New Toy

Sam brought me a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0.  Has a Quad Core Processor and so far me likes it very very much.  He's such a sweetie pie.  So if anyone has any games or programs that they think I will like, let me know.

 

Got Sam and I some very warm and coomfy Robes

Nice soft and thick Terry Cloth Robes.  You know, the kind you steal for those really nice hotels.  Well I found these on sale in November.  Normally $89 a piece I got them at Half price so only paid for ONE!!  Here is what they look like.  So nice to lounge in these and those slippers my Mom got us.  Loving IT!!!!

Look What Momma Got me for Christmas

My mother is such a great lady.  I love her very much and she just sent me the best things in the world.  She knows I have perpetually cold feet.  I mean freezing to the touch even if I am sweating.  So she got me these...

Rockport Slippers.  She got me a pair and Sam a pair.  They are soooo comfy.  They keep my feet warm and toasty.  She was so sweet to think of me.  I love you Mom.  Thank you!!

Getting ready for the Christmas Party Sam and I were invited to.

Tomorrow is Christmas 2014.  Instead of doing our normal thing, going to Chosun Korean BBQ, we were invited to a Christmas Dinner at one of his co-workers house.  It seemed he really wanted to go so I said yes.  From how it was explained to me, there would be about 6 people there.  Last night I was told there was about 30 people going.  I don't like crowds of people especially when I do not know any of them.  Not one person.  So now instead of dinner and a movie it is going to be a night of awkwardness because I generally do not open up to people or speak to them until I have at least been around them for a couple of weeks.  This is a defense mechanism I employed after getting screwed over my supposed friends time and time again.  So Yeah for me. 

Anyway, enough wallowing in that mess.  Sam said we needed to bring a dish, but wanted some sort of salad or veggie dish as they already had the meats and normal Christmas foods covered.  So I made a Cornbread Salad.  This is a Traditional Southern Dish for large gatherings.  It is a pretty layered salad with plenty of the hardy items that are normally available to persons of meager means.  Poor people, OK.  You just made me say it didn't you.  I love this dish.  The Recipe is below along with a picture.  I messed up when I made it as the bowl isn't large enough and I didn't cut back on the first layer of cornbread.  Normally it is equally space and very pretty to look at.  This one is alright.  When you are about to place this on the table, the last layer of bacon it placed on top.  BACON, yes lord.  Everything is better with bacon.  I always double the bacon order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cornbread Salad

 

1   16 oz. Pkg. Cornbread Mix (Mexican works well)

20  Slices of Bacon – Well Done

1   1 oz. Pkg. ranch Dressing Mix

1½ Cups Sour Cream

1½ Mayo

2   15 oz. Cans of Pinto Beans - Rinsed

3   Tomatoes; chopped

1   Cup Bell Pepper; chopped

1   Cup Green Onions; chopped

2   Cups Cheddar Cheese; Shredded

2   11 oz. cans Whole Kernel Corn; drained

 

Directions:

 

Prepare the cornbread according to the package.  Let Cool.  Crumble and set aside.  Cook Bacon until evenly browned and CRISP.  Crumble and set aside.   Whisk together Ranch dressing Mix, Mayo, & Sour Cream.   Crumble half of the cornbread in the bottom of a large serving dish or bowl.   Top with half of the beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, cheese, corn, & bacon.   Pour half of the dressing mix evenly over this.

 REPEAT THE LAYERS - Except same that last layer of bacon to go on top of the Dressing.  This way the dish is presented letting everyone know that a pork product (Bacon) is in the dish.  Not everyone eats Pork.  For me, presenting the crumbled bacon on top it to make everyone's mouth water because BACON makes everything divine.

 Cover and Chill 2 hours.

Makes 12 servings.

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION

I received an OUTSTANDING rating from one of the customers I have helped regarding a dispute over $195.00 in Accessorial Fees on a shipment.  I am so happy I was able to assist this customer and receive this tremendous rating of my work.  Here is what he had to say to me:

  I think he was upset that he got charged for the services he received.  So glad I could help you!

Our little Baby...Sleeping anywhere he can.

Sam's most precious little "Darling" sleeps anywhere he can.  He runs through the house all through the night.  He likes to run into the newly remodeled bathroom, and stop quickly on the bathroom rug so it slides all over the place.  He then likes to lay on the carpet while you are in the Shower and won't move so you have to step all around him.  Here he is doing that:

  Then when we are asleep, after he has run around the house like he was running the Indy 5000, he sleeps.  Between us and also on us.  Here he is between us, stretched touching one of us with his head and his legs and tail are touching the other.   He looks so peaceful asleep.  Wish he did when he was awake, the Holy Terror Himself, Finster.

This cat also likes his stuffed Snowmen.  Years ago, our friend Mary Taylor, gave us two stuffed Snowmen for Christmas.  Well, Finster adopted them.  They are his chew toys, but also his babies.  He brings them and lays them on top of us while we sleep.  If one of us gets up to use the restroom in the middle of the night, he lays them on our pillows.  Then when we come back, there they are.  Presents for us.  When this first started happening, it was creepy as hell.  We didn't know he was doing it.  Now it is cute.  He just loves us.  So special.

Steak and Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy

Well, I love steak.  It is one of my most favorite foods.  However, because of the fat and cholesterol, we do not eat steak that often.  This week we had steak with Masked Potatoes and I made a Homemade Mushroom Red-eye gravy.  Most people make their gravies with a packet or open a can.  YUCK!  That is disgusting especially when making gravy is SOOOOO easy.  Here's how ya do it.

First you cook the steaks.  We have KC Strip steaks AKA New York Strip.  What it is called depends on the part of the country you live in.  Sam prefers his Medium while I love my steak mooing, alive and kicking.  I like it just between rare and Med. rare.  I love it fleshy, bloody, but warm.  Most people and restaurants screw my steak up.  These are inch and a half thick cut steaks from Sam's Club.  I cooked these in my new Iron Skillet mentioned on an earlier post.  I use Olive Oil and Butter in the skillet.  This raises the smoke point of the oil and adds flavor.  The only seasoning on the steak is Lawry's Garlic Salt and Black Pepper.  After the steak are done and resting on the plates, as shown above, that is when you start the gravy.

I take one medium onion and slice it, medium thick slices.  Then I take some Baby Portobello's and slice them up.  Throw them into the skillet directly after removing the steaks.  Keep the skillet on Medium-High heat.  Stir them around to coat them with the hot juices in the pan. 

You then let them cook.  The bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet will be released and they will bring with them FLAVOR.  When you see the onions starting to really cook, about 2-3 minutes in and you can actually wait 5 minutes, you will want to add in the flour to start a Roux.  I usually eyeball it.  Sprinkle in the flour a Tablespoon at a time.  Using a fork mix that flour in with the skillet mixture.  It will start to absorb the liquids and thicken.  I used 4 Tablespoon, about 1/4th of a cup of flour.  Then let the Roux cook.  You must do this as this will cook out the "Flour" taste.  Like this:

You can see in the picture right above, it is still sort of liquidy, but you can see how the flour has soaked it up.  If you add to much flour, it will get doughy.  Fret not.  Add a tablespoon of butter and swirl it around.  That will loosen it up.  Once you see if bubbling, like above, you can stop adding butter.  Just do this One Tablespoon at a time and give it time to incorporate.  You will notice the color of the Roux starts to darken.  This means the flour taste should be gone and Flavor is building.  You then want to add cold water.  Add 1 cup of cold water and stir it in.  Like so:

You can use the fork you used to incorporate the flour or whatever tool you were using.  Why wash more utensils if you don't have to right?  This will start to bubbly, and if this is too pasty, add some more water, but only do it in 1/2 cup increments.  Please, before adding more water make sure you have let it come back to the boil and you have stirred it thoroughly.  At this time you want to taste the gravy.  If it doesn't already have enough flavor, you can then add 1 bouillon cube or a teaspoon of Beef Base.  This is needed sometimes, but not always.  Adding at the beginning could lead to an overly salty gravy that nobody will like.  I personally like Beef Base better.  A Good Gravy will coat the utensil you are using when you pull it out of the liquid.  Once you get the consistency you want, let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Like So:

After than just turn off your heat and serve.  Here is what it should look like.

OMG, Steaky and Gravy Goodness!!

If you try making gravy and are successful, let me know if this helped!