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Sunday Afternoon Open Thread: Silly Things We Do

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:25:04 PM EST
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Last night I watched the movie Julie and Julia. It was pleasant, nothing extraordinary. I'm pretty much a one-pot cook (stews, soups and pasta sauces.) In the summer, I grill. I haven't baked since the early 1980's when the TL kid was little. I gave away my Kitchen Aid mixmasters years ago. So how could I just spend $172.00 at Whole Foods, buying things like flour, brown sugar, chocolate chips and corn bread mix?

I also watched Inglorious Basterds. I thought it was going to be a comedy. I should have realized as soon as I saw Quentin Tarrantino's name that the violence would be over the top. I had to look up reviews afterwards to see what all the hoopla is about the movie. Apparently, it's what's called a "fantasy revenge" film. But I kept thinking, two wrongs don't make a right.

What silly things have you done this holiday season? If you haven't done anything out of character, this is an open thread, all other topics are welcome.

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    Sunday Afternoon Open Thread: Silly Things We Do | 64 comments (64 topical)

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    I haven't seen Tarantino's last 2 films, but (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by tigercourse on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:33:47 PM EST
    by and large every movie he makes is a drop in quality from the last one. Kill Bill 2 was a little better then Kill Bill 1, but that's not saying much.

    Tarantino's monumentally overrated (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by jondee on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:31:46 PM EST
    every film of his that I've seen looks like it was made by a very smart fifteen year old whose sum total of cinematic exposure is every schlocky, high-body-count crime melodrama, horror, kung fu movie made in the seventies,

    The Coen brothers, he aint.

    Parent

    I've picked up cooking/baking this season. (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:48:35 PM EST
    I can tell you that $172.00 for the ingredients you mention, at Whole Foods or elsewhere, is a little overspend, imo.  Hope whatever it is you are cooking/baking is phenomenal.  BTW, I'm trying to identify what I cook that is phenom (and a lot more economical) and I now have enough ingredients for a dozen types of Cheesecakes; plain, choc chip, choc truffle, strawberry swirl, etc.  The only complaint I have is that I've put on 5 lbs.  My goal during the past few months was to take off 10 lbs.  Ah, eating well in the winter; plenty of time coming up for the Lean Cuisine....

    Pumpkin Cheesecake: (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:07:06 PM EST
    Ingredients
    2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 eggs
    1/2 cup pumpkin puree
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 pinch ground cloves
    1 pinch ground nutmeg
    1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
    1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
    Directions
    1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
    2.In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
    3.Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
    4.Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

    p.s.  let cheesecake cool in oven w/out openening oven door for up to 6 hours before refrigerating to avoind cracks and splits.

    Parent

    You are really making headway in (5.00 / 1) (#35)
    by Anne on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:39:04 PM EST
    your cooking journey - and you're having fun, I think - that's the best part of cooking/baking - having fun.

    I'm going to do a tiramisu for Christmas dessert - it is so decadent and so delicious - and looks so much harder than it really is (everyone needs a recipe like this!).

    If I could recommend a website, and a great magazine, check out America's Test Kitchen, which has a website and a PBS cooking show, and also publishes Cook's Illustrated: they take all the guesswork out of some of the best and most familar dishes.

    Happy cooking!

    Parent

    Love tiramisu. (none / 0) (#39)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:43:53 PM EST
    Thanks for the website recommends.  

    Parent
    Forgive my cheesecake ignorance (none / 0) (#29)
    by CoralGables on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:14:28 PM EST
    Would this be a 9" springform pan?

    Parent
    Here's the scoop. (none / 0) (#33)
    by ChiTownDenny on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:36:51 PM EST
    All Recipes is where I get most of my recipes.  I've only recently started cooking and have discovered that while there are a lot of keepers, some dishes either are too much work (!!!) or just aren't that great (probably my error).
    Re: cheesecake, the All Recipes ingredients listed provide for making your own crust.  I actually by those pre-made Nabisco crusts and then I just have to make the filling.  I don't have a springform pan; I don't use a water bath; I do, however, let the cheesecake cool in the oven (which means it continues to cook as it cools) to avoid cracks.

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Double-Layer-Pumpkin-Cheesecake-2/Detail.aspx

    All Recipes

    Parent

    doing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Chick Flick (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:51:20 PM EST
    ... (a film selection favorite on my couch panel)is hugely more satisfying than enduring another installment of Tarantino's video geek plagiarism.

    He's been living large off Asian cinema almost his whole career by w@nking over scorned, blood-covered mega-babes in maenadic revenge mode.

    Meh. YMMV.

    I decided to be a candy maker :) (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by nycstray on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:53:56 PM EST
    The chocolate alone was 130+change {grin}. Then I discovered antique/vintage candy molds . . . . lol!~

    I'm looking at the whole thing as start up investment though. Working with chocolate, sugar and liqueurs is fun, relaxing and tasty :)

    If you get more into the candymaking (none / 0) (#8)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:08:46 PM EST
    May I suggest the Chocolateman?

    Highest quality chocolate, excellent prices.  

    No affil, just a satisfied customer....just ordered 11 lbs of Soleil d'Or, 5 pounds of Lustrous and a 1 kg quantity of cocoa (to make homemade hot cocoa).

    Parent

    How to make an el-cheapo Candy Mold (none / 0) (#21)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 05:37:02 PM EST
    If you have a desirable shape you want to 'translate' into Choc/Candy here's one to try.

    Take your desired shape, say, an Xmas cherub. Spray it lightly with oil.

    3/4 fill a vessel (disposable/re-usable micro-wave containers or pie plates are good) with Plaster of Paris. For smaller candies and treats, don't use a vessel that's too deep. If you don't have Plaster of Paris handy, use Poly-filla.

    Make sure it's firm enough to handle a pressing from your "original". Press it in and don't jiggle it around too much so that you preserve nice detail. Make as many as fit on your plaster, and make sure your "original" doesn't collect gunk. (Wipe clean and re-spray with oil if it does.)

    When the Plaster has dried, place cling wrap into the molds and candy your @ss off.

    However, before you go to all that trouble, check around for existing molds for, eg, Sculpey, Play Dough, etc. They have themed ones at a fraction of the cost of Candy Molds.

    Parent

    The silliest thing I've done so far this year is (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by Angel on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:14:58 PM EST
    keep my pumpkins out on my porch until an hour ago - they're now in the trash for pick up.  Sent the hubby to get poinsettias so we could join the rest of the world in celebrating the holidays!  lol  Put the "peace" hanger on the door the other day, the St. Nick on the dining table and my beautiful holiday candle holders and candles on the entry table.  That's all the decorating I've done so far....  This is certainly out of character for me as I'm always one to do the decorations and make everything look perfect.  What happened this year?  Too many long hours working....that's my excuse.  

    This Silly Thing kicks @ss! Lady Power Tool! (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:17:58 PM EST
    I took an old handheld Betty Crocker whipmeister and rigged the ends of a few snap in beaters / dough hooks to serve my evil ends. (Please apply sanitation common sense and don't mix up your food, cleaning and personal-use beaters!)

    • bristly scrub brush, sponge or other cleaning thingy for dishes or spot cleaning around the home
    • pumice or sand covered firm ball for restoration and art
    • personal multi-use slougher, buffer, massager

    "Betty" has more speeds, flexibility (and more power) than the equivalent 10x more expensive power tools (like routers and hand held screw drivers) and the beaters can be rigged to do almost anything.

    I stuck my rigged beaters on a Wheel of Betty in every room and just cart the motor gun around.

    With that hilarious hairdo Betty's worn for decades, who knew she could be so empowering?

    I love this. You ought to take out a patent (none / 0) (#13)
    by Cream City on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:33:23 PM EST
    and I'll gladly do the marketing, so we can split the profits.:-)

    But which Betty?  Which hairdo?  Have you ever seen the many images of Betty as she has evolved with American women?  Such fun.  Oh my, our ads also almost write -- and illustrate -- themselves.

    Parent

    The beauty of 'Betty' is that the beater ends (none / 0) (#15)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:42:48 PM EST
    ... that click into the gun are standard even from other beater motors, so it's a piece of cake -- pardon the pun -- to collect as many as beaters you want/need and f*ck around with them.

    Drudgery used to be, well, drudgery. Now it's kind of fun.

    Parent

    On the 'Betty' hair, a gallery of her helmets (none / 0) (#22)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 06:22:18 PM EST
    ... here hasn't led me to closer to which is burned into my brain.

    Am I just imagining this because she looks like every second middle aged lesbian I know, or does Betty seem way gay and about to announce:

    "All right, look, I've been a lesbian for nearly a century, okay? Yes, I hang out in the kitchen, yes, I specialize in casseroles and comfort cuisine, but in my off-hours I'm a huge dyke. There, I've said it.

    Sosumi!!!

    And here's how to make a scrumptious version of sosumi your whole family will love ..."

    Parent

    lol The 1972 pic is a dead giveaway as to her (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Angel on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 06:36:45 PM EST
    true leanings.  Just look at the face, those eyes - it's like - why am I pretending????? Let me out of here!!!!!!

    Parent
    I like the '36-'55 Betty Crocker prison warden yrs (none / 0) (#56)
    by Ellie on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 09:44:32 PM EST
    Stock character sraight out of trash cinema: the prison warden lez.

    Parent
    The '86 pic says "Don't f...with me - (none / 0) (#64)
    by Angel on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 09:09:02 AM EST
    just don't."

    Parent
    Putting green and red sugar sprinkles (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by esmense on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:41:10 PM EST
    on the biscotti that are baking in the oven right now. That's very out of character for me. I use my mother's recipe and I really am a biscotti purist. The only baking I normally do is a few traditional Italian things at the holidays. The sugar sprinkles have been sitting unopened on my shelf for years -- I planned to use them for some birthday cupcakes, I think, but I never made the cupcakes. Anyway, I just remembered they were in the cupboard and decided to sprinkle them on at the last minute.

    Tomorrow I'm going to make pizzelle. I'm waiting for tomorrow because I promised one of my employees, who wants to learn how, that we would take some time out of the work day to make them together. I'm looking forward to it.

    When my parents died, the only thing my brother and I fought over was our mother's pizzelle iron. We finally agreed that he could have it if he made the cookies every Christmas and Easter and mailed them off to me (like our mother had done). He kept his promise until one year he sent me a pizelle iron for Christmas. I don't know why he didn't think of it sooner. Or why I didn't just go out and buy my own. I guess it had something to do with really acknowledging that our parents were gone.

    Not like me to pay for pain (5.00 / 3) (#16)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:54:31 PM EST
    but on Thursday I got PRK laser eye surgery on my left eye. Long story short, I got monovision LASIK many years ago, and in the last couple of years my eyes and brain have stopped wanting to do the 'one eye for reading, one eye for distance' tango, and I have had to wear a combination of different glasses. So I just got my left eye corrected for distance too, and will now just have to use reading glasses, which is fine.  

    Out of an abundance of caution the doctor here in FL did not want to re-LASIK over the old flap, so he did PRK which he warned me ahead of time was a slower and more painful recovery than the LASIK. He was not kidding. The burning and light sensitivity has continued without much diminishment for 3 days now.  Worst part is that I usually read when I am not feeling well, and I can't even do that for very long at the moment without too much painful strain.  Thank god for 24 point font on my web browser!

    So it's been mostly movies for me too - but I have to wear sunglasses! Mini-reviews:

    The Brothers Bloom: OK, but not as good as I hoped. Can't quite identify what was off about it, just not quite sharp enough. All that got me through it was my Adrian Brody love. Actually, I fell asleep. There, I said it.

    Angels and Demons: Loved the Roman travelogue aspect, and Tom Hanks is always easy to take, but I remembered the book having more substance. And the ending looked a lot more ridiculous than it read on paper.

    Copenhagen: this is a PBS movie adaptation of the Michael Frayn play, which I saw at the Denver Center a few years ago and liked very much. It is about a meeting in Copenhagen in 1941 between the nuclear physicists Bohr and Heisenberg, former colleagues separated by the war. It was well done, but I did like the play better. The physics discussions were more interesting live. Also, I do not like the actor Stephen Rea very much - so lifeless.

    Hustle, Season 2: This is the best of all. A BBC series about a team of con artists. Funny and smart. The only thing I can really recommend on this list!!!

    please let us know (none / 0) (#25)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 06:49:24 PM EST
    when your eyes feel back to normal. I had monovision LASIK in 1997 and it's worked well, but I do have a pair of glasses that brings the reading eye up to distance level I use for night-driving.

    The Kindle has a button that reads the book to you (like an audio book but without much vocal inflexion, not like an actor reading it)-- if you're going to be better in a few days it's probably not worth the cost of the kindle, unless you'd like it anyway (I do.) You can also adjust the size of the type.

    Parent

    I have been kind of wishing I have a Kindle! (none / 0) (#42)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:02:30 PM EST
    I've had a few of the old e-readers and never ended up using them that much, so I didn't get one, but it would sure come in handy now!  Holding out for that rumored Apple tablet...

    I'll keep you posted. I was really sad when my monovision stopped working. I was so happy with it for so long.  I'll keep you posted on the recovery. They warned me that the vision recovery is slower than Lasik too - not those instantaneous miraculous results. So far that is true. The left eye is still real blurry.

    Not stopping me from watching Survivor finale though!

    Parent

    A low cost alternative to the (none / 0) (#36)
    by ding7777 on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:39:35 PM EST
    the Kindle TL mentioned...

    your local library might have a good selection of audio books on CDs

    Parent

    thanks, yes! I have a lot of podcasts stored up (none / 0) (#43)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:03:37 PM EST
    and a few books from Audible. I'm all set that way!

    Parent
    Audiobooks n/t (none / 0) (#65)
    by Spamlet on Sun Mar 14, 2010 at 05:54:04 PM EST


    Parent
    No time for silliness yet (5.00 / 3) (#17)
    by Cream City on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 05:11:21 PM EST
    with both final exams still to give tomorrow, so many emails from almost 250 students this weekend -- and the day after the last class was the day my daughter had emergency surgery, amid her finals, and she is on crutches for the next six weeks, so it has been hectic with all of the chauffeuring . . . and no time for shopping.  Plus, the end of the semester means many last-minute committee meetings.

    Ask me a few days after Christmas, when it's time to input almost 250 final grades and click send!  Then there will be a brief hiatus until the emails about final grades . . . and until extra meetings being called now to cope with more state budget cuts in this dire economy.  The state is just figuring out what I figured was pretty obvious, which is that if the largest employer in the state -- the state -- cuts all state workers' pay, the state's income tax revenues will be reduced, too.  Duh.

    It is not an economic time for much silliness.  But we will find time for games, so we will get our laughs.  We are fond of the new card game version of Monopoly -- Monopoly Deal -- and the recent adds to the fave list like Catchphrase.  And the old faves like Scrabble, of course, the f2f version to get away from the computer soon, whee!

    played the Star Wars version of Monopoly (5.00 / 1) (#48)
    by desmoinesdem on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:12:00 PM EST
    with my 6-year-old. Getting him the game as a Chanukah present was my husband's idea for helping us keep him busy during winter vacation. The funny thing is that he's become obsessed with Star Wars without ever having seen any of the movies. He loves these early reader books about the stories.

    Let's see I watched Sting's winter (none / 0) (#1)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:27:59 PM EST
    special on PBS.  Don't remember ever hrg. him sing before.

    Oh, and I just assembled recipes to take along to Austin tomorrow. Totally out of character.  

    Hmm silly things . . (none / 0) (#5)
    by SOS on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 03:52:03 PM EST
    Oh wait okay watching the ongoing weekly series.

    The Streets of Washington

    Created by David Axelrod
    Produced by Rahm Emanuel
    Written by Wall Street and Goldman Sachs

    Starring . . Barrack Obama, as . . himself

    We are (none / 0) (#11)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 04:26:01 PM EST
    harvesting a Christmas tree from our front yard today.  For some reason, we get more volunteer Douglas Firs in our front yard than we know what to do with, so we yank some and let some grow to use as Christmas trees.  The one we'll harvest today is two stories tall, so we'll cut it short enough to place in an atrium area of our house.

    We may not decorate the tree.  I love lights, I hate decorating with them AND taking them OFF the tree.  So we may just have pretty tree smells in our house.  Maybe I'll string some popcorn or cranberries or something.  But that's it!

    I hear ya, sister (none / 0) (#19)
    by jbindc on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 05:21:08 PM EST
    I just have a little fiber optic tree - pull it out of the box, and it's together in two pieces.  I put some garland on it, and this year, I got some candy striped bows and put on.  Done decorating the tree - ornaments take up too much room and it's a pain to take down (especially as I'm never here for Christmas).  I just like to look at the lights every night as I sit on the couch and watch TV.

    Parent
    Gaming (none / 0) (#20)
    by waldenpond on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 05:22:19 PM EST
    In an effort to spend more time with my 17 year old son, I am learning to game on the X-box 360.  Lord of the Rings, Assassins Creed... although Dynasty Warriors is more my speed and we've cleared a few maps so far.  Got him Dragon Ages for Christmas, we'll see how it goes.  I am having difficulty getting the hang of the camera swing and have to turn the sensitivity down.

    I had to come up with Bladestorm (none / 0) (#28)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:05:43 PM EST
    It's an older game but for some reason my son wants it more than anything else.

    Parent
    Jeralyn, check out ... (none / 0) (#24)
    by Robot Porter on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 06:37:27 PM EST
    Glenn Erickson's review of INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

    One of the best critics on the web, Glenn makes a good case for the film.

    I too thought it was a return to form for Tarantino.  

    interesting review (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:01:34 PM EST
    And I did like Shoshanna.

    Another review I read said that QT insisted on calling all the actors by their character names while on the set, and the guy who played Hitler wasn't too happy about that.

    Still, it just reminded me that I don't like his films. I thought I liked Pulp Fiction at the time, but never watched it again, not wanting to see the violence. I didn't like Reservoir Dogs and walked out on Sin City (he was just a guest director of it but it seemed just like him.)

    But I guess the fact I'm still thinking about Inglorious today means it had an impact.

    Parent

    Josh and I watched Four Christmases today (none / 0) (#27)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:02:47 PM EST
    This Christmas is going to be bizarre, and deliberately so.  We are very family and tradition oriented, but if we do that this year we know we will feel the absence of our daddy husband person.  So we are running away to Charleston, but won't stay with sister because we don't want to put up with the babies 24/7 (we lived with them for months and months) so we will get a hotel room.  It's so shallow though, then we watched that movie and laughed like mad talking about signaling abandoning them when we are in their house using the code word mistletoe.  It's going to be strange.....but we prefer strange this year I guess.

    I totally sympathize (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:16:56 PM EST
    I love my family, but enough is enough. I want to sleep in a real bed and not a kid's room that they were kind enough to vacate for me.

    Parent
    Especially when you are recovering (none / 0) (#53)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:24:54 PM EST
    Sending warm healing thoughts your way.

    Parent
    Thank you! (none / 0) (#55)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 09:41:33 PM EST
    I'm sure it will be fine in the next couple of days. I'm a big baby - never have been seriously sick or in pain, so I whine a lot when it happens!

     Feel like a big wuss next to your Josh. Hope he is doing well too, by the way and you all have a great Christmas, no  matter where you stay.

    Parent

    He's doing great now (none / 0) (#57)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 10:25:07 PM EST
    Got a couple of days of school in and a Christmas party before the break.  I had to dose him up with pain reliever but he missed his friends so much.  His classmates are so good to him through all of this too.

    Parent
    Ha. We are going to Austin and (none / 0) (#30)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:33:22 PM EST
    I opted for nearby hotel, as opposed to choice of 2 bedroom apartment or one bedroom cottage, to be shared collectively by 9 people.  

    Parent
    Being shallow with us :) ? (none / 0) (#40)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:58:08 PM EST
    I'm supposed to be enjoying this grandma thing.  And I am to a degree.  I come bearing many many gifts, we must take the SUV because we have furniture and a little wood table and chairs in pastel colors even for Zoey.  But I will retire to my hotel :)  And they will have room service :)  My daughter has my cooking genes but lacks the desire to even attempt to fake it yet, nothing will save us.

    Parent
    I vant to be alone! (none / 0) (#46)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:05:53 PM EST


    Parent
    Silliness? Isn't the whole "magic of (none / 0) (#31)
    by Anne on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:34:04 PM EST
    Christmas" about allowing our inner child, and thus the accompanying silliness, out for all to see?

    I mean, is it really silly to allow yourself to  get back to those childhood feelings that came with the Christmas season?  I don't think so - I think it's required.

    My daughter turned the buffet into a magical Christmas village - she found a bunch of houses, post office, church, in a thrift store, and then bought accessories and "snow" and it's the first thing you see when you come into the house from the garage.  My husband has bought a track and trolley to circle the village, and we know our daughter will just love it; we can hardly wait - and our daughter is 23!

    I love finding special things for people, love the joy on people's faces; love cooking the Christmas meal, sitting around a crackling fire, looking at the best Christmas tree EVER (we say that every year!), counting our blessings, being grateful for health and a job, and people we love who love us back.

    If being silly means being happy and giddy, having a full heart and laughing more than usual - well, count me in.

    I hope every one feels this, shares this, remembers this.

    I love stuff like this (none / 0) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:59:25 PM EST
    We aren't doing it this year....but next year.

    Parent
    Possible court martial for becoming (none / 0) (#32)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:36:08 PM EST
    pregnant or impregnating another, whilst either is under the command of the order-giver in N. Iraq.  We've come such a long way, baby.
    Stars and Stripes

    Oh, I guess men can impregnate women (none / 0) (#34)
    by oculus on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:37:13 PM EST
    who aren't under this officer's command.

    Parent
    It really depends who the commander is (none / 0) (#44)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:04:35 PM EST
    At first they were throwing the book at women getting pregnant in the zone.  But war stress brings on a lot of war sex, someone with an education in such things brought it up.  So they stopped doing that the last I had heard and most just send you home, out of the war zone, the minute that you are confirmed pregnant.  It is bad for business right now to court martial soldiers for this.  Of course some yahoo is still going to press for it.  My husband and his best friend came back from that first push into Iraq with a scary relationship between the two of them.  I finally told them that if they slept with each other just tell me, I can deal with it.  The way they laughed nervously wasn't much of a reassurance :)

    Parent
    The opposite of silly. (none / 0) (#37)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:41:46 PM EST
    Having a real hard time getting into the Holiday spirit when the family is all out in Seattle and I'm stuck here alone.  

    Mom's making cookies tonight and I'm missing out.  

    Guess I'm waiting for that Christmas miracle.  

    Sqaush pie (none / 0) (#38)
    by Zorba on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 07:42:35 PM EST
    is better than pumpkin.  Try this recipe:

    Squash Pie

    Line a 10-inch pie plate with pie dough.  Preheat oven to 425.

    Mix together:
    3 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
    2 cups heavy cream
    ¼ cup brandy
    ½ cup brown sugar
    ¾ cup white sugar
    ½ tsp salt
    1½ tsp cinnamon
    ¾ tsp ginger
    ¼ tsp nutmeg
    ¼ tsp cloves
    3 slightly beaten eggs

    Mix well, and carefully pour mixture into uncooked pie shell.  (Unless this is a deep-dish pie shell, this will be very, very full, so be careful).  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350 and bake about 45 more minutes, until knife inserted into center comes out clean.  (After about 30 minutes of total cooking time, check the edges of the dough.  If they are getting too brown, cover the edges with foil.)

    I can't believe (none / 0) (#51)
    by desmoinesdem on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:17:49 PM EST
    that all fits into one pie shell! Seems like you have enough for 2 pies, or one 9 x 13 pan with a crust pressed on the bottom.

    My recipe for pumpkin or winter squash pie, reducing the fat and sugar as much as possible:

    2 cans pumpkin or winter squash
    ¾ cup brown sugar
    4 large eggs, beaten
    2 cups cream
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    1 ½ teaspoons ginger
    ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (a little goes a long way)
    1 teaspoon salt

    Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

    Mix ingredients in large bowl with whisk. This takes only a few minutes, even with my four-year-old "helping" me stir.

    Pour into two frozen pie shells (you do not need to defrost first). Transfer carefully to oven rack so the filling doesn't spill out.

    Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 350 and bake for another hour or so, until set. Depending on your oven, the pies may need less time at 350.



    Parent
    This fits (none / 0) (#54)
    by Zorba on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:41:56 PM EST
    into a deep-dish ten-inch pie plate (at least, the one I own), but I like your recipe, too- sounds good.  Do try some brandy in place of some of the cream- it makes a difference!

    Parent
    Dodge Devoted Dexter? (none / 0) (#45)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:04:59 PM EST
    Just heard Michael C. Hall doing narration on a Dodge ad. No mention of his Dark Passenger.....

    Too Funny! (none / 0) (#47)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:11:13 PM EST


    Parent
    Half expected to see Harry in the back seat (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by ruffian on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:13:03 PM EST


    Parent
    Thanks for the Invictus critique (none / 0) (#52)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 08:22:47 PM EST
    I love Morgan Freeman.  I'm completely sucked into every role he's ever played.  I've always thought it was because he has been brainwashing me since Sesame Street...he rides an immediate neuropathway into my psyche.  I liked Inglourious Basterds and I'm always shocked at how easily Tarantino exposes parts of myself that I would really like to ignore the existence of.  I was so satisfied when Col. Landa got a swastika carved into his forehead and Aldo Raine told him that he would only be chewed out for such a deviation from orders.

    Josh is watching 'Thirteen Days' (none / 0) (#58)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 10:32:54 PM EST
    right now and is talking to the television.  I guess it's genetic but it isn't my stuff.

    "Thirteen Days", huh? (none / 0) (#59)
    by caseyOR on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 10:42:45 PM EST
    I'll be interested to hear what Josh thinks of the events in the movie. I have shockingly clear memories of that time.

    Parent
    I was a twinkle in my mom's ovary (none / 0) (#60)
    by Militarytracy on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 11:15:07 PM EST
    But she told me that the churches in Colorado Springs were packed......everyone was praying.  I'll ask him tomorrow what he thought.  It's still on, it's a long movie.

    Parent
    Things were very tense (none / 0) (#62)
    by caseyOR on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 11:40:53 PM EST
    I was ten years old. I remember how serious all the adults were. My dad was a reporter for our local paper. When he came home I would listen to he and my mom talk about what he had heard in the newsroom.

    Parent
    Raspberry centers . . . YUM! (none / 0) (#61)
    by nycstray on Sun Dec 20, 2009 at 11:40:53 PM EST
    So I took the peppermint patty recipe and adjusted it to use my freeze dried organic raspberry powder . . .  I'm in heaven. Can't wait until they're dipped in dark chocolate . . .

    And I swear, ya don't even have to eat the chocolate to feel good. Just making the ganache butter creams has me in a daze . . . . candy making is turning out to be good therapy, lol!~

    Silly things... (none / 0) (#63)
    by kdog on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 09:01:39 AM EST
    Well my sister's annual legendary Christmas bash was Saturday night, mid-blizzard.  20 or so diehards braved the storm...late night we hit the hot tub and ended up doing swan dives off the hot tub ledge into snow drifts, snow angels and snowballs galore half naked...I'm amazed nobody came down with frostbite.  Fun stuff.

    Digging everybody out Sunday morning was a b*tch...my back is killin' me today:)

    Sunday Afternoon Open Thread: Silly Things We Do | 64 comments (64 topical)

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