Hamburger/Rice Nachos

This was dinner ...

Hamburger & Rice Nachos with Beans & Veggies in a sauce.

I'm not sure what the recipe called for, but the wife browned the hamburger in bacon grease and mixed it with Zatarain's Dirty Rice (made according to the directions on the box).   The veggie salad was a can of black beans, a can of corn, and a can of petit diced tomatoes.  I think the foto shows chopped green onions in that ... so my wife garnished the plate with 3 young green onions.  And use a slotted spoon to dish it up ... so a lot of the excess liquid drains off.  That's it.  Oh, you do realize that there are tortilla chips with melted shredded cheese on top of the hamburger/rice mixture, right?  (the Nachos part of the dish)

We didn't do the parsley sprig on top ...  :-p

Football Day!! :)

Comin' right at-cha

Halloween Camp

Went to our Halloween camp party today dressed as an Iraqi Cowboy.  Figure that one out.  Got some strange looks at the dollar store when I stopped in to buy some ice.  :)

More Wires

Finally fought my way into the closet area ...

Now if I can just figure out what it all goes to ...

(all this stuff that is normally hidden out of sight)

Rocket Turkey Roaster

My wife and I bought the Landmann Rocket Roaster at TSC (Tractor Supply Company) on sale for $15.95. We opened the box and took everything out. I kind of wondered about the thin sheet metal and the tapered cylinder was slightly out-of-round. This can be tweaked by hand. But mine is still slightly out-of-round. My wife bought a 14lb turkey that we thawed in the refrigerator for a couple of days. I couldn't believe that this thin sheet metal cooker would really cook that big of a turkey ... no matter the time limit. However, I trimmed the neck-flap skin, removed the giblets, rubbed the turkey with sage, and put it on the tripod stand. I loaded plain charcoal around the base (my wife nixed the tinfoil liner idea) and put a generous amount of charcoal on top. The local dollar store didn't have charcoal lighter fluid, so I had to make a 6-mile trip to the nearest supermarket. I sprayed the charcoal with the starter fluid, lit it with one of those gas/piezo starter things (keeping my fingers safely away from flames), and when I started seeing gray ash on the corners I used a couple of hotpads to lift the top off .. inserted the turkey .. and put the top back on. I forgot to pick some rosemary from the garden and put it in the infusers before I started the fire. So, I just left it alone and went to watch a movie. I figured that when all was said and done, I could roast it in the regular oven or my Flavor-Wave oven. 2 hrs 45 min later (yes, I forgot and it ran over-time - It was only supposed to be 2-1/2 hrs), I took the top off and removed the turkey. I was greatly surprised to find it extremely well done! The drip pan in the bottom was filled with juices. Everything smelled wonderful. When we cracked through the dry skin, more juices poured out. Tender, delicious, and well-cooked. I can't wait to use the Rocket Roaster basket for a beef roast and some vegetables. So, the construction wasn't absolutely perfect, but the product (Rocket Roaster) works extremely well (with only $2 or less of charcoal).

De-construction 2

The copper pipe went to the gas stove.

All the plumbing went to the kitchen sink.

And now the cabinet is gone too.

Next project is removing the the refrigerator and it's cabinet.

Which is to the left  in this foto.

Working on the camper 1

I've been working on the camping trailer.

Not sure where all these wires go ...

I'm trying to rescue and preserve everything that I can.

Takes LOTS of time.

Then I have paperwork to do for my job.

And errands to run with my wife.

that's it.

Baying Up A Tree

The basset's favorite activity is to chase a squirrel up this old pecan tree and then sit there baying at it for hours.  Of course, the reality is that the squirrel went up that tree but out the high branches and jumped into an oak tree and is long gone.

Signs of Fall becoming Winter

Good for breathing problems ... Golden Rod

These just pop up from nowhere .. sticks that flower.

If you are from places further north ...

This may not look like Fall to you.

AL - Politics at it's Finest

After the primary race for Republican candidate for Congress (which Harri Anne Smith lost to Lovejoy), she endorsed the Democratic candidate, Bobby Bright.  The Republican party vowed revenge.  Bobby Bright has been an excellent Congressman and has voted in the way that we, his constituents, have desired.  When the primary election rolled around again this year for Harri Anne's seat in the State Senate, the Alabama Republican Party declared she could not run on their ticket.  So, she is running as an independent.  And they are still sore afraid that she will win the election.  So, they engineered this:

Politics Has Begun - Senator Smith Arrested

Posted by: RStokes

thehoustonnewspaper@yahoo.com

334-790-1729

Date: Oct 04 2010 7:38 AM

MONTGOMERY:   The republicans have been rumoring it for weeks. They have been leaking days and days of when the arrest would be.

Now with less than one month until the election, the federal grand jury returned indictments against Smith and she was arrested this morning at home.

Senator Smith has been carried to Montgomery to the Federal Courthouse.

ALGOP Statement on Today's Action by U.S. Department of Justice

Alabama Republican Party

Posted by: JSKeppy

Date: Oct 04 2010 11:26 AM

Birmingham, AL – In response to the action taken today by the U.S. Department of Justice, Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, issued the following statement: 

“The ongoing investigation and subsequent arrests should serve as a referendum on the culture of corruption that has been prevalent in Montgomery for far too long. It is our hope that today’s action by the Obama Justice Department will lead to a systematic change in the Alabama Legislature, and one that will put transparency back into the people’s  government."  (They don't care about corruption or transparency, they just want to control state politics)

Commissioner Ron Sparks' Statement On Today’s Indictments

Posted by: JSKeppy

Date: Oct 04 2010 11:21 AM

“These are accusations, not convictions. And just because these indictments have been handed down does not mean that gaming is going away.  That is why I have been so relentless since day one that we must strongly regulate and tax gaming. If we had a plan to regulate gaming 7 ½ years ago, these kind of things would not be happening today.



“Anyone who loves democracy and freedom should be concerned with the timing of these indictments. Waiting to announce indictments after the election would have had no impact on the cause of justice. The timing of this, regardless of how you feel about it, is suspicious and must be questioned.”