Don't say 'ain't'.
Your mother will faint.
Your father will fall
In a bucket of paint.
Your sister will cry.
Your brother will die.
Your dog will call the FBI.
9 minutes ago
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Media Card Reader for Gateway NX860S Laptop
We have a Gateway NX860S laptop. It shipped with Windows Vista and a few months ago I loaded Windows 7 on it. The install went smoothly and all the devices were recognized by Win7 with the exception of the media card reader. It wasn't a big deal because my Canon PowerShot SD450 can also upload photos to the computer using a USB cable. Recently, however, the camera hasn't been working with the cable on either of our two computers. I searched around for a Windows 7 driver for the reader, but was unable to find one. Since Vista and Windows 7 are very similar OSs under the hood, I took a gamble and installed that driver on the Windows 7 laptop. It worked! Now I can just slip the card into the slot and upload my photos. Yahoo!
The driver I used is available from gateway here:
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=21836&uid=273435317
The driver I used is available from gateway here:
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=21836&uid=273435317
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Easy Lasagna
One thing I've learned in my few short years of cooking is that it is very hard to screw up a lasagna. You may run out of an ingredient while assembling your lasagna, but who cares? Or you may not have an ingredient, no big deal. The only way I've seen a messed up lasagna is when the noodles dry out, and that can usually be avoided by keeping the dish covered tightly with aluminum foil.
Another thing I love about this meal is that you can make it ahead of time and then stick it in the fridge to be cooked when you are ready. It's a perfect meal to make if you're having guests and you don't want to spend the entire time in the kitchen. Pair it with a salad and garlic bread and you'll have a meal that is always a winner.
To make, you'll need:
One box of lasagna noodles (I prefer the plain noodles, not the no-bake ones, but you can use those if you must)
2 pounds of meat (this is fun because you can use hamburger, sausage, chicken, or even no meat and substitute with broccoli) - in this meal I used boneless chicken breasts
2 small containers of Ricotta cheese (I like part-skim, low fat)
1 large bag of mixed cheeses (I like Parmesan blend)
1 large package of mushrooms (any kind)
White Sauce (makes about 4 cups)
1/2 cup minced onions
6 Tb butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Boiling the Lasagna
Drop lasagna noodles into boiling water. Add salt, EVOO.
Boil slowly, uncovered for 13-15 minutes until "al dente"
Drain immediately.
Rinse rapidly in cold water.
Hang piece by piece over edge of colander to dry. (keeps them from sticking to each other)
White Sauce
Blend onions with butter over moderate heat.
When butter is bubbling, add chicken stock and blend in flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, without browning the sauce.
Remove from heat and whisk.
Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily.
Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(if not using immediately, keep at a simmer, stirring to keep from burning)
I boiled the chicken. It's the easiest way, in my opinion, and you don't have to keep an eye on it.
In a large cooking pan I spooned out enough white sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. Next, I laid out 4 lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan. Then I sprinkled chicken, more white sauce, ricotta, and cheese blend. Lastly, I put freshly ground pepper and salt on top. repeated this 3 more times until the noodles and mixture were at the top of the dish.
Since we weren't ready to eat yet, I covered it in Saran Wrap and put it in the freezer. Steven made some delicious ciabatta bread to go with this. Viola! It's an easy, inexpensive meal that is always a hit. And you'll definitely have leftovers in there's just two of you!
Hanging the noodles
Here's what you'll need
Another thing I love about this meal is that you can make it ahead of time and then stick it in the fridge to be cooked when you are ready. It's a perfect meal to make if you're having guests and you don't want to spend the entire time in the kitchen. Pair it with a salad and garlic bread and you'll have a meal that is always a winner.
To make, you'll need:
One box of lasagna noodles (I prefer the plain noodles, not the no-bake ones, but you can use those if you must)
2 pounds of meat (this is fun because you can use hamburger, sausage, chicken, or even no meat and substitute with broccoli) - in this meal I used boneless chicken breasts
2 small containers of Ricotta cheese (I like part-skim, low fat)
1 large bag of mixed cheeses (I like Parmesan blend)
1 large package of mushrooms (any kind)
White Sauce (makes about 4 cups)
1/2 cup minced onions
6 Tb butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Boiling the Lasagna
Drop lasagna noodles into boiling water. Add salt, EVOO.
Boil slowly, uncovered for 13-15 minutes until "al dente"
Drain immediately.
Rinse rapidly in cold water.
Hang piece by piece over edge of colander to dry. (keeps them from sticking to each other)
White Sauce
Blend onions with butter over moderate heat.
When butter is bubbling, add chicken stock and blend in flour, stirring with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes, without browning the sauce.
Remove from heat and whisk.
Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily.
Boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(if not using immediately, keep at a simmer, stirring to keep from burning)
I boiled the chicken. It's the easiest way, in my opinion, and you don't have to keep an eye on it.
In a large cooking pan I spooned out enough white sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the dish. Next, I laid out 4 lasagna noodles to cover the bottom of the pan. Then I sprinkled chicken, more white sauce, ricotta, and cheese blend. Lastly, I put freshly ground pepper and salt on top. repeated this 3 more times until the noodles and mixture were at the top of the dish.
Since we weren't ready to eat yet, I covered it in Saran Wrap and put it in the freezer. Steven made some delicious ciabatta bread to go with this. Viola! It's an easy, inexpensive meal that is always a hit. And you'll definitely have leftovers in there's just two of you!
Assembled and ready for the oven (or the fridge)
Assembling the lasagna
White Sauce
Hanging the noodles
Here's what you'll need
The French Chef
If you haven't had a chance yet, take some time and check out Julia Child's The French Chef reruns on The Cooking Channel. It really is a treat to see Julia work her magic on all kinds of things from a Cake with a Halo, to Lasagna a la Francaise, to a very interesting hamburger concoction (I can't find this recipe online - it was very interesting, consisting of oysters for the first course, hamburger and rice with onions and crepes). Of course, with the food, another joy is Julia herself. Each episode was filmed start to finish in one take, so sometimes she makes mistakes. It's nothing like today's over-edited shows, this one is just as it is - problems or not. It's a refreshing experience!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Sandra Lee - Tortellini Soup
YUMMY! Just be sure to add extra liquid to this. Mine was a little lacking in this area...
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can less sodium beef broth
3 cups water
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen Italian vegetable blend
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes, then add the beef broth and 3 cups of water. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the tortellini. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tortellini and simmer until the tortellini are cooked, another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with Herb Focaccia, if desired.
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (14.5-ounce) can less sodium beef broth
3 cups water
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen Italian vegetable blend
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute for 2 minutes, then add the beef broth and 3 cups of water. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the tortellini. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tortellini and simmer until the tortellini are cooked, another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with Herb Focaccia, if desired.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My Exit Strategy
I love this cute love story. Always a sucker, I guess!
Excerpt from The Boston Globe:
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my dating career – aside from
the fact that everyone apparently loves hiking – it’s that being 41 and single
is not what the ladies would technically classify as sexy. That was my status
last year, and if we’re being honest, it was starting to wear on my confidence.
I clung to the idea that I was still a decent catch, but I knew the unavoidable
reality was that I was a little past fresh. Continue
Reading...
Excerpt from The Boston Globe:
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from my dating career – aside from
the fact that everyone apparently loves hiking – it’s that being 41 and single
is not what the ladies would technically classify as sexy. That was my status
last year, and if we’re being honest, it was starting to wear on my confidence.
I clung to the idea that I was still a decent catch, but I knew the unavoidable
reality was that I was a little past fresh. Continue
Reading...
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Jamie Oliver - Ground Beef Wellington
Recently I made Ground Beef Wellington from Jamie Oliver's latest book. It was quite delicious and not very hard. I let the meat marinate overnight to really let all the goodness sink in.
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
4 sprigs fresh rosemary removed from the stem and chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic
large handful of frozen peas
1 lb of ground beef
1 lg egg, beaten
2 sheets of puff pastry
2 portabella mushrooms
Salt and pepper
Dice the celery, onions, carrots and mushrooms into small (1/4 inch) cubes and sauté together for approximately for 8 minutes until softened, adding garlic and rosemary a couple minutes in. Place in a bowl and mix in frozen peas. While that cools, mix a good pinch of salt and pepper, half the beaten egg, and ground beef in another bowl. With Clean hands, mix together with cooled veggies. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
On a well floured surface, place the two sheets of puff pastry out. If using pre-rolled make sure its about 12"x16" roughly, and if using unrolled make sure to use plenty of flour to roll to those dimensions as it can be sticky or tear. Centre the beef mixture and brush edges with some of remaining egg. Roll around beef and seal the edges, then brush with remainder of egg. Place on a floured cookie sheet (use one with a lip because it will drip a bit), and cook for 1 hour or until golden brown.
Serve with mash potatoes and gravy and you have a great comfort meal. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Humane Society of the United States
From here:
Answer me these three true or false questions with respect to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS):
True or false: The Humane Society of the United States is an umbrella group that represents thousands of local humane societies all across America.
True or false: My local humane society or pet shelter is affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States.
True or false: The Humane Society of the United States contributes most of its money to local organizations that care for dogs and cats.
If you answered TRUE to any of the above, you chose wrong. Here's why: HSUS does not represent, nor is it affiliated with any shelter. Not a single one. And less than half of one percent of its collected monies is donated to the care of shelter animals. Surprised? So were plenty of respondents to a recent poll undertaken by Humane Watch, an organization with a penchant for proving that, "most Americans don't understand what the Humane Society of the United States is really all about, that the organization's money isn't going where the public thinks it's going, and that a lot more transparency will be required if the organization is going to earn a legitimate place in our national discussion about animals."Ouch!In case you're searching for some solid truths in all this confusion, here's where there's little doubt: The HSUS is an organization outwardly dedicated to changing how America treats its animals (pets and non-pets alike). Its goals, however, have been increasingly questioned by a wide variety of animal welfare-based organizations especially with respect to its increasingly radical-leaning politics. Indeed, it's alleged that HSUS recruits donations on the basis of donors ill-informed association with underfunded shelter care, only to spend it on a bloated bureaucracy devoted to developing a political machinery more akin to a PETA in sheep's clothing than anything else. The sheep's clothing thing? Here's what I mean (again, according to the Humane Watch poll):
79 percent of Americans say they are "very" or "somewhat" familiar with HSUS
77 percent say they have a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of HSUS
63 percent believe that if they had $100 to donate to charity, HSUS "would be a worthy recipient of that money"
And out of these 1,008 polled persons, 71 percent, 63 percent, and 59 percent answered "true" to the above true or false questions, respectively. So does that adequately display a disparity between perception and reality? I think so. And not just because the numbers reflect statistical significance, but also because it rings so true. After all, less than five years ago I would have answered "true" to at least two of the true or false questions. If you read back to my past posts (2006 or thereabouts), you’ll see proof of my previous ignorance. Which is why I wouldn't blame you if you're still skeptical of this post's factual offerings.But ultimately, this isn't about the HSUS. It's about where YOU allocate your pet-dedicated dollars. And you might still choose HSUS. But do so with an understanding of where your money goes, OK?
Dr. Patty Khuly
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2010/june/humane_society_donations
Answer me these three true or false questions with respect to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS):
True or false: The Humane Society of the United States is an umbrella group that represents thousands of local humane societies all across America.
True or false: My local humane society or pet shelter is affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States.
True or false: The Humane Society of the United States contributes most of its money to local organizations that care for dogs and cats.
If you answered TRUE to any of the above, you chose wrong. Here's why: HSUS does not represent, nor is it affiliated with any shelter. Not a single one. And less than half of one percent of its collected monies is donated to the care of shelter animals. Surprised? So were plenty of respondents to a recent poll undertaken by Humane Watch, an organization with a penchant for proving that, "most Americans don't understand what the Humane Society of the United States is really all about, that the organization's money isn't going where the public thinks it's going, and that a lot more transparency will be required if the organization is going to earn a legitimate place in our national discussion about animals."Ouch!In case you're searching for some solid truths in all this confusion, here's where there's little doubt: The HSUS is an organization outwardly dedicated to changing how America treats its animals (pets and non-pets alike). Its goals, however, have been increasingly questioned by a wide variety of animal welfare-based organizations especially with respect to its increasingly radical-leaning politics. Indeed, it's alleged that HSUS recruits donations on the basis of donors ill-informed association with underfunded shelter care, only to spend it on a bloated bureaucracy devoted to developing a political machinery more akin to a PETA in sheep's clothing than anything else. The sheep's clothing thing? Here's what I mean (again, according to the Humane Watch poll):
79 percent of Americans say they are "very" or "somewhat" familiar with HSUS
77 percent say they have a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of HSUS
63 percent believe that if they had $100 to donate to charity, HSUS "would be a worthy recipient of that money"
And out of these 1,008 polled persons, 71 percent, 63 percent, and 59 percent answered "true" to the above true or false questions, respectively. So does that adequately display a disparity between perception and reality? I think so. And not just because the numbers reflect statistical significance, but also because it rings so true. After all, less than five years ago I would have answered "true" to at least two of the true or false questions. If you read back to my past posts (2006 or thereabouts), you’ll see proof of my previous ignorance. Which is why I wouldn't blame you if you're still skeptical of this post's factual offerings.But ultimately, this isn't about the HSUS. It's about where YOU allocate your pet-dedicated dollars. And you might still choose HSUS. But do so with an understanding of where your money goes, OK?
Dr. Patty Khuly
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2010/june/humane_society_donations
The Situation releases a "rap song"
A friend of mine recently told me that The Situation, of Jersey Shore fame, is releasing a rap song. The singer, known for flashing his abs, is moving into the music realm and releasing a rap song, appropriately titled "The Situation". Oh, and it is definitely a situation. And not a good one.
A clip has been released to tease the public, or rather, taunt the public. I can see this song being played in clubs for laughs, but since the Jersey Shore crew doesn't have the best reputation, I doubt this is going to be a club anthem. Plus, it is so heavily auto-tuned, it might as well be me rapping in the song. My favorite line is where he is going to 'get some ass and drink some gas'.
Stay classy, Situation.
Check out a clip of the song here.
A clip has been released to tease the public, or rather, taunt the public. I can see this song being played in clubs for laughs, but since the Jersey Shore crew doesn't have the best reputation, I doubt this is going to be a club anthem. Plus, it is so heavily auto-tuned, it might as well be me rapping in the song. My favorite line is where he is going to 'get some ass and drink some gas'.
Stay classy, Situation.
Check out a clip of the song here.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Cancun Mexican Grille, North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale
Recently we went to a new Mexican restaurant that took over the old Steak & Ale building near our house. I was sad to see S & A close. I really liked their salad bar, and they had great burgers. For lunch you could get a coke and a burger for $5. You couldn't beat it. But then hard times hit and Steak & Ale (as well as Bennigan's, apparently owned by the same company) closed down. All of them. And the building sat empty for almost two years. Even the nearby Bennigan's building stood empty until TD Bank bought it, knocked it down, and is in the process of building a bank branch in its spot.
I was delighted to see a sign on the old Steak & Ale building advertising a new, Mexican restaurant was opening soon. We have no shortage of Mexican places near us, and most are very good, so I was excited to see a new one on the block. I could eat Mexican every day, so it's nice to spread the love among a handful of good places to eat.
When we arrived at the restaurant (for lunch), we remarked how much it still looked like Steak & Ale inside. They kept all the furniture, the things on the wall, I bet the salad bar is still in there somewhere. I actually liked it, because of my fondness for S & A. Our fun ended there, though. The chips they brought us were tri-colored, and while fun to look at, they left a funny taste in my mouth, I think due to the dye in the chips. And many Mexican places have both hot and mild salsas. We both always eat the hot and leave the mild. They only have one salsa here, and that is fine. The salsa wasn't bad, but for hot salsa lovers like we are, it was a little disappointing. And with the strange tasting chips, it was a let down. I ordered a cheese quesadilla and Steven ordered soft tacos. Both of these items were on the lunch menu, and every Mexican restaurant down here always gives you rice and beans with the meal. My entree didn't come with anything, which was a bummer because I really love the rice. Steven said his meal was OK, but neither of us were particularly blown away. They should include the beans and rice with all Mexican entrees, especially since the other places do.
All in all, it was just OK. We didn't hate it, but we probably won't go back. They are in a great location and the building is huge, so they will probably be fine, but if anyone has been to a Mexican restaurant in south Florida and then goes here, they might be a little let down.
Cancun Mexican Grille, North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale
I was delighted to see a sign on the old Steak & Ale building advertising a new, Mexican restaurant was opening soon. We have no shortage of Mexican places near us, and most are very good, so I was excited to see a new one on the block. I could eat Mexican every day, so it's nice to spread the love among a handful of good places to eat.
When we arrived at the restaurant (for lunch), we remarked how much it still looked like Steak & Ale inside. They kept all the furniture, the things on the wall, I bet the salad bar is still in there somewhere. I actually liked it, because of my fondness for S & A. Our fun ended there, though. The chips they brought us were tri-colored, and while fun to look at, they left a funny taste in my mouth, I think due to the dye in the chips. And many Mexican places have both hot and mild salsas. We both always eat the hot and leave the mild. They only have one salsa here, and that is fine. The salsa wasn't bad, but for hot salsa lovers like we are, it was a little disappointing. And with the strange tasting chips, it was a let down. I ordered a cheese quesadilla and Steven ordered soft tacos. Both of these items were on the lunch menu, and every Mexican restaurant down here always gives you rice and beans with the meal. My entree didn't come with anything, which was a bummer because I really love the rice. Steven said his meal was OK, but neither of us were particularly blown away. They should include the beans and rice with all Mexican entrees, especially since the other places do.
All in all, it was just OK. We didn't hate it, but we probably won't go back. They are in a great location and the building is huge, so they will probably be fine, but if anyone has been to a Mexican restaurant in south Florida and then goes here, they might be a little let down.
Cancun Mexican Grille, North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale
Monday, June 14, 2010
Chalk Eating, Extreme Tanning, and Hoarders
We watched a very interesting show last night on Discovery Health. It was about people who have abnormal cravings for things. One girl was addicted to eating chalk, another couldn't stop tanning, and one was a shopaholic. The shopaholic was interesting, but, in my opinion, run of the mill. The chalk eater and the chronic tanner were the ones I was most interested in.
The girl who eats chalk was interesting to me because you wouldn't know it if you met her. She is very sly with her chalk eating. When she told one of her good friends about her secret, he was amazed to learn this fact about her. The only thing he mentioned was that he recognized the sound of her chomping on the chalk, but never questioned that it was anything but a breath mint or something. She also admitted that she enjoyed taking a swig of detergent when she does her laundry. From what her doctor told her, there really isn't much harm to her body by eating chalk, however the detergent wasn't a good thing. I felt physically ill watching this girl munch on chalk, but I couldn't stop watching. It was fascinating to me.
The girl who was addicted to tanning was really sad, in my opinion. She looked completely ridiculous and was bright orange. She would tan every day, sometimes multiple times, and never wore any sunscreen. She felt that she didn't look good if she wasn't tan. The sad part was that her sister, who looked much like her, was not a serial tanner and looked really cute. The tanner girl looked like Anna Nicole Smith, and not in a good way. I felt bad for her, because it was completely obvious that she has major self-esteem issues that go deeper than the tanning. At one point the show took her to a dermatologist to discuss the effects of tanning. She got very upset and stormed out of the office and wouldn't let the show tape her after that.
After this show another gem came on, this time about hoarders. It was late and we should have gone to bed, but we stayed up and watched the hoarders. This was another sad situation, because the hoarders just can't help themselves. Of the 3 people they featured, only one was able to be somewhat successful. The successful guy lived in New York and really let the person who was helping him get rid of things. The other 2 featured really didn't want to be helped. One woman was being helped by her son, and all they did was fight about it. It was sad. Another couple tried to get rid of some of their things, but they are both hoarders, although the husband won't admit it.
We all have our issues, and I am in no way poking fun at anyone. It is interesting to me how we all work as humans and it is fun to learn more about how we are similar, and how we are very different.
The girl who eats chalk was interesting to me because you wouldn't know it if you met her. She is very sly with her chalk eating. When she told one of her good friends about her secret, he was amazed to learn this fact about her. The only thing he mentioned was that he recognized the sound of her chomping on the chalk, but never questioned that it was anything but a breath mint or something. She also admitted that she enjoyed taking a swig of detergent when she does her laundry. From what her doctor told her, there really isn't much harm to her body by eating chalk, however the detergent wasn't a good thing. I felt physically ill watching this girl munch on chalk, but I couldn't stop watching. It was fascinating to me.
The girl who was addicted to tanning was really sad, in my opinion. She looked completely ridiculous and was bright orange. She would tan every day, sometimes multiple times, and never wore any sunscreen. She felt that she didn't look good if she wasn't tan. The sad part was that her sister, who looked much like her, was not a serial tanner and looked really cute. The tanner girl looked like Anna Nicole Smith, and not in a good way. I felt bad for her, because it was completely obvious that she has major self-esteem issues that go deeper than the tanning. At one point the show took her to a dermatologist to discuss the effects of tanning. She got very upset and stormed out of the office and wouldn't let the show tape her after that.
After this show another gem came on, this time about hoarders. It was late and we should have gone to bed, but we stayed up and watched the hoarders. This was another sad situation, because the hoarders just can't help themselves. Of the 3 people they featured, only one was able to be somewhat successful. The successful guy lived in New York and really let the person who was helping him get rid of things. The other 2 featured really didn't want to be helped. One woman was being helped by her son, and all they did was fight about it. It was sad. Another couple tried to get rid of some of their things, but they are both hoarders, although the husband won't admit it.
We all have our issues, and I am in no way poking fun at anyone. It is interesting to me how we all work as humans and it is fun to learn more about how we are similar, and how we are very different.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Selling on eBay
It has been a while since I have sold something on eBay. I used to do it every now and again, but I can't remember the last time now. Recently we have been cleaning out our house and I found a few things that we didn't need, but would be good candidates to sell on eBay.
I posted the stuff on eBay's site and let it go for the duration of the auction. Once the auction was over I received the PayPal payments from the winning bidders, now is time to ship! But, wait. There is a hold on my PayPal account for 21 days until the bidders leave me feedback. WTF? I have been an eBay member for 10 years, they should now me by now. Anyway, I can deal with that.
I decided to let the local UPS Store pack and ship the items. To me it seemed worth it to let them pack everything up and take care of the shipping. But, boy, this comes at a price. For one of the items I sold, the shipping was over $80, and another one was $50. Yikes! What I don't understand is that the shipping is so expensive, but I couldn't charge those kinds of prices for my auction item shipping. Even if I sent this through the US Postal Service it still would have been a lot to ship, plus I would have to find my own boxes and packing gear.
My question is this - with all the "eBayers" out there, what is the best way to maximize your return, but not spend all day packing up and shipping the gear you sold?
I posted the stuff on eBay's site and let it go for the duration of the auction. Once the auction was over I received the PayPal payments from the winning bidders, now is time to ship! But, wait. There is a hold on my PayPal account for 21 days until the bidders leave me feedback. WTF? I have been an eBay member for 10 years, they should now me by now. Anyway, I can deal with that.
I decided to let the local UPS Store pack and ship the items. To me it seemed worth it to let them pack everything up and take care of the shipping. But, boy, this comes at a price. For one of the items I sold, the shipping was over $80, and another one was $50. Yikes! What I don't understand is that the shipping is so expensive, but I couldn't charge those kinds of prices for my auction item shipping. Even if I sent this through the US Postal Service it still would have been a lot to ship, plus I would have to find my own boxes and packing gear.
My question is this - with all the "eBayers" out there, what is the best way to maximize your return, but not spend all day packing up and shipping the gear you sold?
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Steak 954 at the W Hotel Fort Lauderdale
A few years ago we had steak tartare at our friends' wedding. It was a perfect appetizer and they served it on little spoons. I thought it was really clever, and totally delicious. It was the first time I had had tartare, and I knew I liked it.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Somehow I got it into me that I needed to sample some tartare soon. A friend suggested we check out Steak 954 at the W hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach. We're always up for a trip to the beach, so we piled into the car and headed over to the W Hotel.
The hotel is very cool and all modern inside. We gave our car to the valet and headed in to Steak 954. We sat outside, with a great view of the beach and ordered a delicious bottle of Presecco and the steak tartare appetizer. I was not disappointed. The tartare was just as I remembered it, and was served with toast points.
The recipe below is what I imagine our tartare was made of. Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse and The Food Network:
Ingredients
Assorted fresh greens
12 ounces beef tenderloin or sirloin
Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce
Salt
Black Pepper
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
2 eggs
4 slices of white bread, crusts removed, brushed with olive oil and lightly toasted
Extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Garnish 2 plates with the fresh greens.Place the beef on a cutting board and finely chop with a very sharp knife. Season to taste with Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salt and black pepper. Shape the meat into 2 patties of equal size and center each on a plate of fresh greens.
Around each meat patty arrange half of the capers, Dijon mustard, red onion and parsley. Carefully break the 2 eggs, reserving the yolk and half of each shell. Place the yolks in their eggshell cups, then sit an egg cup in the center of each patty. Serve the steak tartare with toast points, olive oil, and hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauces on the side.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/steak-tartare-recipe/index.html
http://www.steak954.com/
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Somehow I got it into me that I needed to sample some tartare soon. A friend suggested we check out Steak 954 at the W hotel on Fort Lauderdale beach. We're always up for a trip to the beach, so we piled into the car and headed over to the W Hotel.
The hotel is very cool and all modern inside. We gave our car to the valet and headed in to Steak 954. We sat outside, with a great view of the beach and ordered a delicious bottle of Presecco and the steak tartare appetizer. I was not disappointed. The tartare was just as I remembered it, and was served with toast points.
The recipe below is what I imagine our tartare was made of. Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse and The Food Network:
Ingredients
Assorted fresh greens
12 ounces beef tenderloin or sirloin
Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce
Salt
Black Pepper
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup minced red onion
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
2 eggs
4 slices of white bread, crusts removed, brushed with olive oil and lightly toasted
Extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Garnish 2 plates with the fresh greens.Place the beef on a cutting board and finely chop with a very sharp knife. Season to taste with Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salt and black pepper. Shape the meat into 2 patties of equal size and center each on a plate of fresh greens.
Around each meat patty arrange half of the capers, Dijon mustard, red onion and parsley. Carefully break the 2 eggs, reserving the yolk and half of each shell. Place the yolks in their eggshell cups, then sit an egg cup in the center of each patty. Serve the steak tartare with toast points, olive oil, and hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauces on the side.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/steak-tartare-recipe/index.html
http://www.steak954.com/
Monday, June 07, 2010
Easiest Tuna Salad
1 can of WHITE ALBACORE tuna (don't skimp on this; cheap tuna tastes cheap)
1/2 small onion
2 or 3 stalks celery
Duke's Mayonnaise (or Helman's)
Chopped jalapeno peppers (from a jar)
salt
pepper
lettuce
Finely chop the onion. Cut the celery stalks in half lengthwise, and chop into 1/4 inch cubes. Add both to a medium bowl. Drain the tuna and add to the bowl. Add a little mayonnaise to the mixture (here is where you can blow it - add about a tablespoon of mayonnaise and stir everything up). If needed, add a little bit more mayo to the mixture, but be very careful not to add too much. There's no going back at this point! Once you are happy with the consistency, add salt and pepper to taste, as well as the jalapeno peppers.
Toast a couple of hoagie rolls, add a lot of lettuce and add tuna to the bread. Enjoy!
1/2 small onion
2 or 3 stalks celery
Duke's Mayonnaise (or Helman's)
Chopped jalapeno peppers (from a jar)
salt
pepper
lettuce
Finely chop the onion. Cut the celery stalks in half lengthwise, and chop into 1/4 inch cubes. Add both to a medium bowl. Drain the tuna and add to the bowl. Add a little mayonnaise to the mixture (here is where you can blow it - add about a tablespoon of mayonnaise and stir everything up). If needed, add a little bit more mayo to the mixture, but be very careful not to add too much. There's no going back at this point! Once you are happy with the consistency, add salt and pepper to taste, as well as the jalapeno peppers.
Toast a couple of hoagie rolls, add a lot of lettuce and add tuna to the bread. Enjoy!
I don't know what happened to us, but ever since we moved to Florida, we have been able to grow orchids like nobody's business. It all started with a single orchid that we received from a friend. The orchid was in good shape when we got it, and it just continued to grow. And grow. It bloomed for almost 2 months and then didn't bloom for a while, and then bloomed again! I know this sounds silly, but this damn orchid was going crazy. The leaves were huge and it just kept getting bigger. Since then we have added 5 more orchids, all of whom are doing great. Our most recent addition is an orphaned one from a family member who wasn't able to properly care for the flower. I hope it does as well as the others! I will post pics soon.
Friday, June 04, 2010
This past January we ditched Comcast and moved over to AT&T U-Verse. We had lots of problems with Comcast and were thrilled with our new service. For months things were great. Until very recently...
Recently we noticed that the AT&T U-Verse Scientific Atlanta cable box would not turn on. We would have to hold the power button down for 5 seconds to perform a soft reboot. After that we wouldn't have any more problems that day. But the next day we would most likely have to perform anther soft reboot.
This went on for a week or so and then one day our OnDemand content wouldn't start, or if it did, it would freeze up. This was right in the middle of us trying to catch up on True Blood. Grrrr. But we made it through somehow.
Looking online, I found that there are others with the same problem as us (no surpruise there). This link http://utalk.att.com/t5/Equipment/Am-I-another-victim-of-the-U-Verse-HDMI-problem/m-p/63157, among others, shows that the problem is sometimes related to the HDMI cable between the box and the TV. That would have never occured to me. I was under the impression that the problem was related to the gateway device, and not with the actual Scientific Atlanta device. Who knew? As a test, I removed the HDMI cable from the equation and am using the good old coaxial cable. So far, so good. Sometimes technology is just effed up.
Recently we noticed that the AT&T U-Verse Scientific Atlanta cable box would not turn on. We would have to hold the power button down for 5 seconds to perform a soft reboot. After that we wouldn't have any more problems that day. But the next day we would most likely have to perform anther soft reboot.
This went on for a week or so and then one day our OnDemand content wouldn't start, or if it did, it would freeze up. This was right in the middle of us trying to catch up on True Blood. Grrrr. But we made it through somehow.
Looking online, I found that there are others with the same problem as us (no surpruise there). This link http://utalk.att.com/t5/Equipment/Am-I-another-victim-of-the-U-Verse-HDMI-problem/m-p/63157, among others, shows that the problem is sometimes related to the HDMI cable between the box and the TV. That would have never occured to me. I was under the impression that the problem was related to the gateway device, and not with the actual Scientific Atlanta device. Who knew? As a test, I removed the HDMI cable from the equation and am using the good old coaxial cable. So far, so good. Sometimes technology is just effed up.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
True Blood - the missing season?
Recently we realized that we had missed an entire season of True Blood. We watched the first season last year (reruns) and loved it. Then it ended. And we moved on to another show. Last week we heard that season 3 was getting ready to premiere. We were super excited and one night while talking to a friend, we realized that we had missed an entire season. An ENTIRE season. WTF? Yeah, we're losers.
So, we spent a lot of time this weekend catching up on the missed season. Boy, we loved it! The last couple of episodes were a little cheesy, but it ended on a great note and definitely will keep us anxious for more! It's kind of like Mad Men, which we are dying to see when it starts up again this summer.
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