~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I went to the dentist today to begin the process of getting a nightguard. I thought all they had to do was take an impression of my teeth, and I’d be all set, but nay. Apparently this is a long process that involves several (if three is “several”) trips to the dentist, and today’s trip was to get this odd little bite guard that fits over my two front teeth. This will relax my jaw somehow (I didn’t ask for details about how exactly that happens) so that when I go in tomorrow for my “bite registry”, they’ll get the best bite registry possible. Whatever a bite registry is. I have no clue. A normal person might have been all “What’s a bite registry, exactly?”, but I just don’t care. I figure they’re professionals and know what they’re doing, so I have no desire to clutter up the small amount of space left in my brain with that kind of information. Anyway, I have this little white plastic thing that fits over my two front (upper) teeth, and I look like a freakin’ rabbit. I’d provide a picture for y’all, but I did a half-assed job when I blow-dried my hair this morning and I look high as a kite in the pictures I took, so no pictures for you! I have to wear the little white plastic thing for the rest of the day (except when I’m eating) and tonight, and go back to the dentist at 7:10 tomorrow morning for the bite registry. Then I guess it’ll be a few days or a week or whatever before I get the actual nightguard. Exciting stuff, no?
My parents’ Christmas tree, taken using the night vision setting on the camera. It’s just impossible to take a decent picture of a Christmas tree when it’s all lit up, y’know?
My sister’s cat Tigger. Isn’t he adorable?
Tigger again. He cracks me up, that cat.
We were in Freeport one morning, and I saw this car. I said “Oh, an Echo! That’s what I want, only in yellow!”, and went over to check out the bumper stickers. I suspect this car is owned by a woman. Check out the full-size version, here.
We didn’t actually eat at Chowder Express (we ate at The Corsican, just down the street from it), but we did check out the menu, and it looked mighty damn good.
We saw this bowl at a small store in Bath. Debbie looked at it and loved it, but it was too expensive. I took a picture of the bowl and the box underneath with the company’s name on it, thinking I’d look them up and see if I could find the bowl cheaper online. I found the company site, but the bowl is $18. That’s a damn expensive bowl, I don’t care how cute it is! (Oh man, check out these salt and pepper shakers. I might have to ask for those for Christmas or something!)
I’ve never eaten here, but the name cracks me up.
My parents have THE most adorable dog.
I saw this notebook in the Hallmark store. I didn’t buy it, but I had to snap a picture of it. If you can’t read it, it says “ladies and gentlemen.. we’d like to welcome you to alabama. please set your watches back six years.” Heh. MikWright stuff was all over the place in the gift shops.
Heh.
“WE are sitting in front of a warm fire, and YOU are not! Nyah!”
That Bean sure has a mouth on him! I’m warm without a toast fire. Of course, my office is about 75 degrees, and that is about 5 too many for me!
Love Debby’s kitty – except no eyes. Where’d they go?
Val
I found the site below and did a search for beef stew in a crockpot. I pasted my search string below so you could copy and paste it into your web address window to access the results. The website seems to be a good source for recipes. I’m sure you’ll find at least one recipe in there that will suit your tastes. There are several choices for crockpot beef stew.
http://www.recipesource.com/cgi-bin/search?search_string=beef+stew&filter=on&dir=.%2Fmain-dishes%2Fcrockpot&imageField.x=16&imageField.y=4
John: Awesome! Thanks – I’m sure I’ll find one I like. 🙂
Val: He does have a mouth on him, doesn’t he? We should wash his little mouth out with soap, but he’s so damn cute we let him get away with anything! 😉
I too am in love with your sister’s kitty! How cute with his eyes closed s if the flash is much too bright for him. Your sister must not take as many photos of him as you take of your cats. Hee.
Hi Robyn,
I’m a stay at home mom of an active toddler and I also hate to cook. But in order to continue to afford to stay at home, my hubby and I agreed that I would cook more. Let me tell you, my crockpot is now one of my best friends!
Here are two links with tons of stew recipes. The first link is found on the absolute largest collection of crockpot recipes I’ve ever seen. This site is great.
Good luck and happy eating!
http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blstew.htm
http://www.crock-pot-recipes.info/soups-stews/index.htm
Hi Robyn, I found THE BEST stew recipe at http://www.reluctantgourmet.com HOWEVER it takes at least 4 hours to make and that includes about 2 hours of peeling and chopping and frying however I don’t mind that part very much, I get a glass of wine and turn on the stereo. I took his recipe and changed a few things and if you’re interested I’m happy to gmail you my version. I do have to say that everyone begs me to make it now because it is mighty dang tasty.
Also there are lots of great cooking tips, tricks and recipes at that site as well.
Angie: Ooh, thanks for the link. I just spent about ten minutes looking at a bunch of recipes, and I’ve found several that look good!
Adena: Would you please send me your version? I find that if I have a lot of stuff DVR’d to watch, I don’t mind spending a lot of time in the kitchen, because I can watch TV while I’m cooking! 🙂
I love love LOVE the pics of Tigger! What a funny boy! I’m guessing you have a red-eye setting and he was blinking in response to the first flash? Cutie.
And those bumper stickers? I carry most of them in my shop. If I didn’t know better I’d think she bought them all here! 🙂
Banquet makes a complete beef stew kit. It is in the freezer section of the grocery store and includes the meat already in the mix. It is made specifically to cook in the crockpot and is pretty good. It is not tomato based, but has a rich brown broth to it.
Try McCormick’s beef stew seasoning packet. The recipe for stew is on the back. I always use the crockpot for it and add more veggies like celery, onion, potatoes, etc. It’s great!
Oh my lawd, Robyn. The Corsican is my favourite restaurant in Freeport. And you ate there!
*slinks off, to stop being such a damn nerd*
Adrith: we did, and it was REALLY good. Apparently it’s one of my mother’s favorite places to eat! The chocolate-peanut butter pie was to die for. 🙂
If you like ginger, I can email you a wonderful recipe for Gingered Beef Stew. I found it as well as most of my recipes online at various sites. My fav is epicurious.com 🙂
Veronika: Sure, I love ginger! Could you email it to me, please? 🙂
I love the kitty with its eyes closed. Did you ask him to “say cheese” and then he closed his eyes? My kitty does that.
My crock pot beef stew recipe evolved when everyone told me what they wanted in it. I start with beef soup and a cup of water, add the celery, meat, onions, carrots and baby red potatos. My family likes corn in it, so a can of corn is added half hour before serving. The most important ingredients I must always use are Old Bay seasoning and Worchester sauce. Now I’m hungry. Gee thanks.
Miz Robyn,
My doc told me that I had TMJ and suggested I go to Walgreens and get a moldable mouthguard that cost $25. It works great (when I wear it at night) and don’t have horrible pain in my jaw.
Oh. Me. Oh. My. You seriously kill me with that piggy there. Do you KNOW how good cereal would taste from that bowl? Man oh mannnnnnnnn.
I Love Tigger! I just want to kiss him, looks like my cat Beavis (yes, after THAT Beavis LOL!)
I LOVE Mik Wright stuff, it is too funny!
I like my stew just the way you described. Mmmm. I’m going to have to go make some now.
Anyway, I found this recipe that’s close to the way I make it minus the tomato paste & the kitchen bouquet (I don’t even know what it is). Even when I do it in the slow cooker, I brown the beef first.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/285/OldFashioned_Beef_Stew45940.shtml
Marcia, Kitchen Bouquet is a liquid you add to gravies/stews (great idea, I never woulda thought to add it to stew, d’uh, but I do add it to my gravies all the time) to give it some deeper flavour and colour, comes in a bottle and you can find it near the gravies or spice section in your grocery store, at least that is where I find it here in Canada. My pantry is never without the stuff.