Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Oh Look a Gift Shop


A man walked into a gift shop that sold religious items. 

Near the cash register he saw a display of caps with "WWJD" printed on all of them. He was puzzled over what the letters could mean, but couldn't figure it out, so he asked the clerk. 

The clerk replied that the letters stood for "What Would Jesus Do," and was meant to inspire people to not make rash decisions, but rather to imagine what Jesus would do in the same situation. 

The man thought a moment and then replied, "Well, I'm sure Jesus wouldn't pay $19.95 for one of these caps."


My kids were getting sick of me because every time we get off a ride in the wonderful craziness of Orlando  I say "oh look a gift shop" it is amazing how much money these theme parks make, but it's a little out of control. An average of about $20.00 day for parking, unless you are staying on property, park food for a family of 5 is about $50.00, and that's without any beverages, lets not forget snacks during the day, and they all want the snacks, because they smell so darn good!
 At the very least if they are going to rob you blind at the gift store, a bottle of water should free. That's not asking much is it? I cannot fathom spending almost $4.00 for a bottle of water, that's just not right. O sure you can drink the water from the water fountain, if you want to gag.

Here's a tip freeze some water bottles that are 1/2 full fill them up in the morning and take them with you.

I think everyone gets into the theme park spirit, my favorite is watching people spend $20-40 on a hat that they will NEVER wear when they return home, I myself have purchased many a Disney hat, but to my defense they were Christmas hats and you can pretty much ask anyone who knows me, and they have seen me wear them. I even used to wear them to work the week of Christmas, before they turned into the house of Grinch.

Kudos to my children for not asking for something from every gift store they went into, this trip they were all given spending money, and were told when it's gone it's gone. It's amazing how little they actually want when it's their money. Their big souvenir this year was engraved dog tags from the various rides, pretty cool, not too big, they can war them or hang them on their back packs...but still a rip off $10.00 each, but better than a plastic doo-hickey that will break in 3.2 seconds.

The only thing that Brian wanted was a sundae from Ghiradelli, used to be tradition for us to stop at Downtown Disney the day before we left do a little shopping and finish off the night at Ghiradelli for sundaes, but this week it didn't look like it was going to happen, you see there was this stomach bug that made it's was around and we lost a day of fun because we were sick, but that's another story. 
We did make it to Downtown Disney and Brian got his sundae, and had a great big smile on his face...it's amazing what ice cream can do.

Even though we spent plenty of money, it will not stop us from going again, except next time I think we will be on the Disney Cruise, that way we can relax.




I know this In My Life... the memories you make are worth more than what you can buy in a gift shop

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Oh My Aching Feet

The last time I went to Orlando I had so much fun I was sore for three days. So here I go again...

     I sit on rear for 12 hours a day, now that I am on vacation I have  converted to walking for 12 hours a day, my feet are not happy!!!  I don't mind walking, in fact I have done the Avon walk for breast cancer, so I can walk, but for some reason, my old ankle injury decided to make an appearance, and there is a new pain in the arch of my foot, both on different feet so by the end of the day I was walking like a dying penguin, but like Gloria  Gaynor says...I will survive!

    Amusement parks are mis-named. They should be called "Wait In Line" parks. Now if you have been to Universal Studios lately they have a fast pass system like Disney World......except for 1 thing, if you are staying on park property it is free, if you are not it is $63.00 per person regardless of age?!?! Thank you very much, I will wait. I have dumped enough money into the park between snacks and crappy food, that I will wait in line. That being said, I understand why they do it, great convenience if you are staying on property.

     I love amusement parks. It's the only place you can lose your kids and make it look like an accident. Haven't lost one yet though...thought about it, but still have all 3. We thought about going to the child swap and trading ours in for something a little different, maybe even a girl but they told us the child swap was to wait to swap out your own children...that's no fun.

     The water rides are another form of entertainment for me. On a hot day it's fun to walk around and try to figure out which folks got splashed and which ones just buy cheap anti-perspirant.

     What adults like most about roller coasters is being able to sit down after standing in line for two hours. Amen to that, enough said!

     The key to having fun at an amusement park is to place bets on whether the kids will get sick on the rides or on the food. I think my children have consumed, 46 Churros, 25 cups of Dippin-Dots, cotton candy, and a chocolate covered rice crispy treat, oh did I mention the chocolate fountain at dinner last night? The children are not the only ones that indulge either, the only difference is ,most adults know when to stop. I had my first Butter Beer yesterday at the Harry Potter ride. What is it? the easiest explanation is it is like cream soda with a butterscotch whipped topping. It was really good, and would have been better if the butterscotch was butterscotch schnapps. Today I hope to have a Dole Whip at the Magic Kingdom, that is my indulgence, I am done with the sweets, and the crap food.

Today with swollen feet, an achy back, and a bit of a sunburn, I am ready for the next adventure....should be warm enough to smell that smell of cheap cologne, horrible perfume and stinky sweat....bring it on!!


 I know this...In My Life my feet may swell two sizes bigger, and my back may hurt, but I will still enjoy seeing the smiles on my children's faces.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

2 Adults, 3 Children 1 Minivan


I love to travel, who doesn't

I have been very lucky to have been able to travel to many places, both in the United States, and in other countries.

In 1992 Michael and I traveled by car across this beautiful country, we swore we would do it again but didn't until 2009, only 1 thing was different, we now had 3 boys and none of them wanted to go. After all who wants to spend 2 weeks basically living out of a mini van. 


Wall Drug S Dakota

The famous Jackalope

Crazy Horse Monument
Mount Rushmore
Little Bighorn

The Badlands


Yellowstone
Morning Glory Pool

Old Faithful
Beautiful Bison
Yellowstone River


Somewhere in Wyoming


A Christmas Story House Cleveland OH








Fragile, it must be Italian




It turned out to be 1 of the craziest and best vacations we have ever taken, my boys were able to see places that many children never experience, and learned about this wonderful country we live in to boot. I remember Brian telling a friend of his he went to Yellowstone National Park, and his friend had never heard of it. How crazy is that?!?

Now getting ready for a road trip for any mother, usually means several glasses of wine before. Why do I say this? Well, I will start with packing, not only do we have to pack for us, we have to pack for everyone else, including our husbands. So what does that mean? It means I ALWAYS forget something of mine. One of our last trips it was socks. I have forgotten under ware, pj's, t-shirts, you name it, I have forgotten it. I tried to develop different plans for packing, but most don't work, so I've given up. I will just buy what I need when I get there.

Next would be the car, since I am the mother and taxi, I have the mini van, and before the road trip begins it needs to be cleaned out from the last road trip which means, all the junk under the seats, melted candy and stickers on the window need to be removed, just to make room for more.

Let's talk entertainment. As every good mother knows more than 1 child in the car means fighting...stop touching me....don't look at me....I hate you...just to name a few. If you don't have a portable DVD player in your car you are doomed!! The boys are pretty good and each get to pick movies and take turns watching them.

Food. Unless you have an unlimited supply of cash, and are in no rush to get where you are going, pack snacks, or else at every stop they will want something. Everything from healthy to candy, both for children and adults.

I have often thought about going to Lowes, or Home Depot to purchase a piece of plexi glass to use as a divider between the front seat and the back seat, because by the time we hit 1000 miles I don't care if he stole your snack, he looked at me funny, I can't find my Ipod, or I need batteries. Which brings me to why sometimes we leave at night.....sleeping children.

As we prepare for our next adventure, I can only hope the weather is good, the children are prefect, and ALL the clothes are packed. If not there will be a bottle of wine waiting for me when I get there. (hint hint)





I know this...In My Life there are many potholes in the road, but that won't stop me from enjoying the ride!!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Think About It



I've been sticking to this blogging thing and happy that I have been doing it, but I sometimes have a million things I want to talk about and sometimes my mind is totally blank. I intended on writing about traveling today but my brain said NOPE!!

So there I was thinking, and sometimes, well most times this gets me in trouble, but I have come up with a list of things that don't make any sense to me and maybe we should just think about it......

Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?

Why do we wash towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?


Why do tug boats push their barges?

If a word is misspelled in the dictionary how would we ever know?

Why is the third hand on a watch called the second hand?

Why do fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?

Why is it called after dark when it's really after light?

Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Why do overlook and oversee mean the opposite?

Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Why is phonics not spelled the way it sounds?

If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?

How come the word abbreviated is such a long word?

Why do we sing Take me out to the ball game, when we are already there?


Why are they called stands when they are made for sitting?

Why are Softballs hard?

Why is a bra singular and panties plural?

If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?

How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn't grow in it?

Do Chinese people get English sayings tattooed on their bodies?

How far east can you go before you're heading west?

Why are women and men's shoe sizes different?

If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?

Why does mineral water that has "trickled through mountains for centuries" go out of date next year?

If Milli Vanilli fell in the woods, would someone else make a sound ?



And with that last one, I have to end this.....I could go on and on.....this is what happens when you work the night shift.








I know this...In My Life I am constantly on the go, and sometimes my brain needs to vent a little, and it's good to listen to your brain once in a while










Friday, February 10, 2012

Is It Wrong To Put Hot Sauce On Popcorn?


After all the commercial says "I put that ?!@$ on everything" why not popcorn? I just need to get a mister so the hot sauce doesn't clump on 1 kernel.

Ketchup sandwiches. Peanut butter and Bologna. Scrambled eggs and grape jelly...We all have weird cravings and our favorite odd food combinations that we think are absolutely delicious but sound gross to other people,  I am a firm believer that you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

Elvis enjoyed peanut butter, banana, and bacon sandwiches. When I was in high school we often munched on pickles wrapped in American cheese, yum! I still on occasion will have that for a snack.

I asked Michael what food combination he enjoyed, but may be a little odd...his reply, fried clams and a chocolate frappe, I guess the frappe helps ease the grease from the fried clams??? At lease he's not dipping the clams in the frappe.
Speaking of dipping......

On occasion I enjoy getting a McDonald's chocolate shake and a large order of fries and dipping the fries in the chocolate shake, something about the sweetness of the shake and the salty fries that makes this sooooo good. I am not sure why it needs to be a McDonald's shake, but don't crave it unless it is.

Which weird foods do you eat that other people find utterly revolting?
Embarrassed to admit your favorite odd food combination? C'mon, it's cathartic!

I did some web surfing to see what other weird food combinations were out there, and which ones I may be willing to try...here's what I found

Mashed potatoes and noodles with gravy. -I guess you could call this poor man perogies??

Gravy and biscuits with grape jelly.-This one doesn't appeal to me at all

Peanut butter and mayo sandwiches.- No thanks

Chocolate cake with pinto beans.- I make black bean brownies that are pretty good so I guess this is close?!?

Hollowed-out pickles filled with ranch dressing and cheese. - I could do this no problem

Garlic bread topped with peanut butter and spaghetti. Maybe a good hangover breakfast?

Peanut butter and cucumber sandwiches.

Eggs with Spam and white rice.- I don't think this is an odd combination, but I don't like Spam so I won't be trying this

Doritos dipped in cream cheese. Now this sounds good!

Popcorn and mustard.

Pancakes and ketchup.- Nope, not for me

Frito's and caramel sauce.- not so sure about this either, but I would be willing to give it a try....for the sake of science that is

Peanut butter and Cool Ranch Doritos sandwiches.

Peanut butter and ham sandwiches.

Uncooked pasta dipped in peanut butter.

Cream cheese with jam on toast. - I do this all the time

Chocolate chip cookies with cottage cheese.

Pickles and peanut butter.

If you have the chance to travel to another country, their food customs may make us cringe and vice versa. I know that in Italy they think peanut butter is disgusting, but wouldn't think twice about eating cows tongue. 

How about Haggis...no thanks!

Don't forget about traveling out West and having some Rocky Mountain Oysters, but yet here on the East coast we love to take a clam clean it up, and dip it in some melted butter.

If anyone has tried these combinations, or something new I would love to know about it, it's all about broadening my horizons.








I know this...In My Life I may try something new once in a while, but there is nothing wrong with sticking to the good ole favorites, thank you peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Valentine's Day


So I was thinking about Valentine's Day, and before I go any further those of you who are planning on taking your significant other out to dinner, make a reservation soon, the good restaurants are filling up.

I will not be partaking in the Valentine's Day festivities this year, not because I don't want to spend an evening out with my wonderful husband, but because we have children, and our youngest, Matthew has a basketball game, and we wouldn't miss it, and Nick and Matt we have a Boy Scout Pack meeting that night as well.

How did this whole tradition start? 
And why is it such a big deal for some? 
I love getting flowers and roses are one of my favorites, next to daffodils, but I think in would rather get them just because....not just because it's Valentine's Day. (hint hint)

There are different opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries (I will get to the love lotteries). Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honor St. Valentine.

The History of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

Juno, or as the Greeks called her Hera
The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing (or love lotteries). On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.


Emperor Claudius II
Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honor of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.


The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feast. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

On a side note Esther Howland was the woman credited for the Valentines Day greeting card and she is from Worcester Mass, but as you can see in her picture below, she doesn't look too happy, maybe she never got her Valentine?

Now that I have bored you to death, I am going to bore you some more. Michael and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day together 21 years ago and he was definitely out to impress, he showed up at my doorstep with a dozen roses, a half dozen balloons, a stuffed teddy bear, and a 3lb box of chocolate.....and took me out to dinner. I think he covered everything, especially the 10 lbs I gained eating the chocolate, not to mention the diabetic coma. While we were dating he made every Valentine's day special, but now that we are married and have 3 boys, I really don't mind being at my sons basketball game, or Scouting event. I never ask for gifts or flowers, but the only thing I ask for is a card, and there is a catch.....he has to write something in it, and sometimes I think that's harder than buying me a gift.

Like I said before I would rather get flowers just because than get them because you feel you have to on Valentine's Day.


I know this...In My Life time spent with the 4 men in my life makes it Valentine's Day every day!!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Are You Ready?

To have kids?....bet you thought I was going to say for some football.....it being Superbowl Sunday and having the New England Patriots playing in Superbowl XLVI. I am not going to talk about football, there is enough about that everywhere else you look, including my house.

I was thinking about kids...when your 16, you take a test to get you driving permit, when your 16 1/2 you take a test to get your license, then if you're lucky enough (ha ha) you get to take a test for a job that you're not sure you want. How about an eye test, drug test, sobriety test, SAT test.  There are soooo many tests out there, but none to know whether you are ready for kids. Someone once told me you are never ready for kids, and if you wait until you are you'll never have any, I agree.

I love my children, and I would never change a thing about them, and I only hope they grow up to have successful lives, and children of their own, that are just like them someday.

So for those of you who are thinking about having children, take my test, for those of you who already have children, enjoy a good laugh, and for those of you who don't have any children....I'm coming over your house!

Physical Test
Take a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of you clothes. Leave it there for 9 months, then remove 10 of the beanbag seeds and try not to notice the closet full of clothes that you won't be wearing for a while.

Toy Test
Get a 55 gallon container of Lego's (I have some you can borrow). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try and walk to the bathroom or the kitchen. Do not scream, because this would wake a baby at night.


Grocery Store Test
Borrow a small goat, 2 if you want twins. Take them with you while you shop. Always keep them in sight, and make sure you pay for anything they eat or damage.


Feeding Test- oooo this is my favorite
Get a gallon size milk jug and fill it half way with a mixture of Gatorade, orange juice, and sour milk. suspend it from the ceiling with a cord. Start swinging the jug. Then try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug while making either an airplane or train noise. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

Mess Test
Smear peanut butter on the sofa and the curtains. Place a hot dog behind the sofa and leave it there all summer.

Ingenuity Test
Take an egg carton. using scissors and paint, turn it into an alligator.


Automobile Test
Whatever you're driving, get rid of it and get a minivan. Buy a roll of stickers and stick them all over the back and side windows. Buy a chocolate bar and stick it in the glove box. Leave it there. Take some play-doh and jam it in the CD player. Take a large package of chocolate chip cookies and mash them into the back seat. Use a garden rake to run along both sides of the car, maybe even the back.

Bed Test
No matter what size bed you have...it's not big enough, when your child asks to sleep with you either tie ropes to each end of the bed so you hold on to keep from falling off, or practice sleeping in a toddler bed. A 40 lb 3' tall child becomes Jesus on the cross when asleep and ALWAYS manages to kick something they shouldn't (tip for the men).



The best tip I can offer...
Enjoy every waking moment with your children, they grow up too fast! Have fun making egg carton alligators, don't sweat the small stuff, stickers look good on the windows, letting the kids sleep in your bed once in a while is the best, even if you end up sleeping on the floor. Oh and 1 more thing, they won't take care of that dog that they begged for after the novelty wares off, but get it anyway.

The Boys 2004
The Boys 2005
The Boys 2006

Myrtle Beach 2008
 

Venice 2011


I know this...In My Life I may not have wanted everything I got, but my children are the best thing I have ever gotten....messes and all.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Whats For Dinner?


Every night I hear.......mom what's for dinner?

I hate having the same thing week after week, but it is also very difficult, to please 3 kids every night, and also making a tasty meal. Growing up in our house it was usually pasta, or polenta, or even on occasion cows tongue (yes, cows tongue), its actually not that bad especially when as a child I had no idea what it was, it was put on your plate and you ate it, never questioning you were eating. Now a day's children question everything which is good...but in the same respect bad.

If it were up to Matthew we would have hot dogs and french fries.
If it were up to Nicholas we would have some sort of pasta.
And if were Brian's choice it would be hamburgers. (hold the cheese)

I also like to try new things, sometimes it works, sometimes not so much.

So today I've decided to post some recipes that I've tried and actually worked.

Spinach Carbonara- I got this recipe from Food TVs 5 Ingredient Fix

Quinoa Burgers- I can't remember where this one came from but it is great!

Chicago Dog Salad- this one has a story with it. Chicago Dogs have always been a favorite in our house, and when our local summer ice cream shop closed (Beezers) I had to have my fix, and was so glad I was watching Rachel Ray when she made this.

For those of you who are not familiar with Quinoa here is some information taken from www.whfoods.com 

Although not a common item in most kitchens today, quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.


 Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, this "grain" may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis.



Help for Migraine Headaches
If you are prone to migraines, try adding quinoa to your diet. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and rebound dilation characteristic of migraines. 


Cardiovascular Health
Quinoa is a very good source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Since low dietary levels of magnesium are associated with increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias, this ancient grain can offer yet another way to provide cardiovascular health for those concerned about atherosclerosis.
   


Spinach Carbonara

Ingredients
  • Salt
  • 1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 pound fresh or dried spinach fettuccine
  • 1 whole large egg, plus 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat and salt generously.
Put the bacon in a large high-sided skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve bacon in the pan.
When the bacon is about halfway cooked, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook about 4 minutes for fresh or according to the package instructions if using dried.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg and yolks, 1 cup cheese and pepper together in a small bowl.
When the pasta is ready, return the skillet with the bacon to medium heat. Using a ladle, slowly whisk about 1/2 cup pasta cooking water into the egg and cheese mixture until loosened. Reserve some additional cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet.
While tossing continually, slowly drizzle the egg mixture over the pasta until it is completely coated. Add more cooking water if pasta seems dry. Add the spinach leaves to the pan and toss until combined. Transfer the carbonara to a serving bowl and serve immediately with more cheese sprinkled over the top.
Cook's Note: The key to perfect carbonara is working while everything is piping hot; this assures the egg will cook and produce a silky, creamy sauce that sticks to the pasta.


Quinoa Burgers with Hummus & Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa, well-rinsed under cold water
1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can white beans (e.g. cannellini or great northern beans), drained and rinsed
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten (or 1/4 cup silken tofu for a vegan burger)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 whole grain or regular hamburger buns
Accompaniments: purchased hummus, salad greens, jarred roasted red bell peppers

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, green onions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg (or tofu), cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until just blended (and still slightly chunky).

Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick). If too soft, refrigerate 15 minutes to firm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes per side.

Toast the buns and spread with some of the hummus. Top with the burgers, greens and red bell peppers. Makes 4 hearty burgers.

Chicago Dog Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
  • 1 rounded teaspoon sugar
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 of a 16-ounce sack shredded cabbage blend for slaw salads
  • 1 romaine heart, shredded
  • 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 3 large half sour or garlic pickles, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 pork or beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle

Directions

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, cabbage, romaine, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.
Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.
I hope you will try some of these the next time you are asked "What's for dinner???"


I know this...In My Life hot dogs, hamburgers, and plain pasta sometimes don't cut it, I will try something new, even if it ends up in the garbage.