"Murphy was an optimist!"
What I did with my weekend January 12, 2005 7:18 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily Life
My new disposal came in the mail but had a factory installed 3 prong plug installed (model 444-5a) where my old in sink erator (model 444-3) had to be wired directly to the switch. So I installed a GFIC outlet in addition to the new disposal. Relatively easy work but I had to complicate it rerouting some of the plumbing. The new disposal is quiet and working well. I do highly recommend it. The service was exception and the equipment good quality.
Of course, then I decided to change the brakes on the car. Doesn’t everybody do this?
This makes your car stop. I only completed the rear brakes but considering that of the 4 brake pads I could only find 3 and of those 3 two were braking on the metal and one had only a sliver of pad left I would say it had become rather urgent (yes, 3 pads implies that one disk was braking on the caliper piston).
A bag with an interesting opening January 11, 2005 5:22 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeFound The Velvet Vulva (complete with button clitoris) while surfing BlogExplosion but forgot to note the original posted for appropriate credits.
add a commentLesson on how to fold a shirt January 11, 2005 4:06 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeMy wife claims this is not an appropriate fold (it works!).
add a commentCheat’s Coronation Chicken January 11, 2005 8:03 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily Life
Here is one of the recipes I’ve been promising. This cooks up in about 30-40 minutes with relatively small mess. I personally think it tastes best after sitting overnight.
The recipe comes from the book The Ultimate 4 Ingredient Cookbook. I’ve provided two Amazon links at the bottom as the newest edition was not available at the time I posted this and the older edition (which I use) had some availability.
This first picture shows everything needed except the mixing bowls. You will need a graduated mixing bowl into which to measure the mayonnaise, a bowl to hold the pineapple juice, and finally a container to hold the finished entree.
The ingredients as listed on page 185 of the book:
1 tablespoon garam masala or curry powder
14 ounce can pineapple chunks in natural juice, drained and juice reserved
1 ¼ cups mayonnaise
3 cups cold cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized chucks
Note: I was going to put the conversions for the measurements above but I’m not sure what a tablespoon should convert to. Instead I offer you a link to onlineconversion.com’s volume conversions: http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm
I use the recipe as a guide and make adjustments for my needs. My first step is to prepare the chicken. I use 1 ½ lbs of boneless chicken breast. I lightly season it with some seasoning salt or greek seasoning and some Worcestershire sauce then broil about 6 minutes per side.
My next steps include draining the pineapple juice into its own bowl. I usually use 20 ounces of chunked pineapple instead of the 14 ounces called for in the recipe. (what should ounces convert to?)
Next I measure out roughly 1 ½ to 2 cups of mayonnaise.
The instructions from the book are:
Heat a dry heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add spice mix and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Blend in 1-2 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add another tablespoon or so of juice and cook again for 1 minute. Add one more tablespoon and cook again. Leave to cool. Stir cooled paste into mayonnaise. Toss with pineapple and chicken. Season to taste. 4 servings.
I do not vary from their instruction much other than increased portions.
I use curry instead of garam masala. Remember Curries may prevent Alzheimers
Scientists have found that curcumin stops the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids that build up in the brains of sufferers.
The results, published in the Journal Of Biological Chemistry, suggest that curcumin would not only prevent the build-up of plaques in patients with the degenerative brain disease, but would block the plaques developing in the first place.
There are two tricks to making the curry paste. The first is in finding the correct skillet. And the second is finding the correct amount of heat (which may vary depending on your skillet). If you are turning your curry black and making your house smell like a campfire then you have one of those two things, or both, wrong. Your curry as it cooks should darken but not burn. It can become pasty like the consistency of a cheap toothpaste and still be used in your recipe. In my example, my paste was more liquid than I’ve every achieved before.
I have had great success with my Calphalon 10-Inch Omelet Pan where my stainless steel skillets have burned my curry and been a nightmare to clean. I believe the success is in the heavy thickness of the Calphalon and the way it heats slowly but retains the heat evenly.
I like to start with 2 tablespoons of curry and heat that with no liquid for 1-2 minutes depending on the temperature of the skillet. If you don’t give your pan a chance to heat then you aren’t really cooking the curry. I then put in 1 tablespoon of pineapple juice and again cook for 1 minute. As the recipe indicates we repeat this two more times then set aside to cool.
A better presentation:
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons curry for 1-2 minutes
- Blend in 1-2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- Cook for 1 minute
- Add 1 tablespoon pineapple juice.
- Cook for 1 minute
- Add 1 final tablespoon pineapple juice
- Cook for 1 minute
- Set pan aside to cool
Be sure to stir constantly during this process. I have a tendency to lose count of how many times I have added pineapple juice but I don’t think it matters too terribly.
The book adds this "Cook’s Know-how":
As with all ground spices, buy curry powder or garam masala in small quantities because it loses its freshness if kept for longer than 6 months. Store in a cool, dry, dark place. Try making your own blend by combining and grinding whole spices.
While my paste cools, I cube my chicken. Mix the cubed chicken and pineapple in a bowl. Mix the cooled curry paste and mayonnaise in the mixing bowl then add the curry mayonnaise mixture to the chicken and pineapple. Stir together.
The final product can be seen to the right. While spicy (tasty), this dish is not hot and should be appealing to most palates. This dish is ready to be eatten immediately. As I noted at the beginning, I find it a bit more flavorful the following day but it so tasty I have never been able to put it off that long. The dish stores well and can be prepared ahead of time to provide lunches and dinners throughout the week.
Enjoy!
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A New Day! Let’s start the day off with a PayPa… January 11, 2005 8:00 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeA New Day!
Let’s start the day off with a PayPal donation link:
This Morning
I’ve been wanting to post pictures from this weekend but have yet to download them.
Yesterday was a very busy day of work followed by an exciting Aspergers Support Group meeting. It’s so nice to hear each others stories and feels good when you can lend someone some advice.
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed this week.
add a commentA New Day! Let’s start the day off with a PayPa… January 9, 2005 10:45 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeA New Day!
Let’s start the day off with a PayPal donation link:
This Morning
Some milestones were achieved. I allowed myself to sleep in. I’m feeling much better!
Let me tell you. Nothing wakes you up in the morning quiet like having a puppy lick you then exhale the aroma of poop. How do we make her stop eatting that stuff!
add a commentWater U? January 8, 2005 2:15 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeToday on the scale of hillbilly to redneck I score 5 beer cans!
add a commentDog treats January 8, 2005 12:12 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeThe 12 year old dog ate the 2.5 year old.
add a commentWarantees are great! January 7, 2005 8:05 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeI see we aren’t the only ones with dishwasher woes. I finally got off my duff and squeezed under the sink to find the serial number and service phone number for the garbage disposal. They said it was under warrantee and they could 1) send out a repair guy or 2) just send me a brand new unit with another 4 year warrantee. ok. think. think. think…hopefully the new one will arrive anyday now because with it out of commission the dishwasher sometimes needs to be run two or three times a load.
add a commentSome guys get all the luck January 7, 2005 6:35 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeMan I wish my sex education had been like this!
Teacher Charged With Having Sex With Student
Janay Willson, 31, was arrested and charged with having sex with a 16-year-old male student in December 1999 and January 2000 but it did not come to light until 2004 [making her hormonally peaking 27 at the time of incident]
Orange teacher arrested for alleged sex with former students
Sarah Bench-Salorio, 28, was arrested for having sex with two former 13-year-old students in “numerous” locations.
So, I’m gathering that in your late 20s you ladies have strong uncontrollable desires much like us guys have our whole lives.
add a commentLook at the picture! January 7, 2005 6:35 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeA New Day! Let’s start the day off with a PayPa… January 7, 2005 6:33 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeA New Day!
Let’s start the day off with a PayPal donation link:
This Morning
Juggled at the Boyscout pack meeting last night. What fun!
The station wagon is not to move from the driveway.
And my body still craves more sleep than I should be getting.
add a commentI broke my blog! January 6, 2005 9:41 am
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeSomething on this page is causing this error
Error: [Exception… “‘Component does not have requested interface’ when calling method: [nsIInterfaceRequestor::getInterface]” nsresult: “0x80004002 (NS_NOINTERFACE)” location: “
” data: no]
Debugging will take some time.
The chicken recipes are coming soon!
add a commentTwitch January 5, 2005 11:47 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeMy left eye is doing that twitching thing. I feel like Commissioner Charles Dreyfus.
add a commentDay of Appointments January 5, 2005 6:03 pm
Posted by djuggler in : Daily LifeWoke this morning to get the kids off to school
Next came Tommy‘s IEP (2.5 hours)
Lunch
Leaving just enough time for Babies R Us
Then pickup Tommy from school
To take him to his doctor’s appointment
Then rushing home to put in 8 hours of work
In a 2 hour spance of time
To be shortened through a required software update
Amidst a computer repair for a friend tonight
I must squeeze in two days of work
And familial duties.
