Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Picture look, take a look of my picture.

So, having nothing of interest to post I decided to randomly choose some non-previously posted pictures from the last year to post and comment on. They didn't make the cut when I was full of witty banter, but now that I'm in a rut they'll do just fine.

**********

Have I ever mentioned that I was in a old-timey fire truck parade back in July?
No?

Well, I was. And I got to ring the bell and everything. It was really loud, but hundreds (seriously. Hundreds.) Burnsvilleians turned out to see a couple hundred old fire trucks drive through town & run the sirens & ring the bells. My pal, Leon, has two such trucks and invited me to take part this year. This is me (slouching- bad!) and Leon in his rig.



I made this for dinner a while back. Braised chicken with tomatoes, olives & white wine.
It was delicious.
I think we ate it with pasta.
Or polenta.
I can't remember. But it looks good. I really should make it again.
And yes, there are mushrooms in it. I was throwing the Mr. a bone. I just picked them out.



The average speed in which I drive to Duluth.
Yes, you should be scared that I took this whilst I was driving, at 80mph- alone- on I-35.
Isn't this why "cruise control" was invented?
I seriously have 10-12 pics of me, driving...alone.
When my charred corpse is pulled from a firey crash, you'll be able to say you knew this sort of thing was bound to happen, what with me being so careless and all.



I never used to like having my picture taken, but ever since I got a digital camera and a blog I flock to the flash like Britney to her cheetos.
I look like I know a secret about you here.
I promise I won't tell about you and the...thing. You know- the one involving the flight attendant, and the can of Crisco, and the Bavarian pretzels...
Your secret is safe with me.
For now.



My favorite salad of all time.
Organic greens, roasted red & yellow beets, avocado, feta and balsamic-mustard vinaigrette.

I would eat this every day if I had the energy or inclination to roast beets a couple of times a week. Yeah, I know it's not hard, but I'm picky about my beets. I roast them with olive oil, orange juice and salt & pepper at a low oven temp. God, they're perfect.



I love fall & winter, but a perfect summer day when it rains and I'm in my front porch with a good book and bare feet is enough to make me swear off the colder of the four seasons.
When did I have time to read? Because, I sure don't remember that at all.



My favorite lighter.
The little piggy shoots flames from his nostrils, and you refill the butane through his little piggy butthole.


Is that random enough for you?
Is it???


32 comments:

Failcooks said...

1. You and I could trade spouses, because HE hates mushrooms and I LOVE them. Or whatever. We could just keep our same spouses because they are the same guy. Whatever.

2. You look AMAZING with no makeup. I HATE you. I love you.

3. Beets suck. They are the same as dirt. You should know this by now. You are a professional cook. Whatever. I'll still love you.

4. HA! I am the first to comment on your blog! I RULE!

Ghost Dansing said...

hmmmm.... these are left-over posts? i looked at an read each one with interest. it is a great honor to ride in an antique fire truck, and that stew looks like something more for Halloween.... looks strange but incredibly tasty.

fireman

Kate said...

Two things that smell like beets:

1. Superior, WI
2. Beets


But that salad looks good. And the chicken.

Fran said...

STFU sister.

Wow, I stand in awe of you. That whole "no makeup" thing could inspire me to hate you, but that probably won't happen unless you start endorsing Rudy Giuliani. And frankly that seems unlikely.

Can you please send more info on the beet roasting. I am in need of making that salad and my own beet roasting has issues. If a recipe exists please put it in these comments or deign to email it to festinalente07 at gmail dot com. Thanks, you're a love. (Beets do NOT suck,but who am I to challenge a fellow commenter?)

Oh you are a cavalcade of posting effluvia. Or whatever the hell that means!

Nocturnal said...

Yum, yum. You're quite the cheffie WM, that looked great. Take it easy speed demon.

Cheers

nancypearlwannabe said...

Dear WM:

What is the best way to peel beets without making my kitchen look like I murdered twenty five people in there?

xo,

NPW

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Caption for the fourth photo: "No Mr. Bond, I intend to kill you."

3carnations said...

A fire truck parade? My son would LOVE that...and to sit in the old fire truck? Awesome.

Oh, and I love feta cheese.

Shannon Erin said...

I'm going to try that salad, but I need some direction on beet roasting. I don't think I've ever really eaten a beet, but I'm willing to try.

T said...

Love the no-maintenance photo ... and expression. Thanks for keeping "it" between us.

And the chicken. I must have the chicken. WITH mushrooms.

Lollie said...

nancypearlwannabe: the best way to peel beets so that there doesn't look like there has been a murder in your kitchen is to open a can of them...but be careful, it can still be messy.

lizgwiz said...

I never thought I liked beets, but I had them once in a restaurant with gorgonzola cheese and walnuts and they were fab. Maybe I need to try roasting some of them--that salad looks amazing.

And I wish I had a lighter I could fill through its ass. Hee.

Whiskeymarie said...

mrb- 1. If they weren't different colors, I swear they'd be interchangeable. (wink)
2. I love our love/hate relationship
3. you eat mushrooms, don't you? Dirt!
4. You do rule, you sure do.

ghost- It was an honor, and actually pretty fun. And yes, maybe now I'll call it "Halloween dinner". Good idea. Thanks for the link!

miss kate- O.k, that? Made me snort a little. You funny lady.

fran- I'll just put it here, cause it seems like a few people have questions...

1. Wash the beets well.
2. Slice off the stem I root ends just a bit.
3. If your beets aren't too big & are roughly the same size, just leave them whole. If they are really different sizes, cut the big ones in half so they all cook evenly.
4. Spray a 8x8" or 9x13 pan with pan spray or smear the bottom with a touch of olive oil.
5. Put the beets in, drizzle with 3T. olive oil and pour about 1c. of orange juice in there- just enough to coat the bottom by 1/4"
6. Cover with foil and place in a 325 degree oven. Cook until tender all the way through (use a fork to check, this can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the size of the beets.
7. Cool in the liquid (you can remove the foil)
8. I usually wear gloves when I peel beets, but not always. The red goes away after 5-6 hand washings. I just use a paring knife to peel them and I wean an apron.
And yes, it's kind of messy. Sorry NPW, I haven't found a magic trick around this one.

Happy to be your cavalcade of effluvia, my dear.

Nocturnal- Thanks for the love, hon.

NPW- Wear a hazmat suit. And, see above.

Dr. Monkey- Ooh, I always wanted to be a Bond girl...Would my name be Monkeypussy?

3Carn- there were a ton on kids there- I guess they do it every year.

Shannon- See above, my dear. And with your mad baking skillz you can totally do this.

Maurey- You'd love that chicken- tasty, mushroomey & healthy to boot.
And don't worry, what happens in Duluth stays in Duluth (shhh...)

Lollie- I eat the canned ones too occasionally. I'll confess.
Should I say a few "Hail Julia Childs" now as penance?

liz- I didn't think I liked beets either until 5-6 years ago. Turns out kids just don't like being forced to eat crappy pickled beets at the holiday table. Turns out that makes them think they hate vegetables that they really LOVE.
Turns out.

Suze said...

Damn girl - I had that same lighter. That was you at the bar a couple of months ago going through my purse wasn't it? No fair stealing stuff from a drunk when she's fallen and couldn't get up.

McGone said...

You should know that I usually check your blog around lunchtime, so posting these food pictures just leads me to heartbreak with whatever inferior food I end up eating. So thanks for that.

Nature Girl said...

Thanks for posting the directions to those beets..that sounds really good, I'm definitely going to try those!

I love your porch..can I come over and read? Course...if I come over, you know, we'll probably end up drinking a bottle of wine (apiece) and playing dressups and taking goofy pics of ourselves, but we could do it on that porch!
Stacie

Stacey said...

As much as I heart you I must say:

Down with beets !! (uh yuck)

And we need more mushrooms in this world.

Randal Graves said...

OMG, that firetruck is running over those children! I hope they were terrorists.

Fran said...

Thanks - I have filed that under "whiskey beets".

Really.

Christa said...

i don't think i've ever eaten a beet, but when i was writing about my new juicer on my site, a guy commented that his former roommate had juiced beets, it turned his pee red and he went to the doctor thinking he was dying.

turns out beets, according to this commenter, clean the scarring off your liver! whaaa?!

that scares me. and interests me.

Inarticulate Fumblings said...

RANDOM! I have a little piggy lighter IDENTICAL to that which I purchased in Taiwan. The only difference is that the flames shoot out of his ass. Too funny!

LittlePea said...

I'm such apicky eater so this is a compliment-that food(both pictures)looks delicious. You have such a good complexion. By the way, you won't tell anyone about the time I got drunk.....and the clown had socks on his.....but we thought the chocolate was....right? Because you're the only one who knows.

:O)

Stefanie said...

Oh lord; that chicken looks incredible. As for beets, I've always thought I hated them, but I've heard so many favorable things about them lately that maybe I need to reconsider. Maybe. Mushrooms, though, are staying on the "No way" list.

Mommy Lisa said...

I USED to love mushrooms, then when I was pregnant I found they repulsed me to NO end! Yuck! Thinking about them now makes me gag...I didn't notice them in the yummy pic until you pointed them out. I was drooling for the other stuff in there!!!

pamar

Liberality said...

that lighter takes the cake IMHO!

L Sass said...

I love beets! You really don't see enough beets. They're so tasty and they look gorgeous on the plate.

Sugar Kane said...

Even when you're random you're fanastic.

Slinger said...

The shot of you driving 80 mph.... is that odometer correct, 136,000 + miles?

Very good post, in a random way.

Landis said...

there are few people i adore in this world for their randomness.

there's travelgretta. you know why.

there's suzel. obviously.

et vous.

dguzman said...

Drive, Toonces, drive!

Amaya said...

How fun!
Did you get to wear a sash when you rode on the firetruck?
That piggy's butt must really burn. Ha! Get it!??

Butrfly Garden said...

I hate mushrooms, too. Only cooked. I like them raw (only if they haven't reached the "slimey" state yet, though!)

Your dash picture reminds me of my mom. Last family gathering when we got a hold of her camera, we found a video of someone driving along side her on 35 and she was saying "Watch him! He's going to do it! He is! Here, take over" (Handing the camera to my PASSENGER step-dad, who shuts it off. We all looked at her and asked "Was he smoking?" "Yeah. He DID throw it out, too." Because SMOKING while driving is SO much more dangerous than FILMING while driving. :D