One Saturday I Took A Walk To Zipperhead

 

Excellent little remembrances from vintagedetroit.com of Jim Walewander, the Tiger phenom of 1987 

https://www.vintagedetroit.com/when-the-tigers-had-a-punk-rocker-in-their-infield/

and

https://www.vintagedetroit.com/jim-walewander-sparky-and-the-dead-milkmen/

The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink (Official Video)

Oh the blessed 80's, and the songs we remember

Friday of the Octave of Easter Banter, and a Recipe Thrown In As A Bonus

Rookie Beau Brieske goes tomorrow (Saturday) for the Tigers against the Rockies in his first MLB start. A bit of his story in a good Bless You Boys article: https://www.blessyouboys.com/2022/3/12/22952332/detroit-tigers-beau-brieske-pitching-prospects

We are turned a proverbial corner with respect to weather. We had snow three days ago (actually stuck, and froze hard overnight) but it'll be 65 to-day and 80 tomorrow! I'm getting excited about peppers and tomatoes and, when this avian flu pandemic passes, safflower in the feeders. 

I put together a dish this morning I was going to cook tonight but was challenged by my beautiful bride regarding the whole chicken sitting around in the refrigerator thing. I'll provide the (very common) recipe, and then my thinking regarding the cooking tonight.

1 cup brown rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup +- chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

about 4 big bella mushrooms diced up

1 good size broccoli floret diced into bite sizes

4 bigass chicken thighs with bone and skin, the way we all used to eat them

garlic powder

dried garden herbs

I added the first six items to my favorite casserole dish and stirred to combine. then the thighs went on top, skins up, covered with the seasoning. Easy bake at 350 for almost an hour and a half - until the meat temp was over 165. 

Crispy tasty skin, moist savory chicken, and yummy rice/vegetables on the side. I decided to cook it at 5:00 this morning, and by 6:30 the smell in the house was such that I could sleep no more until I had at least tried this. So I had a big plate with a diet dew and jumped back in bed for a bit before starting my work day. 

God is good, He is mighty to save, just and righteous. There is none like Him!

 God of justice, help me to look outside myself and be alert to the needs of others. Help me to remember that I serve You through service to others.

From my Loyola Press devotional this morning, based on 1 Cor 11:27-29: http://loyolapress.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=8d9fc2308c8f28d2a7d2f6f48801c705.1858&ref=twitter&twitter=share

 

Laetare Sunday 2022

 Will this be more ramblings, or will it take more form and have substance?  .. .. .. 

I've been working with my brother and sister on a birthday shindig for mommie dearest, who turned 80 this past December. We decided to make the open house in June of this year be a sort of dual birthday celebration and 60th anniversary commemoration, which is coming up this 6th of October. Much of the preparation has been delegating and concurring on time, format, menu, guest list, etc; it has good pretty smooth so far. I am on the books for (and this is just me thinking out loud, if you will) coleslaw, hotdogs, fixins bar, rice krispy chocolate and peanut butter as per Ree Drumond treats, lemonade, a summer sangria iced beverage, firewood, bottle water, soft drinks, ice for coolers and drinks, 

The communication yestreday was on point and to the point, God be praised!! More so than much accomplished, I would say much was initiated - all towards the goal of a 'successful' endeavour. 

Father in Heaven, we entrust this event to You - all the planning and preparations, decisions and details, food and fellowship - all to Your glory! Thank You for what we have accomplished so far; continue to be our Guide and Ultimate Provider. In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; amen.

We have our next phone gathering for 3:00 pm our time on the 9th of April, two weeks hence.

So far tentatively we have

Mom and Dad providing the yard, home, rented canopy with tables, fire pit, indoor food presentation and lavatory facilities, fried chicken, 

Nancy Ann working on the decorations and cake, and further providing fruit, potato salad. She did agree to sing Be Still My Soul as per TLH arrangement, and also volunteered her daughter Belle as a fourth, and possibly a soprano.

Gary and Mary Baldner bringing Nicholas and Joshua Michael, as well as desserts; and creating and mailing the invitations. Gary also agreed to sing Be Still My Soul for ma.

My beautiful bride Monica offered to make her world famous pasta salad; my remaining responsibilities are listed above. 

Recipe #33: Goodass Spaghetti

 Third Sunday in Lent, and I'm ready for a little bit o' pasta I think. After a blessed trip to Aldi yestreday, we have all the fixin's.

Ingredients:

one turn of the pan EVOO

1 big old can of crushed tomatoes (maybe 30 oz?)

about a cup of chicken broth

1 beefsteak tomato diced

1 white onion diced

1 green pepper diced

tablespoon of minced garlic

about a pound and a quarter ground turkey (85/15)

one container of sliced mushrooms

onion powder

dried parsley/sage/rosemary/thyme from the garden

dried basil

dried oregano

thin spaghetti noodles

Order of operations:

I warmed up the oil then added the onion, pepper, garlic (oh that aroma!) and then the meat, and cooked until the meat was done. I added the broth and tomatoes, and then the seasoning and brought it to a boil. Then I lowered the heat, and let it simmer covered for about an hour. I added about half a box of noodles to the sauce and let that go probably another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Serve with some grated parmesan and a fat slice of butter bread, and sit down with the clicker for some college basketball. 

God bless you all. 

Lenten Tartar

 I've been experimenting for years - trying to get the most flavorful tartar sauce imaginable. We both agreed last week's version was pretty darn close, so I want to record it here for posterity. Amounts (as ever) are approximate.

3/4 c mayo

1 squirt dark brown mustard

tbs Worcestershire

tbs lemon juice

1/4 c diced dill pickles

1/4 c finely diced red onion

pinch of dill seed

a couple grinds of black pepper

Combine all in a Kitchen Aid bowl with a tight lid; this will last til next Friday in a good cold fridge, if there's any left. 

Should it seem not thick enough, add more mayo/pickles to stiffen it up a bit. You may add salt if your palette deems it necessary, but we don't add table salt to any dishes (mayo, mustard, Worcestershire, and  pickles all contain sodium!).

God bless 

this makes me smile

 

TLH # 145 Jesus, Refuge of the Weary - tune = O du Liebe

 

St. Patrick's Breastplate (Prayer of St. Patrick) - Jean Watson

TLH # 144 Jesus Grant that Balm and Healing - tune = Der am Kreuz

 

TLH #143 O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken

 

TLH #140 Jesus, I Will Ponder Now

 

Ash Wednesday 2022

 The good folks at Loyola Press send me a retreat every morning containing a brief excerpt from Scripture (not necessarily corresponding to the Mass readings, but always relevant), a paragraph to contemplate and then a couple of hard questions and a prayer. I am thankful for these retreats. I am quoting from to-day's here, without permission:

As we enter this prayerful season of Lent, how do we ready ourselves? We are encouraged to ritually prepare our outsides in readiness for our internal transformation. Anoint your head - bless yourself as a child of God on the journey to the Kingdom. Wash your face - ready yourself for this pilgrimage of the soul. Mark yourself with the cross of your salvation and enter into this journey with your head up and your eyes forward. 

 Based on Matthew 6:16-18: 

“When you fast,

do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.

They neglect their appearance,

so that they may appear to others to be fasting.

Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you fast,

anoint your head and wash your face,

so that you may not appear to be fasting,

except to your Father who is hidden.

And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

 For example, like how God showed me this CS Lewis quote this morning, and it almost moved me to tears:

For one to try to explain to another how God is working in one's life can be difficult, from my experience. 

To try to share the joy, the excitement, the beauty; I am finding myself unable to relay the experiences! 

I want the world to know what He is teaching me this morning and right now and through these connected events and readings... but , really, they're not for anyone else. 

They're for me. 

He's teaching me, right now, to-day, right here.  

Thank You, Father, for this morning, and how much You showed me. I won't try to pretend it will be like this every day, but I rejoice knowing that, when I timidly asked for a sign, You responded vociferously. You are great! You are mighty! You are holy! You are full of wonder, power and might! There is none like You!

Recipe #19 Beef Stroganoff

 This was initially going to be done with venison, but when my adorable wife questioned the soundness of a cut of venison frozen since 2019, I honored her and procured a pound and a half ribeye from our local meat market. The spaetzle was my first go at this type of thing, and I look forward to many more tries.

For the Spaetzle:

1/2 c AP flour, more if needed

1 egg

pinch of salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper powder

1 tbs sour cream

2 tbs heavy cream

5 tbs butter

3 quarts water

1 tbs kosher salt

For the Stroganoff:

4 tbs butter

1 1/2 pound good red meat

1 medium red onion diced

2 garlic cloves minces

10 oz button and bella mushrooms sliced

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp dried dill seeds

1/4 c Winking Owl California Moscato

1 c sour cream, at room temperature

I started the spaetzle first, and this was my first time ever trying this.

Combine the first five ingredients with a whisk. You want the batter thick, so that it runs slowly off your utensil. If too runny, add flour; if too thick, add heavy cream.

Cook the butter until it gives off a beautiful brown butter sheen. Turn off the fire, and keep nearby. We will warm up the dumplings in this butter before assembling the stroganoff.

I do not have a spaetle-maker, so I used my Wolfgang Puck colander upside-down on a 4 quart stock pot. Get the salt water boiling and get ready to mush the batter through the holes! 

I

The butter browned up well before I cut off the fire.

When the salted water comes to a rolling boil, pour a large spoon full of batter on top of the colander. Mush it through with a rubber spatula, and then remove the colander. [Careful - tis hot!]

 

When the mini dumplings rise to the top, let them go another two minutes. Remove them to a resting place until all the batter has been boiled in this manner.

I rested them on a cookie sheet.

The batter should be thick enough so that it does not fall through the holes on its own. 

When you have all the batter converted to boiled joy, Heat up the melted butter (medium heat), and add the spaetzle to it. 

When the spaetzle have turned that delicious golden brown, they are ready. Remove from heat, and reserve for later.

I put a special secret ingredient dry rub on the beef and let it rest on the cutting board for a couple hours before cooking. 

Slice the mushrooms - keeping them large and sizable. Sear the meat in the butter - making sure all the edges are crusty and charred. Set aside the meat.

To the same pan, add the wine and deglaze the good bits, then add the mushrooms and onion for a quick saute. When the mushrooms and onions have softened, add the garlic and other seasoning. Reduce for another couple of minutes, then add the meat back in.

I sliced the meat thin. 

Cook until much of the redness is gone from the meat, then add the sour cream.

Bring this together for a couple minutes, then serve over a bowl of spaetzle. 

The classic stroganoff taste is worth the work on this. I will definitely make this again with spaetzle, but you can substitute egg noodles, linguine noodles, or even serve over a slice of bread. My beautiful wife loved it, and I am thankful I swapped out the fresh beef for the questionable venison. God be praised!

Prayer

 Father, I come before You tonight thankful for Your mercies, for Your blessings - so great You are!

Thank You for the driveway carved out from snow, thank You for the deck shoveled off and the notes from the giver(s) of the gift. Thank You, LORD!!!

Thank You for the beautiful drive home these past two days, with everything covered in snow. Thank You for getting me home safely, and thank You for a warm home to come home to.

We love You, too; amen.

Liam and his ba broken thumb

 I love this little man