More OAMC pix- a bit confusing, cos this week, it is a bear.

Here's a picture I forgot to include from my composting class! When they explained about how to "cook" a hot composting pile.....they showed us the Mother of Big Thermometers! Teehee! I found one for about 16.00 online - but they range up to five times that much, so when I am ready to purchase, I will be careful!

I had the best time after the class, wandering around the arboretum with Karen, seeing her favorite "quiet" place, the ducks and the beauty.... A highpoint of my weekend!

I'm posting in bits and pieces because this week is a bit challenging. One of my busiest transcriptionists is on vacation (the nerve of some people's transcriptionists! just kidding Vicki! I honestly hope you are having a WONDERFUL TIME!!) and the rest of us are trying to fill her shoes.

For a size 2 perky little lady...... they are awfully big shoes!

Anyway, I have a few moments here and wanted to put up a few pix from over the weekend. I made a bunch more entres over the weekend, and I should be rolling in sewing time, any day now!

Well, when that pesky staircase I'm wallpapering doesn't call my name as I walk by.....

First, where's the beef?

The little tidbits left on the slicing board above? Happy DogFood Additives!















I defatted the broth from the Roast Beef To Die For (which was very good, but maybe not quite worthy of the title....but still, VERY good) and I made rich brown gravy, sliced the beef and packaged beef/gravy together.

I have a recipe for mashed potatos that can be frozen, and Michael says they are GREAT. So I will make up a batch of them to freeze in three pans, and the combination of beef/gravy/potatos will keep that member of the Peanut Gallery happy when it is available. Michael likes meat, meat, and more meat. Potatos are his second favorite food group. And nothing truly green is found on his food pyramid. (Pale green iceberg lettuce occasionally, but anything else tends to make him run for the hills.)

I, on the other hand, have a slightly green tinge to my skin....I love green vegetables, spinach salads, plates of green beans with almonds, any green veggie is my friend.

Anyway, Mr. B also LOVES enchiladas. So I decided to bite the bullet (not fond of making them) and make a large quantity for the freezer. Mr. B's enthusiasm for this undertaking extended to being on the assembly line. I softened the shells in hot oil. He stuffed some of them with the shredded beef I had made earlier overnight in the crock pot, and some of them with a blend of three cheeses. Each package got 3 beef and 2 cheese, or vice versa.

Seven meals (plus he will have leftovers for a lunch/snack in each package) in all!

Here, Mr. B gives one of the enchiladas a strict Quality Assurance Test. It passed, if the moans of delight are any indication of quality.

Moving on, I had partially frozen (makes it easier to slice) a hunk of London broil that was on sale.... nice and lean.... and I thin-sliced it into slivers for beef stroganoff.

It was packaged without noodles, and all I will need to do when he has a craving for stroganoff is reheat it while fresh cooking some noodles. 15 minutes later - stir in the requisite sour cream and voila! Dinner is served.

I was pooped last night - it was an easy night on the grill for me! I had put these kabobs down (the meat at least) with a really really good sauce!

Kabob sauce

Roughly 1/2 envelope dry onion soup mix

2 packets of Splenda)

3/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup salad oil

1 tbsp prepared mustard

salt and peper to taste

1/2 cup water

Simmer for 15 minutes and soak beef in it, in ziplock bag for at least a few hours. I left mine in the sauce overnight. It was a success, even with Karen (an only occasional meat-eater).

Tiger was a constant presence while they cooked and she scored a bite for her efforts!

More Later..... I forgot some pix on my memory stick!

And one QUILTY item of interest! I got an email from All People Quilt this morning and I loved this quilt!

You can download the instructions (not sure if you must be a member, but membership is free). It is SEW cute! And surprise! No set in seams!

:)