5 Thoughts for today...
2. Would you follow you into battle?
3. Never eat anything you aren't willing to kill yourself.
4. Your routine is flawed - it's time to get out of it.
5. ...because if you don't, who will?
Essential Survival Kit...
Whilst happening upon the pages of an interesting read today, it dawned on me that I do not in fact have an Essential Survival Kit put together at this point in my life. This is a troubling observation of self that needs resolve. I feel an urgency to remedy this discovery. Drafted below are my plans.
I shall start with an Altoids can as this is the only feasible containment unit for such a kit as this.
Inside my Essential Survival Kit will live 10 crucial items:
#1. Swiss Army Knife.
This knife could be used for removing splinters, picking locks, and opening bottles of wine. I hear it might be capable of cutting things too.
#2. Compass.
This compass will show me where North is because I sure don't know where the hell it is.
#3. Handkerchief.
I'll have a handkerchief because you can blow your nose with it or filter boiled coffee in the wilderness. Hopefully not in that order.
#4. Box of Matches.
These matches will be used for fire. Duh. Also, if I dip the tips of them in wax they will be waterproof.
#5. Needle and Thread.
I can use this needle and thread combo for fishing up some dinner or sewing my leg closed after a bear mauling.
#6. Pencil and Paper.
If I see a crime and need to write down the detail of the perpetrator or simply need to draft an emergency shopping list...pencil and paper will be there for me.
#7. Small LED Flashlight.
This flashlight can be used for gathering firewood at night, map reading, or blinding some dirtbag you don't like.
#8. Magnifying Glass.
It can be used to read my tiny bible, start a fire with if matches are demonized, or terrorize ants.
#9. Band-Aids.
These are probably completely unnecessary, but you never know. Someone could stab you while you aren't looking.
#10. Fishhooks.
If my thread is strong enough and I can find a worm, I can make dinner happen. That, or at least you've got the "J" in any alphabet games that arise.
I'll be ready for anything soon. I hope you take the same steps toward survival that I'm taking. It's not worth dying over.
Foodie Post: I'm geeking out...
I've been trying to get away from processed foods, that is, foods that come pre-packaged, read chicken nuggets, as much as I can lately. To look inside my cabinets and refrigerator now is a totally different picture than a year ago. I used to buy a lot of convenience foods that typically tasted pretty good, but they just were not good for you. We've been moving toward an attitude of FRESH more and more lately. I am a confessed elitist who wants the best of everything. As I search for the best of the best, I keep running into ORGANIC produce, meat, blah blah blah.
So I join the co-op. It's fifteen bucks a box and everyone gets a random mix of stuff. You never know what you'll end up with. You just have to be ready to make due with what you get. I can do that. There's no meat or anything involved with this particular co-op...it's produce only. I need fruits and vegetables right now more than ever. At a time in my house where germs are spreading faster than giggles in a sex ed. class...I need fruits and vegetables.
So I get my first box tonight. It's huge. I have no idea what's inside it and I can hardly contain myself. It's like I'm five years old at someone else's house for Christmas...you know...someone who gets lots of stuff for Christmas.
Here's what I ended up with...for fifteen bucks:
Good Gourd that's a lot of stuff!!
* 3 Avocados
* 2 Peaches
* 1 Pomegranite
* 3 Granny Smith Apples
* 1lb Pearl Onions
* 1lb Button Mushrooms
* 2 - 6oz Raspberries
* 3 - 1lb bags of Carrots
* 2 Eggplants
* 2 bunches of Spinach
* 1 bunch Collard Greens
* 1 package Cherry Tomatoes
* 4 Limes
* 1lb Green Beans
* 4 Red Peppers
* 2 Tangerines
* 1 head Cauliflower
* 1 jar Homemade Horseradish
This was at least $50-$60 worth of FRESH ORGANIC PRODUCE. Now I just have to figure out what to do with all of it. If I know you personally you better watch out. I might show up with something I need to get rid of...I don't think I can go through all of this stuff before it goes bad. That's a great problem to have.
Food Dweeb out.
Holiday Mad Dash...
I can't go for more than 2 days without posting something...it gives me anxiety attacks.
The List:
* Party at Allison's Aunt and Uncles house.
* Work 6 hours at the Hobby Shop.
* Party at Grandma's House.
* Dinner at Uncle Dan's place.
* Brine Christmas Turkey at 6am.
* Christmas breakfast at the Winkler's.
* Cook said Christmas Turkey.
* Christmas party/dinner with Allison's family.
* Pass Out for 3 days.
5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Cooking...
I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn here, but really I'm not and you'll see why soon. I'll spend the next few minutes proving to you that it's not because I am incredibly talented in the kitchen. I was not born with some innate chef de cuisine genes within my DNA. I simply made a few changes and experimented with some things and voila, tasty food started showing up. I would suspect the same thing would happen to you as well.
1. Get yourself some decent cookware.
I cannot stress to you enough about how important it is to have some good pots and pans. Nice quality, heavy pans prevent uneven cooking and easy burning. How can you know how your food will react if you don't even know what mood your pans are in?
You'll need to have a mix of items depending on what job you're trying to accomplish, but it's not quite as expensive as you might think. I have Calphalon stuff and I've been using it for 5 years now without replacing one item...I'm guessing I'll be using it for at least another 10 years to come. You can get a great set of cookware with pretty much everything you need for under $200. All-Clad makes great sets in the $200 range. Even KitchenAid is putting out some above average quality kits for around $100. Believe it or not this cookware is less expensive than buying cheap cookware. For one, you're not throwing them away every six months. In addition to that, you'll be going out to eat less if you are making consistently tasty foods at home.
*Rule of Thumb for buying cookware: If it's cheap, it's cheap. Don't buy the "27-piece amalgam clad super double nonstick cookware set" for $29.99. I've got news for you, it's not actually a good deal.
* This might help with the why and how for types of cookware---> Wiki: Comparing Cookware
2. You need a sharp knife...or two...or six.
Having a sharp knife in the kitchen is extremely crucial. I use my knives more than any other thing in the kitchen...well, maybe not as much as water. Have you ever been in that place where you're trying to, say, chop up some vegetables and your using a dull steak knife because it's the sharpest thing you can find? I have...and it's not fun. It didn't make me want to cook. I was fighting with the food. It made me want to buy pre-sliced stuff and that my friends, is ridiculous.
I have one expensive knife. It trumps all of my other knives and I use it every day. I have several other knives that are high-quality, but they were much less expensive. I'll often use two or three knives preparing a big meal. You don't want to mince garlic with the knife you just cubed raw beef with...you just don't. Get one of these and you'll be on your way to dicing, mincing, chopping, and chiffonading in no time.
* Rule of Thumb when buying a knife: Buy what feels balanced and sturdy in your hand, not what the guy at Sir La Table tries to sell you. Another Rule of Thumb...keep it out of the way.
3. Stock up on some ingredients.
One of the things that prevents people from trying new recipes or experimenting with cooking is that they don't have the ingredients on hand. Now sometimes it's in the cards to run out to the grocery store to pick up what you don't have, but if you want to get dinner on the table consistently you'll need to have the stuff on hand.
Each time I go to the grocery store I pick up one or two things that I don't necessarily need. These are items that add flavor to all different kinds of foods. I'll grab a bottle of Jalepeño Tobasco for that Guacamole I make. Or I'll grab a container of Chicken Stock for the next time I make some rice or couscous. Whatever it may be, it's typically something that will give me options for meals to come. Spices, Sauces, Stocks, Oils, Vinegars, etc... These items stay good for a long time and you'll use them up if you have them available.
Once you're cooking for a while you'll start to see what you use and buy more often. This will give you the ability to save money and buy in bulk.
* Rule of Thumb when collecting ingredients: Don't buy stuff that has a really short shelf life unless you know what you're going to do with it. You're wife, husband, or inner conscience will get mad at you if you have to throw something away that you never opened.
4. Use Fresh Herbs.
I try to keep fresh Parsley and Cilantro on hand at all times. Currently there is some fresh Rosemary and Thyme in the fridge as well. Dried herbs are great, but fresh herbs are fantastic. Being able to chop up some fresh Parsley and toss it on top of any dish will give it flavor and presentation appeal. We eat with our eyes first. If it looks delicious, our taste buds will have to argue heavily to prove otherwise.
See that bunch of herbs in my refrigerator? Those cost $1. It was 50 cents for a large bunch of Flat Leaf Parsley and 50 cents for a large bunch of Cilantro. These will last for over a week and I'll use them in several different dishes. Fresh Rosemary and Thyme will last you over a month in most cases. The flavor difference between fresh herbs and dried is ginormous.
* Rule of Thumb when using fresh herbs: Go easy at first...some of these are strong!
5. Learn about Food and Cooking.
I was thinking of bringing in "Experiment: Practice makes perfect" at #5, but you know what, nope, I can't do it. That would be a disservice. You can't just expect to pick up a frying pan, grab a piece of beef and then execute a perfectly pan-seared steak (be on the look out for that post soon). You have to know why certain things work the way they work.
- Alton Brown's book I'm just here for the food gave me great culinary understanding. It's fun and easy to read. It gots' pitchurs in it too. Coincidentally Alton is the only Food Network personality I want to have anything to do with. His show Good Eats makes up for the lobotomy I had to have to remove the other Food Network tripe from my brain. If I have to hear "E-V-O-O" one more time...
- There are many blogs out there that teach people about food and cooking. I particularly like:
* Michael Ruhlman
* David Lebovitz
* ChowHound
* Simply Recipes
* Pioneer Woman
Tons of these blogs exist...look for them and let me know when you find good ones.
* Rule of Thumb when learning about food and cooking: Don't take anything anyone says as gospel. You try it. See if it works for you. If the people you're feeding are smiling and complimenting, then you're doing something right.
Top Five Favorite Things Today...
...so far at least. You never know, I could have more favorite things happen today...there's still time left.
1. Pictures of Tree Frogs with little tiny snails on their heads.
2. Ava's pigtails.
3. Eating happy meals from McDonald's with Nicholas and Calvin.
4. Elaine and Erin's pregnant bellies.
5. A captive audience to teach about Neti Pots.
Elastic Orange Dinosaurs...
...just kidding. This post is actually about thankfulness. I just wanted to throw you off the trail.
Every year my mother-in-law makes everyone write down a list of what they are thankful for and we read it at breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. Every year we all complain and tell her to stop making us write lists and every year she is even more persistent.
Truth be told this is probably the high-point of breakfast each Thanksgiving, but don't tell her that.
It's a little after 7am and breakfast/thankful list reading is at 9am. I don't have my list composed yet, but that's not really a problem. It's not something I have to think long and hard about. For some reason, God seems to have given me a heart of gratitude and for that...I am thankful.
* I'm thankful for my home, my job, reliable vehicles, unreliable dogs, and more clothes than any man should own.
* I'm thankful for Allison and our closing in on 5 years of marriage together. God and Allison together saved me from life in a gutter. She inspires me to be a better version of myself.
* I'm thankful for Allison's new job that is more meaningful and more friendly to our family.
* I'm thankful for our baby Ava who constantly causes me to get over myself. She removes all seriousness from the room and brings joy to everyone around her. She's cool.
* I'm thankful for my in-laws, who bring balance to my out-laws. They've allowed me to be kind, generous, loving, and most of all my true self.
* I'm thankful for my messed-up family who seems to be growing closer together even though we see each other less. God bless them.
* I'm thankful for this discontent inside of me that calls me to change the world.
* I'm thankful that I seem unable to listen to the voices who tell me that I can't.
* Most of all I'm thankful for Jesus who alone restores me day after day. He pours Himself into me over and over and my passion for Him is even more vibrant than the day I met Him.
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with Thanksgiving. - 1 Timothy 4:4
I love The Office...
If you've got 10 minutes to use up, I suggest you use them on this:
Top 10 Dwight Schrute Pranks
Morning thoughts...
Well, my staph meeting was canceled this morning and I really don't have anything to do until about 10:30am. So as a special gift to the blogosphere I will now jot down 30 thoughts I had before breakfast.
* I gotta pee real bad.
* New Listerine Vanilla Mint: Less Intense, Equally Effective...less intense my arse!
* I wonder if I can cut the stairs in an alternating pattern to make it easier to walk up them.
* Does satan have any sort of control over the weather?
* If I get some area rugs the dogs won't make so much noise on the wood floor at night.
* How is Ava supposed to get better if we can't do anything for her. (She has a cough.)
* I could look it up on WebMD.
* This Toffee Nut CoffeeMate sucks. Disappointment.
* Some people would judge us harshly if they knew we let Ava watch cartoons in the morning.
* Baby hugs are worth more than diamonds.
* I have to clean this house...it's gross.
* I miss Ryan and Carrie.
* Where have all the cowboys gone?
* Update the blog for the hobby store today.
* I can't wait to read some more of that book I'm reading. (nerd)
* We'll probably make a giant batch of cinnamon rolls at group tonight.
* It was pretty nice of Steve to provide dinner for group.
* I wonder who I could take to Thai Namtip with my gift certificate.
* I need to take that Mario Galaxy game off of my Amazon wishlist.
* I should play Mario Galaxy some time today.
* Gotta make those name badges for the prayer team.
* My face hurts from dodgeball last night.
* There is snot all over me from Ava.
* Handy Manny is freaking sweet.
* Is Sam's Club the cheapest on DVD-Rs?
* Find out the square footage of the upstairs for carpeting.
* That lady at Kroger's last night said I was the neatest person ever...not a compliment.
* Refuge coffee house should be named SOAK.
* What else do I need for Thanksgiving? Turkey? Check. Potatoes? Check...
* My ear doesn't hurt anymore. Thanks Lord.
