Red Skin Potatoes at the Cook N Eat

They put me on the spot to come up with a redskin potato recipe at the Monday Nite Dinner Cook N Eat. I came up with one from: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,2238,157181-234202,00.html

But with the modifications culled from the comments on the fly:

400 degree oven
Oregano in place of rosemary.

Rave reviews and highly recommended!


Cooks.com - Recipe - Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Red Potatoes

Good Example of Apple vs Microsoft Or why...

Or why I switched.

http://www.practicallyefficient.com/2011/09/14/office-mac-vs-pc/


Some people get search. Some don't.


This article documents the typical steps needed to locate Microsoft Excel's "Hide Sheet" command in the event that the highly intuitive ribbon interface fails you. First on a PC (Office 2010), then on...

Enjoyin' [not sufferin'] Succotash

A new taste/texture sensation we recently enjoyed: succotash made with endame [green soy beans]. Fair warning: you will never again suffer lima bean succotash gladly. And it is so easy! All Recipes has several variations. We tried one mentioned with five pepper salmon, but it's the endame, which really makes the difference. Here is the basic idea:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/soybean-succotash/detail.aspx

Soybean Succotash Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Instead of using lima beans I like to use soybeans to make a succotash.

Lynne

Made on the iPad with MobileMonet

Jim Kelly

MortysAdventure.blogspot.com

 614 859 9365

Braciole

Been hungry for pigs in a blanket for the last 20 years, since my mother made Sunday dinner [/understatement]. We finally got around to trying it on our Monday dinner friends. We followed the slow-cooker recipe from the site below and absolutely loved it. While there is some learning the first time through, I think from now on it will be a breeze. Something the average Italian restaurant does not usually offer in my experience. Highly recommended.


Bob's Slow Cooker Braciole Recipe - Allrecipes.com


Your slow cooker provides the perfect low and slow heat to braise this traditional Italian rolled flank steak. Jarred marinara sauce makes it a quick fix too.

Automotive Options

Old timers will remember the process of optioning-out a new car. There was, for example a $7.83 right-side mirror as well as radio, heater, and tinted windows. Gradually those things got combined into "packages" of options that went together, lessening the impact of optioning. Today, factory options, except for the really exotic, can be nearly extinct. Still, I was recently asked what options were on our new Fit.

There were "dealer-installed" options available, like a $250 cargo net for the rear [what?]. But as it came from the factory, the car we bought had no options at all. It still included air conditioning, power everything except seats but including mirrors -- even the right-outside, and a sound system that plays music right off a computer thumb-drive. But the Base [as opposed to the Sport] Fit, includes all the factory "options" that the average buyer wants or needs. This approach probably reduces overall costs for everyone, while increasing customer satisfaction and dealer effeciency. And, it is something I am in favor of.


2012 Honda Fit - Specifications - Official Site


See full features and specs of the 2012 Honda Fit at the Official Honda Website. View engineering, dimensions, EPA mileage estimates and measurements specifications.

Honey, I shrunk the minivan.

We sold our beloved Honda Odyssey "Mesabi" and bought a new FIt in Vortex Blue Pearl. I guess we'll be calling her "Vortecca." One of the main reasons for the change was to have dingy in tow to Morty when we head out on an extended road trip.


2012 Honda Fit - Exterior Photo Gallery - Official Site


See pictures of the Honda Fit's exterior body. View the 2012 Fit exterior image gallery at the Official Honda Website.

Time Warp Ice Cream

Today was the inaugural road trip for the new Honda Fit. We went back in time to 1948 Zanesville, to partake of Tom's Icecream Bowl. Everything but the ketchup bottle was from the 50's including the portions. The tin roof sundae is truly memorable. Highly Recommended


Tom's Ice Cream Bowl


PHOTO GALLERY. See some of our history, and our fans and friends, in the Photos section of our website. Sample image. Sample image. Sample image. Have photos you would like to share with us? Feel free...

Internet Abuse on a Pretty Good Bank

Our van buyer got his cash from Cooper State Bank in Columbus and mentioned that it was open 7 days a week. Since we have frequently needed a notary during the weekend, I checked it out.

There was one on line review from a person who used their ATM to check the balance thinking it was zero, saw $50 and withdrew $20. Then s/he was called to come up with $55 since the NSF charge of $35 was assessed. "What an outrage. Never do business with this bank again. !!!!" Are there people out there who don't understand the concept of outstanding checks? I guess so.

This may be just a small example, but this represents the worst kind of internet abuse -- blaming someone else for one's own inadequacies. I added a remark that it sounded like a proper upstanding bank to me, and the bank rating agencies seemed to agree. I will probably be giving them some of my banking business -- just as soon as I'm done shaking my head.

How fast do wildfires spread?

How fast do wildfires spread? Video from the Bastrop fire, town neighboring Austin.

See how fast wildfire spreads - Texas Parks and Wildlife [Official]




youtube.com - Video shot September 5, 2011 on the north edge of Bastrop State Park. All but about 100 acres of the 6,000-acre park have been blackened by fire. Firefighters have been battling blazes for 3 days. At this...

Broken Camel Back?

Was my last post about my woes with Yahoo mail the straw that did in the Yahoo CEO? Survey says...

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Report--Bartz-out-as-Yahoo-CEO-129341833.html


Bartz: I've Just Been Fired


30-month tenure largely ineffective.

Yahoo Mail Gripe

When the iMac desktop arrived a month ago, I tried to set up the email client to access my Yahoo and Google accounts. In that process, the Yahoo account became "confused" and started demanding that I sign-in when accessing email even though I was clearly already logged in. Numerous requests to Yahoo for a fix have gone unanswered.

It is now more than a month later and I still cannot get to Yahoo Email from my desktop, but the mobile clients on my phone and iPad continue to work fine. Now my only hope is that someone at Yahoo responds to posts like this one with a fix. Frankly, I've given up on ever getting to Yahoo mail from my desktop again.

If you use a Yahoo address for me, please substitute Gmail -- everything else stays the same. Otherwise, I will likely miss your message.

New Rehab Plateau

Today, for the first time since March 19 I got back on my bicycle and did a few laps through the neighborhood. But first I removed the pedals that clip to the shoes. -- something requiring the firm application of a hammer to the wrench. A little lube job and re-airing the tires, and I was going good. Very enjoyable. Can't wait to get back on the hills.

For those of you with whom there has been some gap my apologies. If you want to catch up most of my recent story is here on the blog. Please let me know if you want an invitation to Google+.

Selling a used car.

Can't wait to return to trading options on Tuesday. Such sweet work compared to trading cars. I have never worked so hard for so little return. You think you have a deal, and there is always just one more thing that of course would drive the agreed-to price down. So grateful to have a firm offer on the trade value from the dealer. It strengthens the bargaining position immeasurably. It may seem low, but compared to the selling effort it really isn't.

Home Phone -- VOIP Restriction

Just found a surprising new restriction on using Voice Over Interntet Protocol as in the Obi box for free Google Voice. When posting on Craigslist for selling the minivan, Craigslist requires a callback verification to complete the post. Well, try to use a VOIP number and it fails.

You than have to research what the problem is and wait the required five minutes to try again with a cell or landline number. Very awkward I must say. And something I had no clue about before. Something to remember for the next time.

Pretty Good Craigslist Post

This ad resulted in a sale the same day posted with absolutely no other exposure.

From Mesabi

Even later update: To finalize the sale, the buyer got a used car review done at a Mr. Tire, and the car got "perfect marks." So the NTW assessment made 9 months ago was nothing more than a revenue opportunity. The brakes and struts are indeed just fine. Thank you Mr. Tire. Thanks for nothing, NTW.

Selling the Sizzle -- Car Photos

Just finished posting some photos for use in a Craigslist ad selling our mini van. Somewhat modeled on what I've seen car dealers do online. Just something else to share.



These were done just after returning home from dealing on the replacement and before any cleaning. Must say that plain photos online do generally look better than real life. Of course one big factor is that late afternoon light -- much better for camera work. And even more "of course" is that proper protocol calls for cleaning first then photographing.

In All Things: Google Docs (and Apple)

When I moved to the MacBook several years ago, I also decided to try out Open Office for document work, especially spreadsheets. I keep a daily updated track of my investment results, to assure that I'm not wasting time and effort for deficient results. Up until today, Open Office was an adequate solution, but when I needed to move a spreadsheet column, it just didn't have any way that I could find to do that, and cutting an pasting destroyed the formula linkage.

So, with all the good stuff Google has come up with lately, I was ready to give Google documents a try. Sure enough, dragging and dropping formula-populated columns works perfectly. I also tested using some complex formulas, and again, they worked just as perfectly as the full price product from M$. The huge side-benefit is that your document is (automagically) stored in your Google cloud, where it is accessible from wherever you are on the net. Yet another nail in the coffin of "you get what you pay for."

If you have been wondering about trying Google Docs for your needs, I can give it my highest recommendation.