And I Thought Coffee Was Bad...

 

Think About It...

 

Us ugly people aren't very smart, either...this one took me a while to figure out.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

 

It IS True...

 I heard that President Trump's shooter was featured in a BlackRock commercial. I thought someone was making it up.

They weren't. 

At least Black Rock had the grace to pull the commercial. What a strange coincidence. (He was in the background, not the featured person....something for which, no doubt, Black Rock is thanking its lucky stars.)

 Crooks has been in more pictures than that -- including nearly 30 minutes before he started shooting. Police took them because he was a 'suspicious person,' but didn't stop or detain him.

 .' Huh?!? There are all sorts of odd 'incidents and accusations,' as Paul Simon would put it. Please, Gentle Readers, do some research -- including common sense -- before you go off on either 1) It's A Fake, or 2) It's a Conspiracy. I agree it's weird...but it may just have been a series of unfortunate actions by a well-meaning SS and police. 

I guess we should be grateful that Trump (and RFK Jr. too, thankfully) now has beefed-up security from the Secret Service and others. Hopefully President Biden does, too.

One of the Weirdest (but Delicious) Recipes Ever - Redux

 Want an easy fix for tonight's supper? I adapted this from the Phony Gourmets, on a dare. Ridiculous. No way this could taste good, I thought -- I was wrong. Quick, fast -- and good for an al fresco supper out on the deck. Or by the (hot) tub.

from the annual 'Chicken Daddies' calendar

CHICKEN SUB ROSA

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped chicken, cooked or not (or one large breast, cut up in chunks)
2 tablespoons chopped onion
small can mushrooms (or 3-4 fresh ones, sliced thinly)
1 1/2 cups water, plus a chicken bouillon cube (or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth)
Totino's pizza (I like the 'three meat' kind, but whatever floats your boat)

Saute the chicken and the onion in the olive oil a few minutes, then dump in the mushrooms and water/broth. Let simmer a few minutes; pour in the bottom of a pie pan or 9" square pan. Place the pizza upside down on the chicken mixture, then cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.; uncover and bake 10 min. more for a crunchy top. Serves 2; double for four.

What you get is a crunchy, savory sort-of potpie that does not taste like pizza. Veggies can be added to the chicken mixture...or serve them on the side. The Brick loved it! I am amazed to be saying this, but I'll be making this dish again. And again.

(P.S. The PGs used snapper, instead of chicken, but that sounded fishy to me. Smirk.)

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Another Assassination Attempt

    He survived, but only by God's grace -- and turning his head to look at an immigration poster.

    Four Presidents have been killed: Lincoln, McKinley, Garfield and Kennedy. But many other attempts have taken place at presidents and candidates alike, and nearly been successful.

You always hope that celebrities advocating "punching Trump in the face" and other violence (including Biden suggesting he'd take him behind the school "and beat the hell out of him")... really don't mean it. SO WHY SAY IT??

Could that have contributed to this? Could the same thing happen to President Biden? 

Words. Terrible words. Contributing to terrible actions. 

(And media headlines didn't help.) 

CNN's take: Trump had 'fallen.' And couldn't get up, I suppose. 

BREAKING NEWS:  Trump chose Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate. I read Vance's memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and thought it wonderful. He is not from a privileged family, nor did he grow up wealthy. Our only complaint: he graduated from Ohio State. Boooooo...

Meanwhile:

A soldier who holds the record for a sniper kill comments on the Pennsylvania incident. He thinks there's something fishy about it all. (We're wondering too, quite frankly.)

Two ingredients -- and a way to turn cheap red wine into something better: a Spanish Kalimotxo. (Thanks, Thekitchn.)

Fabric from George Washington's dining tent -- auctioned off via Goodwill. (The 6-inch piece of fabric went for $1300.)

Napoleon's personal set of flintlock pistols sell at auction -- for $1.38 million.

Some Really Helpful household hacks. I didn't know a number of these...bet you haven't, either.

A very peaceful video -- of a swimming hippo.  Trust me on this.

Influencers are renting studio sets that look like private jet interiors -- so it looks like they're flying in style. More on this here.  (The company renting the sets says they're mostly used for rap video.)

The British royals -- and their haunting experiences.

Really good moneysaving hints.  We use many of these ourselves - except for having no kids. I'd never give up our kids...they are our treasures.

Lucky people - lucky photos. Including this one:

Insiders advice -- from employees, present and former. A lot of GREAT hacks here.

The back story on the 14-year-old who disappeared after getting off a cruise boat. There's a lot more to this than initially thought...

Ronald Reagan's classic "youth and inexperience" comment. 

Have a better week. God bless America.

 ..."America goes on, we go forward, that we are strong.

"The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there; it's hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK,' 

                                                                                  --- Donald Trump

Five Things to Cook Fast - The Redux

BREAKING NEWS: Someone has tried to assassinate Trump in Pennsylvania - but didn't succeed. He's injured, but will be ok. Thank God. But two others were badly hurt; another person was killed. Please take some time to pray for these families...

    The shooter is dead. His family needs prayer, too.

Another redux... someone is STILL  trying to hijack my oldest posts. These are not only quick to make -- they won't heat up your kitchen too much. When temps are 101 (as they were in Colorado Springs yesterday) and 103 (Pueblo), that makes a real difference.

Here are 5 things to make FAST if you're not feeling that great -- but have to eat:

*A milkshake. Any kind, preferably with some kind of fruit. (Substitute 5 big teaspoons of jam, if you have to.) Around here, it's often more smoothie than milkshake: 1 cup fruit, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, a cup of yogurt (if I've got it), and approx. 3 cups ice cubes. Blend until frothy. If you haven't got any fruit, substitute 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Feels great on a sore throat.

*'Cheese guys' -- our name for a quesadilla. Keep corn tortillas in your fridge -- they're low-fat and add crunch when served instead of bread for any meal. Back to the dish -- peel off 6 tortillas, feed 2 to the dogs, and slap the rest in a pan. Gently drop grated or sliced cheese on board; add nothing or salsa or leftover whatever. Heat at 450 degrees until cheese is melted and the whole thing is crispy - about 5 min.
Also good with a hot dog rolled into the tortilla, or dolloped with canned chili. Nuke some scrambled eggs, top with salsa or chili, serve with the cheese guys, and you have huevos rancheros.

*Pasta primavera -- Start with a pound of your favorite pasta, dumped into a pot of boiling water. While it's cooking (about 10-15 min.), add whatever veggies you can find in the refrigerator, chopped up. Drain, then add 1 can of shrimp OR crab meat OR tuna plus four tablespoons of ranch or another kind of dressing. Angel hair pasta cooks faster (so you don't have to stand upright as long), and looks elegant. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (or 10 hard shakes) or a handful of grated cheese, mix and check for taste. (Add more dressing if it seems bland.)

A great variation -- Pasta carbonara -- Fry up some bacon (as little as 2 or as many as 8 slices per pound of pasta) when the pasta and veggies are about half-done. Drain the pasta and mix the bacon in, as well as one or two eggs. Stir until eggs are cooked. (You can also cook the eggs in the bacon pan.) Add the cheese and mix. A good shake of oregano and onion (or any kind of) seasoning salt are nice, or just salt and pepper.

*Chicken soup plus -- Heat up a can of chicken noodle soup, adding a couple tablespoons of salsa. When broth is bubbling, add an egg. Stir gently, then wait until egg is cooked.

*Chicken and Rice -- start a cup of rice to cooking. (Add veggies or not -- green beans are good in this.) Chop up a chicken breast, and throw into the rice, along with a bouillon cube. (A shake of garlic or celery salt is good here, as is a handful of chopped celery or celery leaves.) Turn heat down, let cook 20 min. Serve as-is, or mix in 1/3 cup sour cream. (Daughter #1 adds a can of kidney beans, then calls it Gordita rice.)

Why do I rely on salsa a lot when I'm sick? It's the chilies; they're jumping with Vitamin C. The chicken's supposed to be good for you, too. Something about the broth.

There. None of these dishes will take more than 5-10 min. of standing upright, and generally 10-20 min. to cook. Enjoy, and remember...you're supposed to be resting.

P.S. We watched Alien vs. Predator 2: Requiem this afternoon, wherein the Aliens (and one Predator) blast the heck out of Gunnison, Colorado. What a crock. Anyone who's been to the dry high plains desert of Gunnison is going to find the constant rain and fog-coated forest scenes hilarious, let alone all the houses. (Gunnison just isn't that big, and definitely not that developed.) That area is full of hunters who know what they're doing -- these people act like their favorite hobbies are freezing in terror or running away, screaming. A true Coloradoan would have turned around and blasted THEM, just to shut up all the racket.
For at least half the movie, the screen was so dark that we were trying to figure what was going on, let alone who was winning. Don't bother -- get out Alien vs. Predator, which is based in the Antarctic and far more amusing.