Monday, February 29, 2016

HIgh Hopes, Homecoming, Downton Abbey.

Although it turns out my information on Bed Bug nymphs was correct, they are almost impossible to see especially at the beginning, it also turns out they don`t bite. Pleasant piece of information, they survive on the faeces of the adult bug. The upshot being, they are not a big problem until they are adult by which time you can see them, if you can find them, and kill the little perishers. The pest control people came on Friday and to date, on Saturday, everything has been OK. Please keep your fingers crossed for us. I have totally had it with them.

Friday we spent time wandering around as we couldn`t stay at home. It ended up costing us a lot of money. We bought fillet steaks, we ate out twice and we went bowling at a different alley in the afternoon. Our home alley being closed. Actually the new owner of Victoria Bowl where we played yesterday afternoon, let us bowl 5 games and didn`t charge us anything like the normal price. I was very grateful to him. We went to the Red Lobster with a friend who`s birthday had been on Thursday, so, as we had been unable to invite her to dinner at our place, we treated her. Yes, I did have a Chocolate Wave cake - this time with 3 spoons.. Matt swears I was gobbling it up. I paid for it with major indigestion later. This time I chose the Seafood Sampler plate which had Coconut Shrimp, Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms and Shrimp Cocktail. It was very good. Matt had Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms and our friend had Blackened Tilapia which looked delicious. Might try that if we go any time soon.

Before we went to supper we went home and got the beds made. Also had to replace the drawers in all the dressers and bedside tables. Bit of a pain. We had managed to put our blankets and pillows through the dryer before we went out so everything was totally clean and fresh. After dinner, we came home and had a couple of drinks. During which time I went to my bedroom and realised there was no power anywhere nor, it turned out, was there any in the second bedroom. Called the assistant super who, when he came, said he had been told not to come into our apartment (or any of the known bed bug places) however, he did check a fuse as it was right by the door. However, couldn`t figure out which, if any, fuse was gone. We would have to wait til Monday.

This morning we got up to a freezing apartment and realised we had no heat. Called the assistant super again and he came up, agreed we had no heat and said he would call the emergency number as we couldn`t go the weekend without heat.  When the maintenance guys came it turned out that it was a fuse and this same fuse also controls the heat as well. Not sure how, but this is what it was. Waste of money really, but not mine. If they hadn`t told Bob not to come in he would probably have sorted it on his own. Still, not my money.

Apart from the fact that we still have masses to do to restore our home to it`s usual state. I hope this is the very last you will hear about our bed bugs. You must be nearly as fed up with them as we are living with them. I will try not to talk about them any more. Except that Saturday night I got bitten!! Only once. The bed has since been stripped and steamed. So, Sunday night, I am hoping it will have done the trick. It was OK Friday night, mind you.

Just to really get me going, I went to the TV to watch Downton Abbey at 9 p.m. which is the time it has been on every week, to find some guy talking about all the work he did on ensuring the manners on the programme were correct. But where was the show. Seems like they played it at 8 - now I am hopping mad. Are the gods out to get me lately do you think? I am hoping my friend has bought the DVDs for this season so I can borrow the appropriate one. LATER: I discovered they postponed the finale til next week so they didn't clash with the Oscars. I won't comment about that!!!!

Slow cookers are so very useful. This is from Campbell Soups and sounds a pretty good recipe. I included the Campbell's ad although I probably will use an entirely different beef stock which I keep in house anyway.

Asian Braised Short Ribs (Slow Cooker)


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SERVES: 4 PEOPLE

BY: CAMPBELL'S®

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame oil
2 lbs (910 g) beef short ribs
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup (250 mL) Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cups (500 mL) baby bokchoy
sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
green onion, chopped (optional)

Sauce:

2 tbsp (30 mL) rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) sodium reduced soy sauce
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) chili garlic sauce (alt: Sriracha or Sambal)
1 carton (900 mL) CAMPBELL'S® Ready to Use 30% Less Sodium Beef Broth
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup (125 mL) sodium reduced Hoisin sauce

Thickener:

¼ cup (60 mL) corn starch
¼ cup (60 mL) water

Directions


1. Heat sesame oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Brown short ribs on all sides and place in the slow cooker, top with vegetables.

3. Add all sauce ingredients to the skillet and combine well with pan drippings. Pour desired amount of mixture over beef and vegetables.

4. Cook, covered, on HIGH setting for 3-4 hours or until beef reaches internal temperatures of 165°F (74°C) and is fork-tender.

5. Transfer vegetables and short ribs to a plate.

6. Skim any oil from the top of the liquid and discard. Pour liquid into a skillet and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch and water and add to thicken the sauce.

7. Drizzle short ribs and vegetables with sauce.

8. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe Tips

1. If you like your vegetables crunchy, add vegetables to slow cooker when you have 30mins to 1 hour cook time remaining

2. Use up left over sauce in a vegetable stir-fry for a delicious quick dinner.

3. If you don't own a slow-cooker, cook in a heavy dutch oven pot at 325 ̊F (160 ̊C) in the oven for about 3 hours or until fork tender


Have a great day

23 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - I too hope the bedbugs are gone for ever. At least you had some good dinners/lunches ... but as you say such a pain. I hope you have an easier week and the heating stays on ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Well I have my fingers crossed Hilary. Does make a nice change eating out I agree, but what with paying for all the laundry and having to eat out too, this is getting an expensive proposition.

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  2. I so hope your bug problem is done for good! I'm not sure if your cable TV has 'on demand' like ours, if so you can try to find Downton Abbey under 'TV Shows' and watch it there. I'd DVR'd the first XFiles episode awhile back but it followed a football playoff game and therefore the first half hour of recording time was all post game coverage. I was livid. Then I remembered to check On Demand and there it was.

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    1. Me to JoJo. I don't know about what I can get 'on demand" but as it turns out they had postponed the programme anyway and I just didn't know about it.

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  3. I sure hope your bugs are gone. I didn't know fuses were still being used in electrical panels. Would have thought most buildings had upgraded to circuit breakers, but what do I know about building anyway. Both of our public stations here had all-day Downton marathons. I did enjoy the special, but now have to wait another week for the finale.

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    1. You echo my most fervent wish. You have to remember this building is 40 years old Denise. I suppose they could upgrade but they haven't done so.

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  4. Yes, hope you are finished with the bugs.
    At least the heating issue was just a fuse.

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    1. Me too Alex. Yes, who knew, we certainly didn't know the heating was connected as it is a water based system. Didn't realise it had power control in each apartment.

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  5. Sounds like a good recipe; wow what a terrible weekend you had between no power and then no heat in addition to still dealing with the bedbugs. One can only hope that is the last of them indeed!

    betty

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    1. It does sound good Betty. I guess the bug people blew the fuse. I am still keeping my fingers crossed.

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  6. I hope the bed bugs are history for your sake. never mind if you need to vent on your blog, that's what blog friends are for. that cake looks soooo good. since I am an Oscar nut I am glad they postponed it until next Sunday:)

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    1. I'm not sure yet Birgit. I think everyone will hear the cheers when it is certain. I used to enjoy the Oscars, but not any more although I do like to know which picture won and which actor/actress got best actor.

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  7. I bought the whole season on netflix, so I've seen the end of Downton Abby. I loved it. It's so awesome. I hear there may be a movie. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

    I'm glad your bugs are losing ground!!

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    1. Have a friend who buys all the DVDs. Thought about it but not sure I would ever watch them, at most probably only once. If there is a movie they will have to do it whilst the current stars are still available.

      We hope the bugs are losing ground Liz.

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  8. I really hope the bugs are all gone. What a headache. Love how that cake looks.

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    1. Still not quite sure Susan. I wonder if they serve that cake at Red Lobster in the States?

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  9. Cheers Jo. Glad the bug saga is coming to an end. You have had a time of it. Love slow cookers and use it all the time in the cold months...I've forgotten what cold is...Downton Abbey. Just watched the second show of the final season. We're obviously way behind, nothing new. When I was up at my daughter's, I watched all the previous seasons I'd missed. Still some to catch up with.

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    1. Maybe, I wouldn't dare say it was ending yet Denise. I love slow cookers too but mine is a heavy so and so. You are behind us aren't you. This will be our final show of the final season next Sunday.

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  10. Fingers crossed for you and the BB saga. We're only up to episode 3 in the final season of Downton Abbey here and I'm loving it so far. I'd have been pretty mad if I thought I'd missed the finale, too.

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    1. Thanks Helen. I didn't realise what had happened. Apparently the show was featured all day anyway.

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  11. I don't bother with the Oscars but I do love coconut shrimp. YUM! Interesting about the bugs. I'm sorry you had to go through all this.

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    1. I used to watch them every year Ivy, but no longer. Yes the bug saga was a real pain.

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