Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

What the Beck???

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Braised Beef Brisket

Found in: The Pioneer Woman blog

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/brisket_baby/

I figured out that there are 402 calories, if 7 servings are made from a 4 lb. brisket. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

       I decided that I needed to make a brisket. This is one of my favorite briskets from Pioneer Woman. I eat a low calorie dinner now, but I find myself hungry at night. I know from previous experience, that if I eat a serving of brisket for dinner, then I am full for the night. The 5.4 lb. brisket that I made gave me 6 servings to freeze and about three servings to share. I have written about this one before, but I was thrilled to make one and share it with the Barnett family. Um Um Good!

Since I didn't have the correct disposable pan size, 

I covered a roasting pan with foil.

I began with cans of beef consomme' 

and added in the low-sodium soy sauce.

I squeezed the juice out of the lemons 

and poured it into the pan

and added in some (blurry) garlic.

The final optional ingredient was liquid smoke.
The last step is to put in the brisket, fat side up
and slow cook it until done.
I am looking forward to a wonderful dinner!

Monday, August 14, 2017

Monday, August 14, 2017

What the Beck???

The Electricians have arrived!!!

 These are the two fabulous electricians that arrived 

to put in three new outlets for the workroom 

RESIDENTIAL stoves.

Stewart Hurst, Inc.
3611 Louisville Rd.
Bardstown, KY 40004
502-518-3245

They did a great job.  
Give them a call.

 Of course, it couldn't be easy and just be on one wall.

They had to run it across the side wall and on down to

the location for the stoves.

 Thank Heavens I will never work on electricity.

There are too many wires for me to deal with when

installing anything.

 No one could possibly say I didn't do this correctly.

These outlets will solve yet another problem that

I can now cross off of my list of to dos.

Done!!!

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Saturday, August 12, 2017

What the Beck???

The Fence is Finished!!!  Yeah!!!

 Bear Creek Fencing arrived early in the
morning to begin setting up the breezeway gate.

 This super duper machine digs a hole in the concrete
so they can set the posts.

 They must all be mathematicians, because
they measured, remeasured, and refigured 
until they were positive the holes were perfect.

 This is the plug of concrete that they removed
from the breezeway. They had to cut out four 
of them in order to set the side panels.

 It was a real bear to get them out once they were cut.

 Side panel #1 is in and level.
Too bad my photo is cock-eyed.

 They were checking for perfection with a 
level. I totally appreciated their precision.

 Both panels are cemented into the ground.
Now, we have to wait a day for it to harden.
Then, the gate panel can be hung.

 DONE!!!    I was so thrilled and relieved
now that I know that my girls are safe.

 I absolutely love the look.  A special
bonus is that the gate has a key lock
which is just added safety for the three homes.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

What the Beck???

I still have 42 movies to watch - but 
I am making progress!!

Bucket List Update

Academy Award Nominated Movies

1930     The Big House

starring: Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Leila Hyams, Wallace Beery,                      Robert Montgomery, George E. Marion, J.C. Nugent

plot –    Robert Montgomery is convicted of drunk driving and sent to                an overcrowded prison. He falls in with a tough group of                men. A riot eventually occurs and things are rough.

This was a well acted very old movie. I was thrilled when the Nelson County Library found it for me. I filled out forms for the remaining missing movies and the librarian will search them out. I am getting so close to having accomplished this massive Bucket List goal.

1931     Bad Girl

starring:  Eddie Collins, Dorothy Haley, Mina Gombell, Irving Bacon

plot –     A model meets a radio salesman and they marry. Collins                      wants to own his own radio store and saves a lot of                     money. Haley becomes pregnant, but keeps it a secret                   because of the expense of a child. Eddie loses his job,                   but spends all of his savings on a new home for his               wife to make her happy. They both underestimate                       each other.        

This was a really cute movie. They are both tough, but find a wonderful connection. It is a great story about putting your mate’s needs above your own. Don’t ever decline to watch the old movies, because many of them are still wonderful today.

1932     Trader Horn

starring:  Harry Carey, Edwina Booth, Duncan Renaldo, Olive Carey

plot –    Harry Carey plays a famous African explorer Trader Horn. He                 and his group set out to help a missionary lady who is in                 search of her missing daughter, Nina. The missionary                   goes on ahead and Trader Horn and his men follow up                   the river. The missionary is eventually found dead.

             Trader decides who finish the journey for her, but finds                 out the child is now an evil leader who wants to kill the                 men.

When I was a kid, my Dad and several of us came home from church on Sunday and watched Charlie Chan and a variety of African movies. This movie would have fit in beautifully. I had to cover my ears when the animal death screams occurred, but it was a typical jungle movie: jungle tribes fighting, and animals killing each other. It was neat to see a young Harry Carey.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Monday, August 7, 2017

What the Beck???

Book Recommendation

       I just finished a fiction book titled Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn. This is NOT a new book, but it was new to me. I borrowed it from the Barnett family. This book was published in 2006.

       The story is set in a small Missouri town. The main character’s family is so dysfunctional it keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. Two girls are dead and the main character, Camille Preaker, a Chicago reporter, is sent home to write about the murders and get the peoples’ reactions. This book is well written and draws the reader into the hunt for the killer.

       Gillian Flynn went on to write the huge bestseller Gone Girl, which is now a motion picture. If you are like me, and never read this book, now is the time to check it out from your local library.

       It was a fast read because it was hard to put down!

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Saturday, August 5, 2017

What the Beck???

This has been a crazy week of dealing with “house stuff.”

I am dealing with an issue with the county about my workroom and main house kitchens. We have reached an agreement, but now I have to schedule the work.

So far I have:

                    

       Removed the stove from the main house

       Removed both fryers from the workroom

       Removed the large stove/griddle from the            workroom

           ****A giant thank you to Robbie Blanford                    and Billy Barnett who worked hard to get                everything removed for me.

       Shopped for three residential stoves to                   replace the professional stove that has            been removed from the workroom

       Had a professional floor cleaner remove

           grease from the workroom kitchen            floor

       Talked to an electrician to schedule him to            install individual outlets for the three            new stoves

       Talked to a professional cleaner to tackle            cleaning the industrial stove hood which

              is staying

Once the last two are complete, I can have the two inspections and install the new stoves. Then, I have to call the propane company. They will come back out here and fill the already installed propane tank in the yard. 

This is the white submarine that is docked in my yard.

Thank God it is behind the workroom and outside the fence. I took the picture a little late in the day.

KNITTING

I was excited because I made it to my knitting group on Monday. I really miss that fabulous group of women when I have appointments on Mondays.

Here is the blanket that I finished this week.  I am now working on another blanket (the same pattern), but in baby soft yellow yarn.

 I folded it over so you can see the front on 
the right and the back on the bottom left.

 The front side

A close-up that shows the beautiful design.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Wednesday, August 7, 2017

What the Beck???


Family Visit!!!

Monday afternoon I had a wonderful visit with my brother-in-law, Greg, and Rachel, my niece.

It was so nice to spend, even a short amount of time with family.

Unfortunately, I am having a terrible time uploading photos from my phone. I really just need to stick to using my camera, which always uploads without a hitch.