Thinking of these, and being rather in the mood for the latter, I opted to make a mess inspired by those meals of my childhood. Both are excellent delivery vehicles for grated Parmesan cheese.
Oddly, the carrots and green onions were something that rarely found there way into such meals. But being the one in front of the sauce pan, I get to pick what goes in 😋.
In the words of a literary character, “Mischief managed.”
Managed to be smart and both warm up the oven AND the ground beef, and leave the other stuff set aside. With plenty of time to let the oven do its thing. The number one reason I’ve rarely made meatloaf I’m recent years, is it takes a good while to cook if you do it right. On work days that usually means an hour later than empty bellies want to wait.
Willow and company of course hate that the pecking order is dinner, and then their nest treats.
Every now and then, I kind of wish I had a camera capturing what I see. This morning was one of those breakfasts.
I often make frozen sausages with breakfast on the weekends, so that I can share with the hounds. Microwave, slice up, and vola. Well this morning was some roll off the counter, like a my ooor meatball impression. Corky nabbed it and trotted off. Had to grab hold and with my nose on his head, convince him to let go of the frozen sausage. There were teeeth marks where he resisted this, lol. Should probably just be glad his tongue didn’t get stuck to it.
As an apology, tasty dog treats were issued before breakfast, and Corky got the first helping of sausage.
While the steak ended up a little overdone for my tastes, the onions were pretty spot on 😄.
While my afternoon could probably be summed up by Star Wars; Squadrons, Willow was incredibly smart and took a sublimly comfortable nap.
I planned ahead what my cooking schedule would look like, so I wouldn’t have to worry much about defrosting time, prep, cooking, or resting times. Likewise the order to do things. Momma did teach me a thing or two in the kitchen 👍. Willow on the other hand stole the show for cuteness.
Growing up my my mother only made turkey once a year, and decided if she was working so hard: she was going to make a huge turkey. Whether it was four of us, or two of us, what that really meant was an average of 22 lbs of bird every thanksgiving. Every year, I’d usually make light of that, lol. Left to my own devices sometimes I don’t even make turkey for thanksgiving.
Since it’s just me, and three hungry dogs: I opted to get the smallest turkey breast I could find. Still too damned much food, lol. Combined with the side dishes, I’m pretty sure that I could have fed another three people.
One of the things my brother’s first marriage brought into our family traditions was green bean casserole. Something that yet survives, and fills bellies. When you’re choking down turkey for weeks, you learn to appreciate the sides, lol.
The family sized package of four cheese mashed potatoes was definitely a good plan. Kroger turkey gravy on the other hand is some of the most salty gravy I’ve ever tasted. Compared to my mother’s thanksgiving plans, my selection of food is rather modest and simple. She often made so much, you could probably have fed the neighborhood for a day instead of us for weeks.
Needless to say, my solution to the holiday resulted in a very full belly. Despite ample pre-dinner snackage, Willow tried to steal turkey twice. It’s probably a good thing I kept their share towards the edge, lol.
The hungry minions were very well fed with their share of turkey. Which is kind of special, because I rarely will make turkey. They really, really love turkey and chicken; and Willow is especially inclined to pilfer fish.
Plus I had bought a can of something yummy for their post dinner treat.
We are all full now. But they will forget this whenever I reach for the cake I baked last night….
Chili with some leftover noodles mixed in, and a prewarmed load of cheese on top, was definitely a great dinner plan.
I promised Willow the wait would be worth it.
Also pretty sure that for a can of meat and gravy bits, she would do a backflip if she knew how and thought it would get her an extra helping.
The week in pictures
Aside from the general busy level and workalcoholism, I think this largely sums things up.
Test of new socks: AWESOME. I’ve put off buying new socks for so long that it feels like clouds instead of boots. Also willow doesn’t understand why she doesn’t get a post-walk treat before I take my boots off, and after.
Pretty sure she demands pretzel sticks.
Misty wanting attention.
Willow wondering why Misty gets the crane service and the chair.
Sometimes: I am a dog chair.
Willow reminding me that her pretzel stick bribes are required for midnight snackage.
The kind of looks I get when getting dressed for work.
It’s amazing Willow didn’t dive on the plate faster than I could take the picture, lol.
Wasn’t sure if leftover brussels sprouts and alfredo sauce was a great idea. Combined with meatballs, it certainly is!
Willow wishes a poor meatball would roll off the table, on the floor, or just straight into her mouth.
Yes, Willow, I know you wants treats.
Sometimes you’ve just gotta splurge 🙂
Pretty sure the dogs are smarter than I am when it comes to how to spend an afternoon.
Best part of chili mac is definitely eating chili mac.
Comfort level: over 9000!