Archive for January 31, 2010

My review of the 3rd volume of Robert Caro’s magnum opus The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Master of the Senate, is available at Amazon.com here.

Whatever you might think of Johnson as a man or of his positions, he was a master legislator , a man who could not only get things done but could understand the ins and outs of HOW things got done. Times have changed but Men have not, so if you want to understand how laws become laws this book should be read.

Recipe: Ultimate Goop Stuff

Posted: January 31, 2010 by datechguy in hobbies, personal
Tags: ,

This is what I cooked for dinner tonight:

What you need:

  • Two Frying Pans
  • 1 Whole Pork Tenderloin
  • 1 Sirloin Tip
  • 1/2 of one Chicken Breast boneless
  • 1 Large Onion
  • 1 Green Pepper medium-large
  • 1 pkg McCormick Taco seasoning (mild/regular or hot per your taste) 1.25 oz.
  • Garlic Pepper
  • Onion powder
  • 10 oz Shredded Mexican and/or Mozzarella cheese
  • A 6 oz jar of your favorite brand of Salsa
  • 1 pkg soft Tortilla wraps medium (16 wraps)
  • One Tablespoon minced Garlic (fresh if possible bottled is ok)
  • Olive oil

Prep work:

  1. Heat both frying pans to medium heat add olive oil to coat each pan
  2. Slice Chicken Breast into strips 1/4″ width and 1 1/2-3 ” long
    Slice Pork Tenderloin into 1/2 inch disks and then half the disks.
    Slice Sirloin Tip in 1/2 cubes and then half the cubes
  3. Dice the Whole Onion and Pepper

Directions:

  1. Add Sliced Chicken to 1st Frying pan
  2. add onion powder, garlic pepper and 1/8 pkg McCormick Taco spice (.15 oz if you want to be exact)
  3. Pan Fry 10 min stirring regularly
  4. While Chicken is frying add Peppers and Onions  and Garlic to 2nd frying pan
  5. Add onion power, garlic pepper and 1/4 pkg of the remaining McCormick Taco Spice
  6. Pan fry on medium/medium low heat stirring frequently
  7. Add Pork to Chicken Mixture
  8. Repeat garlic pepper, onion power, McCormick per step 2
  9. pan fry additional 10 min stirring regularly
  10. Add Sirloin tips to meat mixture
  11. Repeat garlic pepper, onion power, McCormick per steps 2/8
  12. Pan fry 15 minutes mixing regularly
  13. Empty pan with Vegetable mixture into the pan with the cooking meat, Add Salsa
  14. Pan fry 10 min
  15. Add Cheese to the top of the Mixture
  16. Take now empty Frying pan and invert it over primary cooking pan until cheese melts into mixture (like goop)
  17. Microwave Soft Tortilla shells 1 min
  18. Remove pan and scoop mixture into Tortilla shells as desired

Serve with Rice Pilaf  Yield 16 servings

Variations:

Frozen Chicken strips can be substituted if this is the case then add the chicken to the mixture last.

If you have “fussy” eaters the veg and meat can be kept apart, prepare a small 3rd frypan and add enough meat and veggies to the pan to satisfy the non-fussy eaters and cook as above, simply skip the salsa & cheese steps and let the “fussy” eaters add their own cold to the mix

If you live anywhere near the Border Grille & Bar, or the Southside Grille & Margareta factory — Border specialty sauce may be substituted for Salsa if you like it hot.

I’ve never cared for Spanish Rice but if you prefer it you can use it instead of the Pilaf.

If you perfer a single meat then remove any of the meat(s) listed and adjust cooking times accordingly.

As you likely don’t know if you aren’t Catholic, (and you may not know if you are). There is a 3 year cycle that scripture reading at a Catholic Mass are on. Each year we do a different one of the synoptic Gospels, on the “Mark” years we mix in John (because Mark is so short) and John is also used on major feasts and heavily during Lent.

What this means is over a 3 year period we complete all of Paul’s letters, all of the Gospels and a good chunk of the rest of the New Testament and large chunks of the old.

Now as you know the big news around here is the Planned Parenthood stuff.

So what do you think happens to be the first reading today?

The word of the LORD came to me thus:
5
1 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

17
But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them;
18
For it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, A pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: Against Judah’s kings and princes, against its priests and people.
19
They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. Jeremiah 1:4,5,17-19

And of course this is only two days before the big city counsel meeting. So what does Father Bob do? Does he play it safe and go with the Bishop’s letter talking about Penance, or does he challenge the congregation as Christ does in today’s gospel?

Well if you’ve been reading about Fr. Bruso you know the answer.

Today’s sermon was a direct challenge to get involved, going over each argument and leaving Planned Parenthood’s arguments in the dust of logic. This big argument was the encouragement of the separation of the decision making process from the parent since teenagers are so good at making decisions without parents, but the ironic line was his final point, which went something like this:

Let’s assume that disagree with every argument I’ve already made. Think a sec, when your teens had regular prescriptions, have they taken their pills without be reminded by a parent? Why would anyone think they would be any more responsible with no parents helping them?

There is a reason why teenage pregnancy rates don’t drop when Planned Parenthood arrives.

He asked the congregation to call their city counselors and the Mayor’s office noting that both the Mayor and the president of the city counsel were supporters of Planned Parenthood move to Fitchburg.

What will the result be? We will find out in two days.

Dummy: Amazon Review

Posted: January 31, 2010 by datechguy in amazon reviews
Tags: , ,

My review of the Movie Dummy staring Adrien Brody and Milla Jovovich is available at Amazon.com here.

According to my wife one of the great joys of this movie was the ability to turn it off and the knowledge that it would be mailed away to NetFlix never to return.

I guess Brody and Jovovich won’t be kicking into the CPAC/I’ll do it myself tucker fund after that review.