Thursday, September 15, 2016

Birthday Lunch, Bowling Problems.

We had an excellent lunch at the Mandarin although I was a tad disappointed they didn't take a birthday picture. The waitress was a bit casual I thought. Of course I started with my Hot and Sour Soup - I actually thought of having Wonton Soup but when I got to the soup area, I went to the same place as usual. Because it is Moon Festival they had a few specials around some of which I definitely tried others I may have missed. I ate too much anyway. Did the same last night at the Red Lobster.  I think I will have to be very careful what I eat for a while. On thing I enjoyed, stir fried Lotus Root. It's good and crunchy too.

We decided to go to the bowling alley after lunch. We played our first game - I was bowling well and Matt wasn't. The alleys were very full so there was one lane vacant next to us. A family came in and basically drove us out.  They had a youngster with them who was pretty badly behaved and obviously not one bit interested in bowling. The mother, father and child were all on the lane at the same time. One time the kid dropped a ball which rolled into the next lane and although a gutter ball, the machinery didn't know it was a stray ball and scored it for the woman who was bowling. She took it quite well, but I wouldn't have done so. Eventually Matt announced he was going home so we left. Pity but there it is. The parents apparently had no idea how to control the child. They had to hang on to him all the time. The mother had to pass the kid's hand to the father so she could put on her bowling shoes, then he had to do the same. Stupid thing to do, bring the kid to something he obviously didn't want to do. Mind you, a couple of times, having thrown 3 balls, he wanted to throw more. We could have gone downstairs on our own and bowled, but....

Thought these sounded good for a snacking food.

Oven Fried Zucchini Sticks

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs zucchini, about 3 medium; cut into 1/2-by-3-inch sticks
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
canola or olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat, and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray.

3. Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve hot.

Servings: 4

Source: Web MD

Author Notes
Our oven-baked zucchini sticks taste every bit as good as their deep-fried brethren with only a fraction of the fat and calories. Serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.


Have a great day

16 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a good time with your birthday feasting. Pity the bowling was spoiled.

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    1. Yes I did Helen although the scales looked a bit sorry for themselves this morning.

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  2. Hi Jo - I'm glad you enjoyed both your birthday meals ... and then some bowling: a family not adapting to the accepted level of normality at a Bowing Game isn't so good though.

    Those zucchini sticks look very good ... I love that sort of thing ... cheers Hilary and here's to a good birthday year ahead ...

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  3. I didn't matter that the kid didn't want to be there. Those behavior issues started long before that. I'd behaved like that and I would've gotten a beating.

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    1. You remind me of a time when I was a kid. Mother and I were out somewhere and she threatened me with punishment when we got home. When we did get home I asked her if she was still going to punish me. She said she had to now because I had reminded her. Dumb kid or what?

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    2. Oh my gosh, Jo. You reminded her? Oh noooo.

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  4. Happy belated birthday! What is a birthday, if not an excuse to eat too much good food? It's only a problem when you keep that up after the birthday.

    People that can't control their kids drive me nuts. I understand that kids are unpredictable and have temper tantrums from time to time, but like Alex said, situations like this started long before the bowling alley. That wasn't a tantrum. That's everyday life for these people. And that's when you know you've failed as a parent.

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    1. Maybe, thanks anyway. I am not sure these people know they have failed. Didn't seem like it.

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  5. Taking your kids out in public and teaching them to behave is a golden opportunity. I used to take mine bowling and part of it was teaching them to be considerate of the people around them.

    But then, every occasion was a learning experience for my kids. My dad once joked that they weren't being raised, they were being developed. LOL.

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    1. I know what you mean Liz. I am glad you 'developed' your kids. I wish everyone would do so.

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  6. Well...your birthday is only once a year, so your feasting can be excused! Besides, there are no calories on your birthday right? :D I'm not a fan of zucchini but I'd try that.

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    1. If only, JoJo!!

      I think it looks quite good.

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  7. I think of what Alfred Hitchcock said once when there was a a bad kid on set...."Destroy that child." Of course one has to say that with his way of talking. It's the parent's fault because they don't believe in spanking and that no means no. There is no way I could act that way, my mom would have given me a spanking and we would have gone home...done and over and out!

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    1. Trouble is Birgit, a lot of parents are scared to spank these days in case they get reported by someone for abuse. I agree though, no should always mean no.

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