Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Watkins Wednesday: Watkins Wonderful Guacamole Mix

 

Free use image by Julie Henriksen on Pixabay

My son and I had some avocados to use up, so we decided to make them into guacamole. This was the easiest thing in the world to do with Watkins organic guacamole mix. Just mash two ripe avocados and blend in the contents of the seasoning packet. I like to add a bit of sour cream for smoothness.

Watkins guacamole mix contains no preservatives or flavor enhancers such as MSG hidden in unnamed "spices". The following is the complete list of ingredients.

Organic lime juice powder (organic rice maltodextrin, organic lime juice concentrate), sea salt, organic onion granules, organic garlic granules, organic red bell pepper, organic jalapeno, citric acid, not more than 2% tricalcium phosphate to prevent caking.

It can sometimes be difficult to find acceptable avocados. Placing avocados in a paper bag in a warm area can help them ripen faster. Never put unsliced avocados in the refrigerator as it delays their ripening. 

Watkins dressing and dip mixes make whipping up a quick meal or snack a breeze. Just add their chili mix to black beans, corn, chickpeas, and other favorite vegetables for a fast, hearty chili. For more protein stir in a bit of seasoned ground beef. 

Watkins taco and fajita blends contain no artificial flavors or sneaky spice blends. Everything is always listed on the label. Price-wise, Watkins seasonings are on par with grocery store prices but the quality is far superior.

Check out my Watkins consultant page to stock up on your favorite spice blends, or consider becoming a consultant yourself. http://bit.ly/watkinshomebiz

Don't forget to enter the Win Free Vanilla contest where you can win not only free vanilla but approximately $100 in other good stuff as well.

~Cie the Ornery Old Lady~


Guerrero Words: Of Wild Blossoming and Fog

Guerrero Words: Of Wild Blossoming and Fog: not quite J ournaling , week 1 through the fog, sweet coffee and books conjure warmth 12/14/2020 : Outside my window, my neighborhoo...

We get a fair bit of fog where I live. I love it as long as I don't have to drive in it. It can go on for literally 50 miles and then some, and driving in thick fog makes me claustrophobic. 

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Dear Santa

  


Dear Santa, I don't want to set the world on fire or learn how to fly
Some places are so humid you could trim your tree with fish if you wish
The place I live is much too dry, it would seem, to do any such thing
So I tend to lean to swimming upstream with a mouth full of dust
After I import the weapons with which to arm bears and export toxic waste
My poisons inflicted on the poor, there is no way I can present myself as virtuous 

~cie~










humid and dry
import and export

after
arm
fire
fly
lean
mouth
present
seem
stream
swim
tree
trim
wish
virtuous

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The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)


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New! I created a Haiga with the intention of honoring women artists and creatives. I have affordable prints, postcards, magnets, and mugs featuring my Haiga available from Deviant Art. 

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Celebration Clouds: Double Troiku

  

Free use image by Gerhard G on Pixabay

I

mysterious landscapes
rise and unfold before my eyes
worlds of clouds

mysterious landscapes
in the dreams of my childhood
promise of wonder

rise and unfold before my eyes
in clouds on Christmas morning
when I still believed

worlds of clouds
promise happiness for all
to those who ascend

II
mysterious landscapes
in the dreams of my childhood
promise of wonder

mysterious landscapes
dreams of faraway places
clouds on Christmas day

in the dreams of my childhood
I believed in tomorrow
every dream a gift

promise of wonder
that only came at Christmas
a beautiful world

III
rise and unfold before my eyes
in clouds on Christmas morning
when I still believed

rise and unfold before my eyes
long-lost dreams of yesterday
with a childlike hope

in clouds on Christmas morning
I believed there were angels
watching from above

when I still believed
there was hope in the worst times
Father sang carols

IV
worlds of clouds
promise happiness for all
to those who ascend

worlds of clouds
billowing, ever-changing
they are no less real

promise happiness for all
clouds do not demand your faith
even at Christmas

to those who ascend
looking down upon the Earth
I wish you good cheer

~cie~

For my father, who now flies above the clouds.

Write an "exit" poem.
The poem does not specifically use the word "exit," but it is (finally) the last poem for the November PAD challenge, and there is a reference to winter celebrations occurring at the end of the year.

I don't know if I'm going to enter the PAD chapbook challenge. I never win those things. I'm thinking about just publishing the poems myself, nuts to the contest part of it. 

The initial Haiku is © Chèvrefeuille and permission was granted by the poet for the use of this exercise. I am responsible for everything else. 

This triple-threat Troiku was posted to these places:




The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)


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Thursday, November 26, 2020

Readers Roost: From Dill to Dracula Book Promotion, Review, and G...

Readers Roost: From Dill to Dracula Book Promotion, Review, and G...:   From Dill to Dracula A Romanian Food & Folklore Cookbook by A.M. Ruggirello Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbook Romania—a hidden gem of Easter...

Don't miss my review of this wonderful book filled with gorgeous pictures, interesting tidbits, and plenty of delicious Romanian recipes.

Happy Thanksgiving for those who celebrate such.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Hoarfrost (Tanka)

  

Free use image by Manfred Richter on Pixabay

when we are obsessed
demanding knowledge of all
we lose the beauty
the hoarfrost in its glory
does not need explanation

~cie~

Write an explanation poem

This chilly Tanka was posted to these places:






The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)


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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Food Bank Feast

  

Free Use Image by Jamie Nast on Pixabay

eighteen-pound turkey
courtesy of the food bank
leftovers for days

~cie~

Write a bird poem

https://poetsandstorytellersunited.blogspot.com/2020/11/writers-pantry-47-breathe-in-words.html

note time

If all you wanted was the poem, you're done. See ya! Because now it’s time for the Power Haibun portion of the post. Buckle up, Bitches, ‘cause it’s gonna get wordy!

Every third Sunday, there is a food bank at the church in the little town where I live. There are two households in my house. My son and I make up one household and our unrelated housemate makes up the other. As Thanksgiving is coming up, each household got a turkey.

A giant turkey.

An eighteen-pound turkey.

I will be slow-roasting one of the turkeys all day and overnight starting at about noon tomorrow. Then early Thursday morning, my son and I will make the approximately 125-mile drive to my mother’s house. We will have a Thanksgiving lunch, and then my son and I will head home with a butt-ton of leftover turkey.

The food bank is a wonderful resource. I’ve heard people tell bad stories about food bank volunteers. One of my neighbors in the mobile home park where I used to live said that when she went to the food bank, one of the volunteers said to her: “why do you need to come here when you drive a car like that?”

She had a new car because her mother had given it to her.

The food bank where I live does not ask for proof of income. The food is surplus donated by grocery stores. It would be thrown out if it wasn’t given to people.

Today is Tuesday.

I went to the psychological evaluation part of my disability determination process.

I’ve been accused of being a space cadet, but it’s pretty certain that I don’t have dementia.

I do have depression and anxiety. I’ve had those pretty much my entire life. However, the reason I applied for disability is more because of my physical malfunctions than my psychological aberrations.

I have a lawyer, so I hope that will work in my favor. Because I’ve spent almost everything and am now worried about paying next month’s bills.

That’s 369 words

What follows is the CYA and promotional material that appears on every post.

Thanks for reading.

Have a happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate such.

If you don’t, have a good day either way.


This prosery was posted to these places:

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http://www.goodstufffromgrover.com


The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)


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Sunday, October 25, 2020

Sunday Dinner at the Grover Hotel: No-Fail Honey Mustard Chicken and Potatoes

 

Free use image copyright Stephanie Manley on Pixabay

It has been way too long since I did a Sunday Dinner post. This blog has been quite neglected this year, which makes me sad. I enjoy posting here.

I am going to share with you one of the easiest dinners you can make. All you need is a sheet pan, some Reynolds Wrap to line it if you'd like, your favorite cooking spray, your favorite seasoning, two medium potatoes, a small onion, a jar of honey mustard dressing, and boneless chicken breasts or thighs. 

Line the baking sheet with Reynolds Wrap and spray it with cooking spray. Season the chicken with your preferred seasoning. I use a combination of Lawry's Chicken and Poultry Rub and Kinders The Blend. Place chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle the top with honey-mustard dressing.

Cut the potatoes and onion into large cubes and place in a bowl. Pour in enough honey mustard dressing to coat, and stir well. Place the potatoes and onions on the baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 45-50 minutes. Serve with corn on the cob or your favorite vegetable for a simple, complete meal.

Here are some links to help you along.

I use Watkins cooking spray. It's long-lasting, does not leave a greasy residue on your cookware, and adds no flavor to the food. You can purchase it from my Watkins page. 

http://bit.ly/watkinshomebiz

You might consider signing up to be a Watkins consultant yourself. The annual fee is only $29.95, and you get your very own site built and maintained by Watkins. There are no sales quotas. You get discounts on every product you order, and if you just want to order products for your own use, that's perfectly fine. They have great specials every month. Don't forget to enter the Win Free Vanilla contest at the bottom of the post!

This pair of baking sheets from Wilton is a great deal at $9.99.

 https://amzn.to/35qFtfC

If you're like me, you've probably tried "the rest," because they're cheaper. Well, I've found the quality is cheaper too. When it comes to aluminum foil, only Reynold's Wrap will do. Get 130 feet for $9.98 on Amazon, or if you have a Costco membership, do what my son did and grab the foodservice pack of Reynold's Wrap. It will last forever, or close to it.

https://amzn.to/2Tr1jdC

We buy our potatoes and onions at Costco. My advice is don't buy your chicken at Costco or the grocery store. Find a local butcher. If you are in Northern Colorado or Southern Wyoming, Friendly Nick's in Fort Collins can't be beat. The meat comes from local family farms, it is not significantly more expensive than the meat in the grocery store, and the quality is far superior.

By far, the best deal on Amazon for Lawry's Chicken and Poultry Rub is buying 6 for $65.40, which comes out to $11.90 per bottle. https://amzn.to/35wluMJ 

It lasts a long time, so if you don't want to buy 6 bottles, follow the link and do a search for Lawry's Chicken and Poultry Rub to see other sizes.

We buy Kinder's The Blend at Costco, which is the cheapest way to purchase it. If you don't have a Costco membership, it is fairly priced on Amazon at $20.60 for two 10.5 ounce bottles. https://amzn.to/34sivFO

You can use whatever honey mustard dressing you like. I've used Annie's, Ken's, and Kraft and like them all about equally. I didn't care for Kroger's store brand honey mustard. That was some weak sauce. 

This four-pack of 24-ounce bottles of honey mustard dressing from Ken's for $20.60 is a decent deal. https://amzn.to/3jwyxTg

Here is a nice set of three BPA-free mixing bowls for $13.99.

https://amzn.to/3onUdER

Here is a four-piece mixing spoon set from Mainstays for $5.11

https://amzn.to/3dVyAHb

Last but not least, don't forget to enter the Win Free Vanilla drawing from Watkins. You get not only free vanilla but $100 worth of other great stuff too!


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Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Sunflower

  

Image copyright Hans Braxmeier on Pixabay

sunflower growing

Pick a pocketful of poetical posies here.

This poem was posted to these places:

LBRY is a decentralized content marketplace. I price the PDF versions of my work at approximately half of the Kindle price because I receive the entire amount rather than a royalty percentage. 

You can get a free LBRY account through this link. You can earn LBC for viewing content on LBRY as well as from selling your content.

Copyright Information
The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)
Copyright 2020 by Naughty Netherworld Press/Poetry of the Netherworld

Reblogging is acceptable on platforms that allow it. LBRY’s reblog function is called repost, which makes things confusing since reposting is considered a no-no on most platforms. It’s fine to share the post using the repost function on LBRY. It is not okay to copy-paste the material into a new post.

Sharing a link to the post is acceptable.

Quoting portions of the post for educational or review purposes is acceptable if proper credit is given.

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Drought and Wildfires

  

Image copyright 2020 by Cara Hartley
You are welcome to use it, but please credit me

no rainy days come
no drops falling from the sky
we breathe in the smoke
the fearless firefighters
attempt to quell the blazes
~cie~

notes
You can see other images from the photoset here.



Need more Ornery Poetry?
Damn skippy! Get yours.

This poem was posted to these places:

LBRY is a decentralized content marketplace. I price the PDF versions of my work at approximately half of the Kindle price because I receive the entire amount rather than a royalty percentage. 

You can get a free LBRY account through this link. You can earn LBC for viewing content on LBRY as well as from selling your content.

Copyright Information
The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)

Copyright 2020 by Naughty Netherworld Press/Poetry of the Netherworld

Reblogging is acceptable on platforms that allow it. LBRY’s reblog function is called repost, which makes things confusing since reposting is considered a no-no on most platforms. It’s fine to share the post using the repost function on LBRY. It is not okay to copy-paste the material into a new post.

Sharing a link to the post is acceptable.

Quoting portions of the post for educational or review purposes is acceptable if proper credit is given.





Monday, September 7, 2020

Sunday Dinner at the Grover Hotel: Chunky Dutch Oven Chili

Image copyright Zichrini

This post contains affiliate links. If readers make a purchase through these links, I earn a small commission.

I like my Dutch oven much better than my slow cooker for meat-based dishes. I don't have to get out an extra pan to sear the meat. I can sear the meat in the Dutch oven and then transfer it to the stove. For best results, I recommend a cast-iron Dutch oven, not an enamel-coated one. The enamel chips over time. Plain cast iron lasts a lifetime with proper care.


Right now, this pre-seasoned Dutch oven by Lodge is only $49.95 from Amazon. https://amzn.to/3byKky9 
The list price is $64, giving you a savings of $14.02. Prices on Amazon are subject to change.

My Dutch oven is an Amazon Basics, but they no longer carry that one. The lid doubles as a skillet on this model, which is really cool. I like my cast iron skillet from Lodge. They make good, solid products.

The way I make this savory chunky chili is extremely complicated, and only a master chef will be able to authenticate the exacting and precise steps detailed in this post.

Just fooling. I am nowhere close to being a master chef. This chunky chili is awesome, and anyone can make it. If you don't have one of the ingredients or don't want one of the ingredients, substitute something else.

The first thing I do is pour a little canola oil into the bottom of the Dutch oven and let that warm up over medium heat. A gallon of Happy Belly canola oil is $6.28 from Amazon, which is a reasonable price. https://amzn.to/3lYgZBZ

Once the oil is hot, I add the stew meat. Mine was still partially frozen. It doesn't matter. You're just searing the outside. It will be warmed through by the time the stew is done. If you don't have stew meat, brown some ground beef or chicken. If you don't want meat, leave it out and add an extra can of beans.

While the meat sears, I cut up some onion and threw it in the pot. I sprinkled the lot with Kinder's The Blend seasoning. You can use whatever seasoning you like. I rely on The Blend, which I get at Costco. It's simple and savory. You can pick up two 10.5 ounce bottles for $18.36 from Amazon. This isn't a bad price, but if you have a Costco membership, get it there instead. https://amzn.to/2R1OdCh

While the meat and onion are browning a bit, heat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Then add your other ingredients. 

One can of Ro-Tel. This is another item that is much cheaper at Costco, but $11.76 for a twelve-pack is comparable to what you'd pay in the grocery store. https://amzn.to/2F6lNEP

One can of black beans, undrained. This is another item that's cheaper from Costco, but $14.99 for 12 cans isn't bad. https://amzn.to/3lZOZy0

At this point, I stirred in a packet of Watkins chili seasoning. You can use taco seasoning and you can use other brands, but I think that once you've tried Watkins, you won't settle for anything else. You can buy Watkins seasonings from my page, or you can sign up to be a consultant yourself and get discounts on your own products. There are no sales quotas to meet with Watkins, and no representative will ever contact you unless you ask them to.


I added a can of cream of mushroom soup, which added a nice, savory flavor and some thickness. 10 cans of soup for $14.28 isn't bad. https://amzn.to/2F9lk4P

I added a can of southwest style corn and peppers. You can get a 12-pack of 15-ounce cans for $24.21, which is comparable to what you'd pay in the store. If you don't have southwest style corn, regular corn is fine. https://amzn.to/2F9i3SV

It took me longer to write this post than it did to add those ingredients to the Dutch oven. I turned off the heat and moved the Dutch oven to the 200-degree oven for 8 hours.

I had made my super-secret ingredient, leftover Spanish-style rice, in the instant pot the night before. You can get an Instant Pot from Amazon for $79. https://amzn.to/325wsIp

With a slow cooker, you use less liquid than normal. With the Instant Pot, it's the opposite. You will need what might sound like an abnormally large amount of liquid. Trust me, the measurements are accurate. 

I also recommend spraying the inside of the Instant Pot with cooking spray, even if you are using oil or butter as well. I like Watkins cooking spray, but whatever you have will work. This four-pack of canola oil cooking spray for $7.99 is a bargain. https://amzn.to/2GtoNvd

After spraying the inside of the Instant Pot with cooking spray, I add 1/4 cup of butter, 2 cups of rice, 2.5 (that's two point five) cups of water, and a can of Ro-Tel. If I were not using the Ro-Tel, I would add 2 3/4 cups of water or a combination of water and stock.

Then just put the lid on the Instant Pot and hit the Rice button. The pot will take care of the rest. I like to make the rice the night before to allow time for the flavor of the Ro-Tel to really blend in.

After the chili has finished cooking, stir in the leftover (or freshly made) rice and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes covered on the stovetop to let the rice warm through. Serve with a salad or tortillas if you'd like.

This is a simple and delicious meal that comes together quickly and cooks slowly while you do other things. It's inexpensive, versatile, and I think it's better than restaurant quality. 

Bon Appetit!

~Your Ornery Old Aunt Cie~


Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors on Pixabay


The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese, if You Please (Or Don't Please)


Content copyright 2020 by Cara Hartley

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Don't forget to enter to win free Watkins vanilla plus approximately $100 of other great products from Watkins.