SLOW COOKER JOE'S

I was not going to take the time to post today. But after getting the ingredients together for the Sloppy Joe's and putting all into the crockpot I felt I needed to share this little gem of a recipe with you. I have used this recipe for years with some variations such as adding spicy peppers(which I do no longer)black or green sliced olives, more garlic, well you get the idea. Today I made it as is.

Sloppy Joe's
3 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
3-4 cloves of  fresh garlic minced(no jarred stuff please it taste bitter)
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 1/4 cups ketchup
5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar(I just had white vinegar so I added a splash of apple cider to the vinegar)
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard, if you only have spicy brown on hand that is fine too.
2 teaspoons chili powder(I used a teaspoon)
Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large skillet cook burger with onion and garlic until browned. In a large measuring cup put in the rest of the ingredients except the red bell pepper.  Now drain excess fat if any from skillet and add the rest of the ingredients and the diced bell pepper to the skillet and mix well. Here you can also taste it, if you like a sweeter taste add more brown sugar if more tart add a little more vinegar. Adjust to your liking.
Pour all into crockpot and cook on low for six to eight hours.

I like to serve the sloppy joe mix on small potato rolls or slider buns.
That's it grab a big dill pickle and enjoy!

So now the Joe mix is doing it's thing in the crockpot and there are potatoes in the oven baking away for the potato salad, I have eggs boiling on the stove.
When I leave this blog I will start on my apple pie as the oven will be hot from baking the spuds.
When the food items are completed I will run and put on my game gear. I have already showered so that will save time.
Hubby is outdoors working in the (once again) fog. He has cut back all the tree's that needed it and the blackberry vines now he is starting on the hedge. There is much to do. He just popped his head in the door and said when do we start tailgating? What? I said not yet! He laughed he was joking. But we will soon as the game is at three. I am thinking about one will be about perfect.

So I am off have to a fun game day. I am sure this will be a yawner but hey we love the wins and next week we just might have a challenge with the Huskies. They are doing well this year.
GO DUCKS......QUACK! 

COLLECTIBLE TOY FROM THE 50'S

This toy was given to my husband from one his clients. It is a 1950's collectible worth a few hundred dollars. It is in really good shape. He also gave him a collectible Oregon University Duck puppet. We have added both to our family room which becomes a OREGON shrine at football season.

So there is a game tomorrow at 3PM. Much nicer than last weeks game where everyone nodded off before it's finish.
So the Ducks are off to Colorado. I do look forward to game days as they are play days in this household. Fun food,lots of drinks, high fives, duck lips whistling, lots of cheering and hand clapping. Well of course all that is when we are winning. The other side, the dark side, is cursing, throwing things, knocked over drinks, flinging ones OREGON shirt to the floor and stamping on it.....well only once and not by me. 

Today is to be one of our beautiful sunny days we were all looking forward to. So it is now 2:00 PM and we are still in fog and clouds. Bah,hum,bug!!!!! Half of the day is gone and still no sun. I have been waiting to go the farm for a few veggies and some apples to bake a pie. I like to go on a clear day as it is so pretty out in the country.
Hubby did need to finish the job up the McKenzie today. He will be home any moment and then is starting the outdoor work and will finish up tomorrow. I am sure he wanted to do his work in the warm sunshine also instead of damp dreary cold.

Please no more caveman pop's for this cave!
I followed Pioneer's woman's recipe to the T. I marinated the turkey legs for four hours, I made the rub just like hers except cut back on the chili powder. I prepared them as she said. The trouble started when I was to turn the oven down after a half hour at 400 degree's dropping it to 300 degree's. The legs were barely brown. I kept it on 300 as directed but after twenty minutes they still were not browning or getting a crispy skin so I cranked the oven back up to no avail. No crisp. The skin was flabby and they were not juicy as I cooked them an extra fifteen minutes trying for the crispy brown skin.
So we ate them, but enjoy them.....NO. So the caveman pop's recipe went into the recycle bin. 
That happens every blue moon you know. So no big deal but it is a shame as you take time to make it then it is not good so it is disappointing.

Tonight's meal is a simple little thing as I do not feel like putting myself out. I am making a garden salad with home made honey mustard dressing and am making an extra big batch as it will also serve as a dip for the crispy crunchy chicken strips I am making. I am trying to atone for last nights disaster. We wanted CRISPY. So tonight we will have it.
I was going to make that pie and I still may but more than likely as it is getting on in the day I will do that in the morning.

Crazy wild dreams before waking this morning. I was flying in a warm sunny sky. I love my flying dreams just soaring like a large bird. Anyhow I was over a lake that had a lot of shallow water here and there. I wanted to land in the water and swim to one of the low water area's and then get out and take a walk in the woods. I started to proceed with my plan when I happened to notice movement coming out of the woods. I watched as a lone black wolf sauntered out of the trees sniffing at the vegetation and meandered through the low water. He raised his head to the sky and I knew that he saw me flying. Now I was fearful to land but oh I had to go pee so bad and could not do that while flying so I knew I had to set down. I waited as long as possible and then swooped in on the far bank. The wolf raised his head and looked my direction but went on eating. I stood there watching him for a short while and soon he just walked back into the woods not giving me a thought.
I started to walk along the shoreline and soon came to a trail of sorts. It was grown up with weeds but it was still defined enough to make out.
Shortly I came into a little city. Next I found myself in a hotel. The person at the desk asked if I needed help and I replied I needed to use the bathroom facilities. He was very nice and directed me to the elevator adjacent to his desk. I thanked him and turned to walk to the elevator when I realized I had no underwear on. I also knew my skirt was very short so I surmised my bottom must have been hanging out. I was so embarrassed(bareassed)I should say but had no recourse but to punch the button on the elevator and go up as I was ready to pee my nonexistent panties. As the door opened and I stepped inside I woke up.
What the hey? What kind of dorky dream is that? And why didn't I go pee in the woods?
I will say one thing my bladder was ready to burst when I woke so I flew(on my legs)to the bathroom.

Well on that silly worthless dream I will close. Hubby should be home any minute and I need to pull my rig out the garage so we can do a switch-a-roo. Since we have three vehicles now we have to do that occasionally. A pain but that is how it is.

I may not post tomorrow as it will be game day and a FUN one as we will be winners. GO DUCKS!

CAVEMAN POPS

What we have here is a Caveman Pop aka turkey drumstick. This photo and recipe is from Dee Drumond's Pioneer Woman blog.
You brine these fat little gus first and then put a dry rub on and roast in a baking pan in the oven. I am trying them tonight. So I will let you know what I think tomorrow. They sure look yummy. I am going to serve them with smashed red potatoes with turkey gravy and sliced tomatoes and cucumber salad.

It is wet fog this morning. Yes the air is so heavy it is dripping. This is suppose to go away and sun is to come in. I surely hope so as this is just plain icky.

Hubby is off up the McKenzie installing a laminate floor today, hopefully it will be a one day job as there is much around the house here that he needs to attend to the next couple of days. There will be a window of nice weather to get all the outdoor things completed.

I found good little buns yesterday for our sloppy joe's for game day. They are small just the right size for multiple trips to the slow cooker. We are looking forward to the game as always even though it will probably not be much of a game.


Tonight we watch Nashville my fave TV series. I love the show we have watched it from the onset and we like all the characters and some of them are so talented. We recorded as it was on at ten last night. That is too late for us to be watching the telle on a work night. Also Boardwalk Empire has started it's season again. We like that series set in the prohibition days in New Jersey. Back in my folks era.I like the sets, clothing and cars. How things have changed in such a short time.

I did have such a busy morning yesterday. First stop Walmart I go there twice a month for my paper supplies, personal care products, and a few groceries. Then onto Freddie's where I buy the bulk of my groceries every week, then to the bank, Office Max, and finally the meat market for their specials. So it was a big trip. Then home to put all that stuff away, that is what I dread. At least my husband was home so I did not need to unload my rig. After all was put in their proper places, I had something to eat I felt like I was running on empty. So after a big bowl of ramen noodles I managed to do four loads of laundry and clean the bathrooms.
My hubby was on the computer taking additional CCB schooling in order to renew his contractors license  They make you do this every two years when you renew. The state makes money and you have to do it or no license. It truthfully is a irritation and costly.

I got dressed early this morning as we are expecting a delivery of materials from one of our suppliers in Portland. I never know when they are going to arrive so I must be here and presentable.

I am going to make nutmeg doughnuts today. I clipped this recipe sometime back. I do not have the best luck with deep fry. Either too hot or not hot enough....well you know. I have a deep fry gauge and the right pot etc. I need to get better at this. Last time was better I made apple fritters and they were perfect so perhaps the doughnuts will be amazing. I sure hope so.

Well I have chatted enough, more than enough.
Off I go to get my house cleaned, the brine made for my caveman pops and my doughnuts made.
Have a nice Thursday. 

BABY OLIVIA

Here she is, how perfect. Beautiful complexion,turned up nose,rosebud lips, I love her so. She has so many to love her. Lets see three grandpa's, two grandma's, I am not sure how many great grandma's and grandpa's but there are few of us. Lot of aunts, cousins, great aunts and uncles and on and on. WOW! She is a very blessed little girl. Considering her two boy cousins whom are just months older than she is, well I am thinking that Olivia will be a princess indeed! I am so happy for the whole family, this is a blessed event and I cannot wait to hold that little one in my arms and tell her what she means to me.

It has been a day. I am still hyper because Olivia has arrived, but also a lot on my plate today. Tons of office work to attend to, more tomatoes to roast, house to clean, laundry to attend to and hubby is home interrupting me every second it seems. My day and thoughts are scattered and I so dislike that. Thank goodness I do not have to make dinner this evening or it could be something really ugly. I made BLT's for lunch today and burned the bacon......yikes. My mind was on my new great granddaughter and I just spaced on the bacon sizzling away in an ultra hot pan. Good grief Zo get a grip! And so the day has gone, skipping from chore to another acting like I have ADHD. I seem to finally have mellowed out a little now but only thanks to a glass of wine. The wine has settled me and relaxed me thank goodness. What would I do without vino! My only drink of choice. I guess our ancestors throughout the centuries knew a good thing when they saw it. The wine flowed even back beyond the birth of Christ and has continued onward. Thank you grapes!

So now it is after four and the day is winding down. The screen was delivered here Fed-Ex today for my mother in law. It took a day less than a week to come from Maine and that was ground delivery. That is very efficient  So tomorrow my hubby will take the screen to his Momma's and set it up and that will give her privacy in her small room. As two people share a room it will be nice for her to be able to read in the evening without bothering her roommate and to have privacy throughout the day when she needs it. She can fold it out as much as she likes or not at all.

The sky is breaking more as the day goes on. Now it is mostly blue sky with a few large puffy gray and white clouds about. The rest of the week is to be nice. Sun and warmth. I am so ready this early storm has put a damper on a lot of folks. I read in the paper that our wine growers in the valley are jumping through hoops trying to save the 2013 harvest. They thought they would have one of the best harvests in history with the hot temps this summer. But then the rain and lots of it. There is mold on the vines and stunting the grapes. Also the apple and cherry and peach crops are threatened. We know, as if you remember I said I picked all those green and orange tomatoes a few days ago before the big rain and wind storm. Well they are rotting now. Before the big storm we had a lot of rain daily and that is what caused it. So as they ripen in the bags they have brown spots and soft spots. So out they go! Darn. But I am thankful we put so many plants in as I said and we have 26 quarts of pasta and tomato sauce(made one more today). We still have one bowl full for eating fresh and then we are done. I would assume the antioxidant levels in our bodies are huge! Eating loads of tomatoes everyday now for well over a month I think is beyond healthy. 

Tomorrow I am off to a few stores as well as running some business errands. So a busy day for me. I like that. Hubby will be home taking care of his to-do list which is rather long at this point in time.

We talked today and decided to have slow cooker Sloppy Joe's and potato salad for Saturday's game. I am going to buy the little Hawaiian buns for the sloppy Joe's. Whenever we like we can go grab a soft bun and fill it with the mixture out of the slow cooker, top with some fresh chopped onion and some Italian shredded cheese put the bun top on and enjoy with some potato salad and a big dill pickle. Sounds good as the game starts at three and we can graze all afternoon and early evening until the game is over. I am going to buy a nice bottle of red zin to go with the meal. Hmm I think my taste buds are getting more than ready just by thinking about it.

I will go now. I need to make up the roasted tomatoes into sauce. This jar I will take to my sons when I go care for him after his knee replacement surgery. I put fresh herbs(rosemary and thyme), oregano  garlic, onions, peppers etc along with the tomatoes and olive oil to roast so I need to do nothing when I serve it up but thaw and heat and serve over pasta.

Well I will leave you now. Time for another glass of wine and put my nose in my book....ahh.

OLIVIA MARIE JARVI HAS ARRIVED

My grandson wrote and sent a couple of photo's. He said this is Olivia Marie Jarvi 
6 lbs 14 oz 2014 inches of cute.
He is enchanted. Also he said he and Lindsey are going to try and come here ASAP so we can meet Olivia. How sweet is that? We are all elated it has been a long time since the Jarvi clan had a new baby in the family.

Well busy day so far. Went to get the work van from the shop several hundred dollars later it is back in our garage. We still need a new front bumper for it and after that I hope we are done with the van. It has been expensive this past month with repairs.
Then hubby I and stopped at Bi-Mart and shopped. Bought a oil filled radiator heater. We have put is behind the sofa in the nook. We hate to run the furnace all the time. This is quiet and will take the chill off. Our cute little electric stove does not heat any longer. The element will click on but then stops. So rather than buy another electric fireplace we use if for ambiance. We also filled the cart with assorted items. Going shopping with my husband is expensive  He throws this and that in the cart I have to keep a handle on it...laugh. So later with pickles, peppers, assorted bottles of wine, chips,dips etc we headed home.


As hubby is home today and it is rainy we are going to play gin rummy this afternoon. My favorite game so I am a happy woman. My husband is making his Hungarian special tonight so no cooking for me. Yahoo. So a fun afternoon and tonight we have TV shows to catch up on.

Well as I am hyper and my fingers are flying like rockets I am going to sign off before I write a novel.
Later.

THIS AND THAT

Sunday is usually my favorite day. I laid in bed this morning after waking thinking about getting up turning the coffee on and grabbing the Sunday paper out of the box by the front door. It sounded good. So I slid off our high bed, slipped on my sweat bottoms and stuck my feet into my cozy fluffy slippers and plodded off to the bathroom then headed to the kitchen. Turned the switch on the Meleta and opened the front door and reached in the paper box. WHAT??? No paper? I am not liking this one bit. I asked my hubby, did you get the paper? No, he answered. So no paper it is seven-thirty and it gets here no later than six. I am not happy as this little ritual of reading the paper(especially the Sunday paper) and having my coffee is my daily routine. It makes me happy and content, it starts my day off right.
So I begrudgingly poured my coffee splashed it with some fat free half and half and went sadly to my chair. Hubby was making his breakfast so the smell of fried red potatoes and toast was making the house smell like we were open for breakfast but it did not entice me as usual. I was almost grumpy at this point. But as I sat my coffee down on the table by my chair I noticed the "The Eugene Weekly" I had picked it up yesterday at the pizza parlor. YES! I now had something to read. Though the weekly is a very liberal(hippy) publication I sometimes cannot resist pouring through it. So I made my morning work. Hot rich creamy coffee and reading the local rag.

We did get our paper about an hour ago. There was an apology online. The main printer at the Register Guard had crashed so the paper had to be sent out and printed at other facilities. So now I have just finished the big Sunday paper with a hot buttered rum. Oh now that was a treat! So it all worked out for me.

Now about that game last night. Hey I stayed awake until the last five minutes or so. I was so sleepy and head kept dropping and I would jerk and open my eyes and continue watching. I was a trouper more than I can say for my husband who was snoring like the "Little engine that could" by the third quarter.
So our waterlogged ducks made a big splash and drowned the bears in all their misery. What a game to attend at Autzen. I know folks who were there sitting in puddles in their wet clothes and wishing to heck they were home in their warm houses. So on now to our next win. We surely hope that the DAT is going to recover in time for next weeks game. Of course they will keep you in the dark about his injury as always.

Well I am ready to join my husband as he is watching the game again. It is about the third quarter where last night he drifted off into a micro brew slumber. 
Have a nice Sunday enjoying the rain, will the sun shine again for us? I am so hoping.

DUCKS

OREGON/CAL game tonight at 7:30 in the rain, guaranteed.  So far it has been a mild day with a shower or two. It is lightly raining at the moment. It is really to be whipping rain later. I would not be sitting at that game in the stadium for anything. Even when I was younger I did not care to sit out in the wet and watch football or any ball game for that matter.

We have had a nice day so far. We did go on the bid up the McKenzie highway. It was not raining just cloudy. I took my current book and read while my husband went in the house and did his thing. We got the job. We then went to Round Table pizza. It was so good. Perfect crust and good crispy toppings, tasty sauce, cannot fault it in anyway. We ordered a large so we have better than half left. So I will not make dinner tonight. We will just reheat and nibble a piece or two during our OREGON game.
We then stopped to see hubbies Mom at the Memory Care home. I took her three pieces of the gingerbread I made yesterday and Friday and Saturday newspapers and a few magazines. We did stop at Dairy Queen beforehand to get her a milkshake as she enjoys having one. But it was Saturday and the drive through was a zillion cars long and the waiting line inside was no better. So no shake, next time. We spent about an hour and half with her and then we stopped at a Growler Station. You take your 1/2 gallon jug in and they fill it with your choice of dozens of microbrews. So hubby made his decision after sampling a few then they filled his jug and we headed for home.

We then did some last minute things on the back deck. I have two plants now indoors. They seem happy in their new space.
I then took my book to my chair and read a bit and then proceeded to fall asleep for about a half hour. My husband has been watching one college football game after another.
We are happy that LSU lost to Georgia. Yes! It is a long wait until our game starts and I still feel tired. I will have to have a glass of wine when I finish this to perk me up or I may sleep through the entire game.

I was not even going to post today and maybe I should not have as this post is boring as dirt. 
So I will end your agony and leave you now.
Have a nice rainy, windy evening, enjoy being in and cuddling by a fire with your special person.
Tomorrow.