Thursday, July 26
I’m trying something different for this post. While sharing what’s going on with Reggie, Roger, and me at our house in southern Arizona, I’ll post photos of the steps to make one of my favorite lunches:
Mexican Hot Pockets!
The best way to make hot pockets, in my opinion, is to slather a small amount of refried beans on a flour tortilla. Cover that up with chunks of Italian seasoned chicken sausage, prebrowned in olive oil. Then proceed as I show here.
Today I experiment using left-over rotisserie chicken instead of chicken sausage. Not as good as using chicken sausage because I believe the more seasoning the better!
Maybe you know how to season the chicken to make it more flavorful.
However, since I seem to have achieved the eminent position of Grand Poobah of Rotisserie Chicken, my photos show that variation of hot pocket.
A few notes before I move on to other topics:
Large tortilla required. Chunky salsa works best. Olive oil is good. I like to use one whole green chili, rather than the diced shown below. Use whatever cheese you happen to find in the fridge. I used Havrati here. Add or substitute other ingredients that you like.
This isn’t precision cooking.
Moving along . . .
Weedeater assembled and in operation!
Thanks to blogorinos who spoke up to remind me, I hooked up the charger to the battery the night before. In the morning I assembled my new toy without too much difficulty.
I do wish Black and Decker would improve their instruction booklet. Illustrative photos are too small and unclear, and, therefore, not very helpful. I rely more on common sense instead.
My new weedeater is BLACK+DECKER LST300 Lithium Trimmer and Edger.
(There’s another link to it in the Amazon orders list at the end of the post. Someone else bought one, too!)
My review based on one use:
First off, the Black and Decker battery-powered trimmer weighs a little over 7 pounds. That’s not heavy. What makes it seem heavy is the position in which one weed-eats.
Per the instructions, you hold the weed-eating part at least 24 inches away from your feet, with one hand on the end near your body and the other hand on the handle, part way down the shaft.
If you can’t picture that, don’t worry about it. My point is the position is uncommon for holding anything of much weight.
Think about it.
When you pick something up, do you hold it out in front of you with one arm and for an extended period of time, moving the object from side to side?
In other words, weedeating uses muscles that have been napping for a long time, probably since gym class in junior high.
It’s not the weed-eater’s fault if you wimp out after a few minutes on the job!
Which I did.
Rather than whine and quit, I’m assuming a different approach. My upper arm, shoulder, and clavicle muscles (I don’t know if there are such things as clavicle muscles. I wanted to use the word, clavicle.) — all these muscles need to get stronger.
Weed-eating is my new exercise routine for those muscles!
Are these photos making you hungry yet?
“I’m sorry, boys . . . .
It’s not done yet. Can you be good and wait a little longer?”
“Sure, RVSue! Save some chicken for us! Right, Rog?”
“Yeah, Reg. I love chicken. We’ll stand right here. You and me, we’re the hot pocket guards! Haha!”
My exercise regimen:
Five minutes weed-eating, a break, five minutes weed-eating, a break, ten minutes weed-eating, and quit for the day. I’m not in a hurry to give myself muscle strain.
To wrap this up: I like my new weed-eater! I completed both sides of most of the front yard fence, after raking aside the weeds and grass to make sure Horned Toad wasn’t hiding in there.
Update on the rainbarrel:
Ever get so annoyed with yourself you’d kick yourself in the bum if you could get your foot to go that way?
Previously I wrote on this blog that the rainbarrel would be delivered on Wednesday.
Well, I should’ve paid better attention.
It WILL be delivered on Wednesday, not THIS Wednesday, NEXT Wednesday, August 1st. I might have ordered somewhere else if I’d caught that.
This summer is an exercise in patience!
The way the roof job is dragging along, Mike the roofer most likely will still be coming to the house by the time the rainbarrel arrives. I’ll post about it after he installs it.
Ooh . . . I flipped that hot pocket at the perfect time! Crispy and golden brown on both sides, cheese melted on the inside.
Cut it in half and you have two hot pockets!
“Lunch is ready!”
“Oh, boy, RVSue! Can we have some of the cheese please with our chicken?”
“Well, I don’t see why not. A little bit on a piece of tortilla. Here ya’ go, Reggie.”
“And this one’s for you, Roger.”
Yesterday afternoon we didn’t get rain.
But it did rain around us.
After a day of temperatures topping 108 degrees, it’s a pleasure to sit on the porch and feel a cool breeze.
I watch gray clouds drifting with white. A black bird floats effortlessly on air. A shaft of sunlight forms a heavenly ladder through the clouds. A few moments and it’s gone.
Beautiful!
Clouds fade and purple washes the sky.
“Well, boys. I’m going inside for the night. You coming with me? . . .
. . . Oh, wow! A rainbow!”
rvsue
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First?
TODAY’S WINNER IS CYNTHIA! HER PRIZE? THE THRILL OF BEING FIRST! 🙂
I use YouTube when I have to assemble something. It is so helpful to have the visual.
Also, that visual of your hot pocket makes me hungry. It is supper time here.
I use YouTube, too. It’s so helpful. When I first tried the weedeater, it was cutting a ridge in the ground and I realized I had it set up for edging. I went inside, found a YouTube video, and saw how to change the trimmer part to cut weeds. A lot easier than trying to read small print and figure out tiny, blurry photos in the instruction booklet.
Great pix of the boys! They are so expressive! Makes me want to smother them in kisses.
Your hot pocket looks really good. I love simple eating like that. When I was single I ate a LOT of quesadillas, which are very similar. Lots of Cheerios nights, too. 🙂
Hi, Suzette,
For a single person it can be wasteful to keep a loaf of bread in the house and I didn’t like freezing it in my tiny fridge in the BLT. Tortillas can be bought 8 in a package and will last a fairly long time in the refrigerator. I don’t buy bread any more.
Thanks re the photos of my sweet boys.
It’s good to see Reggie and Roger looking so happy. Also, the picture of the rainbow is nice. It need not be a full arch for me to enjoy it. You hot pocket looks probably pretty good. My cooking skills approximate those of a third grader, but I could probably learn that.
Hello there, fellow third-grader! Yes, these are easy to make. I strongly recommend using chicken sausage (or beef or pork if you eat that) instead of plain rotisserie chicken. Aidell and Open Nature make good sausage without a lot of junk in it. I take the casings off because it grosses me out.
Thank you re the rainbow pic. It was taken from the front porch. I went into the back yard and the rainbow was a perfect arc over the house. I couldn’t get a shot of it without showing the house though.
Reggie and Roger are happy all the time, mainly because they have each other.
“Reggie and Roger are happy all the time, mainly because they have each other.” and most importantly, they’re happy because they have YOU!
Sweet of you to say that, Dawn. I really do think I’m secondary to their love for each other. That’s fine with me. One of the reasons I enjoy having two dogs is it changes the dynamic, giving the dogs a focus other than me all the time.
Boy, talk about puppy-dog eyes! Roger has it down pat, lol.
Doesn’t he though? The big, dewy eyes with the ears laid back, gets me every time.
Sounds like your roofers work on what is called island time. When they feel like it or there is not something else that is better or paying more. Same here in TorC, nobody is in a hurry to do anything.
Not a big fan of tortillas unless they are cooked completely like chimichangas or such. I always order fajitas and the like without and just eat them with a fork, much easier and less mess. There is a taco place here in Elephant Butte that does the tortillas extra crispy, they are excellent that way.
Don’t need a rain barrel if you got no rain. It will all come together in the end, just in time for your sister’s arrival.
Best to you and your pups
Hi, Alan,
Yeah, extra crispy tortillas are the best. I brown my burritos, quesadillas and hot pockets on med-high heat in olive oil up to the point of burning in order to make them crisp.
The roofers are up against the weather. If it isn’t raining, it’s too hot to work. I imagine when it’s 105-100 degrees on the ground, it’s 120 degrees or more up on the roof with black roofing material at your feet. Mike says if you try to work then, the soles of your feet burn right through your shoes. Can’t work when it’s raining and can’t work when it’s stopped raining and the roof is still wet. Plus if rain is expected, it’s foolhardy to put all the materials on the roof only to have a sudden downpour before the material has time to set. Tough time of year to get anything done. Believe me, Mike’s trying to earn a living and delays cut into that.
T or C is a neat town. Enjoy! Always good to hear from you, Alan.
OK, now I’ve gone back and read and drooled over the post!! Darn you, Sue! I skipped lunch because I had a late morning doctor’s appointment (sciatica I think) and then went to Costco, and then I came home and checked my email and what do I find? Hot pockets! But I have no tortillas or cooked chicken 🙁 However, since I bought a big box of Oreos (for the grandkids, of course!), I guess I’ll break those open! Love the photos of the boyz waiting for their bites – they look like they’re in Hot Pocket heaven!!!
Oreos? You mean those black cookies with the vanilla frosting in the middle? THOSE Oreos, Cynthia?
*sigh*
What I wouldn’t give for a fistful of Oreos right now. I have no sweets in the house. I try not to bring them home because I eat them up in a day. No kidding.
Hey, what’s this about sciatica? That’s not a good thing. I hope you aren’t in pain.
Oh no, now the Hot Pockets jingle is going through my head! Actually y0urs look fantastic! I think a loaf of organic bread (only buy it on sale) lasts me maybe 2 weeks. Sandwiches the first week, toast the second. When I make my own bread we go through that immediatly.
I don’t know how you do it, Susan. I buy bread when it isn’t on sale, hoping it’s super fresh, and it still turns blue in a week.
Oh yeah, years ago I made bread at home the old fashioned way… whole wheat and a recipe for “country white.” My husband and I would sit down with a block of butter and eat the whole dang loaf while still warm. No qualms. Just trowel on that butter and ride the chariot to bread heaven. The aroma alone packed on the pounds, but it was a divine experience.
I find the weed eater very tiring! I play the harp at assisted living places or at church a couple of times a week. I have to schedule the weed eating around both rain and harp gigs – playing harp with a tired arm is not pleasant for either you or your audience. I like to wait a day between weed eating and harping. But sometimes the rain makes that difficult!
Hi, Nancy,
It is tiring. I imagine playing the harp builds stamina in those muscles I rarely use. How good of you to share your talent!
Hi, Sue,
I must not be wise in the ways of the world because I never envisioned a rainbow in Arizona. I just think of it as dry. Thanks for educating me.
Also, the browned hot pocket looks scrumptious. I have a rotisserie chicken so, thanks for tomorrow’s lunch menu.
Hi, Joe,
The Southwestern desert can and does have beautiful rainbows as well as sunrises and sunsets. A rainbow is quite a sight when out in the desert with low, flat horizon. You get to see a full 180 degree arc.
If you make your hot pockets with chicken, toss on some taco seasoning like Renee from Idaho suggests or other spices you like. If you don’t have green chilies, chop regular peppers and onions, saute, and then pile them on. Salsa is what makes it really good. I hope you enjoy your lunch. 🙂
Joe,
The sunsets here are amazing…soft pastels..words can’t describe. RVSue’s photos capture the beauty.
Seeing it in person is similar to seeing the blue of a glacier…
On a clear day…while driving…Jules will say..wow look at these mountains…I thought the desert was flat and comprised of nothing. This is absolutely gorgeous!
Ha ha ha! I sure laughed at your wit in this post! Starting with the muscles that haven’t had a workout since gym class in junior high! I was instantly transported to my jr high gymnasium and there I was in a one piece, blue cotton snapfront, short legged, gym suit! Ugh!
The hot pockets are fabulous! I’ve never thought of that, but I’m sure going to try it. When I make chicken tacos using frozen cooked chicken strips, I season the chicken with taco seasoning. Turns out really good.
That one photo of the boys getting a treat looks like Roger hasn’t had his yet and he’s so sad! Not for long I’m sure.
Hi, Renee,
Oh, good heavens, jr. high gym class. Tell me, what was the point of running and swinging sideways over that horse thing with the handles on top? What a tool for humiliation that was. The only thing I liked about gym class was playing field hockey. I liked track, too, but girls weren’t allowed to use the track field if the boys wanted to use it. You can tell I still resent that. Ha! 🙁
What a great post Sue! A little of everything, a delicious hot pocket recipe, ( that I will copy for supper tomorrow, perfect timing coz tomorrow is my weekly market day), weather report, weed whacker review, and adorable pictures of Reggie and Roger.
We had temps very similar to yours here yesterday, 109 in my town, but today seems to be topping out at a much more reasonable 102ish!
Be careful with that weed thing. The body mechanics you describe are not very back friendly if you have to lean forward from the waist.
And, your “clavicle” muscles. Hysterical! It is a fun word! Probably your pectorals you are feeling tho. Also a fun word, I think!
And, I want to kick myself in the butt pretty much every day for one thing or another.. somebody should, it would do me a world of good! Enjoy your beautiful Arizona evening
Hi, Nancy,
It tickles me that you got a lot out of this post. For some reason it was a devil to put together.
About the weedeater… The instructions emphasize operating it with one arm extended straight. The photo shows how to stand straight, not leaning over or bending. But, man, does it pull on the top of the shoulders!
“Probably your pectorals you are feeling tho.” Pectorals? What are they? I haven’t seen any pectorals on this bod since the Jimmy Carter administration.
Hahaha! I bet that is not at all true, you are way too active
🙂
What a chuckle you gave me , I well remember the weed eater swing! Oh, my aching back! Don’t do that any more got a grass guy. Just a thought, my grass guy came yesterday and he has one of the big gas weed eaters. He wares a strap over his shoulder to help support the weight of the thing. I am sure it helps with the movement as well, he swings the weed eater and not so much himself. Anywho!
Another thought, you may have said this before but I didn’t get the memo, just used your Amazon link to place an order. I have Amazon Prime and the folks at Amazon said I will still get my reward points and my Prime free shipping when I go through your link! Cool Beans! You’ll be seeing a lot more from me (don’t judge)🤪.
Love recipes keep them coming!
Thanks, Harriet! That’s great news about Amazon Prime for both of us! I do appreciate your orders. You know, if it weren’t for Amazon sales, this house wouldn’t be possible for us. Really. I love RVSue shoppers!
Oh, I can’t judge anyone by their purchases because my reports only list info about items ordered and nothing about who placed the order. So anyone too embarrassed to buy something in a real store, you can shop anonymously through my blog. 🙂
I’m not much of a cook. I like to dump stuff rather than measure. I dump stuff on a griddle in the winter and into a smoothie maker in summer. I do like making tortilla creations in my little cast iron skillet these days. They brown quickly so the gas burner isn’t on long.
Not about what I order more about the frequency. Can’t get to brick and mortar store since my accident, just can’t get around like I use to anymore. I just love me some Amazon!
Gee, Harriet, I’m sorry you’re mobility isn’t what it once was.
Online shopping and delivery is a blessing. I love it when the Fed Ex or UPS truck pulls up and a box is placed on my porch. The “surprise” of “Oh, my stuff is here!”
When we camped in Caliente, NV which has no big stores — those are about an hour’s drive away in Cedar City, UT — I talked with a resident. She told me how people manage. One thing is ordering food from Amazon. I hadn’t thought much about that service until then. I notice food products in my orders report, mostly stuff for specific diets like gluten-free or natural/organic or hard-to-find gourmet items, spices and oils.
Thanks again, Harriet.
Hi Sue, Loved your post! I can’t relate, but “weed-eat” on! 🙂
We lost Cell service for a day or so, but we’ve been traveling West, along 16, and have made it to the Tetons. We’ve got a few boondocks I’ll tell you about later, and we also camped at Newton Creek along 16, that you mentioned, after cruising through several others along that route first. We landed in site 13, at Newton Creek, and it was huge! It was a pie shaped site going down to an elevated river bank, and it was gorgeous. 7.50 with pass, and the only facilities were (spotless) pit toilets, and a pump for spring fed water. We had total privacy, and the CG was very quiet with only a handful of other campers, fairly spread out. All the other CGs were pretty crowded along that stretch of road. NO cell service at all through there, just FYI. And “hard sided campers” only; no tents or pop-ups due to past bear activity. We absolutely loved it.
Today we are boondocked outside of Teton NP, to the East a bit. It’s in the open, close to a small road, but our view is killer- over-looking the river valley below.
Trials and tribulations for us as we go, but we are taking it all in stride. Example? Kitty escaped his harness and ran out of our control for a minute stopping both our hearts. He’s not an outdoor cat and gets spooked easily. All’s well that ends well, right? 🙂
We’ll keep you posted! Hugs, Suzi, Larry, and naughty kitty.
Hi, Suzi and Larry,
Naughty Kitty must have given you an awful fright! Glad it turned out well…
Wow! You found a boondock outside Teton NP! I’m impressed. I’m also happy for both of you. You seem to be naturals at living on the road, the way you appreciate discoveries, the beauty of camps, the serendipity of travel, and your adaptability and acceptance of “trials and tribulations … as we go, but we are taking it all in stride.”
Thanks for another review. Fantastic! Hugs to you both, and a cuddle for kitty.
That really looks tasty. Taking pictures of food is not easy. Plus it looks like you have the perfect dinnerware for your dish.
Hi, Rhodium,
I like that plate with the Mexican/Southwestern colors. It’s a cheapie from WalMart. I have a bunch of Corelle, some dating back to 1975 and still good as new. But I’m tired of it and want to switch the BLT’s kitchen over to lightweight dishes. Whenever I see a pretty and lightweight dish or bowl, I buy it. I have a couple of “Mexican” bowls, too.
You’re right about the difficulty in taking good pics of food. The color has to be perfect or the food looks nasty. One close-up photo came out great with the salsa, chilies and chicken oozing out, but the darn white melted cheese looked like pus! I should’ve used cheddar for the optics! 🙂
Between the yummy food pictures and Reggie licking his lips, my mouth is watering for a home made hot pocket! I will try it this weekend! Great post!
Thanks, Laurie! Good luck with your hot pocket. I hope you let us know how it comes out and if you make any variations.
Woman…..you are cray cray! You had me chuckling….. the position in which one weed eats! By the time I got to the muscles that have been napping since gym class in jr high..i about lost it..full out laughing!
If you google your brand and model number..one can usually find instructions on a YouTube video. I told you they are cumbersome…try holding the handle against your hip and then swing your arms and swivel your hip. Your arms won’t get tired.
Your hot pockets…does that mean the grill is finally out…look yummy. Load up on peppers….whhhooooeee!
The boys are silly. Love their expressions.
The rain barrel delivery date…..whoops! Are you using the barrel as a catchment to water your garden? If so what are your plans to retrieve the water once it’s in the barrel?
Thinking ahead…standing water equals mosquitos…mosquitos can transmit heartworms…maybe ask the no name neighbor what he does.
Stay cool!
Hi, Cinandjules,
I’m a little leery of the hip swivel method. I’ll give it a try, give the neighbors something to laugh at.
I’m not going to have mosquitoes in my rain barrel. It will be emptied frequently or it will get treated. If skeeters were a problem, people wouldn’t have rain barrels, right? Good idea though to ask No Name Neighbor about his barrel and how he manages it.
Probably the first rainbarrel will be for a short hose to water nearby raised beds and for filling a watering can. If we like having the rain barrel we might add another one at the other downspout (We have a total of two downspouts.). You can put rainbarrels in tandem but I don’t want to do that for certain aesthetic reasons.
I wasn’t brave enough to purchase two barrels without knowing if I’d like the kind I chose. Who knew there are a million styles of rain barrels! We may eventually add a drip irrigation hose placed under mulch. Keeping it basic for now.
No, the griddle isn’t out. Too hot outside! I use my cast iron skillet on the gas stove inside the house where it’s cool. I agree. One can never have too many peppers.
The barrel should be designed with a seal so no insects can get in. Also I doubt it will have any water in it long enough for an larvae to hatch
The downspout goes to a screened opening. I read somewhere that it takes 10 days before the larvae hatch.
It’s not really swinging your hips but turning your body with the whacker resting against your hip!
Perhaps I’m not quite explaining it right.
We will just have to wait for a post on the barrels. I’ve never seen barrels for water, other than the SHTF prepper stuff…folks up in the ADKs use them under their swimming/firework platforms…
Hah. Gosh…ya might be able to grill that hot pocket right on the cement. These rocks and patio floor are blazing!
Hi Sue,
I know what you mean about weed eating. When I had the farm job with 21 horses to take care of I was in the best shape of my life…..and weed eating still kicked my butt! You’re smart to do a little at a time and build up your muscles. I had that talk with myself the other day. Because I like to ‘just get it done”, I was about to go a little too far. “MB, you can be smart, stop for the day and not hurt tomorrow……orrrrrr……”.
Whenever I see pictures of Roger…..I think how fortunate it was for him that you came back through that day. From stray….to inside dog but alone much of the day…..to a part of the family with you and Reg…..a home in AZ and hot pockets for lunch! 🙂
I know you’re excited for your sister to come!
Take care and have a wonderful day!
MB
Thank you, MB. I hope your day is unfolding in wonderful ways for you.
What my photos don’t reveal about Roger is his gratitude. He still comes to me with thanks after a meal or snack. Lately, since I’ve been watching movies in the afternoons, he hops into my lap while I’m pushed back in the lounger. Sometimes I’m so engaged with the movie that I don’t notice. Then I look down and here he is, stretched across my lap asleep.
I understand. Mine are rescues too. Funny….even more than food….my Wyndy (hound/Golden) appreciates clean sheets on her bed. Kinda like me! 🙂
The hot pocket is making me hungry! I’m going to have to go find a snack after this. That golden tortilla just tempts me.
Well I have had both my eyes done. It was a rough, painful experience for me. Super painful. If I had another eye I wouldn’t fix it; it was that bad. My neighbor had her done at the same place and same doctor I used and said she had no pain at all. I’m just lucky I guess. But I think I may not need glasses after. Hard to tell now as I still have blur from swelling.
On August 7 I will have a lung test and hopefully get off oxygen again! Then maybe I’ll travel a bit for a few weeks.
So that’s my news! Now off to make my snack!
Hi DG! I am so sorry about the painful eye operations. I hope that it was worth it when you get your full eyesight back! Also, I’m crossing my fingers that you are able to get off of the oxygen. Thanks for letting us know how things are going!
Hi, Ginger!
I’m surprised and disappointed that your eye surgery gave you extreme pain. I’ve heard how people say it was so easy they wished they had it done years ago. I hope you get relief soon and the reward of excellent vision, too!
Hey DeGin,
Yowzers sorry to hear your procedure was so painful. Thank god you don’t have a third eye! 😉 Best wishes on your lung test…You always prevail! Hang in there…great to hear from you again! How is Chloe?
Hi DG, Sorry your cataract surgery didn’t go as most folks.
DH needs to have his done too. I am going to schedule him for the fall. Hope his goes well as he has more than enough issues to deal with.
Praying your lung test goes well so you can get some travel in.
Chloe is hanging in. I have to be pretty vigilant about her regularity or she starts to slow down and not eat well, but beyond that she does pretty good. Thanks for asking! How are you guy? Are you ok with the stifling heat?
My doc keeps saying I am an anomaly. But I have another neighbor who had so much pain with her first eye she refused to get the second one done. In both my eyes I had abrasions or irritated areas after. No one knows why. On the second eye it hurt so bad, even after putting a contact lens bandage on, that I went to emergency and they gave me a shot of morphine which finally helped me get to sleep. After that first night it was much better.
But I do think my vision is going to be much better; it’s already better and I still have swelling. So it was worth it. My big problem right now is getting myself to do an exercise program. I couldn’t do much for so long because of my breathing, and now I’m so out of shape that even mild exercise feels exhausting. Somehow I have to break through that initial inertia and get more active. Anyone have any good tips?
Desert Ginger,if you have an A/C unit in the room you do your exercises in that may help as it makes breathing easier which may give you more energy. Give it a try and see how it goes. Start small time wise, increase as you get more endurance. Good Luck.
Sometimes a reward helps motivate me to at least begin stuff I don’t feel like doing, Ginger. Just an idea I had while thinking about that inertia- Perhaps you could lock something in your car that you’ll want in the morning (can of coffee, laptop, tv remote or ?). Wake up, get dressed, go outside, briskly walk back and forth a few times in your yard before getting the item you want. Maybe doing only that and being ready to go out would be enough to make you willing to be a bit more active that day.
Good Morning! I just went back and read your reply to my “woe is me post”! I could NEVER be mad at you RVSue!!! I read EVERY post faithfully. I was happy to see that you and your sister will be sharing a home. What fun!!! I love reading about all your improvements. It is such fun setting up a new home….just like it was setting up my RV when I went on the road. I MISS BEING ON THE ROAD but my Granddaughters are way more important then being on the road. Love those little cuties!!
Good morning, Krystina! I’m happy to know you’re still a faithful reader. You are absolutely correct — Your granddaughters are more important. It would be a shame to miss out on these tender years with them.
Hi Sue- you hot pocket looks delish!
Sometimes I like to make something similar, with an egg. I use a smaller flour tortilla. Then scramble an egg with salsa mixed in it. Then top with shredded cheese and fold up the tortilla. It can then be toasted like yours. Makes a yummy breakfast!
Your rainbow picture is nice. What are those “spiky” trees called?
Hi, Becky,
Breakfast burritos…
Simple and good! The spiky trees are Italian cypress. If you recall photos of villas in Italy (or if you’ve been to Italy), you’ll remember seeing the tall, columnar cypress trees. They make excellent nesting places for birds. When you pull the branches apart and peek in to the trunk, it’s a whole ‘nother world. A curved bill thrasher nests in our one Italian cypress. Oh, I listed our trees somewhere and forgot to include the cypress!
The house across the street has something like 22 Italian cypress. I enjoy watching their tops bend in the wind (along with the fluttering of the flag) and seeing the numerous birds flying to and fro. Another porch activity, ha! To tell the truth, I think we bought the house for the porch. 🙂
Italian cypress- now that you said that, I do recall seeing pictures of them. Very pretty! Must be a rough ride for the birds when the winds blow them around!
Did you ever read the book “Under the Tuscan Sun”? Now that you are in your new home project, you might enjoy it-it is a wonderful book.
No, I haven’t read that one. Thanks for the tip.
Okay, I’ve got to know which direction your porch faces, North?
Just got back from camping with the grand kids and parents at Knoll Lake. Son in Law got 6 fish and granddaughter 4 years old caught her first fish, was she proud. Great time but we are bushed!
The children will remember that camping trip all their lives. I’m glad you had a great time, Gloria.
For readers across the nation, Canada and elsewhere, Knoll Lake is a high elevation lake on the Mogollon Rim about 40 miles northeast of Payson in eastern Arizona.
Boy, your hot pocket was perfectly browned and crisped. I like tortillas done that way, too. If you ever make more with rotisserie chicken you could try sprinkling chili powder on it while heating it in the olive oil. That’s the main spice used in taco seasoning mixes and adds a lot of flavor. Reggie and Roger are just adorable! I guess you would have to set aside some chicken for them before using the chili powder.
You are smart to take breaks in between using the weed trimmer. We really don’t use those muscles in most other activities. I don’t like much of anything about using a weed trimmer, except that it gets the work done so quickly when compared with doing it all with clippers or scissors. It’s nice that yours only weighs seven pounds. The one we had was heftier and even “less fun” to use.
What a great photo of the rainbow, I love the purple sky! There really is nothing like an Arizona sunset. Yikes, 108 degrees! I’ll be glad when your temps go down. I know you find ways to work around it and stay comfy, still, it must feel weird for you to be confined by being inside so much. Yesterday a friend and I spent some together at a park on this lake . It was only 85 0ut here and if we hadn’t had the shade of a tree to sit beneath we would have gone inside somewhere for the afternoon.
Good idea about the chili powder! I bought a spice mixture out of the Hispanic section of the grocery store, thinking it would be handy to add pizzazz to dishes. I found it too salty and threw it away. Yes, when I make hot pockets I set aside a few chunks of chicken or sausage for them. I don’t know what will happen when Marg is here. She’s been brought up with discipline and my boys are going to teach her all sorts of “bad” habits.
Being confined due to the heat isn’t bad. The movies help and the painting projects. Also our patio is very large and it is covered and enclosed with lattice. That area is substantially cooler which extends the time in the morning that I can be outside, puttering around. I unloaded the PTV and a bunch of stuff from the BLT which I’ve been sorting, organizing, getting rid of, cleaning the desert dust out of my equipment, etc. Lots to do in preparation for Nancy and Marg. I figure there will be enough to arrange and organize when the truck is unloaded; we don’t need a lot of my stuff lying about.
It sounds like you have really good friends, the kind you can go to the park with. I’m glad you have that and also the shade of a tree for your comfort. Isn’t it wonderful how our world is designed with such loving care and thoughtfulness?
So if you have a Safeway, pick up some Williams chili seasoning. It doesn’t have any fillers or thickeners, just spices. And I think it’s yummy good.
Hey! Wasn’t this a different title?
Very observant, Renee. Yes, the other title had the word “recipe” in it. Traffic to my blog was very slow in the first hours after I published. I guessed that word might be turning a lot of people away, so I changed it.
Those hot pockets do look amazing! I was laughing during one of your comments about how hard it is to photograph your food. I have a friend who does that for a living. The stories she tells! I don’t think photographing my food would be too appetizing, a bowl of cereal here, a power bar there! You make me want to actually cook, which is a good thing. Secretly I would like to become a vegetarian, but I like meat sooo much and vegetables, meh! So, I was looking around for some more vegetarian receipes that I could add to my monthly routines. Found a really simple and interesting one for vegetarian goulash. So, I plan on trying that in the next few weeks. They make it with polenta on the side. I’m not sure how to cook polenta. Oh well, I’ll give you an update when I finally make it! Beautiful picture of the rainbow!
Blogorinos: Any tips for Dawn on cooking polenta?
Hi Dawn,
I love polenta and I buy it already cooked and in a tube. It’s in the pasta section of the grocery store. (Doesn’t need to be refrigerated until after you open it.)
You can slice it and gently warm it in a low-medium pan with a bit of olive oil. Delicious topped with anything from pasta sauce & cheese to poached egg in the morning.
Not carb-free, but gluten free for those who are watching that.
What is a polenta? 😳
Hi Dawn, I grew up with an Italian grandmother, and polenta was as common to us as pasta. She would buy cornmeal – most grocery stores have it, although I think it is ground finer nowadays than it used to be.
Just cook according to package directions, subsituting olive oil for the butter, if you prefer. After it’s done cooking, stir in some parmesean cheese (optional), and then you could either pour it directly into a bowl to top with your sauce or stew, or pour it onto a cookie sheet and let it cool, then it would be sliced, and used as a base the same as it’s thick liquid form, or put in a pan with some olive oil and fried up.
Enjoy!
Thanks Applegirl!
I’ve been enjoying a summer of much less computer time, although I do miss everyone here. I’ve gone back to read the posts and the comments.
So… hello everyone!
I’ve been very busy baking for a local farm stand, painting some of the rooms in my house, and, of course running my full time business, which is very busy. I like activity. Heading up to the Adirondacks again this weekend. Swimming, hiking and campfireing!
I feel like I sit around all winter, so I take full advantage of the summertime! Hope everyone else is doing the same, and staying cool.
Hi, Applegirl! Make fun while the sun shines! 🙂
Your hot pocket looks much better than the awful frozen options!
Your description of using the weedeater is so accurate, and had me laughing out loud!!
I agree that your hot pocket look a lot better that the frozen ones. DH loves those things,
but he can’t have that stuff any more, thank goodness.
I usually cut up strips of whatever leftover meat I have add taco spices and salsa with peppers & onions and pepper jack cheese stuffed in a large tortilla and put in skillet for crispy or the microwave if I just want it warm & in a hurry.
I can relate to those pitiful begging photos. Angel sits at my feet while cooking and eating with that look. Since she is putting on weight, I keep a little container of her food on my table and give her a couple of nibbles of that instead of my food. Not to say she gets no human food, just less of it. She loves cheese including any cheesy products like Cheez-it/doodles etc.
Need to get dinner going, getting really hungry.
Hi Sue, I had a thought… How about making a cross body strap for the weed eater?
Clavicle muscles! LOL!! That really got me … clavicle muscles. ha! Ok, still chuckling. Who knows, maybe there are such things but I love how you did that. 🙂
My son at 15 got a job at one of the lodges on the river.. discovered he didn’t have muscle enough to throw a canoe so they handed him a heavy gas powered weed eater. He developed the muscle. He spent 8 hr days swinging that dude, 6 days a week. Believe me the next yr he could throw a canoe. Lol.
As for polenta , I think us southerners call that grits.
😆😂
I worked for Friendly’s for years and they had the most delicious chicken in the Quesadillas. I don’t know what the seasoning was but it wasn’t spicy, just good. I’ve seen Quesadilla seasoning in the “international” isle in the grocery store. I think it’s a liquid type marinade.
Sue, if no one else has mentioned this, you might fix up some kind of strap that can attach to the handle and go over the shoulder of the ‘less busy’ arm.
My weedeater came with a strap that snaps on near that handle and it takes quite a load off. You might test with a soft bathrobe belt or something and see what you can come up with.
Hi, Moe,
Thanks for the suggestion! I’m considering it.
Back for another visit. Could get enough of the cute pup pics.
Also was trying to remember if you had been to Convict Lake? It is off 395 on the other side of the highway from Crowley Lake, Nevada. I had a scenery photo on my computer this afternoon and it looks really beautiful. Maybe you would want to go there sometime.
Thanks for the suggestion, Barbara. If my memory is working correctly, Convict Lake is in the area of our boondock at Glass Creek. Pretty views abound around there!
For a change of pace try Louisiana Creole or Cajun spice mix, it ain’t mexican but is very tasty. And they aren’t the same Cajun is a little hotter I believe.
I’m glad I popped on your site today. This has to be one of my favorite of your posts.
I have a philosophy that I can put anything and everything on a tortilla and it will be good! Plus that photos of the pups at the bottom licking their chops. Yep, anything on a tortilla is good!