Whatsfordinner, 1.31.2010.

One of the best benefits of knowing how to cook (or at least not being afraid of the kitchen), is when you need to make something for dinner and have no clue what to make, and it's too late to run to the store (meaning: your kid is hungry!). A simple pork chop, rice and veggie is always an easy option... but one can spice it up with a little garlic, rosemary, cayenne pepper and some Panko.

TV.

I would not label myself a television junky. I won't fall over and die if I miss an episode of a certain show. And being at home all day I am proud to say that the television stays off (most days). I enjoy a few shows that are on, and actually have three evenings per week where nothing I care to watch is even on.

So since I am feeling so good about myself as a non-tv-junky... I looked at my DVR to see what shows, and how many, I record. Wow. I was a bit shocked. My DVR looks like I do nothing with my life but watch television. Below is what my DVR is set to record and my comments... and keep in mind that not all of these shows are on year round.

Chuck: the show is dorky and fun - very me.
How I Met Your Mother: less enjoyable than the previous seasons... I want to find out who the mother is!!!
The Secret Life of the American Teenager: TERRIBLE TV, but so addicting. I feel bad because I know I am about 25 years too old to be watching this show.
Life Unexpected: A new show which has been fantastic for the first two episodes.
The Big Bang Theory: Still fun.
Greek: LOVE THIS SHOW. This is my new Gilmore Girls. Perfect television.
Glee: Good, but not great. Not something I could watch over and over.
Flashforward: Love this show... when is it coming back... it is coming back? Right?!
The Middle: So Malcolm in the Middle, but funny.
Modern Family: Love it.
Ugly Betty: So sad it's getting cancelled, but it gets rid of one show for me.
Community: Thinking about dumping this soon... not very funny.
Parks And Recreation: Better than season one, but still very dumpable.
Grey's Anatomy: I should of dumped this last year.
The Office: Getting a little old.
30 Rock: Still love it... and I arrived very late.
It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia: I am surprised to say this... but I am getting tired of it.
Project Runway: Perfect!
Private Practice: So much better than Grey's.
My Boys: Horrible, but I am addicted. Did this get cancelled?
10 Things I Hate About You: Another horrible show, but I watch it.
Parenthood: Starts in March and I have high hopes.

So that is not that bad... right?

Puppies at play.

Yesterday I wrote about a book and an author that meant a great deal to me... today my post is about a book that gets a whole lot of attention from the fifteen month old in our house.

Puppies At Play is a board book written by no one, or at least no one wanted to put their name on it (cannot blame them). It's fourteen pages long and has very few words. Miles wants us to read it to him over and over and over again. There are other books he picks, but this has been his all time favorite for some time now. We are actually on copy number two because of all the wear and tear... and I suspect copy number three is approaching soon. I can recite this book, and often find myself muttering lines from it. This book might just possibly be making me go crazy.

I hope this book, no matter how tired LP and I are of reading it, leads our little one to enjoy books and finding time to become a strong reader.

I can crawl around. We can run around.
I'm all worn out! Good night!
~Puppies At Play

Whatsfordinner, 1.28.2010.

I believe this is the first time I have ever made a chili-mac recipe, and I am certain I will not use this recipe again. Out of America's Test Kitchens 30 Minute Meals, it was too easy to make, and really took no cooking skill. Open cans of this, cans of that, and combine with a box of this, and a box of that... oh, and cut and onion and some garlic. Recipes like this often taste boring (and often too salty) to me, and this one was right inline with preconceived ideas. Too processed even though I "cooked" it.

Next time we want a good chili-mac we just head over to the Harmony Grill... they do it really well but this is really a dish only for the winter months.

J.D.

J. D. Salinger passed away today at the age of 91. I would just like to take this post to say thanks for showing me the wonderful world of the novel.

I was never one for reading. I struggled with it throughout my elementary and high school years. I can remember being made fun of by other classmates in high school whenever I had to read out loud since I would stumble over the words... and once I stumbled, it would escalate, and soon I was flat on my face. Then the teacher would say, "Next." So I learned to be afraid of reading, and quickly learned that you can pass high school without really reading. Yep, I even did alright in English classes without reading the books. Scary. I did not do so well on half of the S.A.T.

When I was in college my older brother, for some reason or another, gave me a book to read... maybe he noticed that I never read anything. The book was Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote. Since Breakfast is actually a short story it was included with three (?) other stories. It was a very easy read and something I could finish... one story at a time. I recall it taking me a couple months to read (do mostly to my lack of attention span, not my lack of enjoyment), but I did it. I was very proud of myself.

The next book my brother gave me to read was J. D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye. A real book, a novel, and not a short story. Another easy read. I adored the story. I was quickly wrapped up, in, and around the antics of Holden Caufield. I read as much as I could every day, often re-reading parts since I clearly missed things on the first read. Then after a couple months I finished it. I had accomplished something I had never done before... I read a novel strictly for enjoyment purposes. I was well aware at the time that kids five years younger than me could read this book in a day, but that did not matter. I was proud, and I only wanted to read more.

To celebrate my accomplishment, years later I found, in good condition, an early edition of Catcher. I try to read it yearly, or even just pick it up and read a few pages now and then. My love of books and stories is bigger than my time for them, but I hope to one day be able to find the time. I still struggle with reading, but the more I read (and write) then better I get. I still often daydream a bit too much (usually when I am tired), but books seem to always be on my to-do list. I hope my love of books and LP's strong reading skills rub off on the munchkin since being a strong reader will take you far.

It's really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes. ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 9