Thursday, September 24, 2015

El Papa, Car CD Player. Anniversary, Bowling.

Been watching lots more of the Pope in the US today. What a wonderful man. I had tears in my eyes several times whilst watching him. And yet 3 Catholic Judges are staying away from him tomorrow. JoJo said he was upsetting his own church somewhat, but they needed a good shake up in my opinion. I just hope he stays safe.

We took the CD player in on Tuesday and the store owner has taken it out of the car. He managed to see inside and can see what is stuck. He has kept it to see if he can unstick it. It's one of the the cartridge trays which is giving the problem. We probably won't be doing any more long trips in this car so it probably won't matter if he can't fix it. Nevertheless, I hope he can. He says it will be an intricate operation which doesn't surprise me.

Printed a card for the old man this morning. He hasn't bought me one yet though I know.  After 43 years one gets a bit blasé about it all I suppose. In case you wonder, it was a registrar office or civil wedding. I had a church wedding the first time I got married.

Today, Thursday is our Travel League for bowling Unfortunately at least a couple of good friends can't make it for one reason or another which is a pity especially as it's the first one this season. Lunch at the Red Lobster and then of course donuts during the bowling. I always kid people I only go for the donuts. I have to be really careful only to eat one. I do like donuts. Well I like most food I suppose LOL. You might not have guessed that.

I watched a movie on Tuesday night, bought it on special, and then posted on Facebook " It is inconceivable you would guess what movie I watched". People guessed pretty easily I thought. One friend came back with "You use that word a lot. I do not think it means what you think it means".

I love risotto but along with everyone else, I do not like having to stand around stirring forever as standing, for me, ends up being painful. Here is a fantastic microwave recipe which I haven't tried yet but will be very soon.

10-Minute Risotto Cups

Brit+Co Sarah Jones

Alright, this recipe is amazing for 2 reasons. First, we’re making risotto in the microwave. Second,
we’re making it in 10 minutes. No more standing at the stove and stirring for an hour. This is quite a hack, if we do say so ourselves.

Ingredients:

Basic Recipe
– 2 tablespoons butter
– 1/2 onion, finely chopped
– 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
– 1 cup Arborio rice
– 2 cups broth
– 1/2 cup white wine

Butternut Squash + Sage
– Butternut squash
– Sage leaves
– Parmesan

Mushrooms + Thyme
– Mushrooms
– Thyme
– Parmesan

Bacon + Kale + Mushrooms
– Bacon, cooked and crumbled
– Kale
– Mushrooms
– Parmesan

We’re starting you off with a basic risotto recipe that makes 4 ramekins of risotto. You’ll add your mix-ins midway through the process. All of our risottos start with butter, onion, garlic, Arborio rice, and broth.

Begin by adding 1/2 tablespoon of butter to each ramekin and adding a spoonful of onions. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes on high, stirring after 30 seconds to distribute the melted butter.
(Note: Onions can spark in the microwave. Yes, we know it’s freaky and weird. Don’t worry, they’ll stop sparking once they’re covered with the melted butter, yum).

Next, add a pinch of garlic, 1/4 cup rice, and 1/4 + 2 tablespoons broth. Cover with loosely with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave at 50% power level for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. Add additional broth if necessary. Repeat heating process.

After heating for a total of 4 minutes, it’s time to add your wine. About 1-2 tablespoons per ramekin should do it. At this point you should also add your butternut squash or mushrooms, depending on which recipe you’re making. Cover again with plastic wrap and heat for another 2 minutes at 50%.

Continuing with the Butternut Squash + Sage recipe, add your chopped sage leaves. Heat on 50% power for another minute, then add your Parmesan.

If making the Bacon + Kale + Mushroom recipe, add the chopped bacon and kale. Heat on 50% power for another minute, then add your Parmesan. E perfetto!

If making the Mushroom + Thyme recipe, add your thyme. Heat on 50% power for another minute, then add your Parmesan.

At this point, you should be really impressed with yourself.

The result is as good as the stovetop method but takes about a quarter of the effort.


Have a great day
 

30 comments:

  1. I remember when we were first married and "in love" we gave lots of cards to each other. Over the years it has tapered down and sometimes we exchange cards, sometimes we don't. I often joked and said we should be at a card center at a store and just pass cards to each other that express what we might want to say. Hubby's parents kept every card they sent to each other. Sentimental, but a heck of a thing to get rid of when one was disposing of their stuff. The sentiment is there whether or not a card expresses it. It is an accomplishment to get to 43 years of marriage in my opinion.

    betty

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    1. I like to have a card to mark a special day Betty. I have kept cards over the years but no longer.

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  2. Hi Jo - Happy Anniversary and many more ahead. Love risotto and those flavours look delicious. Cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary. I love risotto too, but people are telling me about buying packets?

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  3. The Princess Bride!
    Hope the guy can at least save your CDs.
    We don't bother with cards for anniversaries. I only want a card if money falls out of it.

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    1. I knew you would know it Alex. I hated that movie the first time I saw it.

      I hope so too. I like cards but I agree they are better with money in them.

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  4. I agree the Catholic church needs to be dragged into the 21st century and I adore this Pope. He actually practices what he preaches. And because of that, I fear for his safety. I love donuts too, and I only let myself get them a couple times a year. Chocolate glazed crullers, jelly filled, pumpkin, apple.....yummmmmm! And while I've seen the Princess Bride a few times, your 'inconceivable' reference didn't look familiar till I saw the other comments. As for risotto, I think I like it, I don't know if I've had it. My former boss' stepdaughter called it 'fancy rice a roni'. That always cracked me up.

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    1. I feel the same way about him JoJo. I actually eat one donut every time I go to Travel League bowling, i.e. maybe 7 or 8 donuts. Inconceivable you wouldn't recognize it. To me it was one of the standout phrases. I love a good risotto and am somewhat hesitant to try it in packets which I have had people tell me about in the last 24 hours.

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  5. Yes, inconceivable gave it away. Love the Princess Bride, such fun.
    Happy Anniversary!
    Cards are so expensive today! I like creating my own too.
    Enjoy your day!

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    1. Thanks Yolanda. It is a fun movie.

      They are expensive aren't they?

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  6. It is nice to see a humble pope.

    Risotto is something else I have never had. This looks really good.

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    1. I do so agree Brandon. Do try it, delicious.

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  7. I don't do cards but I never get blasé, either. Some do though.

    Hope they get your cds out.

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  8. Ahh Jo, Matt is such a lucky man. Such a handsome couple.

    I notice he's looking adoringly at you, and you are smiling for the camera. Chad and I have a shot like that, and I've teased him for years about it. I was gazing at him, and he was hamming it up for the camera.

    As Matt if he was thinking like me, "How did I bag such a great catch!"

    Hugs, Jo. I hope your day is awesome, the donuts fresh, and the bowling scores...um should they be high or low?

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    1. Thanks Liz. Never thought about that before. Lunch was good, the donuts were good, Matt had two very good games and one OK. The scores should be high for bowling, low for golf. I must have thought I was golfing.

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  9. Happy Anniversary!

    Thanks for the recipe share, enjoy the rest of your week.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan. I like the look of this risotto.

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  10. Whatever happened to separation of church and state in America? This Pope has no business addressing Congress, IMHO. If I was blogging today, it would be a rant about this. Happy Anniversary!

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    1. Well maybe Denise, but I wouldn't care as it's him.

      Thanks.

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  11. The Princess Bride! That is such a great movie and I love Peter Cook as the Bishop. I love your wedding picture-I love looking at photos and can't think that 43 years is actually just the 70's. Anyway, Happy Anniversary!!

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    1. Me too Birgit. I always enjoyed Peter Cook and Dudley more right from their beginning in Beyond the Fringe many years ago. Thanks.

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  12. Happy anniversary Jo and Matt! My first wedding was in a church and then I married Scotto in some tropical gardens with only my five kids as guests. It was lovely having just them. Donuts here don't taste as nice as when I was a kid. Occasionally I smell some authentic ones cooking. I love donuts with a heavy cinnamon flavour.

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    1. My first wedding was like that with all the trimmings, Matt and I decided to do our own reception in our own home and, of course, did all the catering. Much more fun. Donuts here are not like the ones we used to have in the UK 40 odd years ago, but I have come to prefer them.

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  13. Happy anniversary to you both. I like the sound of the risotto cups. I suspect there's an infinite variety possible so I'll definitely be doing some experimentation.

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    1. I think so Helen. I was already thinking about doing it with asparagus.

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