Ever Woot? Or watched a Woot-off???

Try it... Woot!!!

Currently it's a woot off - they keep posting stuff until it's over. The only thing is, they only sell one item at a time. So it's great if you remember to check the website!

PSH

Take Back the Filter

TakeBackTheFilter.org is fighting to make Brita take back the filters for recycling and trying to keep them out of the landfills. Yesterday Bimmer Man realized that we have more recycling than trash. That makes me happy. Actually, if we could compost we'd have even less trash and if I stopped using paper towels then we probably wouldn't have any trash at all.

So moral of the post: Sign the petition for Brita to take back their filters.

Notice: only 1 filter was sent back from Indiana. They'll be receiving another one later this week.

PSH

PS: Bimmer Man is out this weekend, so I'm making some great stuff! Like curried pumpkin soup, fun pasta dishes and probably more food that I can freeze. My camera will be worn out...

Lessons With McTatty: Poached Chicken

Never had I heard of poaching or boiling chicken until I moved down to Indiana. My mother never boiled chicken, potatoes yes, chicken - no. My mother-in-law says that boiled chicken is too bland. Which, in my opinion it is (but not MY way!!!).
So, bring together approximately 3 - 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil. It should be enough to cover about half the chicken.
Then, add the juice of one lemon, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp marjoram, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer for about 6 - 10 minutes on each side, making sure that spices are left on the side of the chicken that's up in the air. You want this chicken to have flavor, not be bland! Blech!
Keep simmering away...
Serve with rice and gravy. This is McTatty's Chicken & Gravy.
Delish! Poached Chicken with Uncle Ben's Wild Rice, McCormick's Chicken Gravy and beer!!!
And squash. Doesn't it look delish? Roast at 375 degrees for one hour, with butter, honey, salt & pepper!!!
Yum!

Enjoy...

PSH

When It Rains, It Pours

You've met the Bimmer Dog. But here he is, not as healthy as a horse like previous posts. He became lethargic one day and then never got better. We brought him to the vet last week and we got horrible news. He has bone cancer, which, in Golden Retrievers, cancer kills approximately 60% of the dogs. I've learned more about canine cancer than I ever wanted to.
When he was better, he stole my shoes. And I would find them in the dog box (crate). But now he doesn't have the energy to steal my shoes. So now I find them where I put them last and it's weird. Really weird. It's sad. I keep thinking that I need to search the whole entire house to find my shoes for work at 7:30 AM.
He used to sniff at his doggie bags to go out and potty. Now we have to lift him up to get him to go out and potty. And that sentence just made me start to cry.
Here's Bimmer Man with Bimmer Dog. This was last Thursday.
And this is yesterday.
And this is today. Better, but only because of pain medication. The Bimmer-mother-in-law is flying down this weekend to say goodbye to Bimmer Dog.
And so we had to take one last family picture.
We love you Bimmer Dog.
And yes, we know that you love squirrels and kitty cats. But never fear.
We've kinda adopted a cat. That's the Bimmer Car. This was on Tuesday, the night we had to leave the Bimmer Dog at the vet. I prayed for God to send us a sign and guess what. We got a freakin' tabby cat instead. I hate cats. Bimmer Man hates cats, so no offense or anything.
But there's the cat.

McTatty

Food Policies and the Election

By now you've probably deduced that I'm very liberal. I'm a tree hugging, cooking, photo-taking, Kiss-My-Face soap using (soon to be Sappo Hill soap using with no packaging), true-to-form Democrat.

And I buy grain fed chicken. And Bio Bags for my Bimmer Dog's poo.

But as an environmentalist, even hearing energy policies, I still want to know more. And so I've done some research.

Here's a summary of McCain's and Obama's proposed policies within this lovely American economy today for food. For human energy. Yep, that's right, something that they haven't discussed within the debates yet. And probably won't be.

Direct link to Obama's "Real Leadership for Rural America"

Direct link to McCain's "Prosperity for Rural America"

BTW - I actually poached chicken for the very first time last night. I popped my poaching chicken cherry and it tasted fantastic! That's to come later this week...

PSH

Break the Water Bottle Habit

I am a pretty environmentally friendly person. But it irks me to no end when I see people buying bottled water. It's water for pete's sake - you can get it for free from your tap! Don't like the taste, buy a Brita! Use a Nalgene bottle, refill it, but whatever you do, please, please do not purchase bottled water.

If you do, please recycle. Please, please, please recycle. I've gotten Bimmer Man to start recycling cardboard! Woo hoo! So, if he can recycle cardboard (and yes, that includes the boxes that your crackers come in, etc...), that means that EVERYONE can stop buying bottled water!

Ok, confession. I used to drink Fiji water because it seriously tastes like Heaven. Really, it does. But I don't drink it anymore.

Be environmentally friendly. Be natural. Eat natural.

Happy Hump Day!

PSH

Apple Pecan Sticky Buns

And so Fall begins with apples. I don't normally eat them by themselves. I just like apple crisp and food like that. Don't ask why. I just do. Oh, and applesauce. I have to have apple sauce everyday, just like oatmeal.
I forgot to take a dang picture of all the ingredients again. Please, don't delete me from your google reader! I promise, this gets better...
Especially with pecans...
And 2 apples. Peel them and chop them.
Don't forget to squeeze a little lemon or some sort of acidic something over them so they don't brown. Toss to get the acid all over the apples.
Roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
And make the sticky dough.
Seriously, you could probably add another 1/4 cup of flour to the dough. I recommend making the dough in a food processor. I didn't and you can tell. So, make it in a food processor.
Get the crumble mixed. With a fork.
Roll out the dough. Make sure your board is floured well. Otherwise it'll stick. It did for me...
Dot the dough with butter.
Then roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 8 - 9 pieces. Put into a prepared pan.
Smell the loveliness of the warm apples mixed with the cinnamon and remember what Fall is like...
Then come out of your stupor of Fall scents and shove it into the oven for 35 - 40 minutes.
See? Sticky dough. Eh, add another 1/4 cup flour next time, plus chill the dough. That should take care of it...
Check the oven and smell. Wish that there was an apple cinnamon scented perfume...
Then remove after it's done.
Make the syrup.
Swirl a lot.
And more... For 2 - 4 minutes.
And drizzle. Then eat.

Apple-Pecan Sticky Buns
From Every Day with Rachael Ray

2 tart apples, such as granny smith—peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, softened 2 cups flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Place the apples, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter on a parchmentpaper- lined baking sheet; toss to coat. Cover loosely with foil and roast until tender, 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°.

2. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, blend the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt at low speed. Add 5 tablespoons butter and mix until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 cup cream, then mix into the dry ingredients.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to form a 9-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, the pecans and cinnamon. Cut up 2 tablespoons butter and dot the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on top and cover evenly with the roasted apples. Roll up the dough, jelly roll-style, and cut crosswise into 9 slices; place the slices cut side down in the prepared baking pan. Bake until golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the honey to a boil, stirring. Whisk until reduced, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly. Drizzle the sauce over the warm buns.
Enjoy!

PSH